Burning Passion

CHAPTER 79: WHO IS SHE IN JEREMY'S LIFE?

* * *

SHANG MANSION, Mainland City

Rubin carefully parked his car in the garage. Stepping out from his vehicle, he took the door inside the garage that connected to the mansion. Something only he, Erika, and Jeremy know the passcode.

Clicking it open, he strode the corridor leading to the living room. It was quiet.

He wondered if his sister and the master are now sleeping.

Rubin went to the kitchen to drink some water, and he found Erika making a coffee.

"Perfect timing! Made me one coffee too, sister!"

Erika just raised a brow, then ignored her brother. "Make your own."

She picks up the tray with a mug of coffee and leaves the kitchen. Rubin left astounded, shaking heads how his sister was too cold at him.

"Jeez, I'm dealing with a cold master and his brother is moody. Added to that my cold old-maid sister," he murmured to himself.

"If I won't become a nosy one? Who will make this house lively? They should realize that."

Rubin opened the refrigerator to scan what dinner they have left. He takes out the wrapped foods to preheat them.

Anyway, a butler and housemaids are working in this mansion, but the master doesn't like seeing them around.

One reason is his sister became the errand secretary, nanny, private nurse, etc. Probably being the girlfriend and a wife, to sum up, his sister will play all the roles.

But he wonders if there is a man who would court her when she's snubbed and fierce.

* * *

It was morning, how fast. Erika wanted to stay longer in bed, but she had to prepare Jeremy's breakfast. She stepped down off her bed and stretched before she took a shower. It was Lady Chairman Shang who assigned her to look after the eldest son.

Originally, she worked at Li-Shang Company as a Senior Accountant in the Sales Department. But one year ago, she became a nanny of a grown-up man. Anyway, she was happy to take care of him and dedicated her life to serving the Shang family.

Erika finishes her shower and gets dressed to a skirt below her knee, paired to a white long sleeve. She tucked in the blouse and let the skirt hugged her body leveled to her navel.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she pony-tailed her overlong hair. She was 5'6 feet tall, it cannot be considered short and cannot say tall, but she loves to wear high heel shoes going to the office. Now that her days just occupy her time taking care of Jeremy, she does not need to wear those heels.

Erika scanned herself before she stepped out of her bedroom, which was just next to Jeremy's room; while Rubin's bedroom was on the right corner of the same floor. They set it up in this setting in case Jeremy needed them in the middle of the night or something happened to him.

"Good morning, sis!"

"Shush! Too early in the morning and you do not lower your voice," she scolds Rubin who frowned kiddingly at her.

"Tsk. Too early in the morning, you soon treated me like an old maid."

Erika glared at Rubin, who just grinned at her afterward.

"Let me make the master's breakfast, you wake him up now." Rubin tilted his head toward their master's door.

Usually, Jeremy is awake at 6:30 in the morning to go outside to bathe in the sun. But it was 7 o'clock now.

Erika takes a deep breath before she knocks. "Master Jeremy?"

She knocks for five times but still no answer from Jeremy. She's getting nervous. "Master?" She knocks three times more.

Erika pressed her ear to the door, listened, then heard a click in the door. Finally, the master opened the door by using a gadget that links to all over the security system of this mansion. The power of Crow Corporation. She learns this after living in the country.

She pushes it open and finds Jeremy seated on the floor, back rested on the bed, and he just glanced over his shoulder, then ignored her.

Too early in the morning and he is this moody. Erika murmurs in her head. "Master, did you have a nightmare once again?" she asked while stepping closer.

Every time Jeremy acts like this, he has dreamt of the past once again. Erika kneeled in front of him.

"Do I have to bring your breakfast here instead?" she asked in a lower voice. But Jeremy did not reply.

She wished she could help him, but she doesn't know what he is getting through. So then, all she tried to do is understand him and promise not to leave him alone no matter what happens.

"I will prepare your bath then." Erika is about to stand when Jeremy grabs her pulse, and she lands to his arms.

"Don't leave me," Jeremy murmured.

Erika froze and did not breathe. 'Damn. Too early in the morning and a situation like this...' She sighed inside her head.

Jeremy smells so nice and his body is warm. She wished she could stay inside his arms forever.

Every time his dream was too bad, he would be like this. So she will let him hug her for five to ten minutes before Jeremy let her go.

"Help me sit in my wheelchair," he said afterward.

"Okay." She stood and took his wheelchair.

Jeremy reached for his walking stick to support himself to stand while his right arm hooked around Erika's shoulder. She would use her body to help him sit in the wheelchair.

"Thank you. You can go now," he told Erika.

"How about your breakfast?"

"I will have it on the poolside."

Erika bowed before she left the room. With this simple body contact, her heart filled with joy.

* * *

Erika set the table in the pool after Rubin brought the breakfast he made. After what happens to the Shang siblings, and then Jeremy undergoes surgery and a lot of medication, the Lady Chairman was keen to watch everything Jeremy has to eat. She is afraid that the Clan would bribe a housemaid to poison him since they thought the youngest son has no interest in inheriting everything Harry and Nina have built all these years.

"Master Jeremy, good morning." Rubin bowed and greeted him. He followed Jeremy toward the pool area where Erika waited.

"Good morning. Let's eat."

Jeremy approaching the table, Erika pours a coffee in the mug and starts placing food on his plate.

One of many reasons they were here, Jeremy wants company. He is sure lonely and feels alone after Theo stayed in Switzerland and barely contacted him as he blames himself for Jeremy's condition right now.

He lost the ability to walk. That is why she is here, which she loves her role as an all-around helper to him. There is nothing she wishes but stay by his side.

But he must not know she's in love with him.

"How was yesterday?" Jeremy asked later.

"It went well, Master Jeremy," Rubin replied. "This search will be over soon, then I can go back to my original job tomorrow. I have been busy with the Young master's project."

"That's alright, Erika is a great help. There is nothing to worry about."

Hmm, smells something like… he notices his sister blushes. Rubin smiled playfully, but he hides it from his sister and master's gaze.

"Regarding the choices, have you selected one already?"

"Mmm… Honestly, master, the model we chose doesn't know that we want her to be one of the five girls we have to select soon."

"What do you mean by that?" Jeremy wrinkled his forehead. "Rubin, are we doing something illegal here? Stolen photos?"

"Ah, stolen shots, precisely."

Jeremy raised a brow, showing that he doesn't like it. Erika also gives Rubin a threatening stare.

"Okay. Let me show you the samples we got yesterday," he told Jeremy and took out his phone from his pants back pocket.

Rubin handed him the phone. Before he looked at the photo, he threw a measured look at Rubin like telling him, 'what you were thinking?' and he just scratches his temple.

How could he explain it to his master? Better judge the photos!

Jeremy stared at the phone and began scrolling Rubin's gallery. They took the first photos from a distance until slowly; the shots were closing up.

Rubin and Erika looked at each other after Jeremy looked up, showing a huge surprise on his face.

"Where did you find her?"

Is what reaction from their master. Rubin glanced at his sister who met his eyes and the same to him; she's also confused why Jeremy reacted like this.

"She works in a café. It is where I approached her to do me a favor as I was looking for pretty girls who will do an audition for us."

"Then?"

They could tell how Jeremy seems curious about her. He glanced at her sister, who this time he could tell she's jealous.

"She is working in a café owned by Attorney Karl Lawrence's wife. She brought me, three beautiful girls, in the photoshoot," he went on.

"I mean, how is she doing? In the café?" Further, Jeremy asked eagerly.

Now he's intrigued why Jeremy shows curiosity about a woman for the first time. "She's a floor manager in the café. Miss Nikki is—"

"That's right! Nikki! Nikki Lindsey, right?"

Rubin glances at Erika. Both of them exchange a questioning stare at each other as if what is going on here?

"Has Theo seen these photos, yet?" he asked while continuing looking at the photos.

Rubin shook his head. "Not yet, Master Jeremy. Director Cho will hand the copies by noon."

"Okay. Tell Director Cho to come to the mansion. Also, I would like to talk to Theo after you send the shots to him."

"Copy, Master."

"Alright, let us finish our breakfast."

Erika and Rubin nod.

For the first time, or maybe in a very long time, Jeremy concealed his smiles. But now, his lips tore with a light smile.

Erika bites her lower lip. She has known Jeremy all her life because he is just three years older than her. They were like growing up together, but after the incident 10 years ago, Jeremy became moody and changed.

And now? Just because of a woman, his face brightens and suddenly shows liveliness.

Who is this girl who brought back Jeremy's smile? She felt too much jealousy.

Who is she in Jeremy's life?