Mia Grant was jolted awake by her system’s scream.
"Host! Warning! Warning!"
She shot upright, throwing off the covers and about to jump out of bed. "Is there a fire?!"
[...]
After hearing the system say Serena Grant’s life was in danger, Mia Grant lay back down with a clear conscience.
’What does that have to do with ?’
"But we haven’t reached the point in the plot where the female lead is supposed to die. If she dies prematurely, you and the other male leads will all be affected."
"Especially Kian Keller."
Mia Grant opened her eyes again, asking in confusion, "Why?"
Then it hit her. "Because he’s the one trying to kill Serena Grant?"
"Yes." The system paused before continuing, "Host, do you rember the original novel’s ending we discussed?"
Mia Grant thought for a mont, then nodded. "I rember. It was a complete train wreck."
"In the ending, the female lead ets a violent end. Since the original author never revealed the killer’s identity, the system can’t yet confirm which of the male leads is responsible."
"Now that Kian Keller is preparing to act, the system has detected a plot anomaly, indicating a high risk of collapse."
"..." Mia’s head was still fuzzy with sleep. She patted her forehead, and it took a mont for her to process what the system was trying to say.
"You’re saying that if Kian Keller were the one who killed Serena Grant in the original novel, then you wouldn’t be flagging a risk of collapse."
"To put it simply, he’s not the killer. And to prevent the world from collapsing, the person who kills Serena Grant *has* to be the sa person who did it in the original novel."
"Yes."
Mia Grant was silent for a long, long ti—so long that the system couldn’t help but prompt her again. "Host?"
There was no response.
A few seconds later, the system registered her steady breathing and realized she had fallen asleep.
"HOST!!!"
Mia Grant’s eyes flew open. "What?! What’s happening?!"
[...]
"Oh, right." Mia Grant sat up, rubbing her eyes. "So you want to go stop him? How am I supposed to do that? I’m just the villainous cannon fodder."
’Here we go again.’
The system couldn’t rember how many tis it had heard her use this excuse.
"He’ll listen to you."
"He’s not my dog. Why should he listen to everything I say?"
"Maybe not, but it’s close enough. Host, you’re so charming. It would only take a word from you, wouldn’t it?"
Mia Grant raised an eyebrow. "Fine."
—
It was a suite. Mia Grant searched around and finally found Kian Keller in the sitting area, busy with work.
She pushed the door open, gripped the handle, and leaned forward to peek her head inside.
Aaron was the first to notice the movent at the door and gestured to the man behind the desk.
Kian Keller followed his gaze. The tension in his brow eased the mont he saw the small figure peeking around the door.
Their eyes t, and he beckoned to the head peeking through the gap.
He was telling her to co in.
Mia Grant grinned, straightened up, and pushed the door open to enter. "Are you busy right now?"
"Not busy." As he spoke, he removed his Bluetooth earpiece and made a "pause" gesture to the figures on the screen.
The conference room fell silent. Several pairs of eyes stared in unison at the projection.
At his side, the quick-thinking Aaron imdiately turned the cara, leaving the people on the other end staring at a blank white wall.
"You’re up early. Are you hungry?" Kian Keller glanced at the ti, just now realizing she’d only been asleep for half an hour.
Considering her usual sleeping habits, it was unlikely she had woken up on her own.
Mia Grant sat in the empty chair across from him, and he fed her a green grape.
Her lips were soft, and the pad of his finger brushed against them. He stared at the glistening moisture on her lips for two seconds before telling Aaron to pour her a glass of water.
Then, he picked up another green grape and held it to her lips.
Mia Grant took it between her lips. As her teeth bit into the flesh, juice burst forth, leaving her lips even more moist.
A mont later, he wiped it away with a handkerchief.
He went to feed her another, but Mia Grant dodged back, shaking her head gently.
"I don’t want any more. I’m not in the mood for fruit."
"What do you want to eat?"
"Crè brûlée, I think. With an extra-burnt top."
Kian Keller looked at Aaron, who nodded and walked out.
Once Aaron was out of the room, Mia Grant got down to business with Kian Keller.
"Actually, there’s sothing I want to talk to you about."
"Go on."
"But... I have a feeling you’re going to turn down."
"Will you?"
She looked up at him, her gaze cautious.
Kian Keller remained unmoved by her look, stating with calm composure, "That depends on what it is."
"It’s sothing that won’t hurt you. It’s not a sche for money or murder, so you don’t need to be so wary."
"What about for you?"
The sudden question took Mia Grant by surprise.
She hesitated.
Seeing her reaction, Kian Keller understood.
He tossed out two cold words: "Forget it."
"..."
Mia Grant was struck speechless.
’I haven’t even said what it is yet.’
’How can he just shut down like that?’
"Why don’t you at least hear out first? Then you can think about it."
"I don’t need to. I know what you’re going to say."
Mia Grant was stunned. "You’re sure?"
"Impossible." He didn’t beat around the bush, telling her plainly, "She must atone for her sins."
"But..."
"What do you get out of pleading for her?" Kian Keller cut her off.
’Good question.’ Mia Grant forced a laugh. All she would get was a word of praise from the system.
"But this won’t do you any good, either. Why not just let it go? Think about it, we just left the temple this morning. Have you forgotten what the master said?"
He signed his na at the bottom of the docunt, tossing out three light words: "I don’t care."
"..." Mia Grant was speechless.
"What about ?"
The tip of his pen froze. He looked up at her.
Mia Grant pressed her lips together, eting his gaze. "You don’t care about that stuff. But I’ll have nightmares."
As her words fell, the room went silent for a mont.
It was followed by the soft click of a pen being capped.
"I understand," he said.
Mia Grant tilted her head, studying his expression. He t her gaze. "We’ll do it your way."
Hearing this, Mia Grant finally broke into a smile. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Alright, I’m going to go eat. You can get back to work~"
Before he could say anything, she was on her feet and slipping away.
’She cos and goes in such a rush.’
’Once she gets what she wants, she couldn’t care less about .’
Kian Keller pressed his lips together, then turned the cara back. "Let’s continue."
The eting, which had been scheduled to last at least an hour, was hastily wrapped up after just forty minutes.
One of the attendees ventured a question just before Mr. Keller signed off. "Mr. Keller, is there good news on the horizon?"
"Does this an we’ll be attending a wedding soon?"
"And the young woman just now, is she your..."
The questions ca one after another, all beating around the bush.
Previously, Kian Keller would have simply ignored such irrelevant questions.
But today was different.
In front of the screen, his fingers paused for a few seconds as if in thought. Then, he lowered his gaze to look into the cara.
"You all carry on. I’m going to go out with her for a bit."
This statent was a tacit confirmation of his relationship with the young woman.
To be indulged by him like that, to make him lose all interest in work just to be by her side... only the person he cherished most in the world could receive such treatnt.
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