As I sat on the living room sofa, scrolling through the latest financial news, a small smile touched my lips. The headlines were already buzzing about Cosmos Group poaching three of the Young family’s flagship contracts out of nowhere. Their stock had taken a quick hit, plummeting a few points, though it hadn’t reached the catastrophic drop I was aiming for just yet. That would come soon enough.
"Julian... shall we leave now? I’m all ready."
Sophia’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up from my phone, and for a second, my breath literally hitched.
Standing near the entryway, she looked absolutely stunning. Looking at her now, no one in their right mind would guess she was the mother of a five-year-old girl. She could easily pass for a woman in her prime, barely touching thirty. She had swapped her usual formal medical attire for a crisp white t-shirt, a sleek white jacket, and tailored blue jeans that hugged her curves perfectly.
I sat there, mesmerized by her change in style.
Sophia flushed slightly under my intense gaze, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "If you’ve seen enough... should we get going?"
"Ah—yes! Of course," I stammered slightly, clearing my throat as I stood up.
I grabbed the keys to my executive SUV from the side table. We walked out of the villa together and headed into the grand garage. Unlocking the vehicle, I opened the passenger door for Sophia, waiting until she was comfortably seated before circling around to the driver’s side.
As the heavy gates of Villa No. 1 opened, I glided the vehicle out onto the estate road.
For the first ten minutes, a quiet hush settled between us. Sophia stared out the passenger window, watching the luxury estates roll by.
"So... where are we going?" she finally asked, turning her head toward me.
I flashed her a mysterious smile, keeping my eyes on the road. "It’s a surprise. You’ll see when we get there."
Another five minutes of silence passed. I glanced sideways at her and chuckled. "You know, Sophia... aren’t we close enough by now to talk a little while we drive?"
Sophia looked at me, a soft, thoughtful expression in her eyes. "Well, I know you, Julian... but I don’t know that much about your background. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?"
I kept my hands steady on the steering wheel while my mind spun out the narrative. Since all the women in my life were living under the same roof, my backstory needed to be airtight, consistent, and completely bulletproof.
"Well," I began smoothly, letting a touch of nostalgia color my voice, "I come from an old, reclusive family. They’re currently putting me through a test to see if I have the capability and vision to take over our century-old family heritage and expand it. If I prove myself worthy, they’ll eventually summon me back to the main ancestral estate and host a grand banquet to officially introduce me as their heir."
Sophia listened attentively, her eyes widening slightly. "And what if you don’t meet their criteria?"
I suppressed a laugh. To me, it was just a clever cover story—one that seamlessly accounted for my sudden wealth and would perfectly align if the System ever granted me high-tier noble titles or ancestral bloodlines in the future.
"Do you think what I’ve accomplished so far isn’t enough?" I asked with a light smirk.
"No, no! That’s not what I meant at all," Sophia said quickly, shaking her head. "What you have right now is already more than three generations could spend in a lifetime. And with Clara expanding the Cosmos Group every single day, your wealth is only going to skyrocket. Honestly, I don’t think anyone in Metro City—or even River City—would dare cross you."
"Well, there’s currently one family trying," I chuckled softly. "But they’re being taken care of as we speak."
After another fifteen minutes of smooth driving, we arrived at a secluded private villa situated right along the scenic riverbank. It was an exclusive waterfront property whose owner rented it out for exorbitant prices—prices I had no problem paying to secure the entire estate for the afternoon.
I parked the SUV in the private driveway, and we stepped out into the crisp afternoon air. Walking inside, the warm ambiance immediately greeted us. I had hired high-end private caterers to prepare a fresh gourmet lunch before our arrival, and per my instructions, the staff had already discreetly departed, leaving the entire villa completely private for just the two of us.
"You must be hungry," I said, pulling out a plush dining chair for her. "We’ve been in the car for almost forty-five minutes. Let’s eat first."
We sat down across from each other, enjoying the exquisite meal. As Sophia took a small sip of her drink, I rested my chin on my hand, looking at her with genuine fondness. "You know, Sophia... today you look as breathtaking as an A-list movie star."
A deep blush bloomed across her cheeks. She looked down at her plate, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Are you really feeling that way, or are you just saying sweet things to win me over?"
"I’m saying it straight from the bottom of my heart," I answered softly, my tone completely earnest.
She looked up, her gaze meeting mine. "In that case... thank you for the compliment, Julian." Her eyes shifted past my shoulder toward the far side of the room. "Is that a home theater projector over there?"
"It sure is," I smiled, finishing the last bite of my lunch. "I thought we could relax and watch a movie after eating."
Once we finished lunch, I drew the heavy blackout curtains, plunging the living area into a cozy, cinematic dimness. I set up the movie on the massive wall projector, grabbed two chilled cans of soda from the mini-fridge, and sat down on the comfortable leather couch beside Sophia.
As I handed her a can, our fingers brushed against each other. The electric spark between us made us both freeze.
"Ah, sorry... I didn’t mean to—" I began, but as I looked at her slightly flushed face and parted lips, the words caught in my throat.
Unable to hold back any longer, I reached out and gently pulled her into my arms. I leaned in, my lips brushing against her shell-like ear as I whispered softly, "Sophia... I really like you. I want to give you everything a woman deserves in life."
Before she could respond, I leaned down and captured her lips with mine.
Sophia gasped softly into the kiss, her body melting against mine as the sweet intensity of the moment took over. My hands naturally moved around her waist, slowly sliding down toward her hips. Just as my touch pressed against her curves, Sophia gently placed a hand against my chest, pulling back from the kiss to catch her breath.
"Julian..." she murmured, her cheeks burning red as she gave me a gentle, reluctant look. "I think... this much is enough for today. We should take things slow."
I looked at her flustered, endearing expression and smiled warmly, respecting her boundaries without hesitation. "Alright. If we can’t go all the way, let’s at least stay at first base."
Without waiting for her objection, I pulled her back into another deep, lingering kiss that lasted for several sweet minutes. When we finally separated, Sophia leaned her head against my chest, taking quick, heavy breaths.
I chuckled softly, stroking her smooth hair. "Love, you really need to work on your stamina."
Sophia gave my chest a playful swat, though she didn’t move an inch away from my arms.
For the next two hours, we sat wrapped in each other’s embrace, watching the movie while indulging in quiet, romantic moments and sweet make-out sessions. By the time the credits rolled, Sophia was thoroughly flushed and softly leaning against my shoulder, completely relaxed.
I checked my luxury watch. It was already 5:00 PM.
"Sophia," I said gently, kissing the top of her head. "We should head back now. Daisy’s will be arriving at the villa in an hour."
Sophia blinked, snapping back to reality. "You’re right! We need to go."
We both went to the master washroom to freshen up, adjusting our clothes and combing our hair before stepping out. Handing the villa keys back to the estate supervisor, we got back into the executive SUV and hit the road.
Fifteen minutes into our drive back, as we merged onto the main highway, Sophia turned to me with a hint of worry in her eyes. "Julian... are you going to tell Clara and Sera about what happened between us this afternoon?"
I glanced at her with a reassuring smile. "Not in explicit detail, obviously. But I will tell them that I am openly pursuing you now. Actually... no, I’ll tell them that you are my woman from today on. That sounds much better, don’t you think?"
Sophia looked at me anxiously. "What if... what if they don’t accept me?"
I looked at her in genuine confusion. "Aren’t the three of you already good friends? Why would they mind you joining our family as my woman? Don’t overthink it, Sophia. They won’t object at all. And if they tease you, just tell them that I seduced you today and that I’m taking full responsibility."
Sophia couldn’t help but burst into a melodic laugh, her anxiety melting away. "You really have no brakes on your tongue, do you?"
I laughed along with her, the atmosphere inside the car light and warm.
Shortly after, we pulled up to the grand entrance gates of Grandview Villa No. 1. Through the windshield, I noticed my chief shadow guard standing respectfully near the main driveway, waiting for me.
I pulled the SUV up to the front steps and turned to Sophia. "Go inside and see if Daisy has arrived yet. I have a few quick matters to discuss with my security chief."
"Alright," Sophia smiled warmly, stepping out of the car and heading inside.
I stepped out of the vehicle, handing the keys to the waiting butler, and turned toward my shadow chief with an expectant look.