The Answer

William responded with a sarcastic smile. "Right, he took the stone, then gave it back. What a heroic thing to do..."

Patricia's glare intensified. "What will you do to get the heart of the sea?"

William, growing increasingly irritated, replied, "There is a long trip ahead of us; I need to concentrate."

However, Patricia was not about to back down. She fixed her gaze on him and demanded, "Answer me!"

With a sigh, William realized that he wouldn't be able to evade her questions. He finally looked into her eyes, which he had been avoiding to maintain his composure.

"I will do anything to get it," he admitted.

"Anything?" Patricia pressed further.

"Yeah," William reluctantly admitted. "Your brother made a big mistake. If I hadn't made a deal with him, I would have killed him."

Patricia, with a sly grin, reached into her bag and produced the Heart of the Sea. William couldn't believe his eyes at the sight of the stone in Patricia's possession.

"You! How did you get it back?" he exclaimed.

Patricia's smirk deepened. "You're underestimating Patrick's cleverness. My brother is a genius, and he would never make such a foolish mistake. You should know that by now. When he held the stone, he immediately created a replica and used the earthquake as a distraction to swap the real one with the fake."

"But won't the elves notice the fake one?" William asked, still astonished.

Jacob interjected, "Not if we infuse it with a substantial amount of power. They won't detect anything until they attempt to use the stone again."

William's surprise grew. "You knew?"

"Of course, I knew everything," Jacob replied confidently. "I caught onto Patrick's plan and assisted him in charging the fake stone during the earthquake. Can't you see how exhausted I am?"

William's frustration grew. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I apologize for deceiving you, but we needed your anger to deceive the elves. If they suspected us, we wouldn't be able to leave their world," Jacob explained.

William looked at Patricia with a mix of surprise and admiration. "So, it was in your possession from the beginning!"

It was indeed a pleasant surprise, but when he reached out to take it, Patricia withdrew, hiding the stone.

"You said you are willing to do anything to get it, right?" Patricia reminded him.

William understood that Patricia wanted something in return for giving him the stone. "What do you want? I'll give you any amount of gold you want."

"I don't want money," Patricia replied.

William's curiosity piqued. "Then what do you want?"

Patricia extended her index finger, causing William to glance behind him, thinking she was pointing at something there. Patricia let out a frustrated scream.

"Where are you looking? I want you," Patricia declared.

William was taken aback. "Me?"

Patricia felt a rush of nervousness, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment, but she stood firm. "Yes, you. I will give you the stone only if you agree to be...to be...my l...lover."

Overwhelmed by the situation, Patricia didn't dare to look into William's eyes or wait for his answer. She simply turned and hurried away, leaving William and Jacob stunned.

"What just happened?" William mused, trying to analyze Patricia's unexpected request.

Jacob sighed and offered his perspective. "I think the young lady is into you. I'll go fetch the stone."

William stopped him, trying to hide his smile. "Don't! Don't interfere. I'll handle her..."

Jacob raised an eyebrow, teasing, "It seems like you're inclined to accept her offer."

William chuckled. "Well, it won't hurt to have some fun..."

Meanwhile, Patricia found a hiding spot, holding her red face in disbelief over what she had just said.

"How could I utter such an embarrassing thing?" she muttered to herself. "I must be out of my mind!"

Patricia, still holding her red face, was approached by Lilith.

"What's wrong?" Lilith asked. "Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?"

Patricia looked at her friend with teary eyes. "Lilith, what should I do? I think I made a big mistake."

Lilith was concerned. "What is it?"

Patricia poured out her feelings to Lilith, explaining the entire situation.

"When I saw you and Patrick having those romantic moments, I got fired up and decided to make the captain mine," Patricia confessed. "What should I do? How can I fix it?"

Lilith struggled to stifle her laughter. "I'm afraid there's nothing more you can do. Just wait for his answer. Maybe he'll agree to be your lover."

Patricia looked uncertain. "Do you think so? But...what if he refuses?"

Lilith offered some advice. "Then he's made it clear that he has no intention of being involved with you. You'll have to try to forget about him and find another man."

Patricia couldn't help but recall the moment when William had kissed her. "Can I get over him that easily?"

Lilith offered words of encouragement. "Of course, you can. You are the most powerful woman on Earth, and you can do whatever you want."

Patricia sighed, her confidence wavering. She wasn't prepared to face potential rejection so quickly.

"The next time we talk, I will sort everything out..." Patricia promised.

Over the next two days, Patricia did her best to avoid encountering William or engaging in conversation with him. She couldn't shake the image of him rejecting her the moment he approached her, and it left her feeling apprehensive.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" she muttered to herself. "I should confront him instead of running away. I'm the one who made that deal, and I must face the consequences. I can't stay like this forever."

That night, Patricia asked Lilith to keep Patrick occupied and then mustered her courage to head toward William's office. She hesitantly knocked on the door, secretly hoping he wouldn't be there. To her surprise, he opened the door. The moment their eyes met, she felt the urge to flee, but William took hold of her hand and pulled her inside the office, closing the door behind them.

He cornered her with both hands, wearing a mischievous smile.

"Finally, you've decided to hear my answer,"