Chapter 832
Chapter 832
832 Chapter 831
Keira glanced at Jenkins, then at Erin standing behind her with her ears practically perked up. These two were such gossips.
Keira couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth before finally saying, "I think it's because his voice has changed, and now he has an Adam's apple. It'd be tough to keep pretending to be a woman."
Jenkins immediately had a lightbulb moment.
Erin smacked her forehead. "Why didn't I think of that?"
Keira gave them both a slightly exasperated look and walked away.
There were still about ten days before the South family estate opened its gates. She needed to prepare.
The mystery surrounding the South family lingered. Jenkins, Erin, and even Sean had remained tight-lipped about it. The silence made her feel both curious and uneasy.
Back in her room, she saw Lewis typing away at his desk, engrossed in work.
Keira walked over and asked, "Why are you so busy lately?"
"I'm trying to wrap up everything for the next month," Lewis replied evenly.
Ah, it clicked. He was clearing his schedule to accompany her to the South family.
But she suspected the isolation of the South estate meant he couldn't afford to leave any loose ends.
After thinking it through, Keira stood in front of him. "You shouldn't come with me this time."
Lewis paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. Then he looked up at her. "Why not?"
Keira explained slowly, "It's my first time going to the South estate, and I don't even know what to expect there. I want to check on my mom and make sure she's doing okay, but I can't guarantee I won't be found out. If they realize I'm not Keera, I might get stuck there. If you come with me, who's going to rescue me?"
Lewis didn't hesitate to reject her idea. "No."
Keira blinked in surprise.
Lewis walked over to her, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. "Keira, do you know how hard it was for me when you fell into the ocean in Oceanion? Those days when I thought I'd lost you—do you know how painful that was? I'm not going to go through that again. I won't lose you."
Hearing his answer, Keira sighed.
She'd expected him to refuse, but she'd had to try asking.
Seeing how resolute he was, she could only nod. "Alright. Together, then."
"Yes, together. No matter what."
Lewis pulled her into a hug before returning to his desk. "We don't know how long we'll be there, so I need to get everything squared away. Don't worry—I've made contingency plans for everything."
Keira nodded.
While Lewis was buried in work, Keira, who had already handed over most of her company responsibilities to others, found herself with nothing to do. She decided to go find Jenkins.
On her way past Erin's room, the door swung open. "Where are you going?" Erin asked.
"How'd you know it was me?" Keira replied.
"I can tell by your footsteps. If you're walking past my room, you're heading to Jenkins'. Going to see her?"
Erin pouted. "You've got a new buddy now and don't love me anymore?"
Keira twitched her mouth in amusement. "I just want to ask her about the South family."
"I can tell you about it too!" Erin said with a pout.
Keira gave her a look.
This girl, who'd been so aloof when they first met, refusing to spill anything about the South family, now seemed to feel threatened.
Erin's personality was bubbly and open, her gaze clear and almost childlike. Yet, she was as cunning as a fox—a contradiction that was both fascinating and baffling.
Keira finally said, "Alright, come with me. If Jenkins doesn't have all the answers, you can fill in the gaps."
"Okay!" Erin said, then paused. "Wait a second."
She darted back into her room.
Keira didn't wait and instead went straight to Peter Olsen's door. She knocked, hearing some shuffling inside before Jenkins opened the door, her face flushed.
"Keira? What's up?"
"I wanted to ask you about the South family, but you seem… preoccupied?" Keira replied, noticing the faint hickeys on Jenkins' neck.
Jenkins coughed awkwardly. "A little, yeah. How about—"
Before she could finish, Erin came bounding over with a bag of snacks. She wore a pajama set with a bunny logo and fuzzy slippers. "Oh, Lion's busy? Keira, ask me instead! I'm free tonight—Peter's not home!"
Jenkins, who'd been about to say she wasn't free, immediately interjected, "I'm free!"
No way was she letting Erin score points in front of Keira.
Without another word, Jenkins stepped out. "Let's talk in Erin's room."
Keira had realized her mistake as soon as Jenkins opened the door. She shouldn't have shown up when Peter was home.
So the trio, with Erin dragging a snack-laden tote bag, headed to Charles's room instead.
It was Keira's first time there, and it was obvious Charles was a meticulous and scholarly man. The room was pristine, with a study boasting three walls of bookshelves filled with academic texts on physics and other sciences.
However, among this orderliness was a glaringly out-of-place pink snack cabinet.
Not to mention the fluffy white pillows and plush toys that were undoubtedly Erin's.
Even more absurd, most of the books had been shoved to a corner, and the shelves were now stocked with snacks instead.
It was as if Erin's chaotic energy had forced its way into Charles's methodical world.
Yet Erin seemed completely oblivious. She flopped onto a sleek black leather couch with a white plush toy, crossed her legs, and pulled a snack cart closer with practiced ease. She even had tea ready on a side table.
"Sit down, everyone!" she chirped.
Keira found the whole setup amusing and sat beside Erin.
Jenkins scanned the room, her lips twitching. "Don't you feel like you've completely disrupted Charles's life?"
"Really?" Erin tilted her head innocently. "I think we're perfect for each other!"
Jenkins sighed.
Keira cut in, "Alright, let's focus. We're heading to the South family soon, and I want to know what to expect."