<h4>Chapter 411: Bound to Be Just Siblings</h4>


    E’s lips curved into a gentle smile as she carefully and tenderly put the hairdryer away. Then, she quietlyy down beside Eric, holding his hand as she drifted off to sleep with him.


    Their breathing gradually synchronized, bing soft and steady.


    E hadn’t been sleeping well these past few days—if she had slept at all. Exhaustion caught up with her, and she soon fell into a deep sleep alongside Eric.


    The two slept soundly, not stirring until after 8 p.m. when a knock on the door interrupted their rest. E woke reluctantly from her dream, groaning.


    "Who is it? Don’t they know we’re sleeping?" she muttered, rubbing her aching head. The four hours of sleep had been far from enough to make up for her recent exhaustion.


    She regretted not hanging up a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.


    Eric stirred slightly, turning over, but clearly had no intention of getting up.


    E shuffled to the door and opened it to find Luke standing there, his expression dark and serious. Embarrassed by her state of dress in her nightgown, she quickly pulled the door halfway shut, shielding herself.


    "My father has invited you to breakfast tomorrow morning. He expects you both to arrive on time," Luke said curtly.


    E rolled her eyes. "Luke, don’t you know we’re exhausted? Who asked you to bother us? Tomorrow’s business can wait until tomorrow, can’t it?"


    Luke’s face darkened further, his expression frosty. "E, is this how a properdy behaves? Did no one teach you any manners?"


    "It’s incredibly polite of you to interrupt people’s sleep," E shot back sarcastically as she mmed the door in his face.


    Luke stood frozen for a moment, his frustration mounting. That infuriating woman never treated him with the respect he believed he deserved as a nobleman. Worse, every time he faced her, she seemed to strip away hisposure, leaving him feeling humiliated.


    His fists clenched, and his cold gaze flickered with suppressed anger. Turning sharply on his heel, he strode away from the hotel floor, his mind swirling with thoughts of E lying beside Eric. The image unsettled him more than he cared to admit.


    Back on the ninth floor, Lucas was having dinner but seemed to have little appetite. He looked up when he saw Luke descending with a sour expression.


    "What happened?" Lucas asked.


    "She said we’re disturbing their sleep and that tomorrow’s business can wait," Luke replied coldly, a hint of bitterness in his voice.


    Lucas chuckled lightly, nodding with understanding. "She’s not wrong. I told you to call her tomorrow instead of going up to bother them. Luke, now that Eric is back, it’s time to let go of those thoughts. E is my only daughter, and you are my only adopted son. I consider you both my children, and I expect you to treat her as your sister from now on."


    Lucas’s tone was calm but firm, his gaze steady as he addressed Luke.


    "Father, I already consider E my sister. Please don’t overthink it," Luke replied, his expression strained as he tried to mask his difort. Picking up his utensils, he busied himself with his te in an attempt to appear unbothered.


    "That’s good to hear. I know your character, and I trust you not to create discord. To me, you are both family—equally precious," Lucas said, his voice softening with an undertone of sorrow.


    In truth, Lucas wasn’t entirely sure where E stood with him.


    Hisck of intervention in Eric’s ordeal had been a deliberate choice, partly to test Eric’s capabilities and partly to gauge E’s resilience.


    Now, he saw E’s strength and intelligence clearly. She had deftly maneuvered Leonard away and drawn Barry into the situation, ensuring Eric had a fighting chance. Their coordination was undeniable—otherwise, how could it have been so perfectly timed that Barry arrived at Leonard’s estate on the same day Eric escaped?


    The result was twofold: Barry was implicated, and Bowan had effectively lost both sons. With his influence significantly weakened, it was only a matter of time before his enemies seized the opportunity to bring him down.


    Lucas was deeply pleased with E; she had exceeded his expectations time and time again. If only... if only he and Isabe had been a little more astute back then, perhaps they wouldn’t have fallen to this point.


    "Tomorrow morning, take me to see her," Lucas said, his voice distant and thoughtful. "I’ve let her down before, and I owe her that much."


    Luke nodded respectfully. "Yes, Father."


    Looking at thevish spread of gourmet food on the table, Lucas had no appetite. In his heart, he prayed that E wouldn’t reject him outright. After all, blood ties ran deep. If she truly didn’t care, she would have left Country W long ago.


    ...


    10:00 p.m.


    E woke up from hunger.


    She turned over weakly, only to find herself staring into Eric’s smirking eyes, their depths gleaming.


    Her heart skipped a beat as she looped her arms around his neck and gave him a yful kiss. "Hubby, I’m hungry!"


    Ericughed, his low chuckle warm and teasing. He rolled over, pinning her beneath him. After several hours of rest, he finally felt somewhat recharged. His kisses were fervent and intense, causing E to push at him in a panic. "Hey! I said my stomach is hungry!"


    "Oh? I thought it was something else that needed feeding," Eric teased with a wicked grin.


    "Eric, you’re asking for a beating!" E huffed, giving him a yful kick that sent him tumbling off the bed. Erded on the floor with an exaggerated pout, crawling back to the edge like a pitiful little boy.


    The once-dominant and effortlessly suave Eric now looked like a cheeky, mischievous young man.


    "Wife, how can you be so cruel? I just wanted a little intimate moment with you, and you kicked me off the bed!" hemented dramatically.


    E’s face flushed red. "With an empty stomach, you still have the energy for that? Get up, change, brush your teeth, and let’s eat dinner!"


    Eric obeyed with augh, climbing to his feet. In truth, he was starving.


    Having eaten only a small meal around noon, it had been nearly ten hours since hisst proper food. His stomach growled in protest.


    Once the two were ready and freshened up, a waiter arrived with the dinner Eric had pre-ordered.


    E eagerly dove into a bowl of soup, the warm liquid finally easing her hunger.


    Eric, with a bandage on his forehead, still looked effortlessly handsome. Sitting beside her, he suddenly spoke, his tone thoughtful. "Leonard really put a lot of thought into that basement. So many tunnels, so many intersections. It’s the perfect ce to imprison someone."


    E blinked in surprise. "Really? Then how did you manage to find your way out? Did you force a bodyguard to lead you?"


    Eric shook his head and recounted the key moments of how he used hypnosis on the maid.


    E’s jaw dropped. "Hypnosis? That’s not something just anyone can pull off! It takes talent and a lot of dedicated practice. You only dabbled in it—how did you manage to pick up Connor’s skills?"


    Eric grinned smugly. "Next time, I’ll hypnotize you and make you climb into my arms willingly."


    E’s face flushed again as she gave him a light p on the shoulder. Eric swiftly caught her wrist, his expression devilish as he kissed her fingertips with exaggerated relish. "Mmm, even your fingers taste sweet."


    "Eric..." E groaned, half-amused and half-exasperated. His shameless teasing made her want to swat him, yet an undeniable sweetness spread through her heart.


    The two continued their yful banter as they ate, theirughter and lighthearted conversation filling the room with a warm, intimate atmosphere. It was a moment of pure, unspoken happiness, their bond shining brightly in the quiet of the night.