Stepping out of the shower, I found my designer suit, luxury watch, handcrafted leather shoes, and cologne neatly laid out on the king-sized bed.
I looked over at the maid standing nearby. "Did Seraphina instruct you to set all of this out?"
"Yes, Mr. Vance," she replied respectfully. "Miss Seraphina told us to make sure your attire, accessories, and fragrance were completely prepared for when you finished getting ready."
"Thank you, you may go."
Once she left, I dried off and began dressing up. Just as I slipped into my crisp dress shirt, a System chime echoed softly in my mind.
[System Notification: Confidante Seraphina Lin has spent 1,500,000 Stardollars on luxury banquet preparations and styling!]
[10x Cashback Perk Activated: Host receives 15,000,000 Stardollars!]
[Indulgence Points Update: 1,000 New Indulgence Points Earned!]
[Current Indulgence Points Balance: 3,000 Points]
Dismissing the screen with a subtle smile, I finished getting dressed. I put on my tailored designer suit—hand-crafted and studded with 125 microscopic accent diamonds along the watch casing—and slid into my ? Made-to-order Italian leather shoes.
Exactly thirty minutes later, I walked down to the grand ballroom and sat in an armchair, checking my phone. A few minutes later, Seraphina walked down the grand staircase.
The moment my eyes fell on her, my heart skipped a beat. She wore an exquisite floor-length evening gown that hugged her curves effortlessly, paired with elegant jewelry that complemented her radiant skin. She was breathtaking.
Standing up, I pulled her gently by the waist into my arms, leaning down to trail a soft kiss along her neck before whispering into her ear, "You look so ravishing right now that I honestly don’t even care about this party... I just want it to be over so we can head straight back to our room."
Seraphina blushed bright red, giving my chest a gentle, shy push. "Julian! What are you saying? The guests are going to arrive any second!"
Before I could pull her back in for another kiss, the first wave of elite guests began arriving at the entrance. The household staff welcomed everyone with impeccable service, while Seraphina and I stood together in the main foyer, graciously greeting Metro City’s high society.
Shortly after, Clara and her father, Mr. Carter, arrived.
Clara wore an elegant, sophisticated evening dress that made her look every bit like the powerhouse businesswoman she was—yet with an undeniable, captivating beauty that rivaled Seraphina’s.
"Welcome, Clara," I said, taking her hand and gently pressing a chivalrous kiss to the back of it.
"Thank you, Julian," she murmured softly, her eyes lingering on mine for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.
Once all the prominent families had gathered, Seraphina, Clara, Mr. Carter, and I took to the raised stage in the center of the ballroom.
I stepped up to the microphone, looking out over the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Grandview Villa. Tonight’s celebration is for two very important reasons. First, this is a housewarming celebration for my wonderful girlfriend, Seraphina."
The room erupted into applause as Seraphina gave a graceful bow.
"Second," I continued smoothly, "tonight marks an official milestone. I am formally announcing my position as Chairman of Cosmos Group, with Miss Clara Carter as our newly appointed Chief Executive Officer. Furthermore, Cosmos Group and Carter Holdings have officially finalized a joint collaboration to lead the multi-billion-Stardollar municipal development project in Metro City!"
Clara and Mr. Carter spoke briefly to the crowd, outlining the vision for the new development, before we raised our champagne glasses to toast the future. The music swelled, and the banquet officially began.
Seraphina, Clara, and I spent the first hour chatting casually with various business titans and local officials. When the tempo shifted to a slow, melodic waltz, I took Seraphina by the hand and led her onto the center dance floor.
As we glided across the floor together, my gaze casually drifted over to Clara, who was standing near the lounge area. A young heir from a prominent family approached her, extending his hand to ask her for a dance. Clara politely declined, giving him a professional smile before turning her attention back to her glass.
In that fleeting second—while watching her politely decline another man—my mind went completely still. In a ballroom filled with hundreds of wealthy, attractive people, my universe felt compressed down to just two women: Seraphina and Clara.
When Clara turned the man away, an unmistakable wave of quiet relief washed over my chest.
In that moment, all hesitation vanished from my mind. What I felt for Clara wasn’t just professional respect or platonic affection between business partners. I liked Clara in the exact same way I loved Seraphina.
I need to be completely honest with Seraphina tonight, I resolved internally. She deserves absolute honesty from me.
As the night wore on, the guests gradually departed. Once Clara and her father bade us farewell, I turned to the head butler. "Don’t worry about the cleanup tonight. I’ve already arranged a professional commercial cleaning crew to arrive in fifteen minutes. Just supervise them, ensure the main doors are secured, and return to the staff quarters."
"Understood, Mr. Vance," the butler bowed.
Hand in hand, Seraphina and I walked back up to the master suite. The moment the door clicked shut behind us, Seraphina turned around, playfully pulled on my silk tie, and brought her lips up to mine in a deep, passionate kiss.
I melted into the touch for a brief moment, but then gently cupped her shoulders, pulling back slightly. "Sera... wait a second. There’s something important I need to talk to you about."
She blinked, seeing the earnest look in my eyes. "What is it, love?"
I lifted her up gently, placing her sitting comfortably on the edge of the plush king bed while I took a seat on the soft carpet right in front of her legs, looking up at her with complete sincerity.
"Sera... I think I’ve fallen for Clara," I said softly.
The room went dead silent. Seraphina’s posture froze. She stared into my eyes, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "Are you... are you breaking up with me, Julian?"
"Of course not!" I blurted out instantly, taking both of her hands in mine. "I could never imagine my life without you, Sera. Not even in my worst dreams could I live without you by my side."
She let out a soft, trembling breath, looking down at our joined hands. "Then... what are you asking me?"
"I want to know how you feel," I explained gently. "I want to know if you would be okay if I pursued a relationship with Clara."
Seraphina looked at me thoughtfully. "What if I said no? Isn’t it common among prominent, elite families or wealthy houses for men to have more than one woman?"
"I don’t care about what other families do," I interrupted firmly, looking straight into her eyes. "In this house, nothing happens without your heartfelt approval. If you say no, I won’t even entertain the thought again. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can even leave Metro City together so there’s never any friction between us."
Seraphina squeezed my hands tightly. "If... if I say yes, and you include her in our lives as your second woman... will anything change between us? Will you treat me any differently?"
"Without a single shred of hesitation, no," I answered immediately. "Just like I told you, my feelings for her don’t diminish what I feel for you. If she becomes an anchor for my business empire, you are the absolute anchor of my life."
A gentle, beautiful smile slowly broke across Seraphina’s face. She rested her palm against my cheek. "Do you really think she’ll agree to this, Julian? She’s the heiress of Carter Holdings and the CEO of Cosmos Group... will a proud woman like her really accept sharing you?"
I blinked, processing her words. "Wait... you’re agreeing to it?"
She laughed softly, leaning down to press her forehead against mine. "Julian, it’s not just you who can’t live without me—I can’t imagine losing you either. If bringing Clara into our lives makes you happy and keeps our family strong, I accept it. But tell me... do you really think she’ll say yes?"
A confident smirk played on my lips as I stood up, wrapping my arms around her waist. "Well, I managed to make my sweet, brilliant personal butler fall deeply in love with me, didn’t I? She’s already halfway there. Give me five days, and I’ll have her accepting both you and me happily."
"Is that a bet, Chairman Vance?" she teased softly, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I leaned down, pressing a lingering, romantic kiss to her lips. "Love isn’t something to gamble on, Sera... it’s something to treasure for a lifetime."
I winked at her, pulling her close as we surrendered to the warmth of the night, leaving all worries about tomorrow behind.
In my mind, a clear strategy was already forming. I knew exactly how to win the heart of Metro City’s sharpest, most beautiful female CEO.