In the study, Ethan, Noah, and Alan were sitting across from each other.
Ethan glanced at Alan, keeping his cool, and asked, "So, what's on your mind, Alan?"
Alan shot Ethan a serious look, barely parting his lips as he replied, "What did you discover?"
Ethan caught on to what he meant and glanced at the two Adam brothers, calmly relaying everything Grandpa Thomas had shared with him, along with his concerns.
As he spoke, both Alan and Noah's expressions soured, and a tense vibe filled the room.
At that moment, a knock echoed from the door.
"Come in," Alan called out, still focused on whatever was in his mind.
When Julia stepped into the room, a chill ran down her spine, and she couldn't help but shiver at the sight of the expression of the three people in the room.
Trying to shake off her nerves, she mustered some bravery and walked over to set down the snacks and drinks she had brought.
The moment she set the tray down, she bolted out of the room, terrified that she might suffocate if she lingered any longer.
The three of them exchanged serious glances, ignoring everything she had just placed on the table.
Ethan turned to Alan and Noah and said, "Lia told me she's got her own bodyguard team. Still, I decided to have a couple of my guys shadow her, and I sent Sirius along whenever she heads out."
He continued, "Grandpa was all for it too. So, from now on, Sirius will be right there with Lia."
Alan and Noah shared a glance and nodded at Ethan, not pushing back. Ethan understood their worries.
Even though Noah and Alan could arrange for special guards for Zara, there were already two groups on her tail. Adding more would just raise suspicion and alert anyone looking to harm her, so it was better to let Ethan's team take care of her.
Plus, they were well aware of who Sirius was. They knew he was Ethan's bodyguard and had heard plenty about his fierce reputation, just like his boss.
After their chat, Ethan got up, adjusted his coat, and said, "Alright, I'm off now."
Alan gave him a nod, while Noah glanced over, stood up calmly, and asked, "Are you heading home?"
Ethan met Noah's gaze, aware that Noah had a bit of a temper and wasn't easy to calm down. He could still feel the anger simmering inside him.
"No, I need to take care of something first," Ethan replied.
"I'll go with you. Once you're done, you're sticking with me," Noah said, his eyes icy, making it clear it wasn't really a question but more of a command.
Ethan and Noah have been friends since they were kids, thanks to being around the same age. They really get each other, which makes their bond strong.
But when it comes to Zara, Noah turns into a different guy, just like his other brothers do. Otherwise, he's pretty much the same with Ethan as he is with his siblings.
Ethan had a clear idea of where he wanted to head, so he gave Noah a nod before stepping out of the study.
Olivia, who had been searching for Ethan after hearing he was in there, spotted him as he made his way to the living room.
She lit up with excitement and a big smile spread across her face as she hurried over to him.
Gia was trailing behind Olivia as she hurried out of the living room, and noticing the big grin on her face, Gia called out, "Young Miss, slow down a bit! What if Mr. Ethan thinks you're too eager and pulls away from you?"
Olivia paused and turned to Gia, asking, "So, what do you suggest I do, Gia?"
"Just think it over, Young Miss. Start by building a friendship with Mr. Ethan first," Gia said, raising an eyebrow playfully.
Olivia got the hint and smiled knowingly before making her way over to Ethan.
Ethan was strolling toward the living room, completely unaware of anyone's plans, when he felt someone approaching from behind. He shrugged it off and kept moving until he heard his name being called.
"Ethan..." a voice echoed from behind him.
He kept walking, not bothering to turn and see who was calling.
Noticing he wasn't stopping, Olivia quickly moved in front of him, standing gracefully as she gazed at him.
Ethan found himself halted by the presence of the person blocking his path.
He was frustrated by someone standing in his way.
"Ethan, hii..." Olivia said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Knowing Ethan would be back, she chose to wear a lovely lavender-pink dress with subtle designs that gave it a classy touch thanks to its jewel neckline.
She paired it with a simple yet stunning set of jewelry, making her look like an adorable girl from a well-off family.
However, when Ethan looked up, he only gave Olivia a quick cold glance before returning to his phone, showing no real reaction.
This left Olivia feeling a bit let down with fear by his cold look, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet.
She mustered up her courage, flashed a smile, and said brightly, "Ethan, we haven't really had the chance to introduce ourselves properly yet."
Olivia grinned as she took in Ethan's strikingly handsome features, which left her momentarily speechless when he finally looked up from his phone.
Even with his head down, just seeing his face was enough to make her cheeks flush.
She was at a loss for words, but Gia, who was right behind her, gave her a gentle nudge to snap her back to reality.
With that little push, Olivia shook off her daze and remembered why she was there in the first place.
She felt her cheeks heat up as she stood there, fumbling over her words, "Um... hey, Ethan, I'm Olivia."
"I've heard so much about you! It's nice to finally meet you," Olivia said with a bright smile.
She figured Ethan was just standing there quietly because he was interested in her and wanted to chat.
Little did she know, Ethan was actually busy with his phone the whole time.
Once he sent off his message, he tucked his phone away and finally looked up at Olivia.
Olivia was beaming with joy when she saw Ethan keeping his phone in his pocket and raising his head, thinking that he was going to talk to her and interact with her.