The marble floors of the opulent hotel lobby gleamed under the chandeliers, a spectacle of light and luxury that seemed designed to awe anyone who walked through its grand double doors. Uniformed staff moved with the choreographed grace of Broadway performers, their smiles almost surgically attached.
"Good evening, gentlemen!" A young woman behind the reception desk greeted Reid and Archer, her smile widening as if she'd won the jackpot when Archer presented an invitation card. "Ah, Mr. Everett, we've been expecting you! Welcome to the Lysandra Ballroom. Let me escort you inside."
Archer gave a nod so slight it could've been a twitch. His face was a well-practiced canvas of detachment, but the staff seemed to recognize him instantly. Reid, on the other hand, looked like he'd walked into a lion's den wearing steak cologne—visibly uncomfortable and noticeably annoyed.
"Would you look at this place?" Reid mumbled, eyeing the crystal chandeliers like they were UFOs. "It's like a set from a period drama where everyone dies of syphilis or duels."
Archer shot him a look, one eyebrow lifted in a display of as much emotion as he'd probably allow for the year. Reid grinned back, unapologetically cheeky.
As they walked through the lobby and into the opulent ballroom, the social hierarchy was palpable. Women in evening gowns and men in tailored suits populated the room, a mingling mass of wealth and entitlement. Archer moved through the crowd as though it were his natural habitat, an apex predator unconcerned with the lesser animals around him.
Within moments, at least three women tried to "accidentally" graze their hands against his impeccably tailored suit, while five men—indistinguishable in their ambition—attempted to corner him for business propositions. Archer deflected them with a practiced ease that only made Reid's sarcastic grin widen.
"All these people want a piece of you, huh?" Reid commented, not making any effort to hide his amusement. "You're like a walking investment opportunity."
Archer simply stared back, a wordless reprimand that Reid pretended not to understand. His attention was already drifting to a table set with an array of decadent desserts, an island of sweetness in a sea of social ambition. Archer knew that Reid was being cheeky because of his own discomfort - after all, his Ability is a bane in such crowded places. It was good that Reid had agreed to wear gloves for the event, hoping to disguise himself as Archer's butler.
"Ah, there you are!" a voice boomed, cutting through the layers of ambient chatter like a knife through butter. The atmosphere seemed to shift as every head in the room turned toward the source—a tall, impossibly handsome man with a charismatic air that seemed almost tangible.
Averyl Everett.
Where Archer was the embodiment of a cold, ruthless winter, Averyl was a warm autumn day—equally captivating but infinitely more inviting. His grin was the kind that could launch a thousand ships or ignite a dozen wars—magnetic, irresistible, and a touch devilish. He approached them, his arms opening wide as if welcoming long-lost relatives.
"Archer, Reid! I'm so thrilled you could make it!" Averyl exclaimed, his voice full of a warmth that could thaw even Archer's icy demeanor.
Archer's response was a single word: "Brother."
Ah, brotherly love, Reid thought sarcastically. He was aware of Averyl, of course. As Archer's older brother and the CEO of Everett Corporation, he was the visible face of the empire Archer silently governed. Most people found Averyl more approachable, his personality more dazzling. And while Archer was often considered the more handsome of the two, it was Averyl who could effortlessly hold the room's attention.
"Ah, come on, no hug?" Averyl teased, finally settling for a professional-looking handshake that betrayed none of the familial tension. He then turned to Reid, his smile altering ever so slightly—less dazzling, more curious. "And Reid! Archer had been bugging me to send him back to Solaris."
Reid smirked as he glanced at Archer who was turning red. "Is that so?"
Averyl chuckled. "He even pulled off the deal with Mirrors and here I was, all happy that my dear brother had finally gotten interested in real estate… only to find out, he simply did that to irritate you."
Archer cleared his throat, a sound that somehow managed to convey an entire paragraph's worth of warning. Reid chuckled softly, already formulating at least three snarky remarks for later.
Averyl's eyes swept across the room, momentarily catching the gaze of several admirers before landing back on his brother and Reid. "I have some important people I want you both to meet. But first—"
His eyes twinkled, and for a moment, he looked disarmingly like his younger brother.
"—how about we grab some dessert? I hear the tiramisu is to die for."
Reid's eyes flickered to Archer, then back to Averyl, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Well, when it comes to food, I'm always willing to take a calculated risk. Lead the way, O Charismatic One."
Averyl's booming laughter filled the room as the trio moved toward the dessert table.
The tiramisu was every bit as good as Averyl had claimed—creamy mascarpone, decadent espresso-soaked ladyfingers, all crowned with a dusting of cocoa powder. It was a culinary symphony Reid was content to enjoy, blissfully unaware of the social theater continuing to unfold around him. Each bite was a happy rebellion against the stifling formality of the gala, his face a picture of pure, unadulterated joy.
Archer leaned in, breaking Reid's sweet reverie. "I need to step away for a moment," he said, eyes flicking towards Averyl, who was caught in a conversation with a group of socialites a few meters away.
Reid glanced at him, spoon halfway to his mouth. "Oh? Secret brother business or just bored of my charming company?"
Archer didn't smile, but his eyes communicated a subtle rebuke. It was an art form, really, conveying so much while saying so little.
Averyl noticed the two and detached himself from the crowd and rejoined them. "Don't worry, he'll be in good hands," he said, with a warmth that almost convinced Reid that Archer would indeed be back shortly.
"Promise you'll bring him back in one piece?" Reid asked, eyes twinkling as he smeared mascarpone across his lip.
Archer raised an eyebrow, then looked pointedly at Reid's gloves lying beside his plate. "Put those back on when you're done," he said, emphasizing the 'when.'
Reid saluted with his spoon. "Aye, Captain Chill. Go do your… whatever it is you do when you're not brooding."
Archer shot Reid one last look, a sort of half-glance over his shoulder that carried the weight of a thousand unspoken words, before following Averyl into the maze of sequins and cologne.
Alone now, Reid felt a little exposed but not one to wallow, he promptly ordered another dessert. A work of art arrived—meringue shaped like delicate flowers, bursting with lemony zest, encased in a sublime layer of passionfruit glaze. Reid's eyes widened.
"It's like they know the way to my heart is through my stomach," he muttered to himself, lifting a forkful of meringue to his mouth.
Just as he was savoring the sweet-tart flavor explosion, a voice pulled him out of his culinary rhapsody.
"I see you're enjoying yourself."
Reid looked up, his eyes meeting those of Edward Tay. With silver-flecked hair that hinted at wisdom but not age, and a confident bearing, Edward exuded a quiet charisma quite different from Averyl's more overt display.
Reid's grin could've split his face. "Edward Tay."
Edward chuckled. "Oh, you know who I am."
Reid nodded, licking his spoon clean, "of course I do. You are the VIP for this event."
"Hmm," a smile ghosting on Edward's lips, "you don't look like you belong here yet you are fitting in just well."
"If by 'fitting in,' you mean 'finding all the best desserts,' then yes. I'm practically a native," Reid retorted, emphasizing the point by taking another bite of meringue, "what do you mean by not belonging here, though?"
Edward leaned forward a little and picked up a meringue, "you do know the desserts are for show, don't you? This event is mainly for networking."
"Ah," Reid frowned a little, "that's not right. Food shouldn't be wasted."
Edward smiled as he placed the meringue in his mouth, "of course, since they are so good, aren't there?"
Reid grinned, "yep!" And Reid reached forward to stuff yet another meringue in his mouth.
"I saw that you were with the Everetts?" Edward inquired, a subtle but probing curiosity in his eyes.
Reid swallowed his bite. "Yeah but they're both off doing mysterious Everett things. You know how they are, always keeping their cards close to their vests."
Edward nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yes, the Everetts have always been that way. It's good for business, less so for relationships."
Reid smirked. "Ah, relationships. The eternal Achilles' heel of emotionally stunted geniuses everywhere."
Edward laughed, and the sound blended comfortably into the general din. "You're not what I expected, Reid."
"Most people expect a psychologist to be all serious and analytical, but where's the fun in that?" Reid leaned back, fully relishing the freedom of not having to hold his tongue. "Besides, life's too short to pretend to be something you're not."
"Well said," Edward nodded, his eyes narrowing as if seeing Reid for the first time. "You're quite the interesting, aren't you? You're a psychologist?"
Reid shrugged. "I like to keep people guessing. And yea, an academic psychologist. Speaking of which," he looked around the opulent room, his eyes landing on the clock. "if you have some time to spare, could you answer some of my questions?"
Just then, Reid felt a vibration in his pocket. Pulling out his communicator, he saw a message from Archer: "Stay put. Running late. Don't cause trouble."
"Do you have to run?" Edward asked, glancing at Reid's communicator.
Reid chuckled and showed the message to Edward. "Looks like I'm under orders."
Edward's eyes flickered, a quick but deep scan. "Alright then, you mentioned you have some questions. Shoot away."
The atmosphere between Reid and Edward had reached that level of comfort where laughter came easy, and words flowed unfiltered. Yet, Reid's eyes took on a shrewd gleam, hidden well behind a facade of levity.
"So, Edward," Reid began, swirling the last bite of his tiramisu around his spoon, "a man of your stature must be swamped with romantic entanglements, right? I mean, the tabloids must be having a field day."
Edward laughed, a hearty sound that diffused any tension. "Oh, I have plenty of relationships, Reid, but romantic ones have never been my strong suit."
Reid joined in the laughter, his eyes twinkling. "Ah, the eternal bachelor, eh? Good to know some things never change."
Edward smiled, recognizing the duality of Reid's quip. "Old dogs rarely learn new tricks."
Seizing the momentum, Reid continued, "Speaking of old dogs and new tricks, you got any book recommendations? They say billionaires read a ton, and I've always wanted to be disgustingly rich. You know, afford-to-buy-a-country rich."
Edward chuckled. "I think you're in good company for that. The Everetts are unlikely to leave you hungry, I assure you. But if you're looking for a read, you might want to check out Penelope's latest book."
Reid allowed his eyes to widen a fraction, playing the part of the uninformed. "Penelope? You make it sound like we're on a first-name basis with her. Should I know who this illustrious author is?"
His question was calculated, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly as Edward's face registered a pleased recognition.
"Ah, Penelope Quirke is a writer of great talent, and her husband happens to be a good friend of mine. I've had the pleasure of helping her publish some of her works," Edward revealed, a shade of pride coloring his voice.
"Oh, a friend of yours? Must be riveting stuff then," Reid said, his words light but eyes keen. "I'll definitely have to snag a copy."
The comment served as a sort of litmus test, and Reid watched as Edward processed it. Here was the tricky part. Too much interest could be a red flag, but too little might miss the mark of Reid's strategic prying.
"Please do. I think you'll find her perspectives enlightening," Edward replied, seemingly pleased by Reid's interest.
"Enlightening? You're really selling it. Now I'm curious." Reid's voice carried the casual inflection of someone discussing weekend plans, but his mind was racing. Penelope's husband, Regen Legend, was a good friend of Edward's and he was helping her publish books? This was a breadcrumb, and Reid was mentally storing it away for later scrutiny.
"Perhaps next time we meet, you can share your enlightened thoughts with me," Edward suggested.
Reid grinned. "Ah, you're on. It's a date. Well, a book club meeting, but those are the dates of the intellectually starved, right?"
Edward chuckled, raising his glass. "To intellectual starvation, then."
Reid clinked his glass against Edward's. "Cheers." Both men drank, sealing the pact.
"There was another book, I believe, I have recently read that seemed to be published by your company."
"Ho? Pray tell?"
"'Gathering' by Michelle Lim." Reid said, his eyes trying to catch the micro-expressions.
Edward's eyes didn't blink but the tightening of his grip on the glass gave it away, "Michelle?"
"Yea," Reid nodded, "I particularly loved how she described each animal at the start."
"Animal?" Edward's smile was taut.
"Ah, it was interesting how she described the Snake," Reid's eyes twinkled, "the snake had its eyes on the jellyfish's treasures and attempted to exchange it yet…"
A buzz cut through Reid's sentence. Edward glanced at his communicator. "Well, Reid, it's been a pleasure. But duty calls."
"Ah, the life of a billionaire—always busy," Reid quipped, setting his empty glass down. "Till our next enlightening rendezvous."
Edward stood up, pausing for a moment as if contemplating something unsaid. "Till then," he finally echoed, before disappearing into the crowd, leaving Reid alone but far from lonely.
His communicator buzzed and Reid saw another message from Archer: "Wrapping up. Stay put."
"Always one for elaborate conversations, that man," Reid mumbled to himself.
His eyes narrowed, thoughts crystalizing. The game was afoot. And while the guests around him saw nothing more than a charming psychologist lost in thought, Reid knew he was anything but lost. In fact, he was right where he needed to be and he was sure that Edward would be contacting him soon.
Reid leaned forward onto the dessert table, his eyes finally settling on the empty stage at the end of the room. For a moment, he imagined himself there, spotlight on, audience in rapt attention, the curtain about to rise on Act Two.
And what an act it was shaping up to be.