Butler Han was already panting when he reached the two.

'My knees are giving away.' He thought that he was really getting too old that running a few distance is too exhausting for him already.

He gasp for air before finally abled to speak, "Young Master, you have been summoned."

Sid frowned not only at his butler's expressions but at his words as well. Something urgent must have happened. 'What is it that needed his immediate attention? Who's calling him at this hour?' The Walsh Residence only receives calls from the elders or immediate family members and significant relatives as they value their safety and privacy the most.

'Mom?' His mother is currently out of the country. But there is absolutely no reason for her to call him right? And for something that seems grave for that matter. He could not think of any one else who could actually rattle their butler besides his mother, except for another person. 'Liam?' No, why would his brother call him anyway? The company is doing really well. And he will be the first to know if there's an issue that needed his intercession. Besides, his a.s.sistant haven't even called him yet.

"Pardon me young master, it is actually Miss Laurice here who was being summoned. We have just received a phone call from a certain Executive Asistant named Al Quentin of the Suma Group of Companies."

Sid's frown turned deeper.

'Suma Group?'

'How did they even managed to obtain their private line?'

He turned towards Laurice with a probing stare.

It seems they could not contact her for days and did some underhanded scheme to reach the villa's private line which was exclusive that only a few people knew about.

'What's really her background?' Sid did not do a thorough background check on her because he did not want to pry unto her private matters. 'Did he just made the wrong decision?'

Sid wasn't really au courant with the business world so he could not guess how Laurice is somehow related to the Suma Group which is a known business empire in the country.

...

Laurice on the other hand stood rooted to the ground the moment she heard the butler's news.

Her hands twitched ever so slightly but it did not escape Sid's hawk-like eyes. She fell silent for a long awhile. Sid and the butler waited patiently for her.

...

Laurice could not believe her mother would actually resort to something ridiculous. She has only been gone for awhile and her mother could not help herself from torturing her already. She did not contact her at all since she arrived and even her arrival itself was concealed but knowing her mother, she knew it was nearly impossible to actually hide just anything from her.

'So impatient.' She grumbled inwardly.

The moment Laurice thought about her mother and her underhanded tricks to get her to contact her as if luring a bait out of her cave, her expressions darkened.

The aura around her dropped a few degrees.

Suddenly, Laurice finally spoke.

Laurice: "I'm sorry for the disturbance Mr. Walsh, Butler Han. It is not my intention to involve your family with my own affairs. I shall handle this matter at hand personally and take full responsibility for whatever implications it has or may have cause your household." She lowered her head and added, "I ... "

She heaved a long sigh and continued, "I need to make a call. But it seems i left my phone in my bag at your car." She spoke with frigid politeness and tilted at her side to look at the man who seems bothered by the sudden commotion.

She felt extremely guilty. She did not want to cause trouble to these people but she must have been jinxed for some reason.

Sid: " ... " 'Mr. Walsh??'

Sid stared intently at the woman beside him while she spoke with a cold and disgruntled expression as if witnessing a completely different side of her. She appears rather vexed.

Sid realized that her temper is quite unpredictable.

He have seen her adorable side and her sweet nature towards his son and towards him even. He have seen her become so vulnerable because of a nightmare that even made her sick which he bet has something to do with her past. That lost and distant expression that she wore whenever he ask about the painting which is likely caused by some traumatic experience she could not forget was still giving him chills. He did not want to believe that she is a cold person for no reason. He believed she's not a cold person at all.

And now, he was seeing another side of her. Anger, annoyance and resentment. He can feel all of it despite her wearing a deadpan and cold expression ruining her beautiful face. Well, she was still beautiful no matter what but he prefers seeing her smile. Seeing her happy.

Sid: "Butler Han ..."

Butler Han: "Right away, young master. Young miss." He bowed.

The butler understood his young master's intentions and went on ahead. He was surprised how Laurice had reacted just now. He felt he was looking at an entirely different person and she looks somewhat scary.

'Looks like the young miss is not an ordinary person after all.'

Sid excused himself for a few minutes and made some calls before leading them back at the villa.

He wanted to talk to her and tell her there's nothing for her to worry about on his end but how could he even do that when the woman was already distancing herself from him.

They remained silent the entire walk back and went straight inside with the butler already waiting for them, holding a black satchel bag on his hands.

Right before she reach for her bag, it seems Laurice have stolen a glance at his direction. She did not actually looked at him but at his son instead. It was so brief but at that brief moment, it seems her expressions softened a bit.

Sid was feeling quite complicated.

Laurice: "Thank you Butler Han and sorry for the trouble."

'That again.' Sid thought it would be nice to give her a lecture sometimes about when is it absolutely necessary to apologize at people.

....

Laurice then politely excused herself when she got her bag, went swiftly outside the villa and punched some digits with her phone unwillingly.

She decided not to call the company nor the a.s.sistant.

Because of what happened, of them calling the Walsh Residence insolently, she would not trust anybody from now on. Not even a.s.sistant Al, whom she have known for years.

'Thank you and no thank you for his loyalty.' Laurice could only depend on herself now.

She did not want to speak with anybody right now but she needs to make this specific call for some reason.

And she ended up actually dialing a number.

Her mother's.

It was a private number that she never bothered saving in her phone but memorized the digits all too well anyway.

After three rings, the call got through. The person from the other line answered. 'h.e.l.lo?'

Laurice: " ... C.E.O. Ledesma."