Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 223: Please, don’t come in… don’t come in…

Before Ryan could even recall where that familiar feeling came from, a voice completely disrupted his train of thought.

Click—

It was the sound of a key being inserted and turned in the lock, just like Ryan had done earlier. When he did it, he felt a mix of novelty and nervousness, but now, this sound spelled sheer panic.

Was the new tenant back?

If so, Ryan was undoubtedly caught red-handed.

Entering someone’s home without permission could be classified either as theft or as breaking and entering.

Even if the homeowner shot him, it would be justified.

Ryan swallowed hard, his hair standing on end, feeling a tingling sensation on his scalp.

Getting caught sneaking into the room was one thing,he could explain that he used to live here.

At worst, he might have to pay some compensation, and as long as he could retrieve his belongings, he probably wouldn’t end up at the police station.

But considering the setup here and that unsettling feeling from earlier, being taken to the police station might not be the worst outcome.

The owner must know him, and their mental state seemed off,why else would someone sleep in the bedding he once used?

Taking a deep breath, Ryan slightly leaned out to peek toward the front door.

Creak—

The key had turned halfway, and the door slowly opened.

Sunlight streamed in, and the person stood in the light, but the brightness contrast was too stark, blinding Ryan and obscuring his view.

What kind of skills had he drawn earlier? If they were skills, why didn’t he have super vision or enhanced stealth?

Ryan blinked and looked toward the figure, shifting slightly for a better view.

He was now in a more shadowed area, hidden enough not to be immediately noticed.

“Please, don’t come in… don’t come in…”

The blood-stained clothes in the bathroom and the fact that someone had slept in his bed were chilling. Ryan almost felt delusional.

If he couldn’t leave here today, he might never get out.

The door fully opened, and as Ryan’s eyes adjusted to the light, he focused on the newcomer, taken aback.

The person wasn’t very tall,standing next to Ryan, they would probably be a head shorter.

Their face was obscured by a black hoodie and a mask.

Only a few strands of hair peeking out from the hoodie hinted that the person was female,beyond that, it was impossible to tell anything else.

She wore a black hoodie and tight jeans, which highlighted her figure.

Her legs were long and shapely, the curves of her calves as if calculated by the most precise formula, everything about her seemed perfect.

A pair of long legs appeared before Ryan, somewhat beyond his expectations.

A young girl, and one who seemed quite attractive in both face and figure.

Why would someone like her engage in such bizarre behavior? She surely had no need for it.

“She must be about my age…”

Ryan muttered to himself, dismissing the idea of a middle-aged femme fatale.

Yet, that unsettling feeling only intensified upon seeing her.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” Alice had taught Ryan. Alice looked delicate and pretty, but if you took her at face value, you’d be shocked by her capabilities later.

This girl gave Ryan a similar vibe, perhaps even more dangerous than Alice.

But did he really know this girl?

Ryan tried to shift a bit to get a clearer view, but before he could move, he felt a gaze sweep over his hiding spot.

!!!

The angle between the bedroom door and the main entrance created a blind spot, blocking the view from outside.

But… as the gaze swept over and stopped right where Ryan was hiding, the person didn’t enter, just stared for a long time.

Cold sweat trickled down Ryan’s spine, and he was tempted to call Miss Alice for help.

This was bad, really bad. Even though Ryan hadn’t made eye contact, the oppressive feeling was suffocating.

The room was dead silent, the person just standing at the doorway, like a cat blocking a mouse hole, not attacking, just toying with the situation.

Cats are patient,she could keep this up all day, and the mice, mostly, weren’t eaten but died of fright.

Ryan felt exactly like that, unsure of the girl’s intentions at the door, clueless about how to escape.

Should he just walk out and clear the air with her?

The girl might not look tall, but her outfit screamed trouble.

There was a good chance he’d be grabbed immediately, and who knows what would happen next—something straight out of a thriller novel, perhaps.

Maybe use a gadget?

He had two items in his backpack that could bail him out of this tight spot, but they were meant to be saved for when Miss Alice was in danger. Using one now meant having one less for later.

Ryan regretted his impulsive decision to enter uninvited. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be in this predicament.

Indeed, if humans weren’t so curious, they wouldn’t face so many problems.

Now wasn’t the time to ponder this,Ryan decided after much thought to call Alice. Even if he vanished right after, with Alice’s skills, she could surely track him down.

No sooner had he thought it than he was dialing her number, his eyes fixed on the girl at the door.

Just then, the girl bent down to place a large bag on the floor and walked into the room as if she hadn’t noticed Ryan at all.

Ryan’s movements froze. Had she seen him or not?

But it seemed she hadn’t. After staring at the bedroom for a long while and putting down her heavy bag, she walked in without any guard up.

If she hadn’t spotted him, maybe he still had a chance to leave on his own.

Ryan bit his lip, pondering for a moment, then decided to put away his phone.

Alice already had enough on her plate. Calling her might make her drop everything and rush over.

He had already caused enough trouble for Alice yesterday,he couldn’t do that again today.

Ryan swallowed hard, reassuring himself internally. It was just a girl, after all. Even if she looked a bit off, he could probably handle her face-to-face.

Besides, he was still hidden, and if she was unaware, Ryan could protect himself.

Even though he was the one in the wrong, why did it feel like this?

Ryan forced himself to calm down, listening to the footsteps growing deeper inside.

He was in the bedroom, and the girl seemed to have brought a large shopping bag, probably heading to the kitchen to store her things.

Luckily, this used to be Ryan’s place,he could navigate it with his eyes closed.

And since the girl had kept everything just as Ryan had left it, he could sneak out while she was busy in the kitchen. They hadn’t seen each other, so it would be as if nothing had happened.

Really, what was he thinking before? He could have just waited at the door, and when the girl arrived, he might have gotten what he wanted directly.

“But, it looks like this is the only option now.”

Feeling somewhat guilty, Ryan still made the decision. The girl seemed off, and it was probably better to make a run for it.

The footsteps were getting closer, with just a wall separating the living room from the bedroom, and the kitchen beyond the living room.

Ryan’s palms were sweaty with nerves, his heart pounding as he listened to the footsteps next door.

When the footsteps quieted down a bit and the kitchen door opened, that would be his moment to escape.

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