The midnight air outside the Grand Bay Club was crisp, carrying the sharp scent of salt water from the harbor. Silver streetlights illuminated the sleek black sedan waiting at the foot of the marble steps, its engine humming quietly in the stillness.
Roy held the heavy glass door open for Chrystlene, standing close enough that she could feel the faint warmth radiating off his broad frame.
"I'll have Mark drop you back at the estate," Roy said, his deep voice smooth against the quiet backdrop of the night. "Though if you prefer, my driver can take us through the coastal drive. The harbor looks remarkably quiet at this hour."
Chrystlene stepped onto the carpeted landing, her charcoal gown shifting around her ankles with effortless fluid grace. She glanced up at him, her dark eyes reflecting the warm exterior lights of the club.
"A late-night detour, Mr. Vanguard?" she asked, a subtle, dry amusement curling the corner of her lips. "I thought you were a man who optimized every minute of his schedule."
"I am," Roy replied without a moment's hesitation, his gaze steady and unblinking on hers. "And spending another twenty minutes in your company is an exceptionally efficient use of my time."
Oh, Chrysty whispered inside their mind space, her tone light and fluttering with surprised delight. Did you hear that? He didn't even hesitate!
Chrystlene kept her outward expression perfectly composed, though a faint, intriguing warmth settled in her chest. Back in her past life as a general, men in high command treated women either as fragile liabilities or political bargaining chips. None had ever looked at her with this specific brand of absolute, unshakeable focus—as if she were the only person in the room worth paying attention to.
"Very well," Chrystlene said, stepping toward the luxury sedan. "Let's take the coastal route."
The interior of the vehicle was lined with dark leather and softened by ambient blue lighting along the door panels. The quiet hum of the high-end suspension made the ride feel as smooth as glass as the car glided along the curving coastal road.
Roy sat beside her, adjusting his position slightly so he wasn't crowding her personal space. He reached for a small compartment in the armrest, pulling out a polished silver lighter and a crystal travel tray.
"If you'd like another cigarette," Roy offered softly, setting the lighter within her reach. "I noticed you prefer cloves. I had Mark stock the vehicle console earlier."
Chrystlene paused, her hand hovering over her purse. She looked at the silver lighter, then up at Roy's sharp, handsome side profile as he looked out the tinted window.
"You had your chief of security stock your personal vehicle with clove cigarettes?" Chrystlene asked, her tone smooth, though a sharp curiosity glinted in her eyes. "You don't smoke them yourself."
"Cloves? No, but cigarettes not usually," Roy admitted, turning his head to meet her gaze. The low cabin lighting softened the harsh angles of his jawline, revealing a quiet, genuine warmth beneath his usual formidable exterior. "But you do. And if we're going to be working closely together, I see no reason why you shouldn't be comfortable in my presence."
He remembered, Chrysty remarked softly, her spirit leaning in close. He noticed it at the banquet, remembered it at dinner, and went out of his way to prepare it for you. Chrystlene... this man isn't just looking for a business partner.
Chrystlene picked up the silver lighter, feeling its cool weight in her palm. "You're surprisingly attentive for a man known across three continents as an unyielding corporate titan."
"I'm attentive to things that matter," Roy replied quietly. His dark eyes remained fixed on hers, holding a weight that was direct, honest, and entirely devoid of fake charm.
For the first time since transmigrating into this era, Chrystlene felt her strategic, tactical guard shift slightly. She was used to anticipating attacks, calculating moves, and outmaneuvering enemies. But Roy wasn't attacking. He wasn't trying to outsmart her or claim dominance. He was simply offering a quiet, unwavering presence—standing beside her as a true equal while subtly carving out a place for himself in her world.
She pulled out a thin cigarette, bringing it to her lips and flicking the lighter. The small flame illuminated the space between them for a brief second before she drew in a light breath and snapped the lighter shut.
"Second Uncle and the Lin family will receive the federal clearance notice by one in the morning," Chrystlene said, exhaling a thin ribbon of clove smoke toward the cracked window. "They'll realize their thirty-two-million-dollar move was completely useless before sunrise."
Roy leaned back against his headrest, watching her with a quiet, lingering smile that reached his dark eyes. "And what will your next move be once they panic?"
"I'll let them scramble for two days," Chrystlene said smoothly, resting her hand on the leather armrest. "When an opponent realizes their primary attack failed, their first instinct is to overcorrect. They'll try to liquidate secondary assets to cover the Westside property debt. That's when we step in and buy their regional warehousing shares at a sixty percent discount."
Roy let out a low, smooth laugh—a rich, deep sound that resonated in the quiet cabin of the car.
"Brilliant," Roy murmured, his eyes lingering on her face with obvious, deep admiration. "You don't just defeat an enemy, Chrystlene. You dismantle their entire economic foundation."
"It saves time," she replied casually, taking another light drag. "Why fight three battles when one well-placed strike resolves the entire war?"
"Agreed," Roy said softly. He reached out, his long fingers gently resting on the edge of the leather armrest, just an inch away from her hand. He didn't force the contact, leaving the choice entirely up to her. "Which is why I have no intention of ever standing on the opposite side of a table from you."
Chrystlene glanced down at the small distance between their hands, then back up at his face. The man who made international boardrooms tremble was sitting beside her, displaying his intentions with absolute clarity, entirely unbothered by the fact that he had clearly fallen first.
A slow, rare, and genuinely soft smile touched Chrystlene's lips. She didn't move her hand away.
"Smart decision, Roy," she whispered quietly as the car turned up the long, tree-lined driveway of the EL Estate.
The sedan came to a smooth stop near the grand stone archway of the main house. The exterior lanterns cast a warm glow across the entrance where Lailac was waiting near the glass doors, holding an umbrella in case of night rain.
Roy stepped out of the car first, offering Chrystlene his hand to assist her out of the vehicle. His grip was warm, steady, and lingering just long enough to feel deliberate.
"I'll have the finalized logistics contracts delivered to your office by ten tomorrow morning," Roy said, standing close as the cool night breeze rustled his dark hair.
"I'll review them over morning tea," Chrystlene replied, smoothing down the front of her charcoal gown. She looked up at him, her dark eyes holding a calm, steady light. "Goodnight, Roy."
"Goodnight, Chrystlene," he murmured, bowing his head slightly in quiet, elegant respect.
She turned and walked up the stone steps, her posture upright and regal.
Roy stayed by the open car door, his hands resting in his trouser pockets, watching her until the grand mahogany doors of the estate clicked shut behind her.
He's still standing out there watching the door, Chrysty teased lightly in their mind space as they walked down the brightly lit hallway toward the master suite. General... I think the great Roy Vanguard is completely smitten.
Chrystlene untied the diamond clip from her hair, letting her dark waves fall naturally over her shoulders. She glanced at her reflection in the long hallway mirror, her lips curving into a thoughtful, quiet expression.
"He's sharp, capable, and knows how to keep his word," Chrystlene thought back smoothly, walking into her bedroom. "That's a rare combination in any era."
So... you don't dislike him? Chrysty asked, her voice filled with quiet curiosity.
Chrystlene unbuttoned the cuffs of her gown, looking out the balcony window at the black car slowly driving down the long driveway.
"Dislike him?" Chrystlene said softly to the quiet room. "No, Chrysty. For the first time since I woke up in this world... I think I've found someone worth standing beside."