The party was still going on and very much lively.
It was the normal time people usually went around meeting others of high business ranks and calibres, especially those invited to the party. People like investors, shareholders, VIPs, and others.
They'd introduce themselves, flattering each other, bragging subtly or not so subtly about their business ranks and, if needed, recommending themselves, their work, their help in the company, their worth, and achievements.
Tony, however, had little interest in any of it.
Led by his mother, Miss Aurelia, he walked toward a small cluster of distinguished men and women, unfortunately positioned far from where she was.
The vixen.
So far, his plan was unraveling beautifully… in the worst possible way.
However, Tony, led by his mom, walked toward a group of gentlemen and ladies, which was the opposite of where the vixen was.
The entire reason he had insisted on accompanying his mother.... enduring forced smiles and ceremonial introductions, was to get close to that woman. To be introduced naturally. Effortlessly.
Now that opportunity was slipping through his fingers like soap in a bathtub.
Still, Tony kept his composure. He smiled when expected, nodded when required, shook hands politely, but his attention never strayed. His eyes remained anchored to the bar.
When they approached the men and women, Miss Aurelia, his mother, greeted them with her usual vibe. She hugged some she was very familiar with and thanked them for coming. After that, she started the introductions, introducing all of them to Tony and Tony to all of them.
Though Tony shook their hands humbly and kept saying, "Nice to meet you," his attention never left the vixen.
She was seated at the bar with a glass of wine on the counter in front of her.
Alone.
Something about her felt… off.
She wasn't laughing or chatting like the others. She wasn't trying to draw attention. She simply sat there, posture relaxed yet distant, almost as though she were trapped in a private world, one far removed from the celebration around her.
However, When the introductions ended and the brief exchange of business pleasantries concluded, his mother guided him toward another group of guests.
Tony resisted the urge to sigh.
Now he truly regretted asking to be introduced to anyone at all. His plan had officially failed.
Or so it seemed.
Just as they were nearing another table filled with men in tailored suits, salvation came in the form of his mother's ringing phone.
Miss Aurelia glanced at the screen, frowned slightly, then turned to him.
"Hang on a minute, Tom. I'll be right back," she said, already answering the call as she walked away.
Tony didn't hesitate.
The moment she turned her back, his gaze snapped to the bar again.
She was still there.
But she was no longer alone.
A man had taken the seat beside her. He was dressed in a blue shirt, and black trousers, and he was radiating restless energy. He leaned in too close, spoke too eagerly, gestured too much. He was typically the kind of man who mistook persistence for charm.
"Damn it," Tony muttered under his breath. "Of all times."
The last thing he wanted now was this interruption.
Though he couldn't hear their conversation, he didn't need to. The woman's body language said everything, her short responses, restrained nods, the faint tension in her posture. She was clearly tired of him.
Tony frowned, irritation crawling up his spine.
"Leave her already," he grumbled.
But just then, an idea hit his head, and a slow, wicked smile curved across his lips.
"Maybe this guy isn't a problem", Tony mused inwardly. "Maybe he's the blessing I need. hehe"
He straightened his shoulders and adjusted his suit collar with deliberate care, ensuring every line sat perfectly.
"Poor bastard doesn't even know what he's toasting," Tony mocked softly.
After one final glance to confirm his flawless appearance, he exhaled.
"Let's do this."
With smooth, confident steps, that was appropriately measured, and unhurried, he walked toward the bar.
As he approached, fragments of the conversation drifted to his ears.
"…I think I can make some good reservations," the man was saying. "All you need to do is come over… and tomorrow morning, very early, I'll give you a ride home."
'What a slap to the face you are,' Tony grumbled to himself. 'Where the hell do you think you are? A strip club?' he further cursed at the man, though his words stayed within himself.
When he reached the counter, Tony slipped effortlessly between the man and the woman.
A warm smile spread across his face, perfectly wide, jovial, and disarming, and perfectly balanced between charm and authority as well.
Then, with an easy flourish, he gently took the woman's hand where it rested on the counter. He did it softly, and confidently, as though it had always belonged there.
"Honey," he said calmly, almost fondly, "you didn't tell me you'd already arrived."
The woman stiffened in shock, but Tony ignored it.
He just played the role of his plan flawlessly natural, and totally unbothered, like a man greeting his lover after a brief separation.
His thumb brushed her skin, slow and deliberate, as he subtly angled his wrist, making sure the expensive hundred thousand dollar watch gleamed unmistakably beneath the bar lights.
The woman looked up at him.
Surprise flashed across her face, very pure, and unfiltered. It was just like the kind of expression one wears when a stranger suddenly invades your personal space with impossible confidence. Her brows knit, lips parted slightly, breath hitching for just a fraction of a second.
Then her eyes dropped. Straight to the watch. Just as Tony anticipated.
In that fleeting moment, she scanned him from head to toe. The tailored suit. The calm authority. The undeniable presence. The aura. The swagger. It all overwhelmed her.
She swallowed.
A sharp gasp escaped her before she quickly masked it, forcing a frown to replace her astonishment and burying both her surprise and the undeniable spark his touch ignited.
Tony knew what usually came next, which normally was either a sharp rebuke, a slapped hand, or even a scene.
So he winked at her.
Twice. A Sharp and intentional signal.
Understanding flickered across her eyes at once.
"Oh—oh," she cleared her throat quickly. "Y-yeah, babe. I was… I was just about to call you." She smiled brightly, pointing toward the seat the man occupied. "See? I've even saved you a seat."
Tony turned calmly to the man.
Excuse me, sir," he said gently, voice smooth as silk. "I believe you're sitting in my space."
The man looked up, irritation already forming deep inside his gut... until he truly saw Tony.
His expression changed instantly to a shock.
"Mr… Mr—"
"Calm down," Tony cut in, his tone firm, and posture commanding. The swagger in his stance drew the woman's attention even more.
"Kai, right?" Tony asked casually, deliberately avoiding the woman's gaze.
Kai nodded eagerly.
"Well then," Tony continued, lips curling into a confident grin, "if you'd excuse me, I'd like to spend some quality time with my…" He smacked his lips thoughtfully. "My fiancée."
It was a gamble.
But a calculated one.
"D-definitely, sir," Kai replied instantly, standing so fast his chair nearly scraped the floor before he hurried away.
Tony let out a loud internal, 'DAMN! This guy is tall as hell.'
Kai was very tall, and his height loomed over him.
When Kai finally walked away, Tony took over his seat like someone who had just conquered him and claimed his rightful throne.
A wicked curl curved onto his face. "The plan was sweet perfection," he muttered mentally.
Of course, he knew it was Kai that was seated there and that he would act the way he acted once he saw him, who would not want to please their boss? But the one thing that he thought might fail was claiming to be the vixen's fiancé.
Still, it was worth a shot, because he saw that the lady was tired of speaking to the guy, so might as well do anything to get rid of him, and when she noticed that Tony was trying to help, she jumped at the opportunity without hesitation.
And that alone told Tony everything he needed to know.
"A glass of champagne," Tony said to the bartender, casting a subtle side-eye at the woman beside him.
Moments later, the bartender slid a glass toward Tony and poured the pale liquid with practiced precision.
Tony lifted the glass but didn't drink immediately.
He was nervous.
Striking up conversations with random women had never been his strength. So also confidence, and charm, those weren't traits he naturally possessed. And now, after boldly playing the role of her fiancé, the weight of it pressed down on him harder than expected.
For a brief, humiliating moment, there was only one word that described how he felt.
Shy.
Still, tonight wasn't about comfort. It was about resolve.
He blinked, inhaled quietly, summoned whatever courage he had, and was just about to speak when she beat him to it.
"Thanks," she murmured, her gaze fixed on her glass.
Her voice was soft, very soft,... almost musical, but Tony could still hear the faint trace of shyness hiding beneath it.
He turned to her instinctively, confusion flashing across his face. Absolutely a feigned one.
"F-for what?" he asked, keeping his tone steady.
She finally looked at him. Up close, her beauty struck harder. Clearer and sharper.
"I know what you did there," she replied flatly.
Tony was momentarily stunned. "Interesting," he mused inwardly. "She's sharp. Not many women would catch on… or play along that smoothly."
However, an awkward silence followed her words, and Tony, not wanting to crush his first mission, spoke up.
"So…" he began casually, taking a small sip of his drink. "Let me guess." A faint smirk curved his lips. "He was a pain in the ass, right?"
She studied him for a second, then let out a shy chuckle.
"Yeah," she admitted softly, laughter threading through her voice. "He definitely was."
Tony laughed as well, shaking his head in mock disappointment, as though they shared a private joke at the young man's expense.
However, the awkward silence lingered back, this time more haunting, but Tony didn't allow it to settle.
He decided to introduce himself at this point.
"I'm…" he began.
"Tom Quin," the lady finished sharply, then chuckled. "Yeah, I know who you are."
Tony froze.
"What?" The word slipped out before he could stop it.
He stared at her aghast. He was totally baffled, and his brain ransacked his memories to know if he would recognize her, but she was a blank space in his memory.
"Wow," he gasped. "H-how did you know me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the lady replied with a soothing gesture. "The CEO. During that entire inspiring speech of hers," Her tone carried a faint edge of confidence.
Tony nodded, a bit disappointed. He thought she knew him from somewhere else. "Well, you're right," he said, then hesitated, thinking through his next words, which came right away.
"You are…?"
She turned toward him, a soft, seductive smile blooming across her lips.
"You fiancée, remember?" She replied, posing a mean delibrate face.
Tony winced for a while, then it hit. "My fiancé?" He said slowly, nodding as the lady burst out laughing, clasping her hands around her mouth shyly.
"Ooooooh!" Tony coaxed as he too joined, laughing. "That's... that's a good one," he said in between laughs.
With a blushing smile she looked up at him
I'm Natty," she said gently. "Natty Adriana."
"Natty," Tony repeated, savoring the sound. "That's a beautiful name."
She smiled and blushed almost immediately, looking away. Something about him felt… different. Disarming. Unique. At least for the first time that night, her mood felt lighter.
Tony noticed.
He had been studying her for a few moments, and that led to his next words.
"So," he nodded as he took a short sip, "a long and bad day, huh?" he asked.
The lady also took a sip… an estranged one from her wine.
"Why do you think so?" she replied and again, this time, she didn't look at Tony.
Tony exhaled. It was actually harder than he anticipated, because she was a bit hard to read.
But he was smart, and one thing he hated was being caught off guard.
To answer her question, he took another quick scan through the lady, and in the next instant, his answer flowed.
"Well… before I came you somewhat carried weary eyes, a dull vibe that's mostly unlike you, eerie silence and quietude… and also, it's not every day I see a beautiful woman sitting alone at a bar, looking like she's trying to outdrink her thoughts."
That one got the lady, because she chuckled.
You've got jokes, huh?" she mused, taking another sip. "You might be right... but for the record, this is still my first glass."
"And probably the longest sentence you've spoken tonight," Tony replied smoothly, flicking his wrist just enough for the watch to catch the light.
The lady smiled angelically, her beauty blossoming even more. "Maybe you're right about that as well," she retorted, stealing hidden looks at Tony. Deep down, she knew he was hot and attractive. There was no denying it.
"You seem to understand me," Natty said, then, she stiffened, realizing how it sounded. And quickly rephrased.
"I mean, you… you… like. you know? understand people... not like only me." She blushed, quickly lifting his glass and taking a hurried sip to avoid his eyes.
Tony smiled.
For him, this was progress, and he enjoyed watching her grow flustered.
"Well, it's a pleasure too," Tony replied softly, "to meet your acquaintance."
Just then, he remembered Manniak's voice:
[For further information about her, you'd need to establish a skin-to-skin touch.]
"Well," he said, a plan formulating in his head as he worked on it quickly. It was perfect timing.
"Allow me the pleasure," he said almost in a whisper, stretching out his hand and opening his palm.
The lady chuckled, her cheek turning red with blush. She hesitated a bit before placing her hand inside his palm.
With smooth, practiced grace, Tony lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
At that, everything slowed again. This time, Tony anticipated it, and so he was prepared.
Natty was paused. So was everything: music silenced and bodies paused mid-motion. In fact, time itself was paused—something the system had done.
Just then, Manniak's voice echoed through his head:
[Vixen access established via arm-perk.]