Chapter 266 – I Can Multitask
Two bodyguards flanked her in tailored suits. One held a tablet. The other had a headset that scread "no, you may not speak to the manager because I am the manager."
Lux, half-subrged in mana-filtered water and still reeling from the polite rejections of aphrodisiac-laced juice offers, blinked.
For the first ti in an hour, Lux smiled like he was finally about to diversify his portfolio.
Because he recognized who she was.
Elyndra Vireleth
"Miss Vireleth," he said smoothly, pushing off the pool’s edge and gliding closer to her corner, letting his arms rest on the side ledge. His toned body rose just enough above the water for effect—not too much, but enough for the abs to glisten and the collarbones to remind everyone that bone structure could, in fact, flirt. "I never thought I’d see you here."
Ely’s lips parted in a brief flash of shock. Her hair was tied back into a sleek braid, ears twitching slightly as her posture adjusted from authoritative to almost flustered—but not quite. She held the clipboard tighter.
"I also didn’t realize it was you," she said slowly, voice tighter than usual. "Though... it makes sense now."
Lux arched an eyebrow, smirking. "You say that like I’m the criminal here."
"Half," she replied dryly.
He winced in mock offense. "I’ve done nothing. Yet."
The corner of her mouth twitched. "That’s the part that worries ."
Lux gave a soft laugh and leaned heavier on his elbows. "Anyway. What brings you here? Sunbathing? Mid day inspections? Tax audit cosplay?"
Ely slipped off her sunglasses, revealing bright eyes that narrowed just slightly in amusent. "This place is partially owned by my family’s trust. I ca by to do a routine check."
"Oh?" he said, genuinely surprised. "I thought you only played in the real estate space for retreat hos and zen gardens. You know—’healing architecture’ and ’spiritual alignnt by interior flow’ and all that."
"I do," she said, matter-of-fact. "Spa, pool, and gym are part of that philosophy. Cortisol is a demon too, Lux. Balance is everything."
He chuckled. "Can’t deny that. Though the decor here says ’power and protein powder’ more than inner peace."
Ely folded her arms. Her blouse was a soft ivory silk tucked into high-waisted slacks the color of fresh espresso—minimalist elegance, clean lines, nothing excessive. It made her look like soone who could talk down a war god with a slideshow. Or take over a company by accident.
anwhile, the MILFs were not enjoying the disruption.
"Is she part of the staff?" one of them whispered, not very quietly.
Another scoffed. "Excuse , we were in the middle of a conversation—"
"—he was swimming, not drowning—"
"—we didn’t touch him. Much."
Ely turned to them with the slow, poised grace of soone about to cite legal precedent and make you feel bad about it. "Ladies," she said. "This is a wellness facility. Not a private cabana fantasy. Please refrain from unsolicited contact with other guests unless consent has been explicitly given and acknowledged."
Her tone was velvet-wrapped steel.
Several won blinked. One gave a tiny hmph and crossed her arms. Another sighed and said, "Fine."
"Whatever," a third muttered. "He wasn’t even that fun."
Lux raised an eyebrow. "I heard that."
She shrugged unapologetically. "Good."
Ely held up her clipboard. "Also. Facility policy strictly limits social engagent in aquatic zones to ten minutes unless registered as a private group. If you’d like to continue, I can book a private lounge with refreshnts and privacy."
That shut them up.
Lux watched it all like a man watching his stock portfolio stabilize after a week of volatility. He leaned in a little. "You really do run your empire like a courtroom."
She glanced at him. "And you run yours like a strip club during tax season."
Lux laughed—genuine, surprised. "I missed talking to soone who can actually punch back."
Ely narrowed her eyes, the ghost of a blush touching her high cheeks. "Don’t flirt with in front of witnesses."
"Fair," he said. "But if I do it with clarity of intention, is it still flirting or just a verbal rger proposal?"
She almost cracked a smile. "Still harassnt."
"Mutual harassnt," he said cheerfully.
The pool grew quieter. A few of the MILFs drifted off, muttering about saunas and skincare. Ely’s bodyguards stayed stoic, clearly used to far weirder boardroom encounters.
Lux exhaled, stretching out one arm on the ledge, eyes half-lidded now that he could breathe again. The ambient music returned to his awareness—strings and soft synths. The scent of jasmine mist floated in from a diffuser sowhere. Everything around him slowly settled.
And Ely?
She sat.
Right at the edge of the pool, slipping off her heels with the kind of efficient grace that scread ’rich elf with generational assets.’
She dipped one foot into the water.
Lux watched, amused. "Joining ?"
"Monitoring you," she replied. "But I can multitask."
He turned to face her more directly, that easy, devil-may-care grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. Water glistened down his collarbones, his chest rising and falling in an infuriatingly controlled rhythm. "You know, if you wanted to see half-naked, you could’ve just scheduled a lunch eting."
Elyndra Vireleth inhaled slowly through her nose. Counted to three. Then to five. Then to ten because, unfortunately, yes—he was wet, half-naked, and giving her a look that had no business being so effortlessly flirtatious this early in the afternoon.
"I heard," she said, voice cool, "from Mira that you had lunch with her yesterday."
"Oh right," Lux said, blinking before tilting his head back against the pool ledge. "I haven’t transferred her the money."
Ely arched a brow. "She treated you, didn’t she?"
"She did," he admitted, letting one hand drift lazily through the water. "But... she also did sothing that made want to pay her."
The words hung there like the scent of perfu on a luxury contract.
Ely narrowed her eyes. "Define pay."
Lux turned toward her again, his smirk returning in full. "Pay. With money. Unless she wants a different kind of compensation."
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