Evan Leigh's POV
Something was deeply wrong.
Diamant Reed was staring at me like he was seconds away from calling security.
I leaned comfortably against the black leather couch in his office, one leg crossed over the other, lazily stirring the coffee his assistant had brought me five minutes ago.
And apparently, my behavior was unsettling enough to trigger suspicion.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.
Diamant didn't answer immediately.
He sat behind his massive desk, silver eyes narrowed with terrifying precision, fingers tapping once against the polished wood.
Then he sighed.
"Because," he said slowly, "you've been sitting there for seven whole minutes without insulting anyone, threatening a corporation, or causing emotional damage."
I smiled pleasantly.
His eyes narrowed further.
"There it is," he muttered darkly. "That smile. Now what disaster have you created that I'll inevitably have to clean up?"
I placed a hand dramatically against my chest. "Diamant. You wound me."
"You deserve it."
"Harsh."
"Accurate."
I clicked my tongue.
Honestly, after years of friendship, the man had become annoyingly immune to my charm.
Diamant leaned back in his chair, watching me carefully.
"We've known each other since childhood," he said flatly. "I know exactly what your 'pleasant mood' looks like. So spit it out."
I chuckled softly.
"Relax. I didn't create a mess this time."
"This time?"
"Details."
Diamant looked unconvinced, which was fair.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
"…You want something."
Smart bastard.
I grinned.
"There he is."
Diamant rubbed his temple like he already regretted existing in the same room as me.
"What do you want, Evan?"
I leaned forward slightly, lowering my voice into something almost sweet.
"Remember that hospital you own?"
Diamant blinked once.
"…Raya Hospital?"
"Yeah," I said smoothly. "That one."
"What about it?"
I smiled.
"I want you to give it to me."
Silence.
Diamant stared at me for a full three seconds before slowly raising a brow.
"…Now whose life are you after?"
I let out an offended gasp.
"No one's."
"I don't believe you."
"I'm serious," I said, still smiling. "I just took a liking to it."
Diamant's eyes sharpened instantly.
Ah.
There it was.
The exact moment he realized I was hiding something.
"…Interesting," he murmured.
I shrugged casually.
"What is?"
"You." He folded his arms. "You're terrible at hiding things."
"Am not."
"You absolutely are."
I scoffed.
Diamant tilted his head slightly, studying me the same way he studied hostile negotiations before destroying companies.
"…So," he said calmly, "what exactly is happening?"
I smirked lazily.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
That answer clearly did not satisfy him.
Diamant leaned back again, expression unreadable.
"…Now even you are hiding something from me," he muttered dryly. "How great."
That caught my attention immediately.
I blinked once before narrowing my eyes at him.
"…Let me guess."
Diamant sighed.
"No."
"It's Noah, isn't it?"
His silence answered for him.
I burst out laughing.
"You're unbelievable."
Diamant looked genuinely irritated now.
"He's been acting strange lately," he admitted quietly. "Distracted. Hiding something. And every time I ask, he changes the subject."
I hummed thoughtfully.
Interesting.
Though honestly, I had no idea what Noah could possibly be hiding.
Still…
Knowing Diamant, he was probably two business days away from launching a full-scale investigation on his own omega.
So I sighed and decided to save Noah the future headache.
"Relax," I said casually. "It might not even be something serious."
Diamant looked unconvinced.
"You don't know that."
"No," I admitted. "But forcing him to talk definitely won't help."
That made him pause.
I leaned forward slightly.
"Look, Noah trusts you more than anyone. If he's hiding something, there's probably a reason." I shrugged. "Let him tell you naturally."
Diamant stayed quiet.
"And don't go digging into it behind his back either," I added pointedly. "If he finds out you investigated him, he'll probably get upset."
Diamant's expression shifted slightly at that.
Because despite his terrifying reputation…
When it came to Noah, he genuinely cared about not hurting him.
After a long moment, he exhaled quietly.
"…Fine."
I smirked faintly.
"That easy?"
"I said fine," he repeated with a glare. Then more quietly: "I won't force him."
Good.
Because if Noah ever discovered Diamant had secretly investigated him, the resulting emotional disaster would give me a migraine.
Diamant rubbed his temple once before muttering:
"I'll let him tell me himself."
"There you go," I said smugly. "Character development."
"Shut up."
I laughed.
Then Diamant finally reached for the telephone sitting on his desk.
He pressed a button.
His assistant answered immediately.
"Yes, Mr. Reed?"
"Bring me the ownership documents for The Hospital," Diamant said calmly. "And draft transfer papers."
A pause.
"…Which hospital, sir?"
"Raya."
Another pause, slightly more alarmed this time.
"…Understood."
The line disconnected.
I blinked slowly.
"…That easy?"
Diamant looked unimpressed.
"You've stolen my peace for over twenty years. The least I can do is throw a hospital at you."
I grinned.
"You're such a good friend."
"You're still the worst."
"Yet you adore me."
"I tolerate you."
"Barely."
Diamant ignored me completely.
For a while, silence settled comfortably between us.
Not awkward.
Never awkward.
We had known each other too long for that.
The sunlight pouring through the massive windows painted the office gold, the city stretching endlessly below us.
Then Diamant suddenly spoke again.
"…Things have been too peaceful lately."
My smile faded slightly.
I knew exactly what he meant.
Aiden Frost had disappeared without a trace.
No movement. No sightings. No digital trail.
Nothing.
And men like Aiden did not simply vanish into thin air.
Especially not after crossing Diamant Reed.
I sighed quietly, rubbing my jaw.
"I know."
Diamant's gaze shifted toward the skyline.
"The silence bothers me more than open conflict," he admitted. "At least enemies standing in front of you can be dealt with."
I hummed in agreement.
"But hidden enemies?" he continued softly. "Those are the dangerous ones."
A strange heaviness settled in the room.
Because deep down…
Both of us knew this calm felt wrong.
Like the world inhaling before a storm.
Diamant's silver eyes darkened.
"Prepare for the worst, Evan."
I smirked faintly, though there was little humor in it.
"When am I ever not prepared?"
Diamant gave a low scoff.
"Fair."
A knock interrupted the tension.
"Come in," Diamant called.
The assistant entered carrying several folders and legal documents.
He walked carefully toward the desk, visibly confused about why an entire hospital was being transferred before lunchtime.
"Everything is prepared, sir."
Diamant took the documents without hesitation.
He scanned through them quickly, signed each page with elegant precision, then closed the folder and tossed it toward me.
"All yours."
I caught it smoothly.
The transfer papers.
Ownership of Raya Hospital.
Officially mine.
A grin spread slowly across my face.
"…You know," I said excitedly, "you really are the best."
Diamant rolled his eyes immediately.
"Yeah, yeah. Anything for you."
Then he deadpanned:
"You're still unbearable."
I clutched the folder dramatically against my chest.
"And yet you continue enabling me."
"A mistake I've made since childhood."
"True friendship."
"Chronic suffering."
I laughed loudly.
For the first time that morning, Diamant actually smiled faintly too.
But it didn't fully reach his eyes.
Because despite the jokes…
Despite the peace…
Something was coming.
And both of us could feel it.