Chapter 46
Nicholas POV
I got into the car and started the engine before driving slowly into the quiet street.
The road was unusually empty tonight, the kind of silence that only existed in expensive neighborhoods where people hid behind tall gates and tinted windows.
Inside the car, however, the silence felt worse.
Heavy.
Awkward.
Sharp enough to cut through skin.
I adjusted the rearview mirror slightly, only to meet Eric's eyes staring directly at me.
Not normal staring.
The kind that made it feel like he was silently accusing me of something.
I quickly looked back at the road.
What exactly did I do wrong this time?
Or could it be…?
No.
That was impossible.
Eric was not the type to care about whether I spoke to him or not.
Still… Laurel asking him to stay with me suddenly felt like a terrible decision.
Lee Joon would have been easier.
Why me?
The rest of the drive stayed painfully quiet.
Only the sound of the engine filled the space between us.
A few minutes later, we finally arrived at my place.
I parked the car and stepped out first.
For a moment, Eric stayed inside, staring at the building through the window.
Then he finally got out slowly.
I walked to the trunk and brought out the luggage.
"Welcome to my home," I said while standing beside him.
"Thank you," he replied quietly before reaching for the luggage himself.
I let him take it.
"Come on," I said. "I'll show you inside."
We walked into the house together.
The moment he stepped in, he paused.
His eyes slowly moved across the living room.
The black marble floors.
The glass walls.
The dim lighting.
Everything looked cold.
Carefully designed.
"It looks good," he finally said.
I smiled slightly. "I was hoping you'd say it looks better than Laurel's."
The moment the words left my mouth, his expression changed.
Sharp.
Cold.
Like I had said something unforgivable again.
Right.
Another mistake.
I exhaled quietly.
"Let me show you your room before this gets even more awkward," I muttered.
He followed silently behind me.
It honestly felt like he preferred me quiet whenever I was around him.
"This is your room," I said after opening the door. "And if you need anything, my room is the third door from here. Just feel comfortable, okay? Think of it as your own house."
"But it's not mine," he replied immediately.
I blinked.
Especially when the owner is someone like you.
The unspoken words hung heavily between us.
"Goodnight, Mr. Nicholas," he added before closing the door.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
I stood there for a few seconds staring at the door.
It felt ridiculous.
Just yesterday he was arguing with me normally, and now it felt like we were complete strangers forced into the same space.
What exactly happened?
Then my phone vibrated.
Finally.
A small smile appeared on my face.
He would definitely like this.
I went to my room, took a shower, and changed clothes before Max knocked on the door.
"Good evening, sir. Dinner is ready."
"And your guest?" I asked.
"He hasn't come down yet."
"I'll get him."
I walked upstairs and stopped in front of Eric's room.
I knocked once.
No answer.
Twice.
Still nothing.
By the third knock, irritation was already creeping in.
I pushed the door open slightly.
And froze.
Eric had just come out of the bathroom wearing only a towel loosely hanging around his waist.
Water dripped slowly from his dark hair down his neck and shoulders.
For a second, my brain completely stopped functioning.
"What is it?" he asked sharply.
His tone snapped me back immediately.
"Dinner is ready," I said quickly. "And… there's something I want to show you."
"Okay."
That was it.
Okay?
No argument?
No attitude?
Honestly, that somehow felt stranger.
"I'll wait downstairs," I said before leaving the room immediately.
A few minutes later, he came downstairs wearing a hoodie and sweatpants.
He sat across from me quietly while Max served the food.
"You have a cook?" Eric asked after a while.
"Max isn't just a cook," I replied. "He's also the housekeeper."
Eric smirked faintly.
"Funny how Mr. Nicholas has one."
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
Liar.
"Well," I continued anyway, "he's not usually around all the time. Besides… he's more than a housekeeper."
Eric only hummed quietly before continuing to eat.
Like he had absolutely no interest in talking to me longer than necessary.
After dinner, he stood up automatically and carried his plate toward the kitchen.
Max quickly stopped him.
"You don't have to do that, sir."
Eric looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry. I'm just used to it."
Then he turned and immediately started walking toward the stairs.
"Eric," I called out.
He stopped but didn't turn around immediately.
"I want to show you something."
"Can it wait until tomorrow?" he asked tiredly.
"Yes," I replied. "But by tomorrow, it might be too late."
That finally made him turn around.
A few minutes later, he followed me downstairs into another room.
"Come in," I said.
The moment he stepped inside, he froze.
"Happy birthday," I said quietly.
His eyes widened slightly.
"You got me gym equipment?"
There was actual disbelief in his voice.
"I didn't know what else you liked," I admitted. "But I know you've been wanting to set up a gym room at home."
For the first time since entering the car earlier… he smiled.
A real smile.
"You remembered that?"
"It wasn't hard."
He looked around the room again before laughing softly under his breath.
"This might actually be one of the best gifts I've gotten."
Relief settled inside me instantly.
"Then why were you acting like I didn't exist all day?" he suddenly asked while looking directly at me again.
I paused.
Because honestly… he had a point.
"The order arrived late," I admitted. "And it didn't feel right saying happy birthday without giving you the gift first."
His eyebrows pulled together immediately.
"Who said that?"
"What?"
"Who said you can't say happy birthday without a gift?"
He stepped closer slowly.
Close enough that I could properly see the water still slightly drying near his hairline.
"Next time," he said quietly, "whether the gift arrives or not… just say happy birthday."
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I found myself smiling slightly.
"Next time?" I repeated.
He realized what he said and immediately looked away.
"Don't overthink it."
Too late.
"Thank you," he added quietly. "Really."
We started walking back toward the hallway together.
Then an idea suddenly crossed my mind.
"How about a drink?" I asked casually.
He immediately looked at me like I had lost my mind.
"You and Laurel are literally the same person."
I laughed softly. "You're eighteen now."
"I'm still in high school."
"And?" I asked while walking toward the mini bar. "That's just a technical detail."