Amanda tossed and turned for a long time, her mind racing with Winter's revelation and the chaotic events of the past few days. Finally, she kicked off the blanket and went to open the door.
Sure enough, Quentin was still there. When he saw her, his eyes flashed with a flicker of hope. "Mandy," he called out softly.
Noticing the dark circles under his eyes, Amanda bit her lip. "Why didn't you go home to sleep?"
The faint smile on Quentin's face instantly vanished. "If I'm bothering you that much, I'll leave."
Seeing him turn to walk away, Amanda's eyes widened. "Wait!"
Quentin turned back, looking confused. "What's wrong?"
Amanda bit her lip, her voice sounding forced and unnatural. "It's a long drive home. Do you... do you want to come inside and sleep for a while?"
As she saw his expression brighten like a high-beam headlight, she shot him an embarrassed, half-angry glare. "It's up to you whether you come in or not!" She huffed and walked back inside, a small smile tugging at the corners of Quentin's lips as he quickly followed her.
The room had only one bed, which meant they had no choice but to share. At first, they both lay motionless on their respective sides of the mattress, but the silence was too heavy for Amanda to bear.
"Do you hate me?" she asked suddenly. "For being a double agent?"
She wasn't angry at him for the auction trap; she knew she hadn't been honest from the start. If she was angry at anyone, it was herself—she had been so confident in her "knowledge" of the future that she forgot that in any market, Quentin was always the master.
Quentin leaned over, gently turning her to face him. He caressed her cheek, his smile soft and weary. "I know you didn't mean to harm me, Mandy. But this power game... it isn't suited for you."
Amanda lowered her eyes, absorbing his words. Quentin reached out to lift her chin so she had to look at him. "Whatever it is you want to do, I will do it for you. Just don't put yourself in danger anymore."
Amanda's eyelashes trembled. A wave of unfamiliar warmth flooded her heart, causing a flutter of panic. She smiled awkwardly, trying to dodge the weight of his words. "What are you talking about? Go to sleep. I'm tired."
Knowing she wasn't ready to say more, Quentin didn't push. As long as she didn't push him away, he was content. He pulled her into a gentle embrace and patted her back, coaxing her toward sleep.
After a grueling day and night, they slept deeply until late afternoon. When Amanda finally woke, she was distraught to realize she had become like an octopus, clinging tightly to Quentin in her sleep. The moment she moved, his eyes snapped open.
Seeing that her fever had broken and her mood had improved, the weight on Quentin's heart finally lifted. "Are you hungry? Let's go find something to eat."
Amanda felt as though her stomach was sticking to her spine. She nodded eagerly. "Okay."
Amanda went to shower, and when she came out, she found Quentin rummaging through her luggage. He pulled out a fur hat and placed it firmly on her head. Amanda watched, bewildered, as he added a face mask and a pair of glasses he had found somewhere.
"Are you taking me out to dinner or are we robbing a bank?" she asked.
Quentin, long used to her wit, adjusted the hat with a look of satisfaction. "I'm taking you for a walk around the city. Are you ready for our mission to rob the local barbecue stalls?"
Amanda laughed, giving him a mock salute. "Understood. Mission accepted."
Quentin laughed with her, taking her hand as they stepped out into the bustling night air. He bought ten meat skewers and some grilled beef, then led her to a hidden corner by the riverbank. Sitting there, looking out at the vast water while eating, Amanda felt a rare sense of freedom. She polished off six skewers in one go.
"Aren't you afraid of getting fat, eating like that?" Quentin teased.
Amanda huffed, though she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Seriously? You're going to criticize me?" She playfully slapped his arm.
Quentin grinned, even as she hit him. "Where is the 'serious and mature' company president now? How can you speak so carelessly!"
"If you're this fierce, I almost can't believe it," Quentin chuckled, finishing his skewer.
"You're the one who worked so hard to feed me, and now you dare to ask if I'm afraid of getting fat! Do you want me to kick you into the river?" Amanda snorted.
To her surprise, she realized how comfortable she felt with him. He had a unique talent for making her both annoyed and incredibly happy at the same time.
"Sir, would you like to buy a flower for this pretty lady?"
A young girl holding a basket of roses approached them, smiling widely. Quentin squinted at her, then pulled out several large bills.
"Thank you! You two are such a beautiful couple," the girl chirped.
Quentin looked satisfied, patting the girl's head as she left. Amanda, however, had broken into a fit of laughter. Quentin looked a bit embarrassed and reached out to poke her waist, which only made her laugh harder.
"Don't you dare laugh at me again!" he warned, though he was smiling too.
Amanda gasped for air, clutching her stomach. She reached out and took one of the most beautiful roses from the bunch, bringing it to her nose to inhale the scent.
"You are really childish," she whispered.
Quentin laughed to himself, watching her. "Who was the one making a big deal out of things earlier?"
Finding himself speechless against her logic, Quentin simply picked up a stone and skipped it across the dark surface of the river.