[ I Fell In Love With My Own Daughter ]

Nobody Can Handle Luvia Presence

Chapter 2: The Lioness and the Fawn

The interview room on the 58th floor felt less like an office and more like an observation chamber. The walls were made of a smart-glass that darkened based on the intensity of the conversation, and right now, they were nearly opaque, trapping Eliza Stone in a cocoon of cold, minimalist luxury.

Ron sat across from her. Despite being only thirty-three—two years younger than Luvia—he carried himself with the weary discipline of a soldier. To the rest of the world, he was the Head of Security, but within these walls, he was the only person allowed to speak to the CEO without a title. He was the "little brother" of the Aurelius empire, the only one who could look Luvia Stone in the eye and call her by her name.

"So, Eliza," Ron said, tapping a stylus against the glass table. The sound echoed like a heartbeat. "You’ve passed the skills test. Your resume is impeccable. But Aurelius Enterprises isn't looking for a secretary who can just type fast. We are looking for a shadow. Someone who can handle the weight of Luvia’s life."

Eliza, at nineteen, felt the "independent" fire in her chest burning bright. She had handled Ron’s questions with sharp, logical precision. "I don't mind the shadows, Mr. Ron. I've spent my life preparing to be exactly where I am right now. I’m not here to be a background character; I’m here to be the foundation."

Ron leaned forward, his "hot-blooded" intensity testing her. "It’s a 24/7 job. You won't have a life. You will belong to her."

"I already feel like I do," Eliza replied, her voice steady.

But then, the air in the room changed.

It wasn't a sound, but a shift in pressure. The smart-glass walls pulsed a deep, regal violet. The heavy doors didn't just open; they seemed to surrender.

Luvia Stone walked in.

The meeting with the directors was over, and the "Billionairess" was no longer just a figure on a screen or a name in a headline. She was a physical force. Her presence was "heavy," draped in a long, dark designer coat that seemed to swallow the light. Her red eyes, sharp and "wise," immediately locked onto Eliza.

The confidence Eliza had used to spar with Ron evaporated instantly.

If Ron was a mountain, Luvia was the entire sky. Eliza felt her pulse skyrocket, her breath hitching in her throat. Under Luvia’s gaze, the nineteen-year-old felt her "independent" spirit shrink until she felt like a small, trembling puppy facing a lioness. She wanted to run; she wanted to hide; she wanted to apologize for simply existing in the same room as this woman.

"Luvia," Ron said, standing up. He was the only one who didn't flinch. "You’re early. I was just finishing the psychological screening."

Luvia didn't look at Ron. She didn't look at the files. She walked a slow, predatory circle around the chair where Eliza sat. Each click of Luvia’s heels against the marble floor felt like a countdown.

"Sit, Ron," Luvia commanded, her voice a low, vibrating hum that made Eliza’s skin prickle. She stopped directly in front of Eliza, leaning down until they were eye-level. "Eliza Stone. Tell me... why are you staring at the floor? Is my carpet more interesting than my face?"

Eliza’s brain stalled. The "Overthinker" in Luvia was already analyzing every micro-expression on the girl's face, but Eliza was too overwhelmed to be logical.

"I... I just..." Eliza stammered, her voice high and fluttering. She felt her face heating up. "You’re very... shiny. I mean, prominent! I mean... I don't want to get blinded by the sun!"

It was a childish response, born out of pure, unadulterated panic. Eliza’s logic had flown out the window, replaced by the instinct of a teenager trying to survive a goddess.

Luvia tilted her head, her red eyes shimmering. "The sun? You think I’m the sun, Eliza?"

"Well, you’re bright! And everyone circles around you! And if I look too long, I’ll probably turn into a toasted marshmallow!" Eliza blurted out. She immediately wanted to bite her tongue off. Toasted marshmallow? Really, Eliza? You’re nineteen, not five!

Ron, standing by the window, froze. He expected Luvia to turn cold, to dismiss this "childish" girl for wasting her time. Luvia Stone did not tolerate nonsense. She was a woman of "Serious" business and "Tragedy."

But then, the impossible happened.

Luvia’s lips quirked. A soft, genuine sound escaped her throat—a laugh. It wasn't a cold, mocking laugh, but something "Sweet" and rare. Then, she smiled. It was a dazzling, earth-shaking smile that transformed her "Strong" face into something hauntingly beautiful.

Ron’s jaw practically hit the floor. He had known Luvia since they were children; he had seen her build an empire from blood and overthinking, but he had almost never seen her smile like that. Not at a stranger. Not at an applicant.

"A toasted marshmallow," Luvia repeated, her voice softening. She reached out, her gloved hand gently lifting Eliza’s chin so their eyes met. "Honesty is a rare currency in this building, Eliza Stone. Even if it’s wrapped in the words of a child."

Eliza was frozen. The "heavy" presence was still there, but the smile had changed the flavor of the fear. Now, it was a "Forbidden Romance" kind of fear—the kind that made her heart race for a completely different reason.

"Ron," Luvia said, her eyes never leaving Eliza’s. "Cancel the rest of the interviews. I’ve found what I was looking for."

"Luvia, are you sure?" Ron asked, his voice full of shock. "She’s... she’s barely an adult. She’s nineteen. She just compared you to a campfire snack."

"Exactly," Luvia whispered, her thumb brushing against Eliza’s jawline, a spark of the "Cursed Miracle" mystery flickering in the depths of her red eyes. "She’s the only thing in this city that isn't trying to lie to me. Prepare the contract. Eliza Stone starts tomorrow. In my personal office. Nowhere else."

Luvia turned and swept out of the room, her coat fluttering like wings.

Eliza sat there, her legs feeling like jelly. She looked at Ron, who was staring at the door as if he’d just seen a ghost.

"She smiled," Ron muttered to himself, shaking his head. He looked at Eliza with a new kind of intensity. "Kid... I don't know what you just did, but you just changed the weather in this building. Don't make me regret letting you in."