Four

CHAPTER 4

The opening ceremony of the Mall in the city center has finally been completed. Antonio Franches stood with an exclusive audience to cut the ribbon covering the Mall's main entrance. Seven Star Mall. A new mall that would fulfill the expectations of New York socialites.

The Mall owner had borrowed huge sums from Antonio Franches, but it was covered up and manipulated as a 'venture capital fund' system to keep the Mall owner's rottenness out of the public eye. Antonio didn't care about the name. For the forty-year-old, it was all about business. Antonio would receive huge profits from the interest he gave to the Mall owner. He didn't care about the little details that didn't benefit him.

The ribbon was finally cut and the ceremony was over. Meanwhile, Antonio didn't go inside the Mall to be interviewed at the press conference with the city's media, instead, he walked up to Cassandra on the other side and started talking.

"Are you okay?"

Cassandra knew that this was out of her plan, she didn't even expect to show Antonio her torn blazer. "Your watch ruined my outfit, it's fine but it's my favorite blazer."

Antonio considered for a moment, he looked at the blazer that was now in Cassandra's grasp. Cassandra had taken off her clothes, leaving her wearing only a white sports tank top and it allowed Antonio's eyes to clearly see Cassandra's bare, clean shoulders. It was a little tempting, but Antonio tried to restrain himself.

"How about we take a walk into the Mall for a while to find a new blazer for you?" Antonio shrugged, then continued, "I have a debt to you. Isn't it fate that we met here?"

A feeling of excitement rose in Cassandra's chest. Yet she tried to cover her expression with one of indecision. Cassandra raised her face, pointing at Antonio's personal bodyguard who was standing quite far behind with an uncomfortable face. "Looks like... that bodyguard of yours won't be happy."

Antonio looked at Ben, then back at Cassandra. "It was my fault, so I have to take responsibility. Will you?"

This was the moment Cassandra had been waiting for. Cassandra smiled and nodded her head as she said, "All right if you force me."

Antonio led the way, his steps confident and purposeful, a stark contrast to the chaos that enveloped the newly opened Seven Star Mall. Cassandra followed, she hesitated at first but became comfortable a few minutes later. The mall, with its gleaming floors and dazzling array of shops, seemed to come alive around them, the hum of conversation and soft music providing the backdrop for their lighthearted conversation.

As they wandered through the crowds, Antonio's demeanor softened. The businessman known for his relentless focus on profits and deals was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is a hint of genuine concern in his eyes, a side of him that few people get to see. "I must admit," he began, breaking the silence, "this is not how I envisioned spending the mall's opening day. But, I'm glad."

Cassandra, sensing a shift in their dynamic, allowed herself to engage more openly. "Well, I didn't plan on my blazer being a casualty of this opening," she replied with a lightness that surprised even him. "But here we are."

Their search for a new blazer turns into a casual exploration of the mall. With each boutique they enter, the conversation flows more freely, touching on topics from the trivial to the personal.

At an upscale boutique, amidst the soft rustle of luxurious fabrics, Cassandra found a blazer that caught her eye. Antonio watched, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, as he examined the garment with a careful eye. "This one," she said, holding it up for Antonio to see. The blazer was elegant, with clean lines and a subtle sophistication that matched Cassandra's demeanor. As he tried it on, Antonio found himself admiring not only the blazer but also the woman before him.

Cassandra had Antonio intrigued in their second meeting.

"It suits you," he said, his voice carrying a note of admiration.

Cassandra looked at him in the mirror, her reflection framed by the sleek lines of the new blazer. At that moment, the barriers between them seemed to dissolve, replaced by a mutual recognition of something deeper than a simple transaction. "Thank you, Antonio. Not just for the blazer, but for this unexpected day."

Antonio, who was walking beside Cassandra, stopped suddenly, making the woman beside him startle. Cassandra raised an eyebrow, while Antonio muttered at length in front of her.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"I owe you a dinner. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight, Cassandra?"

This was more than what Cassandra expected. The sexy outfit and how professional Cassandra looked in the club, were overpowered by her modesty and innocence in front of Antonio. Antonio smiles, he puts on an almost perfect face if only Cassandra doesn't remember what she approached him for in the first place.

Revenge.

And Cassandra had to get it right away.

Cassandra did not miss the opportunity and immediately nodded her head. "I agree."

The two smiled, without Cassandra knowing that Antonio was not an easy man to conquer, while Cassandra prepared revenge plans for her parent's bad past.

At the dining table of a fine dining restaurant, Cassandra was taken aback. Seafood-themed food greeted Cassandra's blue eyes. It was the first time she could see seafood worth her year's salary. The prices printed on the menu book had already left her speechless, and now... Cassandra could eat it without having to think about how to pay.

Was Fortuna on her side?

Antonio's smile was the thing that always bothered Cassandra, but she couldn't shake it. From the outside, Antonio really does look like an angel without wings, but deep down, Cassandra knows that Antonio is a deadly poison. He was the true angel-faced villain.

"Why are you just staring at these foods? You wanted seafood, so... is this enough?"

Cassandra gasped. Antonio's voice was like music to her soul, soft but intimidating. Cassandra could feel something under her stomach trembling. She swallowed, then said, "O-okay... thanks for the food."

"By the way... only VVIP guests are invited to the Mall opening event. Oh, and some police and media as well. Are you one of them? The police, maybe?"

Cassandra's hands stopped moving. She didn't expect Antonio to ask her that. Her blue eyes stared at Antonio while her lips became frozen. How is this, what should I do?