Chapter 412 Far More Addictive Than The Cigarette
Aurelia thought about her company and casually mentioned, "Maybe we'll have some clashes at work in the future."
After all, they were in the same industry, and Aurelia was determined to create a high-end brand. Looking at the domestic market, the Heilbronn Group was her biggest competitor.
Nathaniel started the car and merged into the main road, "Aurelia, I'll need you to look out for me in the future. Is Coral Bay your territory?"
His admission of weakness made Aurelia feel it was unlike him. In terms of business, he was always the one in the superior position, never needing to ask for protection.
He was always the one protecting or suppressing others.
Aurelia sighed, "If we meet in the business world, I hope you will show mercy and not trip me up."
Nathaniel shook his head and smiled, "Except in bed, I won't trip you up anywhere else."
Coincidentally, the traffic light turned red. He glanced sideways at her. Aurelia had one arm resting on the car window, with the neon lights outside casting shadows on her face, adding a touch of ambiguity to the atmosphere.
The car behind them honked furiously, snapping Nathaniel back to reality as he realized the light had turned green.
Aurelia wondered how she should respond to his cheeky remark.
Nathaniel refocused on the road, unable to hide the smile on his lips, "Aurelia, this is your territory. Our family's business will rely on you in the future."
Aurelia felt flattered by his words. How could she possibly support a giant like the Heilbronn Group?
Her small startup was lucky not to be crushed by industry giants.
But Nathaniel wasn't mocking her; he was genuinely affirming her capabilities. With Joe's backing, she indeed had the potential.
Aurelia suddenly changed the subject, "Nathaniel, I won an award."
As a big shot in the industry, Nathaniel naturally paid attention to jewelry design competitions. He wasn't surprised she won.
Although the news hadn't announced the winners yet, he was confident she had it in the bag.
"Aurelia, congratulations."
"Aren't you going to ask what award and what place I got?"
Nathaniel countered, "Is there any suspense? I'll prepare a gift for you tomorrow."
Aurelia was a bit disinterested in the gift he mentioned. She thought he should at least show some joy on his face.
His overly calm reaction made it seem like the award wasn't significant.
"Can't you at least praise me?" Aurelia couldn't help but recall their past interactions. He was always sharp-tongued, never giving her a word of praise.
No matter how well she cooked, how spotless she kept the bedroom, or how she found high-value jewelry or shirts that suited him, she never heard him say, "Not bad, pretty good."
The joy of sharing her happiness was instantly diminished.
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and followed her lead, "Aurelia, you're amazing!"
"That's it?"
Aurelia waited for him to continue, but Nathaniel looked at her innocently, "Isn't that a compliment?"
Aurelia facepalmed, finding it really difficult for him to say something nice.
The car stopped outside Aurelia's villa, a place he had been before when he brought Dorothy home and got tricked by her.
Aurelia unbuckled her seatbelt, not planning to make things difficult for him anymore. "I'm here. You should head back early."
Nathaniel unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over, "Give me a kiss."
He watched her get out of the car and walk inside until her figure disappeared into the night.
Nathaniel didn't drive away immediately. He rolled down the window and smoked a cigarette. It had only been a minute since they parted, and he already missed her.
Her scent, the smoothness of her skin, were far more addictive than the cigarette between his fingers.
The sound of a car engine came from behind, and a car stopped beside him, rolling down the window halfway to reveal Joe's stern face.
Joe glanced at him with a disapproving look, "On night watch duty? Tough job!"
Joe's sarcastic remark was clearly mocking him. Only bodyguards would keep watch at night, and it was evident that the Semona Family's bodyguards were either off duty or hidden in some unseen corner.
Nathaniel flicked the ash off his cigarette, looking nonchalant, "Bro, just got off work?"
Joe turned his eagle-like eyes towards him. He realized this man didn't care about dignity. Even in this situation, he could calmly call him "bro," making it clear that mockery had no effect on him.
Joe loosened his tie, seemingly stirred by Nathaniel's words, "Just finished a dinner meeting, had a few extra drinks. I wanted to go home early to be with my family, but those people wouldn't let me leave, wanting to know about Aurelia's interests and habits. They even said they'd bring gifts to visit this weekend."
"I thought, my sister isn't someone just anyone can approach, so I turned them down. Mr. Heilbronn, do you think I was too blunt?"
Joe's words were full of implications, clearly suggesting that Nathaniel wasn't good enough for Aurelia.
Nathaniel extinguished his cigarette and chuckled, a sound that seemed deep and unfathomable in the quiet night.
"Mr. Semona, you did the right thing. What brother wouldn't protect his sister? To be honest, I have a sister too, a troublemaker. Even though she isn't the best among the socialites, in my eyes, no man is good enough for her."
"When looking for a brother-in-law, you have to consider many factors, like whether he's handsome, financially capable, physically strong, and most importantly, someone you know well and your sister likes."
"Otherwise, even if he meets all the other criteria, it's useless. After all, it's your sister who has to live with him. We, as brothers, have to consider their wishes. If we impose our own opinions, it could lead to a bad outcome. You mean well, but she might blame you for being too controlling."
Nathaniel rarely spoke so much at once.
But every word he said had meaning.
Joe, being as sharp as he was, could easily catch the underlying message. Nathaniel was using the criteria for a brother-in-law to subtly state his own qualifications.
Nathaniel was handsome, wealthy, physically strong, and someone Aurelia valued. Joe had never seen someone so shamelessly praise themselves.
And if that wasn't enough, he also subtly criticized Joe for being overbearing.
Joe sneered, unwilling to continue the discussion. No matter what, he wouldn't agree to Nathaniel coming into their family, and Cathy didn't like him either.
Joe checked his watch and looked towards the villa. Dorothy's room lights were off.
"It's getting late. Mr. Heilbronn, are you still going to stay here?"
Nathaniel replied lazily, "I'll leave after she falls asleep."
His tone suggested that he accepted the criticism but had no intention of changing.
With that, he turned the key and started the car, moving it aside to clear the driveway, "Bro, you go first."
Joe sneered, "Mr. Heilbronn, you seem to care a lot about my sister. Recently, my grandma has been trying to set Aurelia up with someone. I can't decide alone, so I'll need you to help evaluate the candidates."
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