That night, Mr. Adam arrived home later than usual.
He had decided to stay at the restaurant a little longer after Linda left. Secretary Kim had left to go home a few minutes after she had left.
That night, it was quiet when he stepped into the mansion, the echo of his shoes on the marble floor filling the vast space.
But when he entered the living room, he paused.
William was sitting right there on the sofa, arms crossed, back slightly slouched as if he had been waiting for hours. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes? They were as cold as ice.
Mr. Adam walked closer slowly and tried to offer a smile.
"How are you doing, Will?"
But William didn't return the smile. He didn't even greet him.
Instead, he asked, flat and sharp, "Where were you?"
Mr. Adam stopped, slightly caught off guard. "You didn't answer my question," he replied, trying to understand what was going on.
"Neither did you answer mine," William shot back as he stood up, his handsome face set like stone.
The air between them instantly grew heavier.
Mr. Adam frowned. "What's the problem?"
Before William could respond, a sound of heels clicked from the hallway. A young woman stepped into view, holding a tall glass of red wine. She wore a short silver dress that sparkled under the chandelier light, her hips swaying confidently as she approached.
Mr. Adam blinked. She looked unfamiliar
She stopped beside William, and he casually wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Who is this?" Mr. Adam asked, his voice confused. "Will, who is she?"
"This is Veronica," William replied as if it were nothing. "My girlfriend."
Mr. Adam was still processing the information when William pressed forward without giving him a moment to breathe.
"So, are you ready to tell me where you were?"
Mr. Adam's brows furrowed deeper. "Will, what's wrong with you? I just went out to meet someone."
"Someone?" William repeated sharply.
Veronica, who had stayed quiet long enough, stepped in with a smirk.
"I saw you," she said boldly. "You were at the Happy Hub restaurant. You were with a man and a young lady."
Mr. Adam turned to her slowly, confused and a bit irritated.
William's voice came next, colder than ever. "Dad, are you hooking up with little girls now?"
Mr. Adam blinked hard, fully stunned. He felt rage rising in him but he held himself. "Why would you say something like that, Will? Is that really what you think of me?"
Then he turned to Veronica, his voice tightening. "And you—why would you see me with someone and run off to tell my son like it's gossip hour?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. "I just thought he deserved to know. If you're getting him a new mother, he should at least get the memo."
Mr. Adam was speechless.
Who was this girl? Who taught her to act this way? Sure, she was beautiful, but she seemed like trouble—sneaky, sharp-tongued, and clearly proud of it. Her beauty was loud, but her manners were missing.
He looked back at William. "You said she's your what?"
"My girlfriend," William said proudly. "Any problems?"
Mr. Adam sighed. "Will—"
"In fact, she's my fiancée," William added, cutting him off. His expression then softened "You always told me to settle down, to find a proper girl. So here she is. It's not official yet, but we're working on it."
Then he leaned in and kissed Veronica's cheek, and she giggled like she owned the world.
Mr. Adam swallowed hard.
He had always told his son to stop fooling around and to take life more seriously. But this? Of all the girls in Seoul, this is who he chose?
His thoughts were spinning when William landed the final blow.
"Dad, Veronica will be sleeping over tonight. Just so you know."
And just like that, both of them turned and headed upstairs without looking back.
Mr. Adam stood there, frozen in the middle of his own living room.
Slowly, he sank into the couch with a long sigh. The soft leather gave under his weight as he leaned back and rubbed his forehead.
He didn't even know what to feel.
Should he be happy that William had finally found someone and was at least talking about commitment? Or should he be disappointed that the girl he picked was arrogant, disrespectful, and possibly the worst influence he could have chosen?
His only hope—his only wish—was that maybe, just maybe, this girl could change William's behavior and help him become the man he had always hoped he'd be.
But something in his gut said otherwise.
And Mr. Adam always trusted his gut.
---
The rays of the sun shone brightly into William's room. The morning was bright, and birds chirped from tree to tree, filling the air with their sweet melodies.
William blinked lazily before sitting up on the bed. Then he noticed something—Veronica wasn't beside him. But she had slept next to him last night. He quickly sat up, slightly alarmed.
Then he heard it—the soft rush of water from the bathroom shower. He heaved a sigh of relief, rubbing his face with one hand as he reached for his phone with the other. The screen lit up.
It was already past nine.
William blinked, confused. He had slept for too long. Maybe it was the wine, maybe the long night out—but either way, he wasn't used to waking this late.
Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, and Veronica stepped out.
A towel was tied loosely around her chest, and her smooth, glowing body shimmered under the sunlight that streamed through the window. Her long dark hair was wet, clinging to her back and shoulders, and tiny droplets of water glistened on her skin like morning dew on rose petals.
She smiled when she saw William staring.
"Hey sweetie," she greeted, her voice soft and sweet, her lips curling into a charming smile.
William was lost. Completely lost in the sight of her. Her flawless figure, her soft curves, and the grace in her movement left him breathless. His eyes scanned her like it was the first time he was seeing her.
"Will?" she called again, this time waving her hand a little.
He snapped out of his trance. "Honey!" he said, smiling as he stood up and walked toward her. "You look so beautiful this morning. It's so nice waking up and seeing an angel in my room."
Veronica rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't even start with the flattery. I already know I'm charming."
William chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned in and planted a slow, sweet kiss on her lips.
Veronica smiled, then gave his chest a light push. "Go get a bath," she said with a soft laugh.
William sighed and stretched. "Alright, alright," he muttered, already walking toward the bathroom. He turned back for a second and added, "The dresses are in the dressing room. I even got a few jewelries. "
Veronica nodded as she began drying her hair with the hair dryer. "Thanks babe. I hope you got my taste in dresses."
William winked before disappearing into the bathroom.