Henry's eyes clouded over as he parted his lips to rage again, but Chad continued calmly.
"You say you don't want your son soiling the Harlow family's reputation, yet you slap him in front of so many people?"
"Even if you make them sign a non-disclosure agreement afterward, you won't be able to stop the rumors once one person slips."
"Imagine what would happen if the whole world heard you hit your blind son over something as trivial as his help quitting."
Recalling there were indeed people in the room with them, Henry yanked his wrist out of Chad's grip.
Following his order, the aide instructed the applicants to leave the room. But one remained standing beside Rafe.
"You're also an applicant. Leave," the aide said when he realized Chad hadn't moved an inch.
Chad had just turned to leave when the system's punishment prompt appeared.
[Fail: Love Sickness +5.]
His pupils dilated in disbelief.
What? +5? He had just risked his neck standing up to one of the most powerful men in the country, and the Love Sickness was bound to only decrease by -2 percent. But if he hadn't done it, it would've risen by five?
FIVE?!
What kind of bad luck was this?
Sighing, he clasped his hands behind his back and retorted stoically, "If Mr. Harlow doesn't see anything wrong with it, then I don't see why I should leave."
The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, he immediately regretted them.
Rafe had completely snubbed him at the party last night. If the system hadn't told him his name, he wouldn't have known it.
Throwing away his only shot at lowering this stupid Love Sickness was a mistake he realized far too late.
Forget it. He'd just walk out before Rafe opened his mouth and ordered him to leave.
Leaving on his own, at least he'd still have some dignity left.
He had just made up his mind when Rafe hummed lightly.
"I've made my decision. I'm employing this person as my help. Aide, send the rest of the applicants home."
The words had barely left his mouth when Henry's hands shot out and gripped him tightly by the collar.
"What? Just because he stuck his neck out for you once, you think you'll be safe keeping him around?"
Chad's reflexes kicked in before he could stop himself and before he knew it, his fingers were wrapped around Henry's collar as well.
"Mr. Harlow, it's still so early, and it doesn't seem like Master has had breakfast yet. Why don't you return later this afternoon, when he's well rested?"
The aide's breath hitched at the standstill.
Henry had an explosive anger and working for the Harlow family for almost a decade, he knew just how explosive it could get. So he expected the worst.
But to his surprise, the middle-aged man simply glared hard at Chad before he turned and stormed out of the room.
At his exit, the system dinged.
[Task completed. Love sickness -2.]
"Dismiss the other applicants. Tell them they can return in a week or two once my new help has gotten fed up with me and resigned," Rafe murmured to his aide.
The man nodded and hurried downstairs.
A moment ago, he wouldn't have agreed to let Chad be alone with his boss, but watching a skinny little person like him stand up to Henry, his respect for Chad silently skyrocketed.
When he left, the guards returned to their positions around the house, leaving the two men alone up on the balcony.
"I haven't had breakfast, neither have I bathed, and I have a meeting at the office to attend."
It only took Chad a moment to piece together Rafe's last words to his aide and this one before he lit up, realizing he had been hired.
Not having to worry about losing the task any longer, he couldn't help noticing his surrounding and the features of the man in front of him.
From the past two times they met, he had no doubt Rafe was a very attractive man. He was just as tall as Chad, with an almost similar build.
For a man, his nose was pointed and his lips were thin, with thick brows and full lashes. His cheekbones, high and prominent, brought out his lazy, hazel eyes.
"Are you still here?"
Rafe's question snapped him out of his reverie, and he immediately hummed, "Sir! But what about the contract? I haven't signed it yet."
"Right. It'll be brought to your room in a bit." Rafe answered, then, tossing his walking stick around, he approached Chad.
His hand first landed on Chad's arm, then trailed up to his chest.
Upon being touched, his chest tightened, a searing heat suddenly spreading across his skin despite the cold house.
It was unlike he had felt before and only intensified the longer Rafe's fingers lingered on his skin.
This made him realize… the original host… he was into men.
Ah!
That's why the system kept mentioning Chad Duncan was into men and would always be into men.
So even if he didn't want to admit it, it was only a matter of time before his body betrayed him.
He was ripped back to the present as Rafe's wandering hands moved from his chest to his face, fingers grazing his lips for a moment before continuing to explore other parts of his body.
"I can't see, so I have to know what my new help looks like using my fingers." Rafe paused to explain.
Chad almost snorted.
"Do you also do that with your female helps?" Despite his annoyance at being felt up by a man, his voice remained respectful.
Rafe didn't stop his wandering fingers as he shrugged, "Usually, my aide tells me what they look like during the interview."
"But since there was no interview and I can't wait for him to return, I figured I'd see what you looked like myself."
That made sense, so Chad no longer took offense and instead said, "My name is Chad Duncan. I'm a second-year law student. I'll be at your beck and service from now on."
To this, Rafe stretched out his hand toward Chad without another word.
Once it was taken, he began tapping his stick around to walk.
A minute later, they were standing in the midst of a gigantic bedroom and Chad's eyes almost dropped to the floor in disbelief when he saw the size of the room.
The hostel rooms were big since they housed four students, but this room was the size of four hostel rooms combined.
Whilst he admired the room, Rafe sat on the king-sized bed and pointed behind him, "On my study desk is a list of rules you must abide by as my help."
Following his hand, Chad hummed in understanding, but before he stepped toward the desk, Rafe's voice came again.
"As my help, it's essential that you be verbal at every point in time."
"Yes, sir. Apologies for humming."
Rafe said nothing else, but his empty eyes seemed to follow Chad as he headed to the desk.
Chad picked up the rules, expecting just a few lines only for the roll of paper to fall open at his feet.
"You'll need to memorize everything on that list in a few days. Pay close attention to my allergies and my ground rules."
The ground rules.
It was the first section on the list, written in bold:
"Don't grab me without asking. If I need an arm, I'll let you know."
"If you leave during a conversation, tell me so I don't waste my time talking."
Focusing on the bold rules, he skimmed through the rest under Ground Rules and Allergies before returning to Rafe.
"It says you have to be at work by 9 a.m. every day. It's almost 8, so stay here while I run your bath."
Rafe nodded while he walked to the bathroom.
Taking off his suit jacket, he rolled up his sleeves and turned on the hot water first.
Two minutes later, he finished checking that the water was warm enough before drying his arms with one of the towels.
Stepping out of the bathroom, he raised his eyes toward Rafe, about to speak when he froze.
Heat rushed to his face as he caught sight of the thick, pendulous rod swaying slightly in-between his legs.
Rafe had taken off all his clothes while he was getting the water ready.
As if that wasn't enough, he seemed to feel his gaze and suddenly raised an arm toward him.
"The floor is usually slippery, so you have to carry me into the bathtub."