Chapter 120: Business Comes First
"Possibly a hare?" Levi trotted alongside, his eyes filled with disdain. "What legitimate reason could you possibly—"
"Repayment. How about that?" Eric's behavior was infuriating, and he looked at Levi with blatant animosity. "He took me out to dinner to thank me. Some people who haven't contributed anything obviously don't get a seat at the table."
I sighed in exasperation. These two were like sworn rivals; every encounter was pure chaos. Eric always seemed to come out on top, but Levi was too stubborn to back down. I used to think that increased interaction would improve things. It turned out nothing had changed.
"Alright, enough. Do you even realize how late it is?" I glanced at the time and intervened before the argument escalated. "No matter what, thank you for today." I met his gaze, genuinely grateful. He might have claimed the dinner was just part of the deal, but that didn't diminish my appreciation.
"If it's for you, it doesn't count as a favor," Eric said with a smile. Then, for a final jab, he shot Levi a smug look before leaving. Levi looked like he wanted to retort, but a sharp glance from me silenced him instantly. With an annoyed huff, he followed me inside.
"I told you to get some sleep. Why were you waiting for me?" I let out a long sigh, feeling utterly helpless. I knew Levi was just worried, but knowing he'd been waiting outside filled me with guilt.
"I figured if you needed help, I'd be right here to rush over," Levi said, blunt as always. A moment later, his expression darkened. "Didn't think that guy would beat me to it. If I had known, I would've just gone with you."
Hearing this, I realized Levi had misunderstood Eric. Before he could jump to conclusions, I quickly explained everything. Although I went to find Elsa, Eric's help had expedited the clarification. Levi's expression softened slightly, though he still let out an annoyed puff.
He looked at me seriously. "Jane, I know this might be the case, but that guy, Eric, definitely has ulterior motives. I know men. I can tell by the way he looks at you that it's not right."
His paranoid tone made me laugh, though I didn't deny his assessment. When he saw me laughing, his gaze intensified, suspicion etched on his face. "Jane, you didn't... develop feelings for him, did you?"
I froze, instinctively shaking my head and forcing a nervous laugh. "Of course not. Eric has helped me a lot, but we're just friends. I promised to teach him how to cook, and we'll have meals together."
Levi's scrutinizing gaze remained fixed on me. I slapped my chest in reassurance. "Don't worry. Right now, my career is my top priority. And besides..." Jeremiah's infuriating face flashed in my mind. "...I'm not even divorced yet, so I'll deal with things when the time comes."
Hearing my words, Levi smiled, finally satisfied. "Right, right. Career first! Right now, your most important job is helping me expand Lunaglo in Caldera. Everything else can wait!"
I nodded, glancing at my watch. "It's getting late. Let's head to bed. We've got work to do tomorrow." With that, I waved and went to my room.
Once in bed, I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling strangely unsettled. For some reason, Eric's face—his seriousness, his smile, even his teasing—kept swirling in my thoughts. I tossed and turned for a long time. In the end, I decided it was simply the result of staying up too late. I definitely couldn't stay up this late again.