It started with a champagne invitation.
A black envelope, thick as velvet, embossed with her name in gold.
Inside:
"Private Gala. Attire: Formal. Time: 9PM. Location: Disclosed Upon Arrival. Sponsor: The Anima Foundation."
No RSVP needed.
Just come.
Lina turned the card over in her hand, feeling the subtle hum of something off. Not wrong. Just... precise.
---
[System Notification]
[Task: Attend the Anima Foundation Gala]
[Optional Objective: Identify Hidden Motive]
[Reward: +3000 Credits | Network Unlock – International Link | Skill Fragment (Negotiation)]
[Punishment: None – Task Optional]
[AI Companion: I advise you go. But stay sharp. Something's coming.]
---
9:02PM.
The gala was hosted in a towering obsidian-glass skyscraper in the city's tech district—an area Lina had never stepped foot in. Every window shimmered like a black mirror. No name on the building.
Inside, the scent of power clung to the walls: expensive perfume, older wines, and conversations worth billions.
Celebrities mingled. Tech moguls sipped aged cognac. And somewhere between all of them, someone was watching her.
Lina's black evening gown hugged her figure with quiet elegance, her long hair cascading over one shoulder like dark silk. She walked with grace, but her heart was alert.
---
"Ms. Vale."
She turned.
The man who approached her was not much older than her—late twenties, perhaps—but everything about him radiated control.
He wore no name tag.
But his face… flawless. Cold. Beautiful.
And familiar.
It was him.
The man from the shadows.
The one who had messaged her after the Black Task.
> "I saw that. Dangerous women shine brighter in the dark."
Now he was here. In the flesh.
"I'm Caden Lysander," he said, voice like quiet thunder. "Anima's private investor. I asked for you specifically."
---
[System Alert: Unknown Entity Identified – Influence Level: MAXIMUM]
[Profile: Caden Lysander | Global Influence Tier: Elite | Data Access: Partial]
[Warning: Subject is under advanced privacy encryption. Source unknown.]
---
Lina met his gaze. "You seem to know a lot about me."
He smiled slightly. "I know potential when I see it. And you… are disruption incarnate."
She tilted her head. "You want to sponsor me?"
"I want to invest in you," he corrected. "Your future. Your reach. Your war." His voice dropped lower. "You're not just an actress. You're a signal. And the world needs noise."
She didn't flinch.
But she understood: he knew something. Maybe not everything. But enough to make him dangerous.
---
They danced once.
A slow waltz beneath the chandelier while the world watched.
He leaned in close enough for only her to hear.
"Whatever power you've touched… be careful. Systems never give without taking something in return."
---
[System Notification: Task Complete]
[+3000 Credits | International Network Access Unlocked]
[Skill Fragment Acquired – Negotiation (1/3)]
[AI Companion: We've entered a new game. This man is not human in the traditional sense. Be cautious.]
---
That night, Lina stood by her window, watching the lights below.
A text came.
> Caden: "The world will love you, fear you, or try to erase you. Make sure they never succeed."
She didn't reply.
But her reflection in the window had never looked more real.
And more dangerous.
---
System Log: Lina Vale
Contact Added: Caden Lysander
Skill Fragment: Negotiation (1/3)
Network Access: International Tier 1
Emotional State: Focused | Wary
Surveillance Level: High
---
End of Chapter 29
---
In Chapter 30, Lina receives her first invitation to work abroad, pushing her into international spotlight—but it comes with a task that forces her to confront one of her biggest weaknesses. And Caden? He'll be watching. Always.