"Sebastian, you've already given us so much..." Mrs. Tian started to protest.
"Please," Sebastian interrupted gently. "I wanted to. This is just a small token of appreciation."
He handed one box to Isabelle and one to Mrs. Tian.
Both women opened them simultaneously.
Inside each box was a stunning Cartier Love necklace in 18k white gold, completely encrusted with diamond pavé that caught the light brilliantly.
Mrs. Tian's hands flew to her mouth. "Sebastian... is this...?"
She'd seen this exact necklace online before when browsing luxury jewellery sites. She knew exactly how much it cost.
"This is the Cartier Love collection," Mrs. Tian said, her voice shaking slightly. "Sebastian, this must have cost... these are tens of thousands of dollars!"
Isabelle looked up from her box, stunned. "Sebastian, we can't accept these. This is too much!"
"I insist, my mother and father2 would kill me if I returned a gift. " Sebastian said firmly but kindly.
"But Sebastian—" Mrs. Tian tried again.
"I couldn't come empty-handed to such a generous dinner, and I wanted to give you both something that would last. Something beautiful for beautiful people." Sebastian said.
Bai Tian put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Darling, I think Sebastian won't take no for an answer."
"This is... this is a really thoughtful gift." Mrs. Tian said, a huge smile on her face.
Isabelle looked down at the necklace in her hands, then up at Sebastian.
"Thank you...I'll treasure it always."" she whispered.
"Good, that's all I wanted."" Sebastian said with satisfaction.
As he prepared to leave, Mrs. Tian impulsively pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Sebastian. For everything. You're a wonderful young man."
"Thank you for having me," Sebastian replied.
Isabelle walked him to the door. "Tonight was really special," she said softly.
"It was," Sebastian agreed. "Your family is wonderful, Isabelle. You're very lucky."
"I know." She hesitated, then added, "And I'm lucky to have you as a friend too."
"Just a friend?" Sebastian asked with a slight smile.
Isabelle's cheeks flushed again. "I... we'll see," she said, trying to sound teasing but clearly flustered.
Sebastian chuckled. "Goodnight, Isabelle."
"Goodnight, Sebastian."
As he walked to his waiting limousine, a notification appeared.
[Ding! Major Relationship Milestone Achieved!]
[You have successfully bonded with the heroine's parents, creating a strong positive impression with the heroine's family. This significantly increases your standing and makes it harder for the protagonist to compete on the same level.]
[Bonus Reward: 10% Equity Stake in Sunrise Tech Solutions - Value: $1,000,000]
[Note: Company shares have been transferred to your name. You will receive quarterly dividends and voting rights.]
Sebastian settled into the limousine with a satisfied smile.
===Status===
Host: Sebastian Fairfax
Combat Power: 82 (Average human: 100)
Villain Points: 2,350
Villain Halo: 265
Luck: E
Charm: E+
→ Skills: None
→ Inventory:
→ Assets: 10% stake in Sunrise Tech Solutions
The night had been perfect.
He'd charmed the family, given meaningful gifts, and positioned himself as the ideal partner—responsible, generous, thoughtful.
Everything Ethan Cole wasn't.
And now he owned $10 million in company shares as a bonus.
"Home, sir?" the driver asked.
"Yes," Sebastian replied, still smiling. "Home."
As the limousine pulled away, Sebastian glanced back at the Tian house.
Through the window, he could see Isabelle holding the necklace box, looking down at it with a dreamy expression.
The next day, Sebastian decided to visit Sunrise Tech Solutions—the company where he now owned a 10% stake worth $1 million.
His limousine pulled up to a modern office building in the business district. The company occupied the top three floors of the structure, specializing in software development and IT solutions for corporate clients.
Sebastian stepped out, dressed in a charcoal suit with his Patek Philippe visible on his wrist. He looked every bit the young executive, despite being only eighteen.
He entered the lobby and made his way to the elevators, pressing the button for the executive floor.
As he waited, a middle-aged man in a wrinkled shirt and coffee-stained tie approached, looking him up and down with thinly veiled disdain.
"Hey, kid," the man said, his tone condescending. "Interviews are on the third floor. You took the wrong elevator."
Sebastian turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"The internship interviews," the man repeated slowly, as if speaking to a child. "Third floor. This elevator only goes to executive offices. You need the other one."
"I'm not here for an interview," Sebastian said calmly.
The man snorted. "Sure you're not. Let me guess, daddy got you a meeting with the CEO? Look, kid, even with connections, you should at least dress appropriately. That fake watch looks ridiculous on you."
Sebastian glanced down at his Patek Philippe, then back at the man with a cold smile.
"Do you see this?" Sebastian held up his wrist, letting the light catch the blue dial. "I have your entire yearly income on my wrist."
The man laughed outright. "Yeah, right. That's obviously fake. You think I was born yesterday? Kids these days with their knockoff watches trying to look important."
"Is that so?" Sebastian pulled out his phone. "What's your name?"
"Why do you want to know?" The man's expression turned suspicious.
"Answer the question."
"Thomas Wright. Not that it's any of your business, intern."