Chapter 142: Can I?

Nathael frowned, clearly annoyed by the interruption to his conversation with Maggie. The persistent ringing of the doorbell continued until someone finally answered it.

"I'll go check who it is," Nathael said, his eyes flashing briefly with hostility before he regained his composure and walked toward the door.

Maggie quickly grabbed some clothes and put them on; she couldn't keep staying in a towel.

Before she knew it, the door swung open. Joseph was momentarily stunned at the sight of Nathael, forgetting to speak for a few seconds.

"Is this Nathael's room?" he finally asked. It turned out to be Nathael's. But how did Maggie get hold of Nathael's room key? His mind was filled with questions.

Nathael was surprised by Joseph's unexpected visit. His expression grew even colder as he asked, "Mr. Cameron, what brings you here?"

Joseph tried to peek past Nathael into the room, but Nathael's tall figure blocked his view. "Is Maggie here?" Joseph asked.

Hearing his voice, Maggie, who had just finished dressing, paused in surprise. Joseph? That troublemaker again? How did he even get here? Oh, I dropped my card during the day. She hadn't expected Joseph to stoop so low. He had always been arrogant and self-assured. She thought that after he'd humbled himself a few times for her and faced setbacks, his pride would prevent further trouble. But she had overestimated him.

"I'm not obligated to explain anything to you," Nathael said sternly, his voice icy. His sharp gaze fell on Joseph, making him feel strangely weak, as if his confidence had vanished.

"Maggie is my sister, and she's also a member of the Cameron family. I certainly have a right to know who she's with."

Nathael's eyes narrowed impatiently. "Mr. Cameron, are you leaving on your own, or shall I have someone remove you?"

Joseph was taken aback by Nathael's directness. Having heard about the reputation and methods of the seventh young master of the Harris family, Joseph had no doubt he would carry out his threat.

Trying to maintain his composure, Joseph locked eyes with Nathael and said, "Maggie sent me. She said that if she didn't show up within an hour, I should come find you for an explanation."

Inside the room, Maggie was puzzled. He's talking nonsense! When have I ever said that?

Nathael chuckled. "Thinking of searching my room, huh?"

Joseph was speechless. He stared at Nathael, hoping to read something in his expression, but found nothing.

Finally, Joseph said, "If Mr. Harris won't cooperate, I'll have to involve the authorities."

Nathael sneered. "Go ahead, Mr. Cameron."

With that, Nathael slammed the door shut. The force of the closure nearly caught Joseph's nose, causing him to stumble back in shock.

Torn between confirming Maggie's involvement with Nathael and his own resentment, Joseph wondered how the Camerons could profit from a connection with Nathael. Joseph's interference had soured Nathael's previously upbeat mood.

He grabbed his phone and called Alex. His voice was impatient. "Handle Joseph."

Detecting the urgency in Nathael's tone, Alex immediately complied.

After hanging up, Nathael turned to Maggie, his eyes burning with intensity.

Maggie was speechless. She hastily raised three fingers. "It wasn't me. I swear. It wasn't me."

Nathael looked at her gently. "I believe you."

Maggie sighed in relief. At least he was showing more faith in her. Wasn't that a good sign?

Shortly after, a disturbance came from outside the door. Despite the soundproofing, the noise penetrated. Alex hadn't expected Joseph to resist, but it made little difference—he was still no match. The only difference was that it might take a few extra seconds. Moments later, there was a muffled thud. (Alex's foot) He was dumbfounded and annoyed, clearly not anticipating that someone accompanying Nathael would be such a proficient fighter.

Maggie listened intently, her eyes shining with excitement, lamenting that she couldn't see Joseph's beating firsthand. What a shame!

Noticing Nathael's amusement at her reaction, Maggie's spirits lifted. She whispered, "Want to watch?"

Maggie hesitated, her eyes fixed on Nathael. With an eager nod, she was filled with anticipation. Can I really watch it? Would it be okay?

Noticing her interest, Nathael smirked and called Alex.

Just as Alex was about to eject Joseph, he answered Nathael's call and then pushed Joseph to the ground again. "Mr. Harris said you can watch, as long as you can handle ten minutes with me," he said amiably.

Joseph hesitated about fighting Alex. However, backing down now would make him appear cowardly. "Okay, deal!"

Alex had intended to end the fight quickly, but now understood Nathael's intentions. He deliberately aimed for Joseph's face. (I'm going to make contributions today! So, the one going to Afriland next time isn't me! My boss's happiness is more important than anything else!) Alex's excitement surged as he landed every punch. Joseph's flashy moves were no match for him.

Maggie listened half-heartedly, then went to the door and peered through the peephole.

Nathael was stunned. Watching Maggie seem to relish the spectacle, he asked, "Not tired?"

Maggie, engrossed in watching, then saw Alex's fist land directly on Joseph's nose. Blood gushed, and Joseph seemed dazed.

"Go, Alex!" Maggie exclaimed excitedly. Joseph glanced toward the door of Nathael's suite, as if he heard Maggie's voice. Is she in there? It has to be her!

Nathael grabbed Maggie's collar and pulled her back. "I'll let you watch after they finish," he said calmly.

Maggie blinked at Nathael with sparkling eyes. Can I?

"Nathael, have I ever told you how much I adore you?!"

This revised version improves grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure for clarity and flow. It also removes unnecessary repetition and streamlines the narrative. Parenthetical notes are preserved as they seem to represent the character's inner thoughts.