Chapter 34
“Mr. Ludwig, I’m okay now.” Zoe forced a shy smile, though she inwardly cringed. She despised pretending to be helpless, but for the sake of her mission, she swallowed her pride. Sometimes, patience was the only way forward.
The leopard, kicked away for the second time, finally got the message. It scrambled to its feet and, with a final leap, bolted like a scared rabbit, tail between its legs.
“Mr. Ludwig, my classmates must be in danger. Let’s go help them.” Zoe clung to Shawn’s arm, her eyes wide with a feigned plea.
Playing the part of a fragile girl was almost more than she could handle. But when she glanced at Shawn, he didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he looked almost approving.
‘Does the legendary Shawn actually have a soft spot for this kind of helpless schoolgirl act? Ugh. His taste is really questionable,‘ Zoe couldn’t help but think.
“Let’s go.” Shawn’s voice was flat as he pulled away and started walking, not waiting for a response.
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Though Zoe had been flawless from the moment the cheetah lunged at her until Shawn stepped in, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the one he’d been looking for. Whether she was or not, he’d find out soon enough.
Zoe knew the real test hadn’t even started. It would begin the moment she and Shawn walked onto the set together. She had to stay sharp, not letting a single clue slip. Shawn wasn’t the type to be easily fooled.
“Mr. Ludwig, slow down. I can’t keep up…”
*Mr. Ludwig, could you carry me? Or maybe give me a piggyback?”
She looked every bit the fragile, helpless girl, and she kept up a steady stream of chatter. But Shawn’s face remained cold and distant, completely tuning her out.
Suddenly, Zoe screamed and dropped to the ground.
But Shawn kept walking, not even glancing back.
“Mr. Ludwig, I think I twisted my ankle,” Zoe said, her voice trembling.
“Get up, he replied coldly. “This isn’t a place for drama.”
“No, I can’t walk, Zoe insisted. “If something happens to me here, how will you explain it to the school?”
She expected him to at least look back, but Shawn just kept going, as if she wasn’t even there. Just like that, he
was gone.
In the blink of an eye, Zoe lost sight of him. ‘He just left? No second glance, no hesitation? Hey, be a gentleman, okay?‘ Zoe’s face fell as she thought, but she stayed where she was, rubbing her ankle and pretending to be in pain.
Her instincts whispered to her that Shawn hadn’t gone far. If she got up now, all her efforts to dispel Shawn’s suspicions would be in vain.
If she was going to play a role, she had to go all the way. She needed to be so convincing that she could fool herself–and, with any luck, him too.
“Ouch, it hurts so much,” Zoe whimpered, tears streaming down her face. Even she was surprised at how real it felt.
From a distance, Shawn watched her. He frowned, his expression softening for a moment. ‘Am I wrong about her? She’s not Firefox? But those little clues…. they just nag at me.
Soon, Shawn’s heart lurched as he watched the scene unfold.
Zoe sat there for a moment, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs, before she forced herself to her feet and began to limp back. But just then, a venomous snake slathered out from the crevices in the rocks.
Zor had been on high alert from the very first moment. With her abilities, dispatching the snake would have been effortless.
But she thought of Shawn, who might be lurking in the shadows, watching her every move. Besides, she always carried antidotes. Even if Shawn had left, she’d be fine. Zoe decided to take a risk
The snake slithered closer to Zoe and hissed. It coiled around her legs for a moment, then lunged, sinking its fangs into her thigh. “Ah!” Zoe cried out, her voice filled with feigned pain. In that instant, she caught sight of a steep slope and a cliff right beside her.
11:58 AM
Chapter 34
With a flicker of resolve, she let her body go limp and tumbled down the slope. Like a kite with its string cut, she rolled and fell over the edge.
From the shadows, Shawn saw everything, his eyes widened in shock.
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