One week passed by quickly...
Monday morning began with soft sunlight streaming into the Ward residence. The faint aroma of freshly roasted coffee and toasted bread lingered in the air, symbolizing the start of a peaceful new day.
"Have a great day, darling. Work hard," Clara's sweet voice chimed in with a heartwarming smile. She adjusted Damian's tie one last time before planting a soft kiss on her husband's cheek.
"Of course. I'm off," Damian responded enthusiastically. His face looked bright and visibly full of energy. He grabbed his briefcase and walked out of the house quickly, leaving his beautiful wife and best friend alone.
The moment the front door closed and silence returned, Clara's perfect housewife smile relaxed. She walked back to the living room and sat down on the soft sofa next to Owen lazily.
Today, Clara was dressed in form-fitting peach-colored workout gear that clearly accentuated her curves. The sports bra cradled her ample bosom, while the tight leggings hugged her round, shapely buttocks perfectly, as she had a session at Nova's gym later.
"Sigh~ I feel so lazy today. I don't want to go work out at all. But if I don't go, that brutal trainer will definitely chew me out," she muttered softly before picking up her trusty tablet. "Even though she just came back from an S-Rank Gate yesterday... doesn't she ever think about resting?"
"Well... anyone else would probably need to rest for days. Clearing an S-Rank Gate isn't easy, and probably only Nova can do something like this. She has boundless energy, after all," Owen replied, his eyes not leaving his phone screen.
Clara swiped through the tablet screen to check her emails and the backend messages of her OnlyStar account as per routine. Her slender fingers scrolled past hundreds of spam messages with boredom.
"So boring. Nothing but spam emails from perverts!" She complained with a cute pout, preparing to close the application. However... her eyes snagged on an email subject line that popped up in her inbox.
[Dinner Invitation (Offer: $500,000)]
Clara's finger froze in mid-air. Her beautiful eyes widened slightly.
"Five... Five hundred thousand?" She mumbled to herself, her voice trembling slightly. "Is this a scammer?"
Although her mouth voiced suspicion, greed commanded her fingers to tap in and view the content immediately.
The text in the email was written in strangely polite and formal language. The sender claimed to be a fan who had followed her work for a long time. He described his deep admiration for her and ended with an offer that made Clara's heart skip a beat.
'I know your time is valuable, but I desire only to share a dinner table with you for a meal, along with an autograph and a little conversation. For 2-3 hours... I am willing to pay you $500,000 for your time.'
Clara swallowed hard, her throat dry. She counted the zeros over and over to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. The hand holding the tablet began to tremble.
This was half a million dollars! Just to sit and eat for a few hours?!
"O... Owen..." Her voice was faint but filled with excitement. "Owen! Look at this!"
She shifted closer to press against the young man, shoving the tablet screen in his face. "Some crazy person wants to hire me to eat dinner for half a million!"
Owen raised an eyebrow slightly. He took the tablet and scanned the content quickly. Unlike Clara, who couldn't contain her excitement, Owen's expression was calm and analytical.
"Five hundred thousand dollars?" He muttered softly. His thumb scrolled to check the sender's name and user profile before switching screens to check the OnlyStar backend database rapidly.
"How is it? It's fake, right? Or a scam gang?" Clara asked rapidly.
"Hmm... Interesting," Owen said after checking the data. "This email address matches a user in our 'Fanclub' tier. He's one of the 'Top Spenders' who rarely comments but pays heavily. His payment history is squeaky clean. Never had a refund issue."
"R... Really?" Clara's eyes sparkled instantly.
"But we can't let our guard down yet," Owen interjected sternly. "Willing to pay this much for just a single dinner... There are two possibilities. One, he might be a rich simp who craves your attention and is willing to pay to actually eat with you. Or two, it's a trap by someone with ill intentions to lure you out."
Clara paled slightly at the word 'trap.' She began to bite her lip hesitantly. "Then... we should refuse, right? But it's five hundred thousand, Owen. Five hundred thousand!"
Owen looked at the beautiful housewife's regretful expression and couldn't help but chuckle. He pondered for a moment before deciding.
"It doesn't hurt to take a little risk... But we have to play by our rules." Owen put down the tablet and turned to meet her eyes. "You must add two conditions. If he accepts, then we agree."
"What conditions?" She tilted her head in curiosity.
"One, you must be allowed to bring a 'Personal Bodyguard', which is me," Owen pointed to himself. "And two... He must transfer a 50% deposit to you right now as a guarantee that he won't flake after dinner."
Clara widened her eyes. "But will he agree? He probably wants a private dinner with me, just the two of us."
"If he really just wants to eat with you, he will have to agree because he is the requester, and we are the deciders of whether this dinner happens or not. If he refuses, we just decline and forget about it. Your safety comes first." Owen smirked. "If he accepts and actually transfers the money, his credibility exceeds 60%. Worth enough for us to waste time on."
Clara nodded vigorously, agreeing with Owen obediently. She took the tablet and typed a reply exactly as Owen dictated. Her slender fingers shook slightly as she pressed 'Send'.
But less than 10 seconds after sending, the notification sound Ding! of a reply rang out. It was as if the other party had been sitting in front of the screen waiting for her email.
"So fast!" Clara couldn't help but exclaim. "It hasn't even been ten seconds!"
The tablet screen displayed a short but concise reply: "I agree to the conditions. I have transferred the deposit. What date would be convenient for you?"
Before Clara could even process her wonder, a more important notification sound followed immediately.
Ding!
The heavenly sound from the banking app rang out. Clara hurriedly switched screens to check the balance with hands trembling even more than before. And what appeared on the screen made her forget to breathe.
[Incoming Transfer: +$250,000.00]
"Ah! He really transferred it, Owen!" Clara screamed softly. She accidentally lunged to hug Owen with full force out of excessive joy, until they both toppled onto the soft cushion of the sofa. "Two hundred and fifty thousand! Just typing a few words and I got two hundred and fifty thousand? Oh my God! This money can pay off a part of the debt!"
Owen smiled while holding her slender waist tight. He could feel the softness of her breasts pressing against his chest through the thin workout clothes. "Calm down, Clara... This is just half. If the full five hundred thousand hits your account, you might just have a heart attack." He couldn't resist teasing her.
Realizing she was showing too much excitement, she hurriedly pulled away from Owen's embrace, her face flushing red with embarrassment. Her eyes still sparkled with delight.
"Are you free tomorrow, Owen? Then I'll schedule him for tomorrow," Seeing Owen nod, Clara quickly typed a reply: "I happen to be free tomorrow evening. Is that convenient?"
After agreeing on the time, the meeting place was set as 'The Luna,' a top-tier luxury restaurant atop a skyscraper in the city center, famous for its high prices, luxury, and privacy.
"Excellent... Easy work, big money." Clara hugged the tablet to her chest, smiling broadly. "Tomorrow I have to dress beautifully to honor the venue and this fan of mine! Owen, you have to help me choose an outfit! I'll wear the new dress I just bought from Sahara's boutique!"
"Yes, Ma'am," Owen accepted with a smile.
He watched Clara humming in a good mood, but beneath his smile, Owen's eyes hid a solemnity. He stared at that unusually fast reply again.
'Willing to pay half a million... doesn't mind a bodyguard... If not a rich man, there must be an ulterior motive.'
Owen kept that suspicion in his heart, stood up, and reached out a hand for Clara to hold.
"Let's go, or we'll be late for the gym... Nova won't be pleased if we're slow."
…
At the Ikuda Mansion
Amidst the chaos of Titan City, the Ikuda estate was like another world, isolated in solitude. The meticulously arranged Zen-style rock garden reflected a philosophy of peace. The sound of water trickling from a bamboo pipe hitting a stone echoed 'Clack...' in a steady rhythm, helping to soothe the mind.
Inside the tea room paved with fine tatami mats, Ikuda Kanae, in a dark purple kimono with an orchid pattern, sat kneeling elegantly. She was carefully placing a tea cup onto the low golden teak table in front of her husband.
Ikuda Masaya lifted the tea cup to sip slowly before setting it down. His gaze fixed on a brown envelope and three photos... They were photos of 'Owen Marlowe' in various angles that the family's detective had just sent this morning.
"Are you sure... that he is the most suitable choice?" Masaya asked, breaking the silence. His voice was tinged with slight hesitation. "We've only met him once, honey."
Kanae smirked. That smile looked cold and full of the confidence of someone who always read the game perfectly.
"Oh, you should know that my 'eyes' never miss..." She swept her long slender finger over Owen's photo, as if caressing a fine product. "My [Appraisal] skill says he is an S-Class Sire that can't be found again in this century."
She raised a fan to cover her mouth and chuckled softly. "If Reiko gets him as a husband, I dare guarantee on the family's honor that our grandchild will have a high chance of being a Natural Awakened up to 80%... or maybe even 100%. We cannot let a diamond in the rough like this slip through our fingers."
"Hmm... If you say so, I won't object," Masaya nodded. "And what about... his status?"
"That is our strength," Kanae replied instantly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Before, he was just a streamer with enough income to survive, plus he had a 10 million debt that he and his friend had to help pay. Luckily, now that he's become a Rank B Awakened, he's just managed to pay off a part of it. But there are still eight to nine parts of the debt remaining unpaid... Therefore, I think we should use the Ikuda family's wealth and power as a 'Golden Cage' to lure him into walking towards us on his own..."
But while the hundred-million-dollar matchmaking plan was proceeding smoothly, the sound of heavy footsteps stomping in frustration approached, shattering the peace.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Rumble... BANG!
The shoji sliding door was yanked open violently, followed by the slender figure of a young woman in a fitted executive-style suit. Ikuda Reiko stomped into the house with a sullen face. Her beautiful brows were knitted together until they almost formed a knot.
"So annoying! Why are those customers so fussy!" Reiko muttered to herself in frustration. She had just returned from the luxury car showroom she managed, having to deal with new money tycoons who were fussy and tried to flirt with her more than buy cars.
She tossed her brand-name handbag onto the sofa in front of the tea room indifferently, intending to walk over to get some cold water to cool off. However, her ears caught some sentences of conversation leaking from the room where her parents were sitting.
'Use money to buy his heart'... 'Arrange a blind date'... 'Matchmaking for Reiko'
The thread of patience that had been pulled taut all day snapped immediately!
Reiko spun around and marched straight into the tea room without taking off her shoes. Her beautiful eyes blazed with the fire of rage.
"Are Mom and Dad still not over this crazy idea!?" She shouted loudly, causing Masaya to startle. "I've told you hundreds of times that I won't marry! I won't go on a blind date with anyone!"
Kanae slowly placed the tea cup down calmly, unfazed by her daughter's shouting. "You're back, Reiko... Why make that face, dear? Mom is discussing your good future."
"A future I didn't choose?!" Reiko retorted instantly. She spread her arms, showing full resistance.
"Mom! I'm twenty-five already! Not a five-year-old child for you to lead by the nose! How much have I exceeded the sales target at the showroom this quarter? I built the VIP client network in the Awakened Association with my own hands! I've proven myself this much, why do you still see me as just a product that needs to be sold off quickly to produce grandchildren!?"
The pent-up feelings poured out unceasingly. Reiko loved her job. She was proud to stand on her own two feet as a strong female executive, not as "Miss Ikuda" waiting for her wedding day.
"Calm down first, young lady..." Masaya tried to mediate. "Mom and Dad just mean well... This man isn't like the previous blind dates. He is..."
"Enough!" Reiko shouted over him. She didn't even give her father a chance to speak the name or boast about the man's qualities.
She turned her face away in disgust. "Whether he's the son of a CEO or the son of a mayor of some city, I don't care! Those rich guys you find are only good at showing off their parents' money, good at seeing women as accessories! Real capable men don't sit around waiting for their parents to matchmake for them!"
She assumed that this man was probably just another 'Young Master' her parents had made a business deal with, like every other time.
Reiko let out a long sigh, trying to suppress her surging emotions. "I'm going to take a shower and prepare for the sales summary meeting this afternoon... Stop talking about this. Otherwise, I will really move out to sleep at my condo!"
BANG!
She stomped out of the room and slammed the sliding door shut in her parents' faces with full force, causing the wooden frame to vibrate.
Silence returned to cover the tea room once again.
Masaya raised a hand to massage his temples, sighing heavily. "Haa... This child is really stubborn. The older she gets, the wilder she becomes... Your 'Golden Cage' plan might not be easy, honey."
However, Kanae didn't seem distressed in the slightest. A thin smile still adorned her elegant face. She picked up the teapot to pour a new cup calmly, as if the storm of emotion moments ago was just a passing breeze.
"It's fine, darling..." Kanae said smoothly, her eyes shining with deep cunning. "The wildest horses... once broken, are always the most loyal."
She lifted the tea cup to inhale the aroma.
"Since she doesn't want an official 'Blind Date'... then we just have to change the plan a little."
"Change the plan?"
"Yes..." Kanae smirked a smile that made even her husband get goosebumps. "We just have to orchestrate it so they meet 'accidentally' in a situation they can't escape... Reiko hates arranged marriages, but if it's 'Destiny'... girls usually lose to that, don't they?"
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