The two waiters immediately responded respectfully, "Yes, sir."
I had just reached the doorway of the restaurant when I heard those words. This CEO Anderson really was terrifyingly powerful, he only needed to open his mouth and he could cut off an entire restaurant's business ties with Liona's family. From the tone Liona used earlier, the Robbery family definitely counted as influential in Alchimie City, yet a single sentence from CEO Anderson was enough to make a Western restaurant completely sever ties with them. Too frightening.
I swallowed hard and only dared to stare at Captian's back, not daring to make a single sound. I'd seen everything earlier. He only needed to stand there and speak a few sentences to scare people half to death. I even thought that in the next second, he might pull out a gun and shoot Liona. Thank goodness no blood was shed…
"Not eating anymore?" Captian walked toward me. When he lowered his head, his warm breath brushed against my neck. I immediately straightened up and covered my neck, saying, "I finished…"
How could I have dared to eat earlier? If someone really got shot, I probably would've choked and spit everything out.
"Then let's go home." Captian walked ahead of me, his black coat fluttering slightly, his figure cold and distant. I followed behind, shivering a little. Tonight was truly nerve-wracking. Whenever I met Captian, nothing good ever happened. Only at school could I feel even a little bit happy.
Inside the car, I sat far away from him. I was terrified, his mood was unpredictable, what if he suddenly told me to play the piano again? I really couldn't handle it.
Captian reached out, but didn't touch the soft, warm body he wanted. He frowned and turned to look, seeing me curled up and pressed against the car window, trying to minimize my presence as much as possible. His eyes darkened instantly, and the atmosphere in the car became eerie. Heavy. Ice-cold. As if invisible hands were wrapping around someone's throat.
Even Ronan, who was driving, looked terrified. Wasn't the atmosphere earlier perfectly fine? Why did it suddenly feel like they were descending into hell? Ronan stole a look at Captian through the rearview mirror and saw his face had turned impossibly dark, as if a shadow had swallowed the entire expression. What on earth had the Bailey girl done to anger him? Was she tired of living?
Terrified, Ronan quickly looked away when he caught Captian's glare. He still valued his life far too much to stare.
"In two weeks, play the piano for me." Captian looked directly at me, pressed against the car window, his tone like a command, one no one could refuse.
I had been admiring the scenery outside the window when that sentence hit me like a thunderclap. I trembled violently. Frozen, I turned my head, facing his cold, stern black eyes.
"Huh? You want me to play?" I pointed at myself, suddenly unsure.
Captian let out a cold laugh. "Is there a third person sitting in the back seat?"
I gave an awkward, stiff smile. He was definitely talking to me, but wasn't the piano incident already in the past? Why bring it up now? And two weeks? Even with two months I couldn't play the piano well enough to be flawless. Should I tell him the truth that I wasn't the real daughter of the Bailey family at all, but just an abandoned illegitimate child? No, only someone who wanted to die would say that.
Thinking carefully… I wasn't completely doomed yet. The water isn't at my neck if worst comes to worst, I can try to learn. Maybe I can manage something?
"Don't want to play?" Captian leaned in, his icy gaze becoming even sharper.
Shaking violently, I nodded nonstop. "I'll play! I'll play!"
As soon as I spoke, my face turned pale with anxiety.
Captian looked at my expression and, strangely, the corner of his lips curved slightly as if he found a twisted sort of amusement.
If only I knew what went through his mind, I would definitely shout "Pervert!"
Back at the mansion, I quietly returned to my room. To my surprise, Captian didn't call me back, nor did he appear in my room like a ghost. Could it be… he was disgusted by the way I ate earlier? Maybe he thought I didn't look like a proper young lady at all and was now developing hatred for me. And soon… he'd kick me out of the mansion?
I licked my lips, a strange excitement rising in me.
But then I remembered he'd told me to play the piano in two weeks, and immediately my mood collapsed again. If he really hated me, he wouldn't have set a deadline…
Ugh, so annoying.
I lay sprawled across my bed, still pale.
At that moment, in the study, Captian sat with his legs crossed on a wooden chair. His study was just like him, dark, oppressive, bone-chillingly cold. Ronan stood quietly, waiting for instructions.
Captian tapped lightly on the table and suddenly thought of Mr. Robbery begging for mercy earlier. He sneered. "The Robbery family. Their piece of land in the city center isn't bad. Go take it for me. Use whatever means necessary."
"Huh?" Ronan froze.
The Robbery family? The same Robbery family known in Alchimie City?
Even so, they had never been important enough to catch CEO Anderson's eye, much less provoke him. Why would he suddenly want to crush them? They were planning a major project soon. That land had cost them hundreds of millions. If taken away, that money would be gone forever. For such a small family, it would be devastating.
Haha. They were done for.
After receiving the order, Ronan left. Once the door closed, Captian tapped the table again, this time unevenly, almost like his own heart: disordered, complicated.
...
It was the weekend, and the university had no classes. I lay sprawled on the sofa like a dried fish, watching TV. Captian was nowhere to be seen; he had vanished early in the morning. But that was fine by me, freedom tasted wonderful. If he were here, I'd have to spend every second thinking about survival, which was exhausting and humiliating.
Right now a funny variety show was playing, and I burst out laughing. But suddenly, loud noises came from the entrance, drowning out my laughter. Startled, I turned toward the main door.
Several workers were carrying something very large inside. I couldn't see what it was, because the object was completely covered by cloth. Whatever it was… seemed strangely mysterious.