After the meeting ended, Starlight changed into casual clothes and went out for a walk.
When she returned, her mood was much better.
Today, while clearing her head, she had met a passerby.
He had a great personality, and talking to him felt quite comfortable.
That was, until Starlight pushed open the door to her office and saw the man who made her physically sick.
Her face instantly fell, and she snapped, “Deep, what are you doing in my office?”
The Deep turned around to see Starlight standing at the door.
Having just returned, Starlight was wearing a casual black hoodie.
Free of heavy makeup, her face glowed with the flawless, delicate beauty of youth.
Her skin was snow-white, her eyes a brilliant emerald green, and her soft, voluminous light-blonde hair fell in gentle curls over her shoulders, carrying a subtle, sweet scent of youth.
Below, she wore tight-fitting, light-wash blue jeans that perfectly outlined her tall, shapely figure.
Her face was tense, but it couldn’t hide her charm; even in anger, she looked adorable.
The Deep smiled slightly and introduced the person beside him.
“This is Dreamweaver Bonnie.
She designed the private residences of Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise.
I had her take a look at your office, and we’re preparing to completely tear it down and remodel it.”
Every member of The Seven had their own private office, which was massive—fully two hundred square meters.
Vought International had designed them like luxury apartments.
The office Starlight inherited had belonged to Lamplighter, one of the former members of The Seven.
Naturally, the decor was styled after Lamplighter’s taste, filled with fire motifs.
Starlight’s first instinct upon seeing it had been to tear everything down and redecorate.
It was just that she had only recently joined and didn’t have much money, so she had been tolerating this eyesore of an office.
Starlight dazed for a moment.
She never expected that the person who understood her best would actually be The Deep, whom she detested the most.
After a brief lapse, her hatred for The Deep reclaimed her heart.
She refused coldly, “Get out.
I don’t need it.”
The Deep whispered a few words to the interior designer, then respectfully escorted her out of the office himself.
After closing the door, he said to Starlight, “I’ve already wired the deposit.
Bonnie will have the design blueprints ready as soon as possible, and then we’ll overhaul this place.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay a dime; it’s on me.”
Starlight was entirely unmoved.
“Take your filthy money and get out of my office.”
The Deep ignored Starlight’s scolding and casually sat in the flame-themed office chair designed by Lamplighter.
Truth be told, this chair was so ugly that sitting on it felt like being violated.
Just like the green super-suit he wore: sleeveless, tight-fitting, with fish scales.
It was hard to imagine how much bootleg alcohol Vought’s designers had consumed to come up with this monstrosity.
Looking at the proud girl, The Deep smiled.
*You’re still young.
You don’t understand the true value of the almighty dollar.*
*Damn English, can’t even make a simple homophonic pun like that.*
Just as Starlight’s eyes began to glow with a beautiful golden light…
*Creak!*
The door opened, and two women walked in.
One was Madelyn, VP of Vought International and Homelander’s surrogate mother.
She had beautiful long brown hair, a tall figure, and a silver-gray pencil skirt that perfectly accentuated her curves.
Her long legs, devoid of stockings, were pure, smooth, and fair.
The innocence of youth had faded from her face, leaving only the mature charm of an older woman.
The other woman following behind her, looking utterly submissive, was Ashley, the assistant director of Vought’s PR department, specifically in charge of public relations and image design for The Seven.
Though Ashley looked timid and weak now, anyone who could survive four seasons next to Homelander was by no means simple.
Of course, except for The Deep.
If The Deep could survive until the grand finale, it could only be chalked up to the saying “fools have foolish luck.”
As the two women entered the office, Ashley was struggling to carry a garment bag like a servant.
“Deep, you’re here too?” Madelyn remarked, surprised.
“Hello, Madelyn,” The Deep greeted her.
Madelyn gave a slight nod in response.
As for why The Deep was in Starlight’s office or what they were doing, she had no interest in knowing.
To her, “superheroes” and “promiscuity” went hand in hand, and even if they were having an orgy, she wouldn’t be surprised.
“Starlight, my lovely baby girl!” Madelyn warmly embraced Starlight.
Starlight was rather flattered and timidly said hello.
“Hello, VP Madelyn.”
Starlight felt immensely grateful to Madelyn for selecting her to join The Seven, viewing it as a life-changing opportunity.
But in the next second, her gratitude turned into utter shock.
Madelyn took the outfit Ashley was holding and displayed it to Starlight.
“Starlight, this is your new super-suit.
Try it on.”
Starlight’s new suit kept the design language of the old one: white as the main body, gold accents, and large gold stars for embellishment.
The only change was the scale of exposure.
Starlight stared at the deep V-neck that plunged almost to her belly button, and the bottom half that was so short it barely covered the top of her thighs—practically underwear worn on the outside.
She looked at Madelyn in utter bewilderment.
“VP?
This is my suit?”
Madelyn unbuttoned Starlight’s jeans and, while the girl watched in open-mouthed shock, pulled them down to her ankles.
Beneath them was white lace with gold trim.
Like admiring a priceless treasure, Madelyn gently ran her fingers along Starlight’s fair, flawless thighs, murmuring in admiration, “Baby, it would be such a waste to hide a pair of legs this beautiful, wouldn’t it?”
Starlight was completely lost and helpless.
This was entirely different from the life of a superhero she had imagined.
Trembling with fear, she whimpered, “I…
I don’t want to.”
“Don’t want to?” Madelyn sneered, pointing toward the door.
“Then you can pack your bags and get out right now.”
Harsh, simple, direct.
If you don’t want it, plenty of others do.
If you don’t want to be a superhero, there are plenty of people waiting in line.
Giving you a spot in The Seven is a blessing; you should be grateful.
With Madelyn’s capabilities, she could have easily used smooth PR talk to persuade Starlight, but the naive girl in front of her didn’t deserve her wasting her breath.
Starlight was scared out of her mind.
She didn’t understand why exercising her normal rights would result in such harsh treatment from Madelyn.
Did she have to show skin to be a superhero?
Weren’t superheroes supposed to perform brave deeds, save lives, protect the public, defend the nation, and fight evil to the end?
Wearing a suit that barely covered her body was a complete desecration of the superhero ideal she held dear.
From the girl’s confused, shocked, and dazed eyes, Madelyn immediately saw right through her.
She laughed.
“Baby, first of all, you need to understand what this country believes in.
Superheroes are no exception.
This is a business.”
Starlight shuddered.
When the naked truth of the world was presented so brutally before her, her eighteen years of understanding collapsed like a falling skyscraper.
Starlight looked at the door, then at the skimpy suit in Madelyn’s hands.
If she didn’t wear it, she couldn’t achieve her dreams.
If she did, she would be selling her soul.
Just as Starlight was caught in a dilemma, feeling utterly helpless, the voice she hated most rang out.
The man’s voice was gentle yet carried a hint of playfulness:
“Madelyn, I don’t think you should do that.”