In the room, facing Francis's questions, Elena was not overly flustered.
She calmly said, "I don't know what you're talking about. Why did you bring me here? I'm just a nobody."
"Then you can leave." Francis shrugged. "The door isn't locked. Go ahead. The people outside won't stop you either."
Elena looked pleasantly surprised. "Really?"
Francis said nothing.
Elena hesitated for a moment, then quickly headed for the door... Yet just as she was about to open it, she subconsciously looked back, only to see that Francis truly did not care whether she stayed or left.
Elena gritted her teeth and turned around unwillingly. "Did you... know all along?"
"Know what?" Francis asked with a light laugh.
"...Know everything I did." Elena's face was full of helplessness. "Was I too naive?"
Francis sized her up. "I've lost count of how many similar 'plots' I've encountered. There are plenty of people with better 'scripts' than yours."
Elena's face instantly turned pale. Her body even went weak as she staggered back against the door, terror making it feel as though her heart had hollowed out.
"You really are called Elena, and you're a floor manager at the Triumphal Palace. Quite a few nobles adore you." Francis said blandly, "Your uncle is Fang Du, the general manager here. He already told you not to approach me, but clearly, you didn't take his warning seriously."
"You... knew from the beginning?" Elena slid down the door and collapsed onto the floor. "Wh... why?"
"I merely wanted to see how far you could go." Francis waved a hand casually. "I'm a businessman. I generally evaluate merchandise."
Elena was meticulous by nature. Otherwise, she would not have staged such an incident herself just to make herself seem a little special... special enough to give someone like Francis,