The night in Phoenix was alive. The lights of the capital twinkled like artificial constellations as the Bugatti approached the imperial entertainment sector.
At the entrance of the nightclub Tycoon Lounge, security guards in suits and dark glasses even at night cleared the way as if they had received a telepathic signal. The holographic sign spun in three dimensions in the sky, with an elegant ambient soundtrack that only the guests on the list could hear when approaching.
Luna and Matthew got out of the car, holding hands.
She, a spectacle. He, a monument of presence.
The VIP entrance was opened like a castle gate opening for modern royalty.
The nightclub, inside, was breathtaking: columns of light danced on the walls, chandeliers floated under the ceiling, and the liquid crystal floor reflected the energy of bodies moving with the smooth and elitist music. Each table had interactive menu holograms and impeccably polite robot waiters.
Upon entering, Luna looked around with familiarity.
"You know what's funny?" she commented, with a subtle and dangerous smile on her lips. "This nightclub used to be a filthy den of self-important playboys until... well... until some rich idiots tried to drug Lumine."
Matthew stopped.
His eyes, usually calm, darkened with coldness.
"What?" he asked, in a low voice. "Someone tried to put drugs in Lumine's drink?"
"Uh-huh." Luna confirmed, twirling her finger in a movement of disdain. "They were as discreet as an ox stumbling on porcelain. They just didn't count on Lumine's personal security being trained and equipped with invisible sensors."
Matthew clenched his fist. "Who were those idiots?"
"Three heirs from rich families. They thought they were above the law." Luna replied with a cutting tone. "But they made a fatal mistake... they tried to bribe the empire officials after they were caught."
Matthew raised an eyebrow, surprised. "And did they succeed?"
Luna laughed with a sarcastic gleam in her eyes. "They did... for three minutes. Until Lumine made a discreet call to the Phoenix Empire Chief of Security. In less than an hour, the idiots, the corrupt police officers, and even the old nightclub manager were arrested."
Matthew whistled softly, impressed. "How long was the prison sentence?"
"Initially? Three years. But then the bribe added seven more." she answered casually. "Ten years in closed regime. Tycoon bought the building right after the scandal, cleaned everything, renovated, and we turned this place into a safe space. Exclusive for women with brains and men with respect."
"You know what I think?" Matthew said, laughing quietly as they went deeper into the nightclub. "That Chief of Security deserves a medal."
"Lumine donated 100 million to his family's charity foundation. And Nikoly... sent flowers and a new military password safe." she added with humor.
"Classic."
As they passed through the main corridor, some important clients discreetly waved, recognizing the presence of the two. Luna and Matthew's fame in the Phoenix Empire was not just for their positions — but for the power, mystery, and respect they radiated.
They went up to the second floor where the reserved booths were.
Luna saw, from afar, the girls laughing, with glasses in hand, all in their absurdly expensive dresses and different styles.
Luna smiled.
It was like entering a kingdom just for them. Just for them… and now for Matthew too.
"Ready?" she asked, squeezing his hand.
"With you?" Matthew answered with a half smile. "Always."
They walked side by side.
On the other side, the table was full of fine drinks, gourmet appetizers, and a small invisible queue of men trying to find courage to approach.
"...because, you see, my family has the largest agricultural distribution network in Aethelgard!" said a tanned man, with a self-confident smile that looked more like expired silicone. "We work with high-lineage genetic pigs, organic chickens with balanced diets, and even a program for fish from murky waters that—"
Lumine, elegantly bored, took a sip of her pink drink with a floating lotus flower, pretending to listen. Her eyes wandered through the environment while the man spoke with an almost religious excitement about the breeding cycle of goats. She nodded vaguely, like someone watching a documentary late at night with the remote control lost.
Next to her, Nikoly fiddled with her phone, clearly entertained with memes and holographic graphs, until she murmured. "Another one trying to win the Frozen Empress's hand. Impressive."
Victória, quietly laughing while replying to a message from Kael, didn't miss the chance to comment. "They don't even want Lumine. They want her surname. Von Edelweiss... sounds like a hidden magical throne."
Nikoly scoffed lightly and said sarcastically, "If he starts talking about the miracle of cows that produce milk with Omega-7, I swear I'll kick him off the balcony."
At that moment, Nikoly looked up and saw something much more interesting. A couple with overwhelming presence had just arrived.
"Girls... look who showed up." she said with a mischievous smile, pointing with her chin.
Victória and Lumine automatically averted their eyes.
There they were: Luna, in a dress worthy of the red carpet, and Matthew, casually stylish, looking like he came straight out of a luxury fashion editorial.
They climbed the steps with a harmony that didn't need words. Luna's gaze naturally scanned the environment until it landed on the most comical scene of the night: Lumine being forced to listen about fermented feed for albino chickens.
Luna nudged Matthew with her elbow and murmured. "Lumine, as always, being a magnet... for rich and absolutely idiotic men."
Matthew let out a discreet chuckle and commented. "Beautiful people inevitably attract attention."
Luna stopped walking. Her look was direct at him, with an arched eyebrow and a smile that said: caught red-handed.
"So... you think Lumine is pretty?" she asked casually, like someone asking about the weather forecast, but with the gaze of a sharp predator.
Matthew choked on his own air. Coughed. Took a misstep. Invisible sweat appeared on his neck. "N-no! I mean... sure! But... not more than... like... you are... you know, it's different. You're like... it's... unique. Like a seven-moon lunar eclipse reflected in sacred water or something like that..."
Luna crossed her arms, with a mocking smile on her face. "Hmm... lunar eclipse reflected in sacred water. Pretty. Poetic. Almost convinces me."
"Almost?" Matthew asked, hopeless.
"Almost." she replied with a smacking kiss on the corner of his mouth. "But I liked the effort. Let's go."
While Matthew, still visibly relieved, looked toward the booth and asked. "But why aren't they in the private room, really? You have like... an entire nightclub floor just for you, right?"
Luna smiled, taking her time to answer.
"Because staying in the private room means leaving the world out. And sometimes... it's good to remind others who runs all this." she winked at him. "Presence is power, Matt."
"Intimidating as always."
"Charming, you mean."
As they approached the table, the billionaire farmer was still talking about the quality of his chickens' feathers, until he saw Luna arriving with that queen's look in casual mode. He swallowed hard. Lumine, at that moment, looked at Luna with a silent "save me now".
"Excuse me." Luna said with a charming and venomous smile. "This table is reserved for people who don't stink of inflated egos."
The man stood up with an embarrassed excuse and almost tripped over his own arrogance.
The girls laughed.
Lumine toasted with her glass to Luna. "It took a while, but you made it."
"Yeah, I was busy taming my boyfriend and making him call me beautiful in the mirror." Luna replied with a mischievous smile, sitting next to Lumine while Matthew settled near the others.
"Hey!" protested Matthew. "It was spontaneous!"
"It was spontaneous after psychological pressure." she retorted.
The group burst into laughter.
The floating drink menu hologram appeared before Luna, who played with the colorful options by sliding her fingers among holograms displaying everything from light cocktails to distilled spirits capable of melting metals.
"I want... a Silver Lotus, a Raspberry Crystal, and maybe a Black Star Glass..." Luna murmured, tilting her head, eyes half-closed as if choosing spells and not drinks.
Matthew looked at the menu and then at Luna. "Maybe... it's better to get something less alcoholic? Just in case."
Luna crossed her arms and looked sideways, sulking. But then she thought better. She sighed theatrically and swiped the stronger drinks away, selecting some milder, sweet, and sparkling ones.
"Okay... I'll only get the feminine and pretty ones. But only because you asked with that face of 'I'm a responsible and mature boyfriend'."
Matthew smiled satisfied.
At that moment, Lumine turned in the chair, resting her elbows on the table and raising an eyebrow with interest. "So... how's the couple of the century?"
Luna didn't even try to hide the silly smile. She raised Matthew's hand intertwined with hers and proclaimed. "Matthew lit up, literally! And now… we're officially dating."
Nikoly whistled and raised her glass. "Hallelujah, Lord of binary code and divine patience! It was about time! I couldn't stand seeing you trying to look casual when it was obvious you wanted to lock him in the room and throw away the key!"
The girls laughed in unison.
Luna, red to the ears, tried to protest. "Hey! Don't make it look like I'm a… a desperate pervert! I'm a refined lady!"
Victória lightly tapped the glass on the table and smiled. "Refined lady who threatened Matthew with looks like 'kiss me or I fire you from my life.' Congratulations to the couple! Finally, love won."
Luna rolled her eyes, but laughed soon after.
Taking advantage of the momentum, she turned to Victória with curiosity. "And you, Victória? How's Kael doing?"
Victória sighed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. "He's still on missions in the Asian continent. Seems like the whole world wants to talk to him."
Lumine raised an eyebrow. "Two months away. Is he becoming a professional diplomat or a professional missing person?"
Victória laughed lightly and replied. "At the last stop, he was in Japan. He talked to the Hoshinami family and, with my personal support for his image, they invested 50 trillion dollars in Cryon."
The girls made a collective sound of surprise and admiration.
Luna, who already had a sparkling drink in her hands, winked and commented with a smirk. "Maybe Tycoon should invest in Cryon too... just for solidarity between CEO couples."
Victória straightened up a little, like someone who already has that in the bag. "That polar territory that the Diamond Group bought at the gala auction — the one with rare diamond reserves — is already being used as investment. Extraction will now be done by Cryon... thousands of jobs. And with that, Kael and his team gain momentum."
Luna let out a contemplative "hmm," looking at her drink before sipping.
Lumine, on the other hand, scoffed and lightly tapped the table with a sharp nail. "You are all addicted to donating billions. First it was you, Luna, giving billionaire salaries to any employee who makes you smile. Now it's Victória donating diamonds to her boyfriend in the form of territory…"
Nikoly, without looking up from the hologram she was browsing, murmured. "There will come a point when the world will need a department just to monitor the billionaire craziness of the Diamond Group. Like: Ministry of Thoughtless and Romantic Donations."
Luna clicked her tongue and laughed. "Look, if the money is ours, let's use it to change lives. If in the process, we also change ours, that's a bonus!"
Victória raised her glass, toasting. "To love... and millionaire generosity!"
"Or trillionaire," Lumine corrected elegantly. "Let's keep the standards."
The glasses clinked.
Laughter spread.
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