"Alright, Lola. Now that you've spoken to your family and your uncle has confirmed we're not bad people and mean you no harm, go ahead and get some rest in the guest bedroom," Janice instructed gently. "That way, you'll be refreshed and ready to meet your parents when they get here."
Lola, who seemed to have finally started recovering from the ordeal her elder brother had put her through, nodded. Despite her bravery and composed demeanor, the events of the night were overwhelming. Being abducted by a semi-naked man and flown to a city apartment at supernatural speed was terrifying—especially for a mortal with no knowledge of the 'World of Curses.'
"Yes, thank you, ma'am," Lola replied politely knowing the latter were helping her. Most of the misunderstandings had been cleared up, but one question still lingered. "Ma'am, why did your brother bring me here? Couldn't he have just talked to me and my parents there and saved all this trouble?"
"Lola, didn't we agree to drop the formalities?" Janice reminded her, pouting cutely. The expression caught Lola off guard, and she spaced out for a moment.
"You're so beautiful and cute," Lola said, unable to stop herself.
"And so are you," Janice replied automatically, reaching out to playfully tap Lola's nose. "Thank you."
Meanwhile, Jason, standing off to the side, raised an eyebrow as he eyed Lola. A thought seemed to dawn on him—he was finally starting to figure out why Lola wasn't charmed by him or his chiseled physique. Unfortunately for him, he was entirely wrong.
"You seem to really like that plush. Did you win it at a fair?" Janice asked, smoothly changing the subject after noticing her brother's subtle reaction. Despite being her sibling, she couldn't help but find him a bit pig-headed sometimes.
"No, Ace won it for me," Lola said softly, clutching the plush tighter to her chest.
Seeing this, Janice couldn't help but smile, figuring out something more interesting. Lola's feelings for Ace were written all over her face.
"Ace? Is he your boyfriend?" Jason asked abruptly, a hint of irritation creeping into his tone. The idea of being overshadowed by some unknown teenage boy didn't sit well with him. Internally, he thought, 'How good look is this Ace for her to not even notice me?'
Hearing Jason's question, Lola's cheeks flushed crimson. Her emotions swirled, but she managed to steady herself and reply, "No, he's just my friend."
"Oh, so it's a one-sided crush?" Jason replied with a dismissive smirk, assuming Lola's feelings were nothing more than puppy love. 'No wonder,' he thought smugly.
Not that Jason was romantically interested in Lola or anyone so young—it wasn't about that. What he relished was the idea of being the dream of every girl and woman out there. If it weren't for the responsibility of shouldering his family's business, he would've pursued a career as an actor or singer long before his sister had.
This mindset was also why he'd supported his sister's decision to debut as an actor and had instructed Delores to serve as her manager without hesitation. Apart from his grandfather, only Jason, as the heir, had the authority to order Delores around—though it was more out of her respect for his grandfather than for him or his family.
Janice's eyes widened, and she blinked awkwardly while Lola buried her face deeper into the plush, trying to disappear. Janice couldn't believe her brother was being so nosy and blatant toward a teenager he had just met. They weren't even acquaintances, yet he had the audacity to act like that. She felt secondhand embarrassment on his behalf.
"What?" Jason asked, his tone tinged with annoyance as he noticed his sister's judgmental stare. Defensively, he added, "I just saved her freaking life. I think I'm entitled to make a few insensitive comments."
Janice was taken aback, realizing that her brother knew he was being inappropriate and still chose to behave that way, it made her want to throttle him. She decided to take control of the situation to ease Lola's discomfort.
Finally, she said, "First off, my brother isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the box, so I apologize on his behalf. Second, he had reason to believe someone dangerous might target you for your talent. He acted preemptively to stop that from turning into an actual tragedy."
"Really?" Lola asked, startled by the explanation. Then, her brows furrowed in concern as she followed up, "If that's true, what's stopping this dangerous person from targeting my parents to get to me?"
Janice took a moment, carefully thinking through her response, wanting to reassure Lola without adding to her worries. But before she could say a word, Jason chimed in, stealing her opportunity, "You're C.I.B. property now. No one dares mess with the C.I.B. unless they've got a death wish. We have a strict policy against negotiating with criminals."
"What the heck is wrong with you?" Janice yelled, finally losing her patience and throwing a couch pillow at her brother. She'd officially had enough of his antics.
"What? I'm just speaking the truth. She is C.I.B. property," Jason asserted, ensuring Janice understood he had no intention of making Lola one of the McSuile family's retainers. After all, Janice was famously known in the family for rescuing "broken things," and he didn't want her getting too attached to Lola.
Then, turning to Lola with a sly grin, he asked, "Do you have a bully at school? Just give me their last name. I'll have our logistics team bankrupt their family and even throw them all in prison on some trumped-up charges."
Lola's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "No, I don't have any bullies," she replied hastily, though a flicker of a memory from middle school surfaced in her mind. It was something she had long buried and decided she wasn't about to unearth now. Not to mention, she would like to think she had got even with everyone that wronged her.
Jason, however, wasn't one to let things slide. He leaned in slightly, watching her carefully. "That right there," he said, his tone sharper. "Whose face just flashed through your mind? Don't be scared. Just give me their last name."
Lola shook her head firmly, her voice steady. "No, it's in the past. Let it stay there." She paused, her grip on the plush tightening as she looked at the ground. "Yes, I was wronged back then because of some people's ignorance and insensitivity, but I don't want an entire family to suffer because of it. When one person in a family suffers, the whole family suffers with them. I wouldn't wish that on anyone—not even my enemies."
Jason studied her for a moment, his brow furrowed, but he wasn't ready to drop it. "Are you sure? Just a surname. That's all it takes," he pressed, his eyes meeting hers, testing her resolve.
Janice, beside her, decided not to intervene this time. She watched closely, curious about how Lola would handle her brother's persistence.
Without hesitation, Lola met Jason's gaze and replied firmly, "No."
"You pass!" Jason suddenly announced, his lips curling into a gentle smile. His tone was lighter now, almost approving, and even Janice mirrored his reaction with a nod. They both had silently agreed—Lola was worth their help. Had she failed to meet their expectations, Jason would have simply handed her over to the C.I.B., checked on her once or twice to ensure she integrated properly, and left it at that. After all, regardless of her personal opinions, Lola was ultimately Jason's responsibility, as he was the one who involved her with the C.I.B.
Lola blinked awkwardly, her brows furrowing as she tried to make sense of Jason's sudden declaration. "Passed? Passed what?" she mumbled, not realizing the siblings had been testing her all along.
Shaking her head with a soft chuckle, Janice stepped forward. "Don't mind his words, honey," she said warmly. "Come on, let me show you to the guest bedroom."
But Lola shook her head, her movements slow and deliberate. "No," she said firmly, her voice steady despite the slight tremor of anticipation. "I don't think I'll get any sleep now." She hesitated for a second, then continued, her fingers nervously rubbing the cross necklace around her neck. "Can you guys tell me... what you are? Or, more importantly, what I am?"
Her gaze darted between Jason and Janice, her expression raw with vulnerability. "Ever since I was little, I've always felt out of place—like I didn't really belong with my family or my friends. But now... now, I feel like I might finally get some answers. I don't think I can sleep without knowing the truth."
Listening to Lola's heartfelt plea, Janice turned to Jason, her eyebrows slightly raised in silent inquiry. Jason met her gaze and gave a small nod, his approval clear. With his permission granted, Janice let out a soft sigh and prepared herself to officially introduce Lola to the "World of Curses." After all, it was only a matter of time. Lola was bound to learn about it sooner or later. Janice settled in next to Lola, her expression soft but serious. Her tone shifted slightly, carrying the weight of the secrets she was about to share.