The mansion's cinema room was a sanctuary of luxury and comfort with reclining armchairs that seemed to embrace whoever sat down, blankets imported from the Polar Kingdom, and a sound system so immersive that every soundtrack felt like a caress in the air.
At the center of it all, there they were: Luna and Matthew.
She, curled up against his chest, wearing a loose sweatshirt that, "by chance," belonged to Matthew. He, with his arms firmly wrapped around her, as if the whole world could evaporate and nothing else would matter.
On the huge screen, a Korean dorama was playing episode 12, with the protagonist running away from the handsome CEO because — surprise — "she didn't want to fall in love."
"You know," murmured Luna, with her cheek resting on his shirt. "There was a time I was zero proud... because I used to watch these doramas just to curse the female protagonists who ignored the guys with EQ like a brick."
Matthew laughed, with that deep and comforting laugh. "You used that as... emotional catharsis?"
"I don't know..." she turned her face slightly to look at him. "Maybe I was just projecting my frustration onto you."
"So I was the CEO with EQ 0 in your internal dramas?" he pretended to be shocked, squeezing her lightly as a loving punishment.
"Do you remember it was you who came to me at that club, pulled me to dance and then... became a WhatsApp diplomat?" Luna grumbled, pouting. "I swore you would ask for my CPF on the third message."
"Sorry." Matthew let out a muffled laugh. "I really was... completely confused back then. I felt something, but didn't understand. To me, you were like a comet. Intense, beautiful, unreachable... and dangerous."
Luna raised an eyebrow. "The worst part is I loved that definition. But go on. I want to know: when did you realize?"
Matthew was silent for a moment, looking at the screen without really watching the dorama. His fingers slowly traced circles on Luna's back, as if organizing his thoughts.
"It was in Tiamat. In a coastal, very rich country, fully focused on exporting food and marine technologies. I was sent to discuss future agreements with Phoenix. You know, our empire is a disaster at food production."
Luna nodded with a slight "uh-huh," eyes half-closed.
"Everything was fine until a gala dinner. You know how it is: champagne, fake laughs, heirs trying to look important. Until I heard your name."
"My name?"
"Luna Malroth. At first, I thought it was another woman. Believe me, the world has many eccentric names. But then I started listening better... and understood they were plotting something. Something real. Something... ugly."
He paused, pulling Luna a little closer to himself. "They were talking about a kidnapping plan. Something orchestrated between decadent executives and a global financial cartel. When I realized it was about you... I freaked out."
Luna shifted silently but didn't interrupt. Her gaze was fixed on him, reading every microexpression on Matthew's face.
"I discreetly reported it, used contacts, pressured influential people... in two days, I dismantled the scheme and saw powerful people arrested. But I couldn't stop thinking about you."
Matthew looked at her with such a direct, so bare gaze, that Luna felt her heart tighten.
"There, I realized. You... you weren't just a brilliant CEO. You were my person. And I never could see you the same way again."
Silence.
The dorama continued on the screen with scenes of crying and rain, but there, in that popcorn-scented room filled with emotional luxury, the real drama was another.
Luna, however, frowned. "So... that's it?"
Matthew blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean 'that's it'?"
"You realized you loved me because you discovered a kidnapping plan against me?" she huffed. "That's so... 90s action movie!"
Matthew laughed, shaking his head. "Luna, what did you want? A poetic epiphany in a lavender field with violins in the background?"
"At least." she crossed her arms. "I wanted something like: 'I realized life without you was like a spreadsheet without formulas.'"
"You want Excel metaphors now?"
"I demand romantic poetry or a dramatic playlist."
Matthew kissed her temple tenderly, then whispered. "Okay, poetic version then: I realized I loved you because everywhere I went, every country I visited, every boring meeting... seemed more colorless without you."
Luna stopped. Felt it. Absorbed it. Then gave him a light tap on the shoulder. "That's more like it. Took a while, but it was worth it."
They laughed together, and Luna settled back into Matthew's embrace, eyes fixed on the screen where now, coincidentally, the main couple was finally kissing.
She sighed, still hugged. "If you ignore me on WhatsApp again, I'll delete you from my real life."
"No way. Now you're my daily drama."
"I hope to be your favorite plot twist."
"You're the whole plot, Luna Malroth."
The string soundtrack swelled, the protagonists under the artificial rain, and Luna was completely immersed...
Until ping.
Luna's phone, carelessly thrown on the arm of the sofa, lit up with a vibrating notification.
"Oh no... who dares?" Luna murmured, half whining, shifting in Matthew's embrace and stretching her arm like a lazy person trying to reach the farthest branch.
Matthew, still watching the screen, just laughed. "If it's work, ignore it. We're in sacred dorama mode."
But Luna unlocked the phone... and frowned when she saw the group name at the top of the notification.
It was the group with all the main girls.
She opened the message — and as always, it was exploding with notifications.
@Nikoly: "@Luna you're not going to work today?? We already sent 3 reports and NOTHING from Lady Lazy."
@Lumine: "Yeah. I need your approval for the new shipment to the Umbrion continent stores."
@Victória: "Guys, Luna is on a diplomatic mission with 'brother Matthew', respect her time."
@Nikoly: "If she doesn't work, someone tell her I'm going to change Tycoon's security protocols to send an alarm straight to her brain."
Luna let out a nasally laugh.
"They're conspiring against me just because I decided to live." she murmured, while replying in the group with the floating holographic keyboard.
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "I'M OFF, GUYS. ONE DAY OFF. LET ME LIVE."
@Victória: "So? Are you going to stall us or tell the relationship update with the hot diplomat?"
Luna glanced sideways at Matthew who was still focused on the episode and smiled with that silly grin that melts any genetic code.
Without hesitation, she typed with both thumbs:
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "NOW YOU CAN CALL ME MRS. SISTER-IN-LAW."
Three seconds later, the group turned into pandemonium.
@Victória: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
@Nikoly: "YOU GUYS FINALLY MADE IT OFFICIAL MY GOD I'M GOING TO SCREAM"
@Victória: "WHO SAID THERE'S NO JUSTICE IN THE WORLD WAS WRONG"
@Nikoly: "Shocked."
@Nikoly: "Processing new status. Updating CEO relationship... now: seriously and passionately dating the hottest diplomat in Phoenix."
@Victória: "Finally, right? I was almost sending Kael to make a peace deal between you two."
Luna raised her eyebrow and replied mercilessly:
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "VICTORIA, FOCUS ON YOUR KAEL AND LEAVE MY MATTHEW ALONE!!!"
@Victória: "Calm down, I'm just trying to be a good sister-in-law."
@Lumine: "Can we have a celebration dinner later? No holograms. Real food. And wine. Lots of wine."
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "I'll bring desserts. But I can't promise I'll share."
Matthew, now curious, tilted his head over Luna's shoulder, peeking at what she was typing. "Should I be worried about all this commotion?"
"You just officially became the universal brother-in-law for a group of crazy CEOs." Luna said, reaching out and running her fingers through his hair. "So yeah. You should run."
"Oh." he laughed. "Do you think there's still time to go back to Tiamat?"
"No. Now you're mine." Luna declared with that feline and determined tone. "Accept it, Matthew. You became a real-time dorama."
"Then I hope my romantic arc has a happy ending."
Luna kissed his cheek. "It does. But with a lot of drama and a group that won't let you forget a single detail."
Hours later...
The mansion was silent except for the soft sound of a classical instrumental playlist playing in the background. The soft lights illuminated the luxurious master bedroom, revealing Luna standing in front of the mirror.
She looked divine.
The dress was a masterpiece tailor-made — slit on the leg, bare back, dark fabric with purple and silver reflections, like the starry night encapsulated in living silk. On her feet, stiletto heels studded with small diamonds. The earrings were drops of light, and a delicate necklace with a black ruby rested on her collarbone.
With scarlet lipstick in hand, Luna smoothly slid the shade onto her lips. Her eyes, seductive, narrowed as she admired her own reflection.
Confident. Lethal. A sweet poison ready for the world.
At that exact moment, the door opened softly.
Matthew entered, wearing a black linen shirt half open at the chest, fitted dress pants, and Italian shoes.
He looked casual, but in an absurdly seductive way, as if each piece had been made to showcase the lethal charm he barely realized he had.
His eyes landed on her.
And for a second, everything went silent.
Matthew walked slowly, stopping behind Luna. Without saying a word, he passed his arms around her waist and hugged her, watching their reflection in the mirror.
"You look..." he murmured, unable to finish. His eyes scanned her body and returned to Luna's intense eyes in the mirror. "...dangerous."
Luna smiled slightly. But inside, she was collapsing.
She glanced at him sideways, and his reflection with that subtly possessive expression, his firm fingers on her waist, his chest pressed against her back...
Was enough for her mind, already prone to hormonal chaos, to explode.
"Why am I even going to this girls' meeting?" Luna thought, blushing. "I could just throw myself on this bed now with him and only leave tomorrow... or never again."
Her imagination sped up: her taking off his shirt, pulling him by the hand back to the bed, pinning Matthew under her with a dangerous smile...
"Okay, Luna, breathe. You're a CEO. A goddess. Control yourself."
"Are you okay?" Matthew asked suddenly, with a low voice, his chin resting on her shoulder. He looked at her in the mirror, curious.
Luna blinked, waking from the perverted trance, and noticed her face was scandalously flushed.
"I-I'm fine! Just... warming up, you know? It's kind of hot." she answered too quickly.
Matthew raised an eyebrow, suspicious.
"Uh-huh. Sure. Sudden heat. Must be the effect of deadly red lipstick." he teased, enjoying her embarrassed manner.
"Shut up, Matthew." Luna murmured, poking him with her elbow but still with a guilty little smile on her lips.
He kissed her softly on the bare shoulder and whispered tenderly. "You look perfect. Just let me know if I have to fight some idiot who stares at you too much today."
"If that happens, I'll handle him myself before you even blink." Luna replied, now more confident but inside, still struggling against wild desire.
They went down the stairs like a dark royalty couple.
When they reached the garage, the valet had already prepared Luna's Bugatti.
Matthew opened the door for her with a chivalrous smile and then got into the passenger seat.
"So, shall we meet the girls?" he asked, trying to hide his own nervousness at the idea of facing the whole Tycoon squad — again.
"Yes." Luna answered, starting the car with an elegant roar. "But if any woman tries to flirt with you, I'll hit them with the heel."
"Don't you think that's kind of unfair?" he laughed, and she looked at him with a penetrating gaze.
"No." she answered coldly and deliciously possessive. "You're mine."
The car left like a swift shadow, cutting through the shining avenues of Phoenix's imperial capital.
The destination: the private Tycoon Lounge club, where the girls were already gathered... completely unaware that Luna Malroth was one step away from abandoning the night out to turn this meeting into a hot case of locked-room and bodies glued together.
But... there was still time to keep self-control.
Maybe.
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