Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 207: Something off?

Ryan had managed to keep Anna under control for the time being, but he couldn’t even begin to imagine what would happen if he just let her keep going like this.

His junior, Anna, seemed to have a really strong sense of justice. Was she channeling her inner vigilante, always ready to stand up against any wrong?

Carrying a military dagger around, was that typical for a shy girl? Ryan’s understanding of Anna was becoming more and more clouded.

How was he supposed to explain this? The reason Ryan was staying at Alice’s place was definitely something others wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t practical to just spill the beans about his mission.

Just as Ryan was pondering how to explain things to Anna, the front door of the villa suddenly swung open.

“Big brother~ Miss me?”

A voice as cheerful as a songbird’s rang out. Before Ryan could even turn around, he saw Anna’s face cloud over like a sunny sky suddenly covered by storm clouds.

Turning around, Ryan saw a girl standing at the doorway.

Anyone who could get into Alice’s house wasn’t someone simple. That voice was also very familiar to Ryan,Mia had unexpectedly shown up here today.

“Uh, Mia?”

“What brings you here? Are you looking for Miss Alice?”

Ryan turned to greet Mia, his gaze shifting back and forth between Anna and Mia, trying to figure out the connection.

This was Alice’s house, after all. Why were so many people suddenly showing up? If Alice found out, she’d probably blow a fuse.

“I don’t have any business with her, but does that mean I can’t come here?”

Mia responded to Ryan’s question without missing a beat, even turning it back on him.

“Well, not really.”

“Hehe, never mind all that. I finally caught you, huh? Looks like Sister Alice really did hide you here.”

Mia hung her coat on the rack by the door and straightened her slightly wrinkled dress before striding over to Ryan.

Her smile was radiant, perfectly matching the vibe she gave off.

Of course, she was so happy because she had seen Ryan.

After Ryan was taken away by Alice yesterday, Mia had been restless, constantly wondering how Ryan felt about that kiss.

So, she came here first thing in the morning, just trying her luck, but her luck seemed pretty good, especially getting to see Ryan without Alice knowing. She figured Alice would go nuts when she found out.

Anna scanned the incoming Mia, unsure of the girl’s background, but Mia definitely gave her a bad vibe.

The girl was cute, with neat twin ponytails and wearing a white dress, her bare arms whiter than snow—a big temptation for men and a significant threat to other girls.

And Ryan even called her Mia, a nickname that stung Anna deeply, making her clench her fists.

“Aren’t you going to offer me a drink? It was quite a trek getting here.”

Mia walked over to the sofa and plopped down next to Ryan as if she owned the place.

“Oh, sure, what would you like?”

Ryan was unsure why Mia had come, but he hadn’t forgotten their encounter on the rooftop. Seeing Mia now was somewhat awkward.

Speaking softly, Mia didn’t rush to answer,she wasn’t really thirsty.

Glancing at Anna sitting nearby, then at the orange juice left on the table, Mia got an idea.

“Orange juice, please. Chilled would be best, hehe.”

Mia spoke sweetly, like a little sister playfully whining to her big brother.

Ryan was practically defenseless against such cuteness. He ruffled the girl’s hair and then turned to fetch the orange juice from the kitchen fridge.

Unseen by him, Mia squinted her eyes like a fox looking at Anna.

Anna, sharp as ever, caught that hint of mockery and frowned, her impression of Mia worsening.

Was Mia targeting her?

“Senior, I’ve finished my orange juice too. Could you pour me some more?”

As Ryan turned to leave, Anna watched his retreating figure and spoke up.

Her voice was soft and tender again, a stark contrast to her readiness to draw her dagger just moments ago. Mia, hearing this, playfully stuck out her pink tongue.

“Uh, of course.”

Ryan nodded, looking back at the two on the sofa. He felt something was off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it, so he just shook his head and went to get the orange juice.

With Ryan temporarily gone, the living room became the domain of the two girls.

Anna maintained her cool demeanor, her gaze fixed on Ryan’s retreating back, pointedly ignoring Mia.

Mia, on the other hand, was curiously sizing up Anna, occasionally stroking her chin thoughtfully.

“So, you call big brother ‘senior.’ Are you his classmate?”

Mia broke the silence first, her outgoing personality a stark contrast to Alice’s. While Miss Alice would keep everything bottled up until she couldn’t take it anymore and then explode, Mia was the type to speak her mind immediately, unable to hold back her thoughts.

“Sort of,” Anna replied, somewhat distracted, snapping back to the present only when Mia questioned her.

She had heard Mia mention a name earlier—Alice. Was she referring to the Miss Alice of this house? Was Ryan’s reluctance to leave related to this Miss Alice? And who was this person in front of her? Anna’s head was filled with questions, and it was giving her a headache.

“Sort of, huh?” Mia chuckled. “Seems like you’re not even sure about your own status. How can you expect others to believe in it?”

Mia swung her petite legs, her snow-white calves catching the light as she kicked her black shoes against the floor, the sound annoying Anna.

Her teasing seemed pointed, having been eyeing Anna ever since she walked in, sensing a rival in this girl who had suddenly appeared by Ryan’s side.

Like a carnivore marking its territory, Mia had kissed Ryan and already considered him her prey.

And now, another hunter had appeared beside her prey, and Mia was not about to swallow her pride.

“And you, always calling him ‘big brother.’ As far as I know, Ryan doesn’t have a sister.”

Anna snorted coldly. Mia had indeed hit a sore spot,her connection with Ryan was too tenuous, hence the ambiguous ‘classmate’ relationship.

But she was here to deepen that bond. As long as Ryan was around, the possibilities were endless.

It wasn’t up to anyone else to comment on her relationship with Ryan. If Mia liked to stir things up, Anna would hit back in the same way.

However, Anna was clearly no match for Mia in this regard—or perhaps no one was.

“Indeed, but it’s better that I’m not his real sister, don’t you understand?”

Mia scoffed at Anna’s retort, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. She formed a circle with her thumb and forefinger, then poked a finger through it, a gesture that baffled Anna.

Anna couldn’t grasp what Mia meant by that, but she definitely didn’t like her attitude.

From Ryan’s reaction, it was clear they hadn’t known each other long. Why pretend to be so familiar? It was nauseating.

“Alright, ladies, I’ve got the orange juice.”

Ryan’s voice filled the living room, and both Mia and Anna turned to him with smiles.

Each had features that could dazzle on their own, charming like blossoming flowers, each a star in her own right.

But together, they gave Ryan a strange feeling, like flowers competing in a beauty contest, each trying to outshine the other.

“Uh, is something wrong?”

“Nothing at all, don’t worry.”

“Nothing… Senior.”

Ryan asked, puzzled by their reactions. Mia and Anna glanced at each other, then turned away, no longer looking at each other.

Mia quickly reached out and snatched the orange juice as Ryan was about to hand it over.

“Thanks, big brother! I love orange juice the most, you remembered, I’m so happy.”

Mia said, pulling Ryan close to her side. Ryan, clueless about what was going on, just nodded.

Wasn’t it Mia who had asked for the orange juice? He didn’t even know what she liked to drink.

“Uh, glad you like it.”

But before he could finish, Ryan felt a tug on his other arm, pulling him in the opposite direction.

Mia smelled faintly of oranges, while Anna had a herbal scent that was calming.

“Senior, something’s off about her. Be careful,” Anna whispered. To her, Mia’s behavior was akin to that of a seductive demon, which was concerning, especially coming from someone who looked like an innocent child but acted so boldly.

“Something off?”

Ryan was about to pour more orange juice, but his hands were now immobilized by the two women, and he sighed in resignation.

Something was indeed off. Both of them were off.