But Nik's loud laugh confused her. 'Shouldn't he be angry?' she thought and looked at his father, who was also smiling.
"Sorry! I thought of giving you rest, as you were tired." Niklaus made fun of her.
"Hope you get what you need today!" Robert teased.
Lili's forehead furrowed and brows knitted to see the father-son duo pairing up to tease her. She stuffed her mouth with the food the staff had served in the meantime. Chewing her food, she looked at the red-haired ladies in front of her. Emily was focusing on her plate with a blank face, while Elizabeth was glaring at her as usual.
"Emily, where's Justin?" Lili asked.
Emily looked up from her plate, glanced at Lili for five seconds, and responded that she didn't know.
"Oh!! I thought this was supposed to be sought of family breakfast."
The next moment, Elizabeth slammed her spoon on the plate, stood up, pushed the chair and dashed out.
Lili bit her bottom lip and blinked at her stepmother-in-law's sudden and aggressive actions. "What happened? Did I say something wrong?" she leaned towards Nik and whispered.
Niklaus shook her head and gave a half-smile.
Soon, the breakfast was completed with a weird and restless silence. Lili felt it was the most delicious and difficult breakfast she had. Without uttering a single word for such a long time made her breathless and tired despite eating.
"Bye, Dad! We will take our leave." Nik said and gestured Lili to come. Lili gave an awkward smile but a respectable bow to Robert and followed Nik.
A car, not as long and luxurious as the previous day, was parked in front of the house. The 'TAKEN CARE OF' guy was also standing beside it and waiting for his boss' arrival.
"What are the plans for the first half?" Niklaus inquired.
Beau scrolled on the iPad in his hands and read out three meetings that were scheduled in the office.
"Cancel them! We are going to Bradford's office. Ask the shareholders to be present in their conference room." Nik instructed and got into the car, that the driver opened the door for him. Lili walked to the other side, but the driver followed her and opened the door for her too.
Lili uneasily got inside as she wasn't habituated to this kind of treatment. After Beau sat beside the driver, the engine roared and dashed on the empty road between the thick forest.
"Give me the list of shareholders and their past and present shares in that company." Nik asked and Beau silently gave his iPad to him. As he scanned through the names and values, he asked Beau a few questions. The two continued the discussion on shares and what promises Beau gave to the shareholders while purchasing their shares.
Lili pursed her lips to sense the car become a mini portable office. She listened to their conversation and understood that Beau was talented, mature, and intelligent. The way he analyzed the situation and done the necessary with no mistake despite the time constraint mesmerized her.
As the car turned silent after a while, Lili appreciated Beau. "I didn't think that you were this capable and trustworthy. Now I understand why Mr. Cooper confidently let you handle every task."
Lili widened her eyes and focused her pupils on Beau's face to see some reaction in his face. There wasn't any, and he didn't speak a word too. She looked at Nik, who was sitting with a pouting face.
"What happened? Did you both fight?" she glanced at their expressionless faces. "Wow!! This is amazing! There are many rumors around that you don't fight, have a great connection and a similar mindset. You know what, there are even a few fanfics on you both, portraying you as lovers. So, is this a love fight? Great!!"
The rumored gay couple gazed at Lili with tightened jaws and clenched fists. "What nonsense are you speaking? Then why would I marry you?" Nik roared.
"Of course, to cover the rumor!"
"No!" came the immediate answer.
"Then why did you marry me?"
Beau and Nik turned her eyes away and looked outside the car as if she didn't exist. "I need the answer now! Marrying me won't bring any profits and you know I slept with my father's clients. So why?"
"Didn't I tell you that I married because my father was pressurizing me?"
"Of course, you did! But, why me?"
"You don't have to know!" Nik barked. "And about us, he is not sulking, and we aren't a couple."
"Fine! If you want to keep it a secret. I am fine with you in the mafia, so this doesn't matter to me much." Lili murmured to Nik.
"Say the same to him! Not me!" Nik reciprocated.
"Oh!! So, he doesn't want me to know." she babbled to herself and bent a little to the front seat, "Beau! It's fine with me! I don't have any problem with you both being a couple."
"What?" Beau yelled and looked at her in confusion. "We are not a couple." he stressed on the 'not' word.
Lili scratched her head and turned towards Nik in confusion.
'God!!' he groaned. "I told her about last night and she doesn't have a problem." Nik said. To which Lilli's mouth shaped into an 'O,' to realize on what topic they were speaking about.
"Really!" Beau's eyes turned round with shock.
Lilli hummed. "Just don't get caught and land me in trouble."
"Aren't people negative about this stuff?"
"Yes! But I am not!"
Beau twisted his mouth and didn't understand what she was thinking. Lili being cool with this stuff made him even more suspicious about her. "Reason?"
Lili took a deep breath, "Listen! The key people and users are rich, they get spoilt or die, I don't care. The middle people or suppliers start because of income, that's their need. And from yesterday's incident, I am sure that you guys don't allow children or innocents to get involved."
Nik's brows raised, and lips pursed to see the clarity that she had. But Beau shook his head and looked away, as he felt that no one would have such a kind of opinion.
"Sir, five minutes to destination!" The driver interrupted.
"Lili, are you ready?" Nik asked, staring at her.
"Me? Why?"
"He is appointing you as the CEO of Bradford's business." Beau replied and sounded displeased.
"Really? No!" Lili roared and pushed herself to the door. She thought Mr. Cooper didn't mean when he said to the media. 'How can I manage the vast Bradford empire? Impossible!'