Locke was behind the wheel of their slightly beat-up pickup truck, driving an excited Dio toward Metropolis.
The tires crunched over the melting snow on the highway, making a soft rustling sound. Dio's face was practically glued to the window, his red eyes reflecting the awakening steel jungle of the city.
"Dad!" he shouted, pointing outside.
A towering glass skyscraper gleamed under the sunlight, its reflection almost blinding.
Locke glanced at his son, who was trying hard to play it cool, but his eyes were like radars, scanning everything—the expensive suits in shop windows, the sharply dressed white-collar workers in curbside cafés, and the sleek limited-edition sports cars zooming by.
"What? Fancier than the last spot we went to?" Locke teased, one hand on the steering wheel, the other ruffling Dio's blond hair.
"Ahem!" Dio dodged like a cat with its tail stepped on, but he couldn't hide the awe in his voice. "I'm just wondering why there's no snow on these streets."
Locke chuckled.
Last time he brought Dio to Metropolis, they'd only hit a small restaurant in the suburban Midvale area. But now, they were rolling through the heart of the city, meticulously polished and pristine.
Every inch of the sidewalk sparkled, snowbanks were sculpted into intricate ice carvings, and even the traffic lights had a silver trim.
"This is the golden district—New Troy, kid," Locke said with an exaggerated flair. "Know why they call it that? 'Cause every single paving stone here is worth—"
"Dad," Dio cut him off, his face flashing with exasperation. "You're not about to tell that 'back when I was a big shot in Metropolis' story again, are you?"
The truck hit a bump, and Locke nearly bit his tongue.
This kid… when did he get so good at calling me out?
"Ding~"
The GPS chimed, signaling they'd reached their destination.
The Metropolis Hyatt Hotel's iconic curved glass façade shimmered like liquid gold in the morning sun.
"Dad," Dio said, casually adjusting his collar while staring up at the sixty-story building, his voice unusually airy, "you moving up in the world or what?"
"?!"
Locke's face darkened, and he promptly flicked Dio's forehead.
"This is your Uncle Lionel's doing," he grumbled.
Before he could say more, a whiff of perfume hit them.
"Mr. Kent?" A woman in a sharp business suit approached quickly. "I'm Gray Gina Hutchinson. The boss sent me to greet you both."
She gave a slight bow, her diamond earrings catching the light and dazzling Locke for a moment.
Yeah, dazzling. That's why my eyes lingered on those high-heeled legs for half a second.
Dio, smirking, caught him red-handed.
Face flushing, Locke quickly turned Dio's head forward.
Gray, unfazed, was discreetly sizing up the father and son. In her five years at LutherCorp, she'd never met anyone Lionel mentioned as often as this "special friend."
At board meetings, whenever Kansas agricultural investments came up, the usually cool-headed business mogul would ramble on, almost like he was defending someone.
So… this is the farmer who's got the boss so intrigued? she thought.
The man in front of her wore faded work pants, his calloused hands lit up under the hotel's crystal chandeliers. He looked like he belonged in a different world from the Wall Street elites the boss usually dealt with.
But the kid…
Her eyes flicked to the blond boy.
Good Lord. He looked like an angel straight out of a classical painting—porcelain skin, rose-colored lips, and those rare ruby-red eyes.
Gray, who couldn't resist beautiful things, felt her heart melt.
"Miss Gray?" Locke's voice broke her trance.
She realized she'd been staring at Dio too long.
"Sorry, sorry!" she said, her ears turning pink. "The hotel the boss arranged is right behind me—"
Her words caught in her throat.
The way that kid was looking at her… it didn't match his age at all. For a split second, it felt like a young king assessing a subject's loyalty. The same kind of pressure she felt facing Lionel made her instinctively straighten up.
"Miss Gray," Dio said suddenly, his voice sweet as honey. "Those diamond earrings are gorgeous."
Her hand instinctively touched her earlobe. "Thank you. They're from last year—"
"From the Premier Mine in South Africa, IF clarity, perfect cut," Dio said, a sly glint in his red eyes. "Really nice gift."
Gray's jaw dropped, her hand covering her mouth.
Those earrings were a Christmas party gift from the boss to the execs—nobody outside the company should've known that. How did this country kid know such details, and so precisely?
"Dio," Locke said, giving his son's shoulder a warning squeeze and flashing Gray an apologetic smile. "My kid's a bit of a rascal. Lionel showed me some souvenirs from a business trip once, and Dio saw them then."
"Oh, I see. My apologies for the reaction," Gray said, quickly recovering. "This way, please."
She turned sharply and led the way, partly to avoid the urge to scoop Dio up and pinch his cheeks.
The kid was a little mischievous, but… impossible to resist.
They followed her through the hotel's revolving doors, where uniformed staff bowed in unison. Locke, just an ordinary farmer, tugged awkwardly at the wrinkles in his work pants.
The staff's deference made it feel like they were welcoming royalty.
I'm just a regular farmer, folks.
But his kid?
Locke stole a few glances at Dio.
The boy strolled across the polished marble floor, hands in his pockets, golden bangs bouncing with each step. He moved like a young lion surveying his territory.
When the staff bowed, Dio even nodded back slightly, his red eyes gleaming with a composure beyond his years.
Compared to his dad, he was the one who looked like royalty.
"Sir, let me take that," a white-gloved butler said, reaching for Locke's luggage.
But Dio spun around, smoothly taking the worn travel bag from his father's hand. "No need," he said, his voice carrying a touch of refined arrogance. "I'll handle my father's bag."
Locke's mouth twitched. He caught a fleeting glimpse of the world in the air.
—Nobody else noticed the old canvas bag suddenly felt weightless.
Since when did this kid pick up such a high-class act?
What am I, a king now?
But seeing Dio's straight back and shining eyes, Locke just rubbed his nose and let his son play the grown-up role.
Fine, I'll let the kid have his moment.
"The presidential suite comes with dedicated butler service," Gray added as she swiped the elevator's access panel. "A Michelin-starred chef is on call 24/7, and the wine cellar has—"
"Ding~"
The elevator doors opened, cutting her off.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Metropolis's skyline sparkled brilliantly.
Dio's reflection on the glass showed a hint of pure, childlike awe breaking through his attempt to act mature.
"The presidential suite's on the top floor," Gray said with a soft laugh, covering her mouth. "The boss specifically requested it for you two. You can see the whole city from up here."
Locke, no stranger to big sights, couldn't help but whistle at the view.
"One more thing, Mr. Kent," Gray said, pulling a gold-embossed envelope from her briefcase. "These are VIP tickets for tomorrow's Metropolis Annual Tech Expo."
Mimicking her boss's distinctive tone, she deepened her voice: "Locke's too cheap to take Dio anywhere fun. Give him the tickets—he's so stingy, he'll definitely go to a free exhibit."
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