Completely unable to see, and with no way to move his limbs, William Carter could only lightly tap the ground with his heels, his head tilted back, lazily leaning against the chair, saying nothing. The room was silent, so quiet it felt eerie. James Turner deliberately made no sound. Even though he himself was also trapped, helping each other would be the best strategy—especially since they were filming a show. They couldn’t just keep dragging things out like this. But right now, he only wanted to watch William Carter make a fool of himself.

Maybe it was because he was just that wicked, but in James Turner’s mind, people like this deserved a little trouble.

A kind of illusion of acting on behalf of justice.

What he never expected was that the person who had been so lazy, almost giving up on struggling, suddenly sat up straight, facing James Turner directly, as if the eyes hidden beneath the black cloth could pierce through the barrier, staring at him intently.

Yes, “staring” at him.

James Turner frowned. He was sure he hadn’t made a single sound.

Suddenly, William Carter tilted his head, the corners of his mouth lifting into a very gentle curve.

“Help me take off the blindfold.”

Impossible. He clearly couldn’t see.

Chapter 7 Negotiation Expert

Hearing William Carter’s words, James Turner was stunned for a moment. Although he still didn’t speak, his quickening heartbeat betrayed him.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at William Carter still sitting so straight, facing him. After a moment of stalemate, he spoke again: “Is your mouth taped? That’s fine, just help me take off this cloth.”

William Carter’s tone was so firm it was almost impossible to refuse. James Turner turned his neck, silently thinking for a while.

To be honest, he didn’t want to bother with this person at all.

But… if they just kept at a standstill like this, neither of them would get out, and besides, they were filming a show—they couldn’t make things difficult for the crew.

After struggling for a bit, James Turner had no choice but to give up on watching the show.

He braced his feet against the ground, using force to spin the office chair he was sitting on so that he faced the long table. Not far away sat a white porcelain vase with a bouquet of white chrysanthemums. James Turner stretched out his bound hands with effort, struggling to reach the vase. Finally, his fingers gripped the neck of the vase, and with a bang, he decisively smashed it against the edge of the table.

James Turner lifted his leg, the sole of his boot pressing against the edge of the table, and with a strong push, he and the chair slid over to William Carter’s side.

“I can take off your blindfold. In exchange, you have to untie my ropes.”

After all, he’d sincerely “dogged” him for several years; William Carter instantly recognized James Turner’s voice, which was exactly what he’d expected. He smiled, “No problem.”

As soon as he finished speaking, James Turner brought his bound hands behind William Carter’s head, removed the cloth covering his eyes, and tossed it aside.

His vision shifted from brief blur to clarity. William Carter turned his face, only then realizing how close the two of them were—he could almost smell the faint scent of James Turner’s aftershave.

William Carter half-squinted his eyes, adjusting to the light, his expression flowing seamlessly from confusion to surprise, flawless.

“So I’m trapped here with you.” William Carter smiled sweetly, his eyes shining, the mole on his nose making him look even more innocent. “Feels like a dream. I’m a little dizzy right now.”

He was such a good actor—even James Turner, a professional himself, had to admit it. James Turner couldn’t understand how such a smile could look so natural on this person. If he hadn’t seen his true face, hardly anyone would be able to resist being fooled by him.

This secret room was filled with cameras, every corner captured clearly. Not wanting to be accused of being cold to fans, James Turner had no choice but to respond with a smile that looked warm enough, even softening his voice, “My eyes were covered too. I was pretty surprised when it came off.”

His pride as an actor and Grace Bennett’s reminders left James Turner no choice but to deal with him patiently, even though he really didn’t like this type of person. He handed the sharp piece of broken porcelain to William Carter, “Sorry to trouble you.”

“No trouble at all. I’ve liked you for a long time. I’ve watched every show you’ve acted in.” William Carter awkwardly took the shard with his cuffed hands, bending down to help saw through James Turner’s ropes.

James Turner gave a smile devoid of emotion. “Thank you.”

The two of them, both skilled at pretending, exchanged insincere pleasantries.

The rope was hard to cut. As William Carter worked, he spoke slowly, “Hey, were the rules only explained once just now? I’m still a bit confused.”

Only then did James Turner snap out of his thoughts. He hadn’t heard what William Carter said, so to ease the awkwardness, he changed the subject: “By the way, how did you know someone would take off your blindfold just now?”

William Carter had guessed he would ask that. Now, with only the two of them here, James Turner fully understood his true nature. If he wasn’t a bit honest, he’d lose even more trust, which would make the later games harder.

Might as well be straightforward about it.