Arthur remained silent, his gaze intense and unrelenting. Elise shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, but after a deep breath, she pressed forward. "I won't deny that it took courage to bring this up, but that doesn't mean I'm manipulating you to get what I want. You need to understand that I have my own principles. I just want something that's mine."
Her determination seemed to soften Arthur's expression, though the unease still lingered in his eyes. He hadn't expected his "toy" to have such strong ambitions.
The air between them thickened for a moment until Arthur finally sighed. "So, what this is really about is proving you can do just fine without me, right?"
Elise didn't flinch. "That's right. One day, this contract will end. I need to know who I am without the label of being y
