They stepped onto the top flreeted by an expansive space remi of a grand ballroom. The polished marble flleamed uhe soft golden glow of an eborate crystal delier, while floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking panoramic view of the city skylihe air carried a faint hint of expensive wine and freshly cut roses, adding to the luxurious ambiance.

  Beyond the main hall, the baly awaited them—a secluded, open-air dining area with an intimate table set for two. Positio the edge, it overlooked the glittering cityscape, where skyscrapers shimmered uhe moonlight and streets buzzed with life below. The gentle evening breeze carried the distant hum of the metropolis, blending seamlessly with the soft cssical music pying in the background.

  Ha Ye-Jung moved forward, her heels clig softly against the polished marble floor. Each step was deliberate, effortless, a silent exhibition of trol. The fabric of her bck mermaid gown shimmered uhe dim restaurant lighting, sculpting her silhouette like a masterpiece. The open-back design revealed the smooth expanse of her fwless skin, teasi untouchable, a tradi that only heightened her allure.

  Travis didn’t eveend to be indifferent. His sharp gaze followed her every movement, drinking in the sway of her hips, the subtle arch of her back. She was mesmerizing, and she k.

  With practiced ease, Ha Ye-Jung slid into her seat, crossing one leg over the other. Her eyes met his, dark and unreadable. A silent challeravis mirrored her iy, his own expression unreadable, refusing to be the first to look away.

  A slow smirk tugged at the er of her lips. She took a moment—just a breath lohan necessary—to truly take him in. The sharp angles of his face, the undeniable arrogan his posture, the way his tailored suit framed his broad shoulders. For the briefest sed, her heart betrayed her with a single skipped beat.

  Travis noticed. His lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.

  ' Damn, I haven’t even said anythi. '

  A notification blinked in his vision.

  Love: 2

  I: 20

  She leaned forward slightly, her fingers zily trag the rim of her gss.

  "So now tell me, Travis Bckthorn… What business could possibly be so important that you had to book a pce this extravagant?" Her voice was smooth, sultry, carrying just the right amount of amusement. Then, with a teasing tilt of her head, she added, "Are you my secret admirer, perhaps? Because if so, I hate to disappoint—I’m not looking for lht now."

  Travis chuckled, shaking his head. "No, nothing like that. I wao talk about this store," he said, gesturing toward the window where the building iion stood in the distance. "I heard you wao buy it. But unfortunately for you, so do I. So, I came to iate."

  His voice was even, businesslike, but his eyes told a different story.

  ' Holy, I couldn’t care less about that damn store. I just want to fuck her. '

  Ha Ye-Jung raised a delicate brow, studying him.

  ' Oh, he really is here for business. That’s quite a shame. I nning oing him fuck me tonight. '

  She took a slow sip of her wine before setting it down, her fiapping lightly against the gss. "That won’t be possible. I’ve already spoken with the owner, and we finalized the deal. I nning to pay the full amount tonight, but you interrupted me."

  Travis hummed thoughtfully, leaning back against the plush leather seat. "That’s unfortunate," he mused. "How much was the price? Maybe I pay you more."

  She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "Sorry, but I’m not buying the building for profit. I have other motives." Her tone was final, dismissive, as she reached for the menu, sing it with feigned i.

  Travis studied her for a moment before exhaling lightly. "Well, if that’s the case, I’ll drop the matter." He fshed her a knowing smile. "Let’s just enjoy dinner, shall we?"

  She didn’t respond immediately, only him a slow gnce from beh her shes before returnitention to the menu.

  Travis rested his on his hand, watg her with quiet amusement.

  ' By tonight, your whole life will be owned by me. '

  He smiled, waiting for the food.

  The meal arrived, and they both began to eat, the rich aroma of perfectly cooked steak and delicate seafood filling the air. At first, the versation was light—casual remarks about the food, the restaurant’s ambia as the minutes passed, something shifted.

  Travis found himself talking more than he expected, sharing pieces of his life he normally kept to himself. And what surprised him the most was how naturally it came. No forced effort, no scripted charm—it just flowed. And Ha Ye-Jung? She was pletely engrossed, her eyes never leaving him, her ughter genuine, her respohoughtful.

  Every word he spoke seemed to pull her in deeper. The way her fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of her gss, the way she leaned in slightly, subsciously closing the space betwee was obvious. Her love and i rose steadily, reflected in the subtle notifications that fshed in his vision.

  Love: 30

  I: 70

  Ha Ye-Jung, too, was taken aback. The evening had started cool, professional, but now… she was lost in him. In his voice, his presence.

  She swirled the deep red wine in her gss, her gaze drifting over Travis's body, appreciating the strength in his broad shoulders, the sharp cut of his jawline. Her lips curled into a slow, seductive smile as she took another sip.

  ' It’s like I’m back to when I was a high school girl again. He makes me feel so young. '

  Travis caught the way her eyes lihe way her lips parted slightly, and he smirked internally.

  ' Well, that was quick. '

  But he wasn’t going to rush. Not yet.

  Finishing the st sip of his drink, he set the gss down and smoothly pushed back his chair, standing up. "Well, it’s time for me to head home. I have something else pnned."

  Ha Ye-Jung blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "What? But it’s still early. Sit dow’s talk more," she urged, her voice holding a rare note of vulnerability.

  Travis shook his head with a knowing smile. "I’m sorry, but I ’t. Why don’t we do this agaiime? You have my number—call me, okay?"

  Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off, leaving her sitting there, stunned.

  She ched her fists slightly, her mind rag.

  ' Fuck. I mean, who’d be aroused by an old hag like me? '

  If only she knew.

  Outside, the cool night air greeted Travis as he stepped into the darkness. He pulled out his phone, swiftly exeg a series of transas. Within minutes, everything she owhe properties, the busihe assets—was transferred under his name.

  A satisfied grin spread across his lips as he slipped into the driver’s seat of her sleek bck Mercedes.

  ' Haha, I’m such a troll. '

  TO BE TINUED