The hum of the private jet's engines was a low, steady noise, a sound that had quickly become the background noise of my life. Two days of rest in Finesse had been a welcome pause, a breath held between battles, but now we were back in the sky, hurtling toward our final target.
We were on route to Kaelvi, Jimacia. A place of ice, snow, and, apparently, our last recruit.
I sat back in the plush leather couch. Across from me, Nari Han was a vision that made it hard to focus on strategy. She was wearing a midi green dress that clung to her curves like a second skin, the off-shoulder design exposing her elegant collarbones. But it was the high slit in the skirt, reaching dangerously up to her waist, that drew the eye every time she crossed her legs.
She looked up from her tablet, catching my gaze. A small, knowing smile touched her lips before she turned back to business.
"Okay, Adam," she said, her voice cutting through the comfortable silence. "As we discussed earlier, Aunt Chris is handling the Florence and Evelyn recruitment back in the Grand Metropolis. As she said, she wants to handle them herself."
I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. "You are right. Aunt Chris knows how to talk to them. That just leaves us with the big fish. Ivy Romanoff."
"And after her," Nari continued, scrolling through her files, "I will prepare a private meeting with Madison Beer. That one will be… complex. But for now, let's focus on our next recruit. Ivy Romanoff." She turned to Bella, who was sitting with Sandra and Allison on the adjacent sofa. "Bella, tell us what the report says about her."
Bella frowned, swiping the tablet in her lap. She looked confused, which was rare for her. "Miss Nari, I am sorry, but Anna's investigation… It's strange."
"Strange how?" I asked, leaning forward.
"There's nothing wrong," Bella said, looking up at us. "Her career is spotless. She is successful, clean, reputable, humble, and praised by the public as a literal goddess. No drug scandals, no secret lovers, no tax evasion. Nothing."
Sandra, who had been sketching in her notebook, looked up, her artist's brow furrowed. "What does that mean? Everyone has at least one defect. She has nothing? No affair, scandal, fake rumor? That's statistically impossible in this industry."
"No, she has nothing," Bella confirmed, shaking her head.
Allison, ever the optimist, clasped her hands together. "Isn't it amazing? We can talk to her while being real! We don't have to use leverage or manipulate her!"
Nari didn't look convinced. Her grey eyes narrowed, her analytical mind clearly chewing on the data. "But if she has everything, she is not a side victim of the industry like the Sterling triplets and Sabrina. She is neither bored like the Roux sisters and Yue Lan, nor is she a special case like Jing Shu and Sandra."
"Yes," Sandra agreed, tapping her pencil against her chin. "She has nothing unique about her situation except that she is apparently completely satisfied with her life. How do you recruit someone who doesn't need anything?"
The cabin fell silent. It was the ultimate puzzle. Every woman we had recruited so far had a hole in their soul—a need for revenge, for freedom, for artistic expression, or just for a thrill. Ivy Romanoff seemed to be whole.
"Everyone is confused," I said, breaking the silence as I stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the clouds. "Even I am confused. If she has nothing, then how will we recruit her?" I turned back to them, a slow grin spreading across my face. "But that's what makes it interesting. Ladies, calm down. Let's first meet Ivy Romanoff. Because I am now intrigued by her. Perfection is just a mask. And I want to see what's underneath."
Six hours later, the plane banked hard, descending through a layer of thick white clouds. Beneath us, the world transformed. Kaelvi was a winter wonderland, the entire region covered in a soft, pristine layer of new snow. It was white, freezing, and utterly breathtaking.
We touched down at Kaelvi Terminal, the cold air hitting us the moment the doors opened. It was crisp and clean, smelling of pine and ice.
"OMG!" Sandra squealed, spinning around in a circle, her breath forming clouds in the air. "It's so elegant and beautiful! I want to take a stroll immediately."
I looked at Sandra. She was booming with an abnormal amount of energy, seemingly feeding off the beauty of the place. Even Allison looked a little too excited, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold.
"Allison," I asked, zipping up my coat. "Do you also want to play around?"
She looked at me nervously, fiddling with the strap of her bag. "No, no, Adam. We have work to do."
I smiled a little. I knew she was lying. Her eyes were darting toward the snow-covered park visible from the terminal exit.
"Bella," I said, making a decision. "You take Sandra and Allison to the hotel. Let them stroll, let them play. They've earned it."
Bella looked a little conflicted. "But Boss," she tried to resist, her duty warring with her desire to make her friends happy.
"The matter of Ivy," I said, cutting her off gently, "Nari and I are enough. I assure you everything will be fine. Go. Enjoy the snow."
Bella finally relented with a nod. The three of them piled into a waiting SUV, Sandra already planning a snowball fight.
That left Nari and me.
A sleek, black sports car was waiting for us at the curb—a rental arranged by Stacy, no doubt. I walked around to the driver's side, but Nari beat me to it. She dangled the keys from her finger, a challenge in her eyes.
"I should drive," I said.
She rejected the idea with a smirk. "On the passenger side, Mr. Chairperson. I am driving today."
I chuckled, holding up my hands in surrender. "Okay, Miss President."
We slid into the low seats, the engine roaring to life with a satisfying growl. We left the terminal, heading toward the private estate where Ivy was staying. Nari drove with a terrifying grace, navigating the icy roads as if she were born on them.
She looked incredibly sexy while driving. Her focus was sharp, her profile illuminated by the passing streetlights. And that dress… the high slit had fallen open, exposing her white, smooth thighs against the dark leather of the seat.
I couldn't help myself. "Is Mr. Adam Wilson, leader of the Hunter Group, attempting to appraise the President of Northwood?" She teased, keeping her eyes on the road, though a smirk played on her lips. I barely noticed; my eyes were wandering over her legs.
"I don't think Miss Nari Han needs anyone's appraisal," I answered her question before she could speak, my voice dropping an octave. "Because no one can appraise a masterpiece like you. Their whole life spent couldn't describe your beauty."
She chuckled, keeping her eyes on the road, but I saw her grip on the steering wheel tighten slightly. "That was cheesy."
"Is it?" I asked, shifting in my seat to face her. "I am serious though."
Then, I reached out and put my hand on her thigh.
Her eyes shot up to the rearview mirror for a second before snapping back to the road. She looked at me, a flush rising on her cheeks. "Adam, I am driving."
"Then, you should focus," I replied, not removing my hand. In fact, I let my thumb trace a slow circle on her skin. "And you didn't say anything after the last night. What do you think?"
She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her icy composure. "I don't think anything yet. And we are totally on mutual benefit, so… getting any closer will be very unprofessional." She glanced at me, her grey eyes flashing. "And by the way, you won't be able to handle me. Because I am very sweet poison."
"Isn't it up to me to say?" I challenged, my hand inching higher, just a fraction. "If I would be able to handle your poison or not?"
I continued to move my hand toward her crotch, slow and deliberate.
She kept blushing, her composure cracking. "I am warning you," she stammered, her voice breathless. "Otherwise I will crash the car somewhere. We both die together."
I continued to tease her, enjoying the rare sight of the Empress flustered. "You know what? You look more girlish than usual."
Then, I removed my hand. The loss of contact seemed to hang in the air between us. She looked a little upset, her body leaning instinctively toward where my hand had been.
"I will not take the first step," I said, my voice serious now, a promise. "Until and unless you give me the green signal."
She looked at me while she was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling against the seatbelt. Her eyes were dark, dilated.
"I will make you regret you," she whispered, a playful threat.
But she was enjoying it. I could feel it. The connection between us was electric, undeniable.
"I am ready," I said.
The car sped up, cutting through the snow, carrying us toward the perfect, flawless Ivy Romanoff. But in the warmth of that cockpit, with the scent of Nari's perfume filling my senses, I knew the real conquest was sitting right next to me.