Chapter 15
Laurel POV
"Someone is asking for you," Eric said as he knocked.
His voice was steady, but I could hear the slight impatience beneath it.
Nicholas glanced at me.
"Are you expecting someone?"
"Yes," I said. "The secretary your dad recommended."
I stepped out of the room.
Behind me, I could already feel the tension building again. It wasn't loud, not visible, but it was there,sitting between them like something waiting to explode.
"I'm heading to the gym," Eric said.
"Gym?" Nicholas repeated. "Aren't you too young for that? You should be out with friends."
There was a pause.
A dangerous one.
Silence.
Then,
"You might be my sister's friend," Eric said coldly, "but don't interfere in my life."
The air froze.
"And it's none of your business."
He didn't wait for a reply.
He grabbed his bag and walked out.
The door shut.
Hard.
The sound echoed longer than it should have.
For a second, no one moved.
Nicholas stared at the door like he was trying to process what had just happened. His jaw tightened, his shoulders stiff.
Then he turned to me.
"You let him talk to me like that?"
"You overstepped," I replied.
"I was just"
"Caring?" I cut in. "You don't get to care your way into controlling him."
His expression hardened.
"I see him as a younger brother too."
"And he doesn't see you that way."
That shut him up.
The silence that followed wasn't empty. it was heavy. The kind that sits in your chest and refuses to move.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I turned and walked away.
"let go," I said.
We stepped into the living room.
A young man stood up immediately the moment we entered.
Eun Woo.
He had been sitting properly, back straight, hands resting neatly on his thighs, but the second he saw me, he rose without hesitation.
He bowed.
Deeply.
Too deeply.
Respectful.
But unnecessary.
"No need for that," I said.
He straightened quickly, almost too fast, like he had been expecting to be corrected.
"I believe Lee Joon already briefed you?"
"Yes, ma."
His voice was calm, but there was a slight nervousness beneath it. Not fear just awareness. He understood where he was, who he was speaking to.
Good.
"If you're going to work with me long-term," I said, "drop the formalities."
He hesitated for half a second.
Then nodded.
"Yes… Miss Davis."
I didn't correct him again.
Not yet.
"All I need is loyalty, honesty, diligence, and hard work."
"Yes, Miss Davis."
I studied him for a moment.
Composed. Respectful. Observant.
He didn't speak unnecessarily.
That was a good sign.
I gestured toward Nicholas.
"This is Nicholas."
"I know him," Eun Woo said.
Nicholas frowned slightly. "How?"
"I saw your family photos at Mr. Williams Min's residence."
Nicholas didn't reply immediately.
Interesting.
That meant Eun Woo had already been in closer circles than expected.
"You have siblings," I added. "They're not in Seoul?"
"Yes."
His answer was short.
Careful.
I walked past him, heading toward the table.
From there, I picked up a small set of keys.
Two.
One for a car.
One for a house.
I turned back and handed them to him.
"A car. And a house."
For the first time, his composure broke.
Just slightly.
His eyes widened, his fingers hesitating before taking the keys, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to.
"When you return to Korea," I continued, "bring them to Seoul. I don't want distractions affecting your work."
He froze.
Not confused.
Overwhelmed.
Then suddenly
He dropped to his knees.
"Thank you so much miss Davis"
"What are you doing?" I snapped.
The reaction was immediate.
He stood up quickly, almost stumbling in the process, his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Am Sorry."
"Don't do that again."
"Yes, ma."
I held his gaze for a second longer.
Then turned away.
"Stay for dinner."
I didn't wait for a response.
I walked upstairs.
Each step was steady, but I could still feel everything moving underneath the surface.
Behind me, voices started again.
Lower now.
More careful.
"As long as you don't disappoint her, you won't regret this," Nicholas said.
"Yes, sir."
"She may seem cold but she has a good heart."
There was a small pause.
"Yes, sir."
"The boy who opened the door earlier, that's her brother."
"But he is"
" White" Nicholas cut in," that because they are adopted siblings but that doesn't mean she jokes about him".
"I understand."
"He's the most important person to her,"
Nicholas added.
Another pause.
"Protect that," he said.
" Yes, sir".
Silence followed.
Upstairs, I walked into my room and stopped by the window.
The curtains were slightly open, letting in a soft line of light that stretched across the floor.
I didn't move to close them.
Instead, I stood there.
Still.
My reflection stared back at me from the glass.
Unmoving.
The same expression I always wore.
The same one everyone saw.
Then suddenly, my phone lit up, it was SEO hee calling, i knew she was about to talk about her date last night, and not picking means countless calls.
" Hey" i said as i picked the call. "You won't believe what happened last night". She said in a very excited tone.
"I didn't say a thing" then, " hello, hello, laurel are you there? "She asked.
" Yes" i said with a calm voice. " Why weren't you talking before? " She asked again.
"You said I wasn't going believe what happened last night, and right now i know you are excited but seo hee I need rest."
"Could you postpone whatever you have to say to maybe 5 hours later?". "I will be the one to call you First".
Then her voice change, like Someone who health battery run out," okay", she said gently.
I knew she was sad but hearing about love stuff makes it drain me more.
To me it is just two people with sexual desires for each other and giving it names to make it less awkward.