Ren and Lina step into the luxury car, its sleek black paint gleaming under the dim streetlights. They settle into the back seat, the soft hum of the engine filling inside. Lina's excitement is palpable as she runs her hands over the leather seats, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Wow, Ren! This is so cool, isn't it?" Lina exclaims, her voice filled with awe. "I've only ever seen these in movies!"
Ren, on the other hand, isn't as impressed. He leans back in his seat, looking out the window.
"Yeah, I guess," he says casually, but when he glances over at Lina, her face glowing with excitement, he can't help but smile.
"You really like this car, huh?" he asks, genuinely curious.
Lina turns to him, her eyes sparkling. "Who wouldn't? This car costs more than we could ever dream of having!" she laughs, though there's a tinge of disbelief in her tone.
Ren thinks for a moment, watching her. I'll buy that for you someday, he promises silently, a small, determined smile tugging at his lips. He's more interested in her happiness than the car itself.
The car glides smoothly through the city streets, past tall buildings and bustling nightlife. It's not long before they pull up to a grand, towering building, its glass façade shimmering in the night.
The entrance is lined with luxury cars, and well-dressed rich-looking people are milling about, chatting and laughing.
Lina's mouth falls open as they step out of the car. "This place is... Beautiful," she breathes, her eyes scanning the towering structure, glistening in opulence. "Ren, are we really going inside there?"
Ren merely shrugs, his usual indifference still intact. "Looks like it."
They walk through the grand entrance, where the butler who had accompanied them gestures with a polite smile. "This way, Mr. Ren, Miss Lina."
Inside, the atmosphere is even more luxurious. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a soft glow over the marbled floors. Beautifully dressed women and men in suits turn their heads as Ren and Lina pass, curiosity in their eyes.
Lina clutches Ren's arm, whispering, "This is so fancy… I've never been to anything like it."
Ren doesn't respond, but just looks around. He notices the stares, the whispers. But none of that bothers him as much as the thought of Caldwell. Why is this guy going through so much trouble?
As they approach the grand dining hall, the butler opens the doors, revealing an extravagant feast spread across a long table.
Sitting at the head of the table is an elderly man, sharp in his tailored suit, his graying hair combed back meticulously—Mr. Caldwell, and his granddaughter.
"Welcome, Mr. Ren," Caldwell greets, standing from his chair. His tone is overly polite, bowing his head slightly.
The gesture causes murmurs to ripple through the room—why would someone of Caldwell's stature treat some ordinary man with such respect?
Lina bows quickly, her face flushed. "T-Thank you for inviting us, Mr. Caldwell," she stammers, clearly nervous.
Ren simply nods, his expression neutral. Lina notices Ren's lack of politeness and, flustered, gives him a nudge. "Ren!" she hisses. "Be polite!"
Ren looks at her, then at Caldwell. He forces a smile. "Uh, yeah, Thanks for inviting us."
Caldwell doesn't seem bothered by the forced pleasantries. In fact, his eyes are gleaming with something more, though it's hard to tell what.
"Please, take your seats," Caldwell gestures toward the table, his voice smooth.
As they sit, Ren glances around, noticing the servants, especially the maids. Each one is more beautiful than the last, but his gaze never lingers on them much longer. His attention, instead, keeps drifting back to Lina as she happily looks at the food in front of her.
The child sits beside Lina, playing with a small toy in her hand.
Lina looks at her and asks, "Hi there, What's your name?"
"Emily," the child says, looking at Lina shyly.
"That's a cute name, Emily," Lina says.
Emily giggles and continues playing with her toy, occasionally glancing at Lina. Lina is clearly enjoying the innocent gazes of Emily's as well.
"Let's eat first before we talk, Mr Ren. You must be hungry from the traveling." Mr Caldwell says.
The meal begins and Caldwell clears his throat and turns toward Ren, his expression shifting to one of deep gratitude.
"So, Mr. Ren," Caldwell begins after a few moments of casual conversation, "I wanted to personally thank you. You saved not only my life, but my granddaughter's as well. Without you... well, I shudder to think what might have happened."
Ren remains silent, giving a small nod of acknowledgment. "I did what anyone else would have done," he says, dismissive.
"Still, you saved our lives. We are forever in your debt, Mr Ren."
Lina glances at Ren, her eyes wide, clearly impressed by Caldwell's deference. She shoots Ren a look, urging him silently to respond more politely. But Ren remains composed, unaffected by the attention.
"You're too kind," Ren finally says, his tone neutral.
Before the conversation can continue, a maid approaches, offering wine. Her beauty is striking, even more so than Lina's, yet Ren doesn't even glance her way. His focus remains entirely on Lina, watching her enjoy the meal with childlike happiness.
Caldwell notices Ren's attention and makes a mental note of it. He's starting to understand that Lina holds some importance to him, and that makes her a point of interest.
Lina glances at Ren, her eyes wide. "What? Ren, you saved their lives! That's a big deal."
Caldwell chuckles lightly, though there's something calculating in his eyes.
"Indeed, Miss Lina. He's being modest. But to show our appreciation, I wanted to offer you a small token of our gratitude."
Caldwell signals to one of the servants, who steps forward with a briefcase. The servant opens it to reveal stacks of money—five million dollars.
Lina gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. "Five million..."
Ren remains unmoved, simply staring at the money.
"I don't need it." Ren shakes his head.
The room falls silent at Ren's words. Lina turns to Ren immediately, her voice a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Ren, are you crazy? That's... that's five million dollars!"
Caldwell seems taken aback as well, but he quickly regains his composure. "Mr. Ren, please reconsider. This is a gift, a way to show our thanks."
Ren crosses his arms. "I didn't save you for money."
Caldwell's brows furrow slightly, but he forces a smile. "Perhaps, but it is only right to reward you for your actions. So please don't refuse, and take it."
Ren sighs, feeling the weight of the room's eyes on him. He glances at Lina, her face still shocked, and then back at Caldwell. "This guy won't give up, will he?"
Finally, Ren relents. "Alright. I'll take it—but transfer two million of that to her account." Ren says, looking at Lina.
Lina gasps even louder this time. "What? Ren! No! I didn't do anything. That's your money!"
But, Caldwell immediately nods, though his eyes sparkle with intrigue. "Of course, Mr. Ren. I'll have it done immediately."
Lina turns to Caldwell, her face flushed. "Please don't! This is his money! I can't possibly take it!"
"But Miss Lina," Caldwell says calmly, "Mr. Ren asked for it, and I must respect his wishes."
Lina, looking at Ren with a mixture of frustration and anger, says, "Ren, you can't do this. If you do this... I'll be mad at you."
Ren sighs, a small smile playing on his lips. "Alright, alright. Don't do it, Caldwell."
Caldwell nods, hiding his amusement. "As you wish, Mr. Ren."
After dinner, Caldwell leads Ren to a private room, away from the others. The lavish surroundings don't matter to Ren anyway. And he wanted to have a private talk with Caldwell as well, ask him how much he knows.
Ren's laid-back attitude fades as he steps into the room behind Caldwell.
Once the door closes, Ren faces Caldwell, his expression darkening. Before Caldwell can say anything, Ren speaks with coldness dripping from his eyes.
"So, what do you know about me?"
Caldwell immediately tenses, realizing the shift in Ren's demeanor.
"M-Mr. Ren, please... forgive me, but... I was conscious during the rescue. I... saw things."
Ren's eyes narrow as he suddenly lifts Caldwell off the ground using telekinesis, his voice low and dangerous.
"So you know. That's bad news for you. Now I have to get rid of you. Give me one reason not to erase you and this place right now."
Caldwell's eyes widen in terror, his voice shaking. "P-Please, Mr. Ren, I... I have no ill intentions! I'm a businessman. I only seek to establish a connection with you."
Ren tightens his grip, "A connection, huh? And what makes you think you would be of help to me?... You are just a mortal, nothing more."
Caldwell, frightened. "I... I have massive wealth and connections. I can surely be of some help to you."
Ren thinks, looking at Caldwell, "he sure is wealthy, and I can surely use him. So, I should bluff even more."
"You are just a mortal. Once you die, it's over for you, unlike me." Ren just bluffs to make his impression even bigger.
Caldwell, on the other hand, gets even more excited and terrified of the being standing before him.
"What does he mean unlike me? Is he also some immortal or something?" Caldwell thinks.
"My lord, I want prosperity for my family. I'll do anything in my power to be of help to you. I would never dare go against someone like you. So please,"
Ren studies him for a moment before relaxing slightly. He lets him down gently.
"Fine. You can stay in contact with me—because you made Lina smile."
Caldwell, still trembling, "Thank you, Mr. Ren. Thank you so much."
Ren thinks for a moment, then says, "Give me your contact. I'll add you to the group."
Caldwell blinks in surprise. The group? His mind races. Are there more people like him?
Quickly, Caldwell hands Ren his business card, still in shock. Ren pockets it and smirks. "Now smile. I don't want Lina worrying."
They then leave the room, both smiling as they rejoin the others, though the tension between them remains