CHAPTER 3

Nara laughed and continued dancing on the club floor, taking breaks to drink and then dancing again, repeating the cycle until she felt it was enough.

"Do you want another drink?" Alex asked.

"No, I might get too drunk, and that would be a mess to deal with," Nara said, aware of her limits when it came to drinking. She preferred to drink in moderation.

Finally, they returned to their table. Alex noticed that some people were dancing on tables, in dark corners of the hall, and even on the stairs. Many men here were looking for bedmates, and beautiful women were seeking wealthy boyfriends, whether local or foreign. They also had to be cautious of transgender predators. This place was where people indulged in pleasure. Anything could happen in this club. The only principle here was to have fun and drink responsibly!

Honestly, Alex preferred bars like SKYE, Cloud, Lucy in the Skye, Hensin, J. Sparrow's Bar, or Beer Hall. Occasionally, he still found this club okay. They eventually wrapped up the night and said their goodbyes in the parking lot. Nara and Rikas were already being picked up by their private drivers, while Alex drove to his apartment on his own.

At least, he had fun tonight, momentarily forgetting about his father getting married again. But he remembered Rikas's words about canceling the wedding rather than sharing his life with someone who only wanted to freeload.

So, what now? What should he do about his father's future wife? How could he cancel it? What would be a good plan? Most of them were just after his father's wealth. At worst, they might be trying to manipulate him.

***

Bianca cleared her throat and began to spoon her omelette delicately. She gazed at Mr. Peter in silence, uncertain about what to say. She only ate half of her plate and sipped on the orange juice she had left.

The man before her was Peter Milan. He was a man who owned giant conglomerates in the country. Peter Milan had Lion Group companies under his belt, overseeing several other airline companies like Lion Air, Wings, Batik, Thai Air, and many more that she herself didn't know. His companies operated in three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. He had three children: Alexander Milan, Dario Milan, and Malvyn. She heard that two of his children were in New York, while Alexander Milan was in Indonesia, taking care of the businesses there. He didn't care much about his children; what could they do for their father anyway? The man had fallen for her.

Peter Milan's companies held significant influence in the country. Remarkably, the man before her had expanded his empire to various continents and was highly respected by many. Yes, everyone knew that he was a wealthy widower whose age was far from hers. She didn't care about that. She also didn't care that the man was the uncle of Felix, her client who had once been close to her. What she cared about was how to secure her future by acquiring the old man's wealth.

Perhaps this was the craziest thing she had ever done in her life. Oh well, she was already insane and daring to approach Peter Milan. The old man noticed her and smiled, then calmly took another sip of his juice.

"Will you introduce me to Alexander?" Bianca asked, inspecting her well-manicured nails. This time, she wore nail polish as natural as possible, and her attire was modest. Ever since getting close to Peter Milan, her fashion style had instantly transformed into something more sophisticated.

Bianca knew that conglomerates like Peter Milan didn't appreciate women dressing provocatively and looking cheap. The man preferred women who dressed in classic, luxurious fashion. Since their wealth was in their blood, she had changed all her outfits to get closer to him. She often accompanied him to watch polo matches in Singapore, played golf in the evenings, and attended champagne events on sailboats. Her life, which had initially been that of a high-end commercial worker, had turned into that of an aesthetic woman in the world of conglomerates.

Bianca glanced at the round watch on her wrist. This wristwatch was a gift from Peter, a Hublot 361.PX model, a sturdy and luxurious timepiece with a dark blue dial coated in satin and 18-karat gold, scratch-resistant and anti-glare sapphire crystal. The strap was made of high-quality alligator leather with a deployment buckle. It featured 36 diamonds, each weighing 1.30 carats. It had been her coveted watch for a long time, and she got it for free. Its price was incredibly high, and if she were to buy it herself, she would have to save for several months, even then she'd have to be frugal. The watch showed 3:20 PM.

Peter gazed at Bianca, the beautiful woman who was to be his future wife. They had been close for the past two months, and she had been accompanying him in his daily life. Finally, he had decided to marry her. Their age difference was significant, but it didn't hinder their love.

Bianca smiled. "Is Alexander your eldest son?" she asked because Peter had discussed with her yesterday that he would introduce her to Alexander.

"Yes," Peter replied.

"Where is he now?" Bianca asked, trying to stay calm.

"He'll be here shortly."

Bianca took a deep breath. She actually didn't know what to do. In her mind, she had never intended to meet any of Peter's children because they could potentially disrupt the relationship she had with Peter. She knew that not all of his children were accepting of her presence. They seemed to be more logical about it.

"There he is, he's arrived."

Bianca then shifted her gaze forward. Her shoulders instantly slumped under a weight she knew she had to bear. She reflexively stood up, looking at a man with eagle-like eyes standing there. To be honest, there was no man who could intimidate her. The man didn't say anything, but she knew that he was Alexander, Peter Milan's eldest son. One more thing, the man's body scent was very distinct, a combination of spicy fragrances and tobacco with a warm, spicy touch. It made him appear very mysterious. Oh no! That scent dominated her thoughts.

"Hi, Dad. Sorry, I was stuck in traffic earlier," Alex said.

"It's okay, Al," Peter replied.

Peter glanced at Bianca, who was standing beside him. "Alex, let me introduce you to Bianca, my future wife," Peter said.

Alex smiled, extending his hand to the woman. "Hi, I'm Alexander."

Bianca hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding. She had no choice but to accept the gesture. His hand felt warm, as if an electric current was running through her body.

"I'm Bianca."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Bianca quickly released her hand, but the man held onto it. They stared at each other, and Bianca quickly pulled her hand away.

***