The Panic Breakfast (Apartment 4001)
Sunlight streamed into Elian's apartment, but he was freezing with fear.
He hadn't slept all night. The memory of Kieran Blackwood sleeping in his lap was haunting him.
"Does he remember?" Elian paced the kitchen. "He was drunk. He didn't have his glasses. Maybe he thinks it was a dream."
To calm himself, Elian cooked.
He made Tamago Sando (Japanese Egg Sandwich).
Soft, fluffy milk bread filled with creamy egg salad, a pinch of sugar, and fresh chives.
He took a bite. The comfort food helped a little.
"I'm safe," he whispered. "The door is locked. I am just a normal student."
But he didn't know that 10 floors above, his file was already open.
The Penthouse
Kieran Blackwood sat at the head of the long black marble table. The hangover was gone, replaced by cold calculation.
Kaelen was pacing the room like a caged tiger.
On the screen, the Tenant List displayed:
[Apt 4001: Elian Sterling]
"It can't be him," Kieran said, tapping the table. "The Sterling boy is a loud, annoying brat. The boy in the elevator was... gentle."
"There is only one way to confirm,"
Kaelen stopped pacing. "I'll go down and break his door down."
"No," Kieran stopped him. "If we are wrong, we create a scandal. If we are right, we spook him and he runs."
Kieran pressed a button on the intercom.
"Sebastian. Come in."
The heavy double doors opened silently.
A man walked in.
Sebastian Cole (The Secretary / The Right Hand)
He was a man in his early 30s. He wore an immaculate black suit. His face was stoic, showing zero emotion. He was known as "The Shadow" of the Blackwood family. He handled everything—from business deals to burying bodies (metaphorically... mostly).
Behind him stood Marcus, the Head of Security—a massive man with a scar on his cheek.
"Sir," Sebastian bowed slightly. "You called?"
"We have a situation on the 40th Floor," Kieran turned the screen to face Sebastian. "Apartment 4001. Elian Sterling."
"The youngest Sterling?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "He moved in last week. We ran a background check. He seemed harmless."
"Re-check him," Kaelen growled, leaning over the table. "Go downstairs. Verify his identity. And more importantly..."
Kaelen's eyes glowed darkly.
"...Check if he smells like Vanilla."
Sebastian didn't ask questions. He didn't look surprised. He simply nodded.
"Understood. Visual confirmation and Scent check. I will report back in 10 minutes."
He turned and left with the precision of a soldier.
Apartment 4001
Elian had just finished his sandwich when the doorbell rang.
Ding-Dong.
Elian froze. He dropped his plate in the sink.
He crept to the door and looked through the peephole.
It wasn't the Twins.
It was a man in a sharp black suit. He looked professional. Maybe building management?
Elian put on his fake glasses, ruffled his hair to look messy, and opened the door just a crack.
"Yes? What do you want?" Elian asked, channeling his inner "Brat."
"I'm busy."
Sebastian stood calmly in the hallway. He scanned Elian from head to toe in one second.
Height: Matches.
Hair color: Matches.
Attitude: Defensive.
"Good morning, Mr. Sterling," Sebastian said, his voice polite but cold. "I am Sebastian Cole, the Building Manager for the VIP Suites. We received a system error regarding your heating unit. May I check the thermostat?"
"My heating is fine," Elian snapped, trying to close the door. "Go away."
Sebastian stepped closer, putting his foot in the door gap. He didn't force it, but he stopped it from closing.
The movement created a small draft of air from inside the apartment.
Sebastian inhaled discreetly.
Underneath the smell of eggs and toast... there it was.
Faint. Sweet. Pure.
Vanilla and Rain.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly.
Target confirmed.
"My apologies for the disturbance," Sebastian bowed, removing his foot. "I will check the central unit instead. Have a good day, Mr. Sterling."
The door slammed shut in his face.
Elian leaned against the door, breathing hard. "Weird guy. Building Manager? Since when do managers wear Armani suits?"
Sebastian returned to the Penthouse. The Twins were waiting.
"Report," Kieran commanded.
"It is him," Sebastian stated efficiently. "Elian Sterling. He tried to hide it, but the scent is unmistakable. Vanilla and Rain. It matches the description of the 'Cure' you found in the garden."
Kaelen slammed his hand on the table, grinning. "I knew it! The little mouse has been right here all along."
Kieran stood up, buttoning his jacket. "We are going down personally. No more games."
RIIIIING.
Suddenly, the Red Phone on Kieran's desk rang. This line was only for emergencies.
Kieran frowned and picked it up.
"Blackwood here."
He listened for ten seconds. His face went pale with rage.
"What do you mean the London Merger is collapsing? ...Someone leaked the data? ...Fine. Hold the board."
He slammed the phone down.
"Kaelen. Pack your bags."
"What?" Kaelen looked furious. "We are going downstairs, not the airport!"
"The London deal is blowing up," Kieran said, his voice icy. "If we don't go now, we lose the European market. That's 40% of our empire. We have to leave. Now."
Kaelen roared, kicking a chair across the room. "We just found him!"
"And he isn't going anywhere," Kieran looked at Sebastian.
"Sebastian, Marcus. Stay here."
Sebastian straightened up. "Sir?"
"Watch him," Kieran ordered, pointing at the floor. "Watch Elian Sterling. Install cameras in the hallway. Monitor his university schedule. If he sneezes, I want to know. But do not touch him until we return."
"Protect him," Kaelen added, his voice dark and possessive. "If anyone—I mean anyone—tries to hurt him while we are gone... end them."
"Understood," Sebastian bowed. "We will be his shadow."
The Twins grabbed their coats and headed for the private elevator to the roof helipad.
Elian watched from his window as a black helicopter took off from the roof of the building.
He sighed with relief. "They're leaving. Thank god. Maybe they have business on Mars."
He turned back to his kitchen, feeling safe.
He didn't know that in the hallway outside his door, Marcus (Security Head) was already installing a micro-camera in the ceiling light.
And inside the building monitoring room, Sebastian was creating a new file:
[Project: Angel. Status: Under Surveillance.]
The Twins were gone. But their eyes were still watching.