“Oh?” She leans forward, resting her elbows on her desk, fingers laced together. “How do you know?”
I smile, leaning in just a little, meeting her gaze. “Let’s stop pretending we don’t know each other, Lauren. I know everything about you.”
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out, caught completely off guard. “Like what?” she finally manages to ask, and I can see that spark of curiosity in her eyes—the same curiosity I love drawing out of her.
“Like the fact that you only read Marie Kondo or obsess over the latest global headlines. You always want to know how many trees were cut down in the Amazon or how many koalas died in the last wildfire. I know you love taking photos in the park, and you never stray from your routine. You act like your life’s perfectly organizedbecause it’s the only thing you can control, when deep down, everything else is just crumbling around you. And I know that I?—”
Before I can finish, the door swings open, and the three of them stroll in like they own the place. Well, technically, they do—each with a twenty percent share. I snap my mouth shut, biting down words I’m not sure I am ready to say.
“Brother,” Luca greets, stepping in first. He is dressed in a black Armani suit, his hair a shade lighter, probably from too much Miami sun. Luca’s not big on words, but when he lays eyes on Lauren, he goes completely mute. Lauren, always composed, shoots up from her seat, clutching her tablet tight against her chest like a shield. Meanwhile, I can’t hold back my grin. I knew this moment would leave them speechless.
“Bunny?” Luca finally asks, his brows furrowed in disbelief.
“Lauren,” I correct, tapping my temple like I am giving him a clue he should’ve figured out ages ago.
All three of them stare at me, thoroughly confused, while Lauren extends her hand toward Luca, her voice sweet and collected—completely different from my sharp and authoritative tone. “Nice to see you, Luca,” she says softly.
My two younger brothers exchange glances, recognizing her instantly. They know exactly who she is and probably remember how I used to act when she was around—always a little off my game. But they both handle it smoothly, each raised by my mother to be proper gentlemen.
Oliver stepped forward with a polite smile. “Hi, I’m Oliver,” he says, extending his hand.
“And I'm Killian,” my youngest brother chimes in, offering a charming smile. I call them younger, but at twenty-nine and twenty-seven, Oliver and Killian are far from kids—they had grown into full-fledged men, each with their own thriving empire.
Lauren, always quick to clarify, says, “I'm Silas's assistant.” I can’t help but notice the slight tension in her voice, like she is afraid they might assume she is something else. Why does that thought bug me so much?
The three of them nod but turn their gazes toward me, waiting for an explanation. Of course, Luca, being Luca, tries to break the silence by picking up the cup from my desk.
“Are you a tea drinker now?” he asks, his tone curious but slightly mocking.
Luca’s attention to detail is both impressive and unnerving—sometimes, it feels like nothing escapes his notice. I open my mouth to respond, but Lauren swoops in, gracefully taking the cup from his hand.
“Oops! It’s mine, sorry,” she says, flashing a polite smile before heading toward the door. Just as she reaches it, she turns back. “Whenever you’re ready, the room is set up.”
The door clicks shut behind her, and instantly, the room is swallowed by an ear-piercing silence. My brothers stare at me, barely blinking, their mouths slightly open like I’d just performed a magic trick. I lean back in my chair, my grin slowly spreading across my face as I let the moment hang in the air.
“What?” I ask, acting oblivious to their reactions. But I know exactly what they are thinking.
“What the hell is going on?” Oliver finally asks, cutting through the tension.
“Stella’s about to give birth. Lauren’s covering for her,” I say, feigning disinterest as I pretend to scroll through something on my phone.
“No kidding ...” Luca leans back in the chair Lauren had just vacated, settling in like he has all the time in the world.
“And why the hell would you hire the woman youhatedthroughout high school?”
Straight to the point, as always.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you, brother,” I growl, my voice low. “Besides, it’s temporary. Just until Stella comes back.” Total lie. I know Stella isn’t coming back. She’d already made it clear she was done with the stress of this place.
Killian, ever the cheerful one, perches himself on my desk, giving me a few too-heavy pats on the shoulder. On the third pat, I raise myeyes from my phone and glare at him. He is the youngest, the carefree one, always grinning like life is a never-ending party. He has a million followers on Instagram because he spends half his time shirtless in the California valleys, soaking up the attention.
“I didn’t remember she was that hot,” Killian says with a mischievous wink, clearly enjoying the stir he is causing.
“Careful, Kill,” I warn, my voice laced with irritation.
He raises his hands in mock surrender, whistling softly. Always pushing buttons but knowing when to back off.
“This again?” Oliver groans, rubbing his eyes in exasperation. “I thought you were over it already.”
