---
Chapter 11: Chatting with Wanda! It's Tea Time!
---
Phoenix Force and Chaos Magic are among the oldest powers in the universe. So when Wanda looked at Lorien now, she felt an inexplicable warmth.
"It seems to be fate," Wanda said with a smile.
"I think so," Lorien also smiled. This feeling was truly intriguing.
With that, Wanda lowered her guard completely. She reached out, took the milk tea that Lorien had pushed to her, and took a sip. Much like Gwen before her, Wanda's eyes lit up.
"This is so delicious. This is the first time I've had something like this. What is it?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Milk tea," Lorien explained. "It's a drink made from tea bags and various flavorings."
"Oh," Wanda understood, taking a few more sips, savoring each one. "It's really delicious!"
Wanda, like Gwen, gave the milk tea high praise.
At this point, neither of them discussed why Wanda had come. Her sudden affection for Lorien made her forget the original purpose of her visit, and she began chatting casually with him. Lorien, though not forgetting, was more than happy to converse with an intriguing and beautiful client.
With his past clients, Lorien tended to resolve issues swiftly and efficiently, especially with male clients. However, when it came to his attractive female clients, the conversations often veered into a broader range of topics—from food and movies to travel and personal preferences.
So, Lorien and Wanda started talking about milk tea, which naturally led them to discuss the furniture and collectibles in Lorien's office. Wanda was quite surprised to learn that many of these were gifts from previous clients.
"Can I touch this?" Wanda asked, gesturing towards an antique cash register.
"Of course," Lorien replied. His magic could easily restore these items if needed. "This cash register is 95 percent silver and about a hundred years old."
Wanda reached out and touched the surface. The intricate patterns etched into the silver gave it a high-end, artistic feel. "It's beautiful," she remarked.
She then moved on to look at other items: metal vases, murals, silver tableware, small sculptures, and more. Recognizing their value, she decided not to touch them further.
After discussing the office's collections, they returned to their chairs and delved into other topics. Wanda spoke about her hometown and confessed that she didn't particularly enjoy being a superhero, feeling somewhat forced into the role. Recently, she had been deeply sad and shared with Lorien her guilt over a tragic accident where she couldn't control her powers and caused unintended harm.
She also voiced her thoughts about public opinion and her desire to move to a quiet town where she wouldn't feel so pressured.
Throughout the afternoon, Wanda treated Lorien as a confidant. She talked, and Lorien listened, offering his suggestions and understanding. They spent hours this way, Wanda gradually finishing her milk tea.
Those who understand the nuances of human interaction know that when someone shares their secrets and opens up fully, it marks the beginning of their dependency and trust. How things progress from there depends on the listener's response.
And Lorien was definitely not just any listener.
"Slurp~Slurp~"
As Wanda sucked up the last bit of milk tea, she realized she had been talking to Lorien for hours.
"Sorry, it seems like I've been the one doing all the talking," she said, feeling a bit embarrassed for taking up so much of his time.
Lorien shook his head. "Listening is also a form of psychological counseling."
At the mention of "psychological counseling," Wanda remembered why she had come. "I forgot to mention, it was Mr. Tony Stark who gave me your card and suggested I visit."
"Tony?" Lorien was a bit surprised, then smiled. "Then it seems I owe him a thank you."
"Thank you?" Wanda asked, puzzled.
Lorien checked the time—4:58 PM. He stood up and said, "Thanks for introducing me to a mature and beautiful client."
"That's helped me grow my business and made my day."
"Let's go. It's time for afternoon tea. Let's find a nice café or somewhere with good food and scenery to continue our conversation."
Lorien pushed his chair back and walked to the door, holding it open for Wanda.
Blushing slightly at Lorien's words, Wanda, a mature woman, didn't get too shy. Instead, she looked at Lorien with a smile.
"You make me regret going out dressed like this."
Then she walked past him and out the door. Lorien followed, closing the door behind them, silently satisfied as they left together.
====
Guys Give me some power stones so we could be on the rankings.
200 Power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
400 Power stones = 2 Extra Chapter
And so on..