“Can you guarantee that there is not a one in a million chance that you will get hurt?”
“I will never risk something I cannot afford to lose, no matter how low the odds.”
It wasn't just words. Ethan's eyes, his facial expressions, his cracking voice – all of it showed his complete sincerity.
Honestly, it was frustrating.
Camille pitied Ethan for his past that made him like this.
But at the same time, she couldn't deny that a small part of her felt something else – something more like excitement.
This realization stunned her.
She never thought Ethan was a man.
At least, you didn't think so.
No, I shouldn't conclude anything.
Maybe Ethan acted this way just because it touched a nerve. Despite everything, she is still his wife, still a member of his family, someone he feels responsible to protect.
Logically speaking, this made more sense.
After all, as Ethan himself said, she had many secrets that she was hiding from him, and they still fought when they were face to face.
At this moment, she had to focus on practical matters, not fleeting emotions.
Even dealing with Nicholas had deviated from the original plan. She had to devise a new strategy.
Focus. As always…Think, Plan, Prepare.
If she hadn't done so, she would have ended up dying alone on the streets a long time ago.
Camille suddenly sat up on the bed, went to her desk, and turned on the lamp.
***
Ethan stared at the sunlight filtering through the curtains.
In the end, he didn't sleep well last night.
His body ached from exhaustion and a dull headache, but staying in bed any longer wouldn't help him get back to sleep.
Ethan got out of bed.
...Maybe I should head to the training grounds and wave my sword around a bit.
Moving his body may help clear his tangled thoughts and feelings.
That was when he came out of the bedroom.
Ethan froze when he saw Camille sitting on the sofa in his drawing room.
“You woke up early”
“……”
Ethan looked at her silently before saying, “As I said yesterday, the matter is settled. No matter what you say, I will not change my mind.”
“I know. I didn’t come to convince you,” Camille answered calmly.
"… Is this correct?"
“Yes. I will deal with the matter with Nicholas as you said. I will tell him that I cannot do it, because I am afraid that my husband will catch me.”
“……”
Ethan looked at her suspiciously. But, as usual, her expression was ambiguous – a rigid, flawless face.
“You seem to doubt me.”
“……”
Camille laughed, “At least try to deny it.”
"Are you serious? Aren't you trying to reassure me before you stab me in the back?"
“Stabbing you in the back? That's cruel. I've told you time and time again – we're on one side. Under the name Dumont.”
“……”
Ethan slowly walked towards her and sat down in front of her.
“So, what do you want to discuss?”
“How to deal with Nicholas”
Ethan narrowed his eyes, “I thought you would do what I said.”
“I am. Like I said, I won’t deal with the matter directly. But I can still express my opinion, right? After all, Nicholas reached out to me, and I’m the one who knew he worked for Gerard. In the end, I agreed to follow your directions, so it’s only fair that you hear me out, don’t you think?”
“……”
She was always annoyingly convincing. Ethan sighed quietly.
“I knew you had something up your sleeve.”
“That's not it. I'm just trying to have an open and fair conversation.”
“……”
Ethan stared at her before giving a slight smile, “Okay. Here you go.”
“As I said yesterday, do not try to track down Nicholas or collect hard evidence that he is Gerard’s agent. The probability of being caught is greater than the probability of success.”
“So what? To leave him without understanding why he called you? This is a waste of a golden opportunity.”
“Big words for someone who didn't create this opportunity,” Camille replied, looking a little annoyed.
Ethan ignored her and continued, "Anyway, it's an opportunity to arrest Gerard. We even got the name and face of someone suspected of being his client."
“As I just said, I am the one who collected this information.”
“I'm not trying to take credit.”
“That's not what I meant. I'm telling you to listen to me because I know what I mean. This situation requires caution. If we act rashly, we will lose more than we gain.”
Camille spoke firmly, raising her eyebrows slightly in an expression that Ethan found…almost cute.
… I am waiting. Nice?
Ethan frowned slightly at him.
I must be really sleep deprived if I'm thinking like this.
He shook his head vigorously, making Camille furrow her eyebrows.
"Are you listening to me? This is important, so focus. Don't get distracted."
“……”
It was a ridiculous idea. Now, when he looked at her again, she had her usual annoyed expression.
“So what is your suggestion?”
"For now, do nothing. Don't follow him, don't investigate him. Just pretend we don't know anything."
“...What? This is a waste of opportunity.”
“Not so. As I said, we know his name and face. For now, let my informant monitor Nicholas and Gerard’s movements. We will gather information this way, and the time will come to move.”
“Do you expect me to sit down and trust some informant whose identity I don't even know?”
"He's reliable. Didn't he prove it with everything he did?"
“So, you still refuse to tell me who he is?”
“This is for security. You understand the importance of this.”
“……”
Ethan tapped the table with his fingers, his expression thoughtful.
"Trust me. I've never failed, have I?"
“……”
Ethan wasn't entirely convinced. Should he trust Camille on this? Will he regret it later? But she was right.
…That's always the problem. Her words always make too much sense.
In this matter, Camille held all the cards.
She claimed to be open and honest, but it was likely that she was still holding on to information that she had not shared with Ethan. Of course, it's not impossible that she could be a spy for Gerard, but…
But this can't be...it shouldn't be, right?
Logically, the odds of it succeeding were slim. If Camille had been a spy, many of her actions would not have made any sense.
There is no need to make any decision now.
For now, doubt may remain just a doubt. And if Camille had acted as a spy later, he would have dealt with her then.
Good. I wouldn't trust her without a plan. This is not what I want...
Ethan convinced himself, as if making an excuse.
“Okay. We'll do it your way, for now.”
Camille's face brightened, and she felt visibly relieved.
“Thank you. You won't regret it.”
“I wish I didn't do that”
“You won't do that”
After saying that, Camille suddenly hesitated, and glanced at Ethan with an unusual expression.
She seemed hesitant, which was not her nature.
“And, um… about what you said yesterday.”
“What did I say?”
“You said you would never risk something you couldn't afford to lose, no matter how low the odds were… what did you mean by that?”
Ethan tilted his head slightly, “I meant exactly what I said.”
“If you mean that literally... then, um...”
"As I said before, the dead don't come back. What's more irreplaceable than life?"
“……”
Camille frowned slightly.