Not a Saint

"Ahem! Mr. Jack, this is Miss Patricia. She's here for a request." Mr. Alec interjected.

Now that I've got a closer look at her, I noticed that her eyes were swollen. She must have been distressed about something to the point of crying.

"Why don't you accept it then, Mr. Alec?" he got this unusually troubled face before answering me.

"Mr. Jack, you see, All men in the agency didn't accept it. You're the only one left."

"Does it really have to be a man?"

"Yes," he then turned to Patricia and said, "Miss Patricia, may I?"

She shook her head and took a quick glance at me before turning to Mr. Alec. "No, I'll do it."

"Mr. Jack, pardon my behavior earlier."

"I don't really mind it," I said while urging her to continue.

"Mr. Jack, you see. My parents are merchants and they're seldom home. While they were away recently, I met a man named Sam. And you probably already have an idea of what happened after that. As the result, I—I got pregnant." She turned red just as she said that, obviously embarrassed. Of course, who wouldn't? Any normal woman would unless she has no shame! She must be desperate now.

"Then yesterday, I can no longer find him. And just this morning, I received a letter from my parents stating of their arrival which will be the day after tomorrow. And—And if they see me in this condition. For sure, they'll ask me who the father is."

So you want me to find him or something? You could have just gone to a detective.

"That's why when they arrive, I wanted you to act as Sam."

"Eh?"

"Will you? Mr. Jack?"

"You're kidding, right?" Can you hear this woman? Pretend as her secret lover? Then what if her parents just up and decided on the spot she'll marry Sam, especially that she's pregnant, what will happen? With that cowardly man nowhere to be found, what will she do then? Admit to her parents that she's just fooling them after all? And that the man in question is actually missing in action?

"Unfortunately not, Mr. Jack."

"Forgive me but I refuse."

She seemed to have been struck by lightning for a moment as she was suddenly frozen on the spot. Though I admit, I kind of feel bad for her but I am not a saint nor do I plan on acting like one. Doesn't mean I feel bad for anyone I will act like a hero and help them with all of my ability regardless if I benefitted from it or not. That's just plain stupidity or naivety in my opinion.

"But—" she looked like her world had just turned into an unsalvageable state. But for a moment, she suddenly looked so determined and said, "I am willing to raise the pay."

And I admit, my ears perked for a moment with her mention of raise.

Oh! Come on! Shut it, Sean! Wanting to be rich is different from becoming a money-hungry bastard. You'll get yourself killed one day with that attitude. Mark my word!

"Miss Patricia, forgive me but really, I don't want to entangle myself into any sort of trouble."

Still didn't want to give up, she asked, "Mr. Jack, what do you mean by getting yourself into trouble? You really just have to pretend as Sam in less than a day, I don't see any trouble with that."

"Miss Patricia, I understand where you're coming from. But you seem to be unaware of the gravity of what you are getting me to do so please allow me to explain. Though forgive me if it may come to you as rude. First of all, I will be showing my face to your parents all while pretending as your lover. What if they tell you to marry the father of the child, which is Sam, and it just so happened that I am who they believed to be Sam? Second, if I disagree which is definitely what I would do, I'll incur the wrath of your parents. Third, if they somehow discovered that I come from the Bloodhound Agency and is giving you a hand in fooling them, it will tarnish the reputation of the agency."

Besides, I'm still stressed about having to pretend as Jack Miller now. I know Jack is just an identity and that I don't really have to fret about it too much. But that's the thing, the identity I have now is Jack Miller, not Sean. But Sean has already been engraved into my very core. I was born as Sean, I learned many things as Sean, I used to dream as Sean... Basically speaking, I may be Jack Miller now in the eyes of everyone here. Living my new life in this new world like Jack. But I am still Sean. It's almost impossible to throw away the identity you grew up with unless you suddenly had amnesia.

"I see."

Looking at her expression, I heaved a sigh of relief because she looked like she had finally given up on the idea of fooling her parents. But then she suddenly spoke. "Mr. Jack, please allow me to clear some things to you as well. My parents will not actually see you as you since you will be disguising as Sam. Second, there's no way they'll be able to connect you to the Bloodhound Agency because just like what I've said, you'll be disguising yourself, and secondly, you won't have to speak that much. Lastly, I'm only doing this because I know that Sam will return."

Excuse me? Aren't you just fooling yourself? The man just left as soon as you become pregnant, and now you're telling me he will return. Is that your defense mechanism at work? Fooling yourself, believing in the lie you created yourself for a false sense of security. Isn't that... too cruel?