Chapter 14.
Laurel POV
"Hey," he said. "How are you doing?"
I didn't answer immediately.
"Good. You?" I replied flatly.
"Good," he said.
I scoffed.
"Don't bullshit me," I said. "You missed my graduation. Didn't call ahead to say you weren't coming. It's been a month, Nicholas.
A whole month and now you're calling?"
There was a pause.
Not the casual kind.
The kind that meant something was wrong.
"What did you do this time?" I asked.
"Something that can't be said over the phone?"
"I promise to make it up to you," he said quietly. "I was in a tight situation."
"That doesn't answer my question." I said.
Another pause.
"I'll come to Canada," he said. "I'll explain everything when I get there."
My brows furrowed.
"Did something happen at home?" I asked. "Is it uncle?". " Is he asking you to bring a woman home again"?
"No," he replied quickly. "In fact… whatever I did, my dad must not know about it".
That was enough to make my chest tighten.
"When are you coming?"
"I already booked my flight. I'm on my way to the airport."
I blinked.
"You booked a flight? What if I didn't allow to stay in my house?"
A small breath escaped him.
"Then I'd stay in a hotel," he said. "And beg you until you forgive me."
Before I could respond, I heard Eric's voice from downstairs.
"Big sis!"
"I'm coming!" I shouted back.
"Should I come pick you up at the airport?" I asked Nicholas.
"No. I'll manage."
"Good," I said, and hung up.
I rushed downstairs and saw Eric already dressed in his gym outfit.
"You're starting today?" I asked, slightly surprised.
He nodde with a big smile on his face. "The earlier, the better."
For a moment, I just looked at him.
He really meant it.
We drove to the gym, handled registration, payments, everything necessary. He stayed focused the entire time, no complaints, no distractions.
"Can you wait for me?" he asked. "Just until I finish my session."
There wasn't much waiting for me at home anyway.
"Fine."
I sat there while he trained.
Watched him.
At first he struggles, but he didn't stop.
And he stopped, it was to breathe and not quit.
He wasn't just doing this for fun.
He was trying to become something.
Or maybe… escape something.
The next morning came faster than I expected.
I was in the kitchen making pancakes when the doorbell rang.
"Are expecting someone?", Eric asked as his made his way to the door.
"That should be Nicholas", i said.
Eric suddenly stopped and went back to continue his push up.
Eric still had an issue with Nicholas especially the way he always called him a kid.
I wiped my hands and went to open the door.
And there he was.
Nicholas.
But not the Nicholas I knew.
He looked… exhausted.
Thinner.
Like he hadn't slept in days.
"You look like you're about to collapse any second," I said.
"That's because I've been working," he replied.
"Working doesn't make you look like you're dying."
He didn't answer.
"Good morning," he greeted as he stepped inside.
Eric didn't even look up.
He continued his push-ups like Nicholas didn't exist.
Eric, i called out.
Morning, Eric said as he continued his push up.
Nicholas followed me into the kitchen.
"What happened?" I asked immediately.
He glanced toward Eric.
Then back at me.
"I'd rather not say it in front of him."
That told me everything.
"Meeting room," I said.
We walked in, and I shut the door behind us.
"Talk," I said. "I'm busy."
He exhaled.
"Do you remember the J-Dragons group?"
My entire body stiffened.
Of course I remembered.
One of the most dangerous underground groups in Asia.
Human trafficking. Drugs. Illegal operations.
Untouchable.
Four years ago, Nicholas's father cut ties with them completely and warned all of us to stay far away.
My eyes narrowed.
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," he said quickly.
I didn't believe him.
"Then explain."
He ran his hand through his hair.
"When I went back to Korea recently, it was for a job. A company bought a property and needed insurance coverage."
"Go on."
"They needed it urgently two days max. The estate was huge. My team couldn't inspect everything properly within that time."
"So you rushed it."
"They offered a partnership," he said. "With Milaos Diving Group Limited. It was too good to pass."
"So you accepted."
"Yes." He said.
I crossed my arms.
"That was your first mistake and it was a stupid one."
He didn't argue.
"Everything went fine for a month," he continued. "Then the estate burned down."
I frowned. "Burned down?"
"Completely," he said. "Over thirty houses."
My eyes widened.
"That's not an accident."
"It wasn't," he said quietly. "There were drugs inside those properties."
Silence.
Cold.
Dangerous silence.
"It was a setup," I said.
He nodded.
"They used me to get back at my father."
"And now?"
He looked at me.
"The insurance payout…"
"Don't tell me it needs to be covered."
"How much?"
He hesitated.
Then
"A few hundred billion."
I let out a slow breath.
"That's not just money, Nicholas. That's a war."
"I know."
"Is there no legal protection?"
"There is," he said. "But I rushed the process. I didn't do a full inspection. That makes me liable."
I stared at him.
"You're in deep trouble."
"I know."
"So how are you fixing it?"
"I already did."
That made me pause.
"What?"
"I contacted an old friend."
"And?"
"He covered it."
I blinked.
"All of it?"
"Yes."
Now I was confused.
"Who gives out that kind of money like it's nothing?"
He gave a small, tired smile.
"Someone who's been my friend all my life."
"How come I've never met him?"
"You weren't around when he was."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Who is he?"
"He's in Russia," Nicholas said. "A footballer."
I scoffed. "Not all footballers are billionaires."
"No," he said. "But he is."
I leaned back slightly.
"His grandfather is a chaebol," Nicholas added. "Powerful. Very."
That explained it.
"What's his name?"
Nicholas paused for a second.
Then he said
"Andrew."