Laurens Van Daele

**Laurens Van Daele** is a Belgian businessman turned politician and a close friend of Leopold Williamson who was mentioned in Ryan Carter's story route within the third and final season, serving as the minor antagonist.

## Personality

Despite having yet make an appearance in the story, Laurens has been stated by numerous characters and all seem to have different opinions about him.

His name was first mentioned by Mark Leviels who first mentioned him in Chapter 3, and claimed that he's going to run as the new Mayor in the upcoming elections. Mark seems to have negative opinions on him claiming as he was running for the elections within his own benefits and is somewhat of a communist. Although, Mark did claim that most of his employees were interested in working in his business. Before being defended by Mark from Ryan's mistreatment of his office, Gabriel Simons also reveals to both Matt Ortega and the player that he was chosen by Laurens to help his campaign on the mayoral elections in New York.

In Chapter 5, Jake Stewart has claimed that he is a childish adult in a manner similar to Julian Devolt in Secret Palace. Jake claimed that being a bodyguard to him was like being a babysitter. While Jenny Blake is seen to have an interest in Laurens and claims him to be a charismatic type. Seeing this interest, Ryan disses his sister while telling her not to get interested in a sugar daddy like him. Despite being amnesiac, Ryan seems to be neutral about him. Jenny however, defended Laurens claiming that he can't be a bad man or an enemy, and that he's just being a close associate to Alicia's father, Leopold.

In Chapter 6, Ryan states to the player that he is Gabriel's former colleague and he was going to run the communications campaign but Mark was against the idea. The player then remarks about the brief conversation between the Mark and Gabriel who had an argument in Chapter 2 and the player implies that both of them may had their arguments regarding about Laurens. Later, Mark informs the player that he is going to arrange a dinner for the player with Laurens in hope of him favoring them and to improve their image that had been tarnished by the Havana incident.

In Chapter 7 after the last hint provided by Jake about Laurens investing his money in music companies and by Joe Kicks telling the player about the new music production company "Cassidisks". Mark later indirectly references that he was trying hard to talk Gabriel out of not helping in running the campaign of Laurens when he and player were on plane and were reaching Havana.

In Chapter 9, where all of his opponents in the mayoral elections were present along with Ryan, he displays his hostility when he was in a drunken state trying to expose all the worst secrets of his opponents including Giorgio Maccini, and being perverted when he attempted to grope the player's chest and call her by her first name rather than Mrs. Carter, only to be stopped by Jake who finally decided to resign from his post as his bodyguard for the sexual assault he made to the player before he collapsed. His actions may also hinted about Giorgio's true ulterior motives which Ryan, Jake and the player are unaware of his actions and his pretentious behavior.

In Chapter 10, Laurens is incarcerated for sexual harassment to the player and according to Parker that Laurens' incarceration for his crimes was actually Giorgio's real doing and according to Colin, Laurens is also engaged with another woman instead of Cassidy by the name of Rebekah.

## Allies

* Cassidy Sparke
* Gabriel Simons (possibly)
* Alicia Boone
* Leopold Williamson
* Jenny Blake (sometimes)

## Enemies

* The Main Character (Ryan)
* Ryan Carter
* Gabriel Simons (possibly)
* Jenny Blake (sometimes)
* Thomas Gordon
* Jake Stewart (sometimes)
* Mark Leviels (scapegoat)
* Parker Sparke
* Lisa Parker
* Matt Ortega
* Giorgio Maccini

## Trivia

* He is the first Belgian character to be introduced in the Is it Love? Universe. He is also the first politician too in the Is it Love? Universe.
* He is considered to be the main antagonist of Ryan's third and final season given his relation linked to his best friend, Leopold Williamson, the father of Alicia Boone.
* If he is the antagonist then this would mark the 1st time for an Is it Love? villain to be introduced mid-finale of a story route.
* There is a theory that Laurens is the secret husband to Cassidy Sparke, given that he fits the description of Cassidy's husband as he is both rich and influential. He seems to be using Gabriel and Mark to orchestrate the downfall of Ryan by blackmailing the two men using their past rumors about Cassidy and their involvement with her.
	+ But there is another theory that since he is a former colleague to Gabriel and Gabriel's thirst to take Mark's place seems to cause him becoming a traitor and both men are using Cassidy and Mark to achieve their dirty plans. This is still hasn't proved yet though
		- The Cassidy theory has been debunked as she is actually engaged to Giorgio Maccini.
* Laurens could also be the mastermind behind Ryan's boat accident during the storm, the poisoning of children in Havana and even the deaths of the contact man in Havana, Yannis and the professional doctor Shkreli who forged Ryan's records.
* Like Giorgio from his dubbed icon, his surname Van Daele is used.