William Knight leaned against the worn-out sofa, his gaze sweeping over the boy like a cold surgical blade. He scrutinized every inch of the frame—from the bare shoulders down to the ankles—with a critical, almost clinical eye.
In his mind, he delivered a biting assessment: Underdeveloped.
The youth before him looked barely eighteen. Though his frame had begun to broaden with the upright posture of a young pine, there wasn't enough explosive power packed under that thin layer of muscle yet. He was like a blade of raw iron that had yet to be tempered in the forge.
To put it more bluntly—he was a total greenhorn.
Noah Bell rubbed the sleep from his eyes, finally getting a clear look at the formidable man standing in the center of the living room. "Whoa! Who the hell are you? You know breaking and entering is a felony, right?"
William's eyes remained sharp and guarded. "I believe I should be the one asking you that."
Hearing this, Noah bristled like a young Tibetan Mastiff getting its tail stepped on. He puffed out his chest and threw his slender arms back, squaring up. "Listen closely: I am the legitimate master of this house!"
William's gaze turned ice-cold.
Noah shouted with full bravado, "Every brick, every blade of grass here belongs to me! You want to play cuckoo and steal the nest? Dream on. You won't get a single dime out of this place!"
William narrowed his dark eyes, his voice laced with provocation. "And what if I insist on taking it?"
"Then you've just kicked a titanium wall!" Noah was fuming. Since when did home intruders get this arrogant? He grabbed a mop from the corner, wielding it like a spear, and charged with a war cry. "I'll go down swinging! Take this!"
Just as the mop head was about to collide with William's expensive face, the master bedroom door clicked open. Diana Bell rushed out, stumbling right into the middle of the chaos.
"Noah! Stop it right now!"
She let out a startled cry and, without a second thought, lunged forward, slamming squarely into William's chest.
She had just finished her shower. Droplets of water from the ends of her hair traced paths down her porcelain neck, dampening her collar. The air was instantly filled with the sweet scent of roses—her usual body wash—which now acted like an accidental aphrodisiac.
Panic-stricken, she clutched the sleeves of his suit. Her soft forehead rested right against his Adam's apple; with every breath, her stray hairs brushed against his sensitive skin. William instinctively reached out to steady her, his hand landing on her waist. Through the thin fabric of her nightgown, he could feel the incredible suppleness of her slender frame.
Diana looked up sharply, her eyes meeting his—dark and deep as an abyss. From this angle, she was staring directly at his rugged jawline and the slight movement of his throat as he swallowed. "Mr. Knight... are you hurt?"
William looked down at her. Her fox-like eyes were filled with genuine worry, the tip of her nose was slightly flushed, and her lips looked particularly rosy from her heavy breathing. A low, magnetic vibration rumbled in his chest: "I'm fine."
Noah stood frozen, mop still raised in mid-air, looking like he'd been turned to stone by Medusa. "Sis... have you lost it? Why are you hugging this robber? Let go! He might have a knife in his pocket!"
Diana snapped back to reality and hurriedly released her grip, taking a step back. William's arms felt suddenly empty, the lingering scent of roses beginning to fade.
"Don't talk nonsense. He's not a robber, he's..."
"I don't care who he is, you can't just go around hugging men in the street!" Noah planted the mop on the floor and put a hand on his hip, switching into "stern little brother" mode. "Miss Bell, have you never heard of boundaries? You're a college student, and here you are in a... a compromising position! Have you no shame? And as for him—"
Noah squinted suspiciously at William. "With looks that 'pretty boy' flashy, he's definitely up to no good."
Having confirmed the boy's identity from that one word—"Sis"—William's expression softened. He countered calmly, "Actually, I think you look much more honorable than I do. And handsomer, too."
Noah blinked, his eyes widening. "Are you serious?"
William didn't flinch. "From the bottom of my heart."
The metaphorical spikes on Noah's back flattened instantly. His lips twitched into an involuntary smirk. "Tch. Well, man, you've got a sharp eye for talent. I guess you're not so bad after all."
William inwardly chuckled. Having navigated the shark-infested waters of the business world for years, he knew exactly what boys this age craved: validation and a sense of superiority. Calling him "handsomer" saved the kid's pride and effortlessly tamed the little rebel.
Noah tossed the mop aside, his tone turning curious. "So, who exactly is this 'perceptive' gentleman?"
Diana took a deep breath. "Your brother-in-law."
"What?!" Noah's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Don't tell me this is actually the William Knight? From the Knight family?" He'd heard Diana mention the name once, but he'd assumed she was just talking big to save face.
William elegantly pulled his ID from his inner pocket. Noah leaned in to scan it and hissed through his teeth, "Holy crap! It's the real deal!"
He swallowed hard, still in disbelief. "You actually managed to domesticate this monster of a sister of mine?"
William then produced the bright red marriage certificate like a magic trick. "Legally bound."
Noah looked at Diana with mock heartbreak. "Sis, you got married without even consulting me? Am I even your favorite brother anymore?"
Diana rolled her eyes. "Consult you? What were you going to do—stage a sit-in at the courthouse or go on a hunger strike?"
"I definitely would have made him pass the 'Trials of Hercules' first. I'd need at least a ten-year observation period to see if he's a player."
Diana gave him a "told-you-so" look. Still uneasy, Noah dragged Diana to the corner of the balcony, whispering loudly while glancing back at William. "Sis, a guy that perfect is dangerous. What if he's a playboy?"
"Is he a player? That's about character, not how much time I spend vetting him," Diana analyzed coolly. "William Knight is a known 'monk' in the industry. No scandals, just business. I'd rather take my chances with a high-achiever I don't know well than a local boy who can't keep it in his pants."
"But I'm still worried you'll get the short end of the stick..."
"If you have time to worry about me, worry about your grades," Diana dropped the hammer. "Are you in the top ten of your class yet? Is Harvard University still on the table? Did you finish last night's practice set? How many of those sixty mock exams have you actually done?"
Noah felt like he'd been struck by lightning. "Fine, fine! Forget I said anything. Have a happy marriage. I'm going to try and survive my own life first."
Seeing her brother finally behave, Diana felt much better. "Still want pasta for dinner?"
"Yes! I'll turn my grief into calories!"
Diana stepped back inside and said softly as she passed William, "Mr. Knight, please make yourself comfortable. I'm going to whip up some tomato and beef noodles."
William sat down on a creaky old stool. The two men were left alone in the living room, eyeing each other.
William pointed to a pair of blue boxers fluttering on the balcony rack. "Yours?" Noah stood tall. "Obviously. You think they're yours?" A ghost of a smile touched William's lips.
He then glanced at an aging electric shaver on the table. "It's fully charged. Should I put it away for you?" Noah snatched it up protectively. "I've got it. Don't touch my stuff." William's smile deepened.
"Do you play?" William nodded toward the basketball in the corner. "You bet. I'm the MVP of the local court," Noah bragged. William tactfully ignored the superhero figurines and childish comics on the bookshelf.
"The men's slippers in the hallway..." Noah waved a hand dismissively. "Wear 'em. My sister just bought them for me, but I'll let you break them in." The warmth in William's eyes finally reached the surface.
Now that he was certain all the "male items" in the house belonged to an underage brother, the CEO's mood was better than ever. He stood up, shed his blazer, and rolled up his shirt sleeves. "I'll go help."
...
In the kitchen, Diana was skillfully slicing beef, preparing to tenderize it with a bit of baking soda. "Strange, where did I put the baking soda..."
She found the stash tucked away on the very top shelf of the cabinet. She stood on her tiptoes, stretching her arm as far as it would go, but she remained a few inches short.
Suddenly, a wave of heat pressed against her back. The man's crisp, cool scent enveloped her completely. William was practically flush against her spine as his long arm reached over her, effortlessly grabbing the box.
"Here." Diana instinctively turned to take it, but she moved too fast. Her elbow slammed hard into the man's midsection.
She felt his body instantly tense up, and a low, muffled groan escaped his lips. "...That was quite a hit."
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Panicking, Diana reached out, instinctively rubbing the spot she had hit. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, she felt a layer of muscle that was incredibly firm—hard as iron.
The temperature under her palm began to rise rapidly. To William, her "apology" felt less like a massage and more like a direct provocation.
Right then, Noah poked his head into the kitchen. He froze, staring in shock at his sister, who was currently bent over "feeling up" William's abs.
"Sis, William... what on earth are you two doing?"