For a moment, neither woman moved. The room seemed to hold its breath with them, the quiet murmur of other diners the only sound breaking the silence.
Then Raila, after a brief glance at Celine, slowly lowered herself into the chair nearest Tom, the movement deliberate and cautious. Not long after, Celine followed, sliding into the chair beside Raila with a faint, reluctant sigh.
Tom smiled inwardly, feeling a surge of quiet triumph. His plan had been a gamble, a gambit, really, but it was working better than he had hoped. While scrolling through Tinder earlier, he had been careful. He hadn't just chosen women who were beautiful, that would have been too obvious. Instead, he had looked for women who seemed needy, even if their outward appearances suggested otherwise.
See, Tom knew something most people didn't. Contrary to popular belief, beautiful women were often some of the neediest people he'd ever met. But their neediness wasn't rooted in wanting to be attractive, that was just the surface. Their true craving was for recognition for traits beyond their beauty: intelligence, kindness, strength, empathy. By appealing to that, by praising them for being empathetic and good-hearted, Tom had planted a seed.
And now, as they settled in their seats, that seed was beginning to sprout.
He cleared his throat lightly, leaning forward with a new kind of openness. "Let's start properly," he said, his tone warm but businesslike. "I'm Thomas Polo. You can call me Tom."
He looked at each woman in turn, gauging their reactions. They exchanged glances again before offering tentative introductions.
Raila was first. "I'm Raila, a graphic designer. I like art, hiking, and well, I guess, helping where I can." Her voice was soft but confident, revealing a hint of vulnerability underneath.
Celine followed. "I'm Celine. I work in marketing, but I'm really passionate about volunteering, especially with animal shelters." She smiled faintly, eyes flickering with a bit of nervousness.
Tom nodded, absorbing their words thoughtfully. He could already see the paths to getting what he needed, strength, companionship, and a way to push himself further.
Before the conversation could deepen, Tom raised a hand to catch the attention of a nearby waiter. The young man approached swiftly, his expression professional but friendly.
"Let's start with drinks," Tom said smoothly. "Raila, what would you like?"
Raila glanced at the menu briefly before replying, "I'll have a glass of red wine, please."
"Good choice," Tom said with a smile, then turned to Celine. "And for you?"
Celine's eyes flickered over the options before she chose a different variety of red wine, her voice steady. "I'll take the Merlot, please."
Tom nodded approvingly, then looked up at the waiter again. "And I'll have a virgin mojito."
The waiter noted the orders quickly and promised to return soon with their drinks.
As the waiter left, Tom's mind raced with calculations. This was more than a simple meeting. It was a critical step in his plan
Tom's gaze lingered a moment longer on each woman, silently appreciating the irony: two incredibly beautiful women, both strong in their own right, brought here by a desperate plan born from necessity
Tom raised his mojito in a small toast. "To new beginnings," he said softly.
Raila and Celine exchanged tentative smiles and raised their glasses of wine in response.