The room was dimly lit, the thick velvet curtains blocking out most of the daylight. A heavy wooden desk stood in the centre, piled with files and documents, but the old man—his greying hair and weathered face a testament to years of calculating power—paid them no mind. His eyes were fixed on Marina, who sat across from him, her legs crossed, and her posture was that of a woman trying to appear confident but struggling to keep her emotions in check.
"You've been getting too attached to him," the old man said, his voice cold and calculating.
Marina stiffened. She had been expecting this conversation, yet it still felt like a knife twisting in her gut. "I'm doing my job. Kael is… useful. His arrogance makes him predictable."
"Predictable?" The old man chuckled, the sound raspy from years of smoking. "You're the one who's predictable, Marina. You're letting your obsession cloud your judgment. This is about business, not love."
Marina didn't respond immediately. She was caught between the two conflicting pulls—her mission and her growing feelings for Kael. It was the perfect game, but she didn't like how she was becoming a pawn in someone else's.
"I didn't ask for your judgment," she said, her voice low but controlled. "I'm handling it."
"Handling it?" The old man leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "The moment you let your emotions get involved, you become a liability. I didn't bring you here to play the role of his lover, Marina. I brought you here to destroy him."
A shiver ran through her, but she hid it behind a smile—the same smile she used to keep Kael hooked, even if it was only for sex. She wasn't fooling herself; Kael didn't care about her. He saw her as a distraction, a tool to release tension. But as long as he kept coming back, she could use him. And she would make sure he never forgot her. "And I'm doing that. Kael's arrogance and his carelessness will be his downfall. He's exactly what we need."
The old man studied her carefully, his beady eyes narrowing. "Then stop pretending you're his girlfriend. Stop playing the part of the perfect woman. He doesn't care about you, and you're only in the way if you let him think otherwise."
Marina clenched her fists, the nails digging into her palms. "I know what I'm doing."
The old man stood and walked to the window, looking out at the city below. "You better. I've spent too much time setting this up. Kael is the weakness of the Pearl Empire. And you, my dear, are going to bring it all crashing down."
He turned back to face her, a cold smile on his lips. "The next step is crucial. We need to feed him lies—make him believe that his father is losing faith in him. Let him start making reckless decisions. Play him like a puppet, Marina. We need him off balance."
Marina's eyes narrowed. "And what about you? What's your role in all this?"
"I'll handle the big moves," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You just keep him distracted. Make him believe that he has your loyalty. When the time is right, I'll make my move."
Marina stood up, her posture straightening as she faced the old man. "And if Kael gets in my way?"
"Then you do what you must," he replied, his voice filled with a chilling finality.
A moment of silence passed between them. Marina knew the stakes. She knew what she had to do. But as she walked out of the room, a part of her wondered—if she succeeded, would she even want the victory anymore? After everything, would she truly be able to have Kael? She had started this mission with a clear goal, but now, all she cared about was winning Kael's attention, making him see her—not as a tool or a pawn, but as the one who could truly captivate him.
Later that night, Marina sat cross-legged on her bed, her phone resting in her palm. The tension from the conversation with the old man still lingered in the air, but she focused on Kael's message.
"Tonight, my place. Don't be late."
The simple message sent a shiver through her. Kael—cold, detached, and arrogant. He didn't care. Yet, the pull of his indifference made him all the more enticing. The smile that curved her lips was soft, but underneath it, there was a hunger—a desire she had tried to ignore but could no longer.
Before she could process the rush of emotions, the door to her room creaked open. She turned to find the old man standing there, watching her with an intensity that cut through the room like a blade.
"Still chasing him?" he asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and cold amusement.
Marina didn't flinch. Her smile remained. "Just Kael," she said softly. "He wants me over tonight."
The old man let out a rasping laugh. "Does he even care about you?"
Marina's eyes darkened, her thoughts sharpened. "Kael doesn't care about anyone. That's why he's perfect." It was the same refrain, but this time, her voice betrayed a trace of longing.
"Perfect for what?" the old man asked, studying her suspiciously.
She stood, her eyes locking with his, unwavering. "Perfect for everything I want."
The old man paused, his gaze piercing. "You think you're the only one who wants him? You've been playing the role of the perfect woman, but Kael is smart. He doesn't let anyone get too close."
Marina's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "I know. That's why he'll fall. He thinks he's in control, but I'll show him who really holds the power."
The old man's lips grew thin. "You're starting to think like me now, Marina. Keep it up."
"I don't want to think like you. I want to think like me." She straightened, her voice steady. "When Kael falls, I'll have him. I won't just complete my mission. I'll make him mine. He'll be my victory, my prize—something no one, not even you, could take from me."
The old man didn't reply immediately, his approval mingled with a deep wariness. "Just don't get too attached. When the time comes, you'll need to act fast—and ruthlessly."
Marina walked past him toward the door, her thoughts now consumed with Kael. There was no going back. No matter the cost, she would make him hers.
At the same time, Kael sat in his sleek, modern office, unaware of the storm brewing just outside his door. His fingers moved across the screen of his phone with detached confidence. His message to Marina was simple, direct, and commanding: "Tonight, my place. Don't be late."
He sent it without hesitation, dropping the phone onto his desk as if he had already won. Marina would come—she always did. She was a distraction, nothing more, a temporary fix for the tension that built up in him. He didn't need her—or anyone else. That's what set him apart from everyone else in his world.
As he stretched in his chair, Kael glanced at the phone again, noticing the screen had lit up with several notifications. A missed call from his father caught his attention. He smirked, grabbing the phone. "Let the interrogation begin."
He dialled back, and his father answered almost immediately.
"How was the meeting?"
"Smooth. Everything's under control," Kael replied with his usual confidence.
"Under control? You sound too casual. Do you even want the CEO position, or should I hand it to someone else?"
Kael leaned back, the corner of his lips curving into a smirk. "Relax, Dad. No one's taking what's mine. If anyone tries, I'll make sure they regret it."
"Oh? Then maybe you want to kick me out too?"
Kael chuckled, his arrogance shining through. "You? Never. You're the king, and I'm your heir. Now, tell me—what's this really about?"
His father's voice grew colder. "I'm watching you, Kael. These next three months will be your test. And I'm sending someone to assist you. Consider it a little surprise."
The line went dead before Kael could respond. He shook his head, his smirk fading into a scowl. "Three months, a 'test,' and now a spy? Classic."