Chapter 4 Remember, My Name Is Theo

"Then forget it." Theo's voice was low, cutting through the air with an icy finality. Adrian instantly closed his mouth. Without another word, he hurried to open the car door, his movements sharp and efficient. … By the time Benson staggered home, it was already night. He stumbled through the door, clearly drunk, and started yelling the moment he crossed the threshold. "Where's Sierra? Didn't she come to apologize yet? Tell her to make me my special hangover remedy!" It wasn't long before the housekeeper emerged from another part of the house. "Young Mr. Gray, Ms. Shaw isn't here," she said politely. Benson froze, a frown of disbelief settling on his face. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the messages he'd sent Sierra earlier, instructing her to have his hangover remedy ready. No reply. Well, well, well. So Sierra dared to ignore him. His fury simmered beneath the surface, and with a sharp motion, he flung his phone onto the bed, his expression darkening. The housekeeper, sensing the storm brewing in his mood, spoke cautiously. "Young Mr. Gray, would you like me to prepare the hangover remedy instead?" "No! Get out!" Benson snapped, his voice sharp and cutting. Without another word, the housekeeper turned and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. … When Sierra woke up early the next morning, the sharp tang of freshly sprayed disinfectant in the hospital room made her wrinkle her nose in discomfort. Squinting against the room's brightness, she blinked a few times before noticing a tall figure standing by the window. For a moment, disorientation swept over her, and a flicker of hope sparked in her chest. Her voice, hoarse from disuse, broke the silence. "Benson?" The man by the window froze at the sound of her voice. Slowly, he turned to face her, his expression cold and detached. With the sunlight streaming in behind him, his features were cast in sharp relief. The way his eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath his eyes only amplified the natural intensity and sharpness he seemed to exude. As Sierra took in the full view of his face, the faint hope in her eyes vanished in an instant. Her already pale complexion drained further, leaving her ghostly white. "Uncle Theo? Why is it you?" It was Theo—Benson's uncle. "Are you disappointed to see me?" His voice was cool and edged with a teasing trace of amusement. Theo stepped closer, his tall frame towering over her as he approached the bed. The shadow he cast felt both overwhelming and inescapable. Sierra had always harbored a conflicted mix of respect and fear toward him. She forced herself to remain calm, though her stiff expression betrayed her unease. "No. I just mistook you for someone else," she replied carefully. "Sierra, this is the second time you've mistaken me for someone else." Theo's sharp tone cut through the air, cold and laced with quiet disapproval. Sierra's eyes flickered slightly as her thoughts drifted back to the first time she had met Theo. It had been three years ago, at the Gray Manor. She had gone there looking for Benson and had spotted a young man standing in the garden with his back to her. His build was strikingly similar to Benson's, and he was even wearing the same style of white loungewear Benson often favored. A playful idea had sprung to her mind—she wanted to scare him. Moving quietly, she crept up behind him, stood on her tiptoes, and covered his eyes with her hands. "Benson, guess who?" Her voice had been sweet and cheerful, her face glowing with a bright, mischievous smile. But the response she received wasn't Benson's warm, sunny tone. Instead, it was a voice cold, smooth, and unexpectedly captivating. "I'm not Benson." She froze, startled, her hands dropping as she stumbled backward in panic. The movement sent her tripping over her own feet, and she began to fall. Before she hit the ground, a strong hand reached out, catching her and pulling her into a firm, steady embrace. "Remember this, I'm Theo." The icy voice rang out above her, and when she looked up, her breath caught in her throat. His face was impossibly handsome, but his sharp, cold eyes sent a chill straight through her. At that moment, she realized she had unknowingly played a trick on the infamous "demon king" of the Gray family, a man feared for his cold and ruthless reputation. Sierra had been terrified. From that day forward, whenever she encountered Theo, she would avoid him at all costs. Now, as her gaze flickered with unease, she knew Theo hadn't forgotten that day either. He truly did live up to his reputation for holding grudges. "I'm sorry, Uncle Theo."