At this moment, her voice held an obvious tremble.
When facing imminent danger, one instinctively feels fear.
Thomas Shannon’s lips quirked into a mocking smile as he observed her panicked expression. "Punish you."
"Is it because I threw the cat? If so, I can apologize."
Harry flicked his tail in the air and meowed at her.
Stupid human, I have a name! Harry! Harry!
Thomas Shannon released the safety and started to aim. Sophie held her breath, turned, and ran.
Sophie froze, not daring to move an inch.
Sophie turned, clenched her teeth, and returned to her previous position, carefully replacing the apple on her head.
She began to apologize mechanically, "Young Master, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have threatened you. I shouldn’t have pressed a weapon against your noble neck..."
"What a bunch of nonsense."
How could Thomas Shannon fail to hear the utter lack of sincerity in her voice?
A cruel smirk touched his thin lips as Thomas Shannon aimed the gun at her.
Sophie trembled, her palms slick with sweat.
Every second was an agony for her.
The bullet shattered the apple.
Sophie raised a hand to her head. Fortunately, it was intact.
Thomas Shannon beckoned with a finger. Sophie approached him on unsteady legs.
"I’ll give you one chance." As soon as he spoke, a pistol, still warm from his palm, was tossed into her hands.
Sophie looked down at the heavy pistol in her hand.
Her fingertips unconsciously caressed the pistol’s grip.
"There are three bullets left in the bullet magazine. If you can hit that apple with these three bullets, I’ll let you go." Thomas Shannon was certain she wouldn’t hit it.
That was why he’d offered such a tempting lure.
Someone who trembled merely at the sound of a gunshot wouldn’t even be able to fire the weapon, let alone hit the target.
Sophie kept her head down, staring at the pistol in her hand. "Young Master, are you sure you’ll keep your word?"
Charlie River brought a chair. Thomas Shannon sank into it lazily, cradling Harry and scratching its chin with an amused air.
A small smile touched Sophie’s lips. This was the sentence she had been waiting for!
The maidservant had already placed an apple on the pillar top a few meters away.
For some reason, from the moment she held the gun, a strong conviction bloomed in Sophie’s heart. She would definitely hit it!
Thomas Shannon propped his head on one hand and sneered, "You may begin."
Three bullets. No matter what, she had to give it her all. This might be her only chance.
The safety was already off. Sophie raised the pistol, aiming at the apple on the pillar top.
She cleared her mind of all distracting thoughts.
Three... two... one...
She squeezed the trigger.
"Heh." A scornful laugh sounded from Thomas Shannon.
Sophie was not discouraged. She continued to aim. In her vision, there was only the apple; everything in the vicinity blurred into the background.
Counting silently, she decisively squeezed the trigger again.
With the gunshot, the apple shattered, pieces scattering across the ground.
Sophie lowered the pistol, turned, and faced Thomas Shannon, her expression complicated. "I hit it. I hope you keep your word!"
Thomas Shannon’s expression darkened as he stroked Harry’s head. "Charlie River, escort her out."
Sophie saw a glimmer of hope. She engaged the pistol’s safety, tossed it back to him, and left with Charlie River.
She didn’t spare Thomas Shannon a single glance the entire time.
After they had gone, the butler remarked, "Young Master, her stance and grip on the pistol were very standard. It didn’t look like her first time holding one."