The Manipulated Villainess

"This is the list of places I manage to gather," Mathias said to Leon as he showed him a list that contained 5 places. "They are all inside this city. It's clear that my uncle won't flee to another city."

Leon Jung looked at the list and he was quite confused. "I never know about these places," he confessed.

"You won't," Mathias replied. "Those are his secret properties. I get it from someone who used to help him manage those."

If the person willingly gave it to Mathias, Leon realized that this young man was trusted a lot by his father.

"Will you be okay if my father finds out that you help me?" he asked, curious yet concerned. Just by recalling everything Mathias had said to him so far, it was clear that he looked up to his father a lot.

"It's fine," Mathias Jung said and turned away from him. "I can deal with that."

"I -"

"Out of those 5 places, I think there is no possibility for him to go to two places and that cut down our choice to 3. I will help you look for it," Mathias said, interrupting Leon before he could utter any more thing. "All you have to do is keep your promise."

Mathias walked inside his room. He came out a minute later, wearing a jacket and a car key in his hand. "Let's go."

*

Mathias was on his way to one of the three places which he and Leon will check out. Leon also made his way to another address.

In fact, Mathias wasn't even sure of what he was doing or... if he was doing the right thing. However, he wasn't the type to go back on his decision. It was the same in Cassandra Lim's case. There were times when he regretted letting her go but... he still stood firm in his decision.

After driving for almost two hours, he reached one villa. Then he gets off his car. When he observed the villa from outside, it was more than quiet. Besides, it was almost 2 in the morning by now. It was already time for the whole country to be asleep.

No matter how quiet the place was, he still sneaked inside and observed it, only to find out that there was no one. He returned to his car and then called Leon to inform him that Peter Jung wasn't here. Once he did that, he left for the third address.

Only a few minutes had passed when Mathias's phone went off. He looked at the caller ID but it was just a number. However, he still picked up.

"Hello?"

"Mathias."

Hearing the familiar voice, Mathias's raised a brow and he suddenly pulled over the car. "Uncle? Is that you?"

"I clearly told you to not get involved with me anymore, Mathias. Why don't you listen to me?"

"Uncle -"

"I say that for your sake, Mathias. I don't want to drag you into this mess!"

Mathias finally realized the situation. Maybe Leon got the right place. Feeling anxious, he quickly started the car and left for the second address. However, the call still goes on.

"Leon is around," Peter Jung said from the other line. "No matter how much I think about it, you're the only one who can tell him about this place."

"Let me explain -"

"You and Leon are the ones I care about the most. Why must you do this to me, Mathias? What you did last time was already unforgivable but I let it slide. How many more times do I have to understand you?"

Last time? What was he talking about?

"I already know that you are the one who released Cassandra Lim on purpose," Peter Jung added, making Mathias understood.

"I'm on my way, Uncle. Once I reach there, please give me time to explain," Mathias pleaded, panicked. "I admit what I did last time and you can punish me for that. But this time, it's not like what you think."

Mathias became even more anxious when Peter Jung hung up the call.

"Hello! Uncle!"

He speeds up his car as fast as he could. As it was already past midnight, the roads were free and that worked at his advantage.

After a little over an hour drive which felt like a day, he finally reached the villa where Leon was supposed to check it out. As his uncle said that Leon was around, he quickly gets off his car and checked the surroundings first.

However, when the gate to the villa was suddenly opened, he understood that Leon was already inside. He had no better choice than to enter with an uneasy mind.

The moment he entered the villa, what he saw made Mathias abruptly halted his movement.

Leon was standing a few steps before him while Peter Jung was standing opposite him yet at a distance. What's more, Daniel Gu was beside Peter Jung, pointing his handgun at Leon! He didn't see the Chairwoman at all.

When his uncle shifted his gaze to him, Mathias tried to walk forward but...

"Stop there."

He was halted by his uncle's seemingly calm yet stern voice. Mathias instantly understood that his uncle was more than serious.

Hearing this, Leon turned his head to him but soon, he shifted his gaze back to his father again. "Mathias only help me because I begged him to. I also promised him that I will meet you alone. No one else knows about this," he explained.

"You never told me that you're in touch with Leon," Peter Jung said, looking at Mathias once again.

"After you're caught, he came to meet me, twice. But I ignored him each time, uncle," Mathias responded. "I don't think much about it and I never deemed it important. That's why."

"It seems like you keep many things from me these days, Mathias... while I never once doubt you," Peter Jung remarked in a rather cold voice.

Mathias struggled for words to say! He doesn't know how to defend himself as his uncle was telling the truth. He indeed changed a lot these days. Maybe because he met some people who shared the same wounds as him.

"Why don't you say anything?" Peter Jung asked with displeasure. He realized more and more that Mathias was very different from what he used to know!

"Uncle... it's my fault. I shouldn't have done this," Mathias finally said and briefly glanced at Leon. "Please let him go. He intended to bring no harm to you. I'm the one who brings him here and I will bear the consequences."

"I already said that Mathias helped me because I promised him that I will meet you alone. He cares about you a lot," Leon chimed in. "I was the one who pestered him to help me."

Feeling troubled, Mathias walked forward, going against the warning that Peter Jung gave him before. He stood in front of Leon, making the handgun aimed at him.

"Mathias!" Peter Jung snapped with rage.

The stern calling of his name by his uncle had some effect on Mathias. However, he refused to back down as he felt like this was his only chance. Giving a brief thought, he gets down on his knees, making Leon blinked.

"What do you think you're doing?" Peter Jung uttered as he glanced down at his nephew who was kneeling before him.

"Please stop this," Mathias pleaded. "Many people already got hurt, uncle. If you want to run away, I can help you. I'm willing to do anything if it's for you but... don't hurt others anymore, please. I beg you, uncle. Please stop now."