***
"Wow!" Chaeyoung exclaimed while looking at herself in the mirror. She never expected that the dress Lisa had given her would be this beautiful. It was a midnight black strapless gown that twirled down into shocks of midnight blue. It was decorated with Swarovski crystals that sparkled like stars, peeping into the indigo horizon. The dress was complemented with a choker necklace, made of glittering black diamonds.
To complete the overall look, Chaeyoung's hair was gathered in a messy French twist and embellished with small diamonds. To say that she looked like a queen was an understatement.
In her gown, Chaeyoung could easily pass as the goddess of the skies.
"You look beautiful." She heard Lisa whisper, as she hugged her waist. Chaeyoung was too engrossed in looking at her own appearance that she failed to notice that her wife was already standing behind her.
Chaeyoung smiled at Lisa before she turned to face her. She looped her arms around Lisa's neck, her gaze never leaving her deep, black eyes. "Happy birthday." She then gave Lisa a black box. "Open it."
The latter instantly opened the box and gave her a smile. "Thank you," Lisa said before she lifted the custom-made watch.
"Check out the engravings at the back" Chaeyoung said while smiling. Then, she watched as Lisa turned the watch around.
"To My Everything and Beyond. Love C." Lisa's eyes sparkled, as she gave Chaeyoung a gentle smile: something that not anyone but only Chaeyoung could see. It was broad, unrestrained. It was as if Chaeyoung just painted a ray of sunshine all over Lisa's face. "Thank you."
In response, Chaeyoung only smiled at her wife before giving her a peck on the cheek.
"Have you received mother and father's greetings?" She asked.
"I did."
"Have you told them about the current situation?"
"Of course not." Lisa smiled. "Though it was obvious that they were worried, knowing that we are literally on the Vercellos turf."
"I also received Grandfather Wang and Uncle Wang's greetings. Even Taehyung has called and asked when he can visit the island." Lisa added. Although no one else from their family knew the extent of their plan, they knew that both Chaeyoung and Lisa were in the country where it was rumored the Vercello Family was living.
In fact, they actually showed great objection about their actions of taking over the Zhou Family's Empire, especially, Old Man Wang and Jackson. Since they both knew about the danger that the Vercello Family could bring onto both Chaeyoung and Lisa.
When Lisa's parents got to know about their plan of taking over Zhou Empire, her mother instantly panicked and suggested to visit the island as soon as possible. They wanted to protect both Chaeyoung and Lisa and for them, the best way to do that was to go to the island and bring their armies with them.
Of course, both Lisa and Chaeyoung immediately declined their generous offer. It was simply because they didn't want to involve their families in the trouble that they were brewing. The duo wanted to make sure that their families stayed safe in Korea.
Although both of them already knew that their families were initially involved in the current matter, both Lisa and Chaeyoung still chose to keep their involvement as less as possible.
"Hmmm, it's better if they stay in Korea while Taehyung, father, and mother stay in Japan to manage our businesses." Chaeyoung said. "Don't worry too much, I am already on the final stages of making the second drone. I am about to finish the new software that I added. I will send it to Japan once it is done. Then, I will ask both of our grandfather's and uncle to move to Japn."
"That's good." She heard Lisa say as Lisa buried her head in Chaeyoung's hair after putting on the gift that Chaeyoung just gave her.
"This watch is just like mine. It can control the Lee Family's space weapon," Chaeyoung said while she held Lisa's wrist. She then slowly pressed a small button on the topmost part of the watch and it instantly changed the interface of the watch.
"I made it simple," she added. "It is just like mine, so I'm sure it will be easy for you to use it."
"Thank you." Lisa said. For her, Chaeyoung's gift was a symbol of Chaeyoung trust.
"Young Miss… Some visitors have already begun to arrive." The couple turned their heads at the same time to Jin who was standing at the door. Both of them instantly turned serious.
"Is everything ready?" Chaeyoung asked.
"Yes, Young Miss."
Chaeyoung nodded at Jin's response before turning her attention towards Lisa.
"Are you ready?" She asked.
In response, Lisa held her hands and smiled at Chaeyoung, "As ready as I can be."
"Then… let's go rule the world, shall we?" Chaeyoung let out a laugh, as they stepped out of the room.
Chaeyoung looked at the elegant venue in front of her. It was originally themed in black and white, however, she suggested to add a tinge of coral in it. After all, they were situated on an island.
The venue was outside of Moon Empire's mansion. With the subtle smell of the ocean and the coastal elements of the black and white design, the venue instantly screamed class and elegance.
She looked at the lush, flower arrangements of garden roses and white peonies which complimented the wall decor that was embellished with black ribbons and sparkling rhinestones. The candles, put on each table, were perfectly made to match the theme, making the vibe romantic and creating a stylish environment.
She could see that many people had already arrived and started talking to each other, creating a lively environment. This would have been the perfect venue for a birthday, if not for the undercurrent that was raging. As everyone, including Chaeyoung and Lisa, was cooking up their own schemes to establish their power in Germany.
When the host of the party noticed their arrival, he instantly announced their presence to everyone, signaling the start of the banquet. Lisa and Chaeyoung's arrival instantaneously attracted everyone's attention. It was mostly because not many people knew that Lisa Manoban had such an outstanding appearance that was obviously above most of the western men who were attending the celebration.
Though most of them had already seen Lisa's photograph, many still find it incomprehensible that she would be a hundred times better looking in person. Of course, many were also sending stares of adoration to the woman beside Lisa Manoban.
Compared to the western beauties at the party, at first glance, Chaeyoung was not the prettiest or the most elegant one. However, if you stared at her longer than a minute or two, then you would realize how outstanding she was. It could even be said that she was comparable to the 'Darling of Germany' Mia Pardi.
Of course, Chaeyoung's presence next to Lisa Manoban also gathered jealousy from women. How could someone, who was not that beautiful, stand beside an outstanding woman like Lisa Manoban?
At first, the murmurs and sneers were not that obvious. However, as more and more women started to pay attention to Lisa Manoban, the offensive remarks and insults started to pour from the guests' lips.
Both Lisa and Chaeyoung were still easterners after all, and most of the time, people from the west would always look down on them. It was true, the party was extravagant and elegant, the invitation was superb too. But all of that was just made to show that Lisa and Chaeyoung held some wealth that was comparable to the prominent families from the west.
"Happy birthday, Ms. Manoban." Nico Ruiz beamed when Lisa Manoban offered a toast to their table. However, he did not make an effort to get up from his seat. The atmosphere instantly turned sour when Mr. Ruiz did not even hold his glass up to make a toast to Lisa.
And just like him, all of the people at his table did not even make an effort to hold up their glasses. They just looked at the couple, their eyes full of ridicule, as their lips curled up into a sneer. Their presence at this banquet did not mean that they had already acknowledged Lisa Manoban's existence. Rather, they were here to show her that she was nothing in their eyes.
Seeing the group of businessmen's rudeness, a flash of indescribable emotion was seen in Chaeyoung's eyes before she put her arms around her woman. Then, she whispered to Lisa, loud enough for some of the guests to hear. "What were you thinking, Lis, offering a toast to the dogs? Surely you know that they can't be bothered with human etiquette, right?" She spoke fluently in a western language, there was not a hint of an accent in her words. Then, she elegantly covered her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter.
The people who heard her instantly turned red as they realized the meaning of her words. Was she calling them dogs? How dare this woman insult them in the face. Nico Ruiz, who was sitting at the front and was nearest to the couple, obviously heard Chaeyoung's remark. However, he only smirked at her.
This woman and Lisa Manoban were still laughing, simply because they didn't know about the events that were going to happen in a while. Nico Ruiz sneered inwardly before downing the glass of wine in his hand. In Nico Ruiz's mind, it was already a celebration of his victory over Moon Empire. After robbing those millions worth of diamonds, he was sure that Moon Empire would be reduced to nothing.
Seeing Lisa Manoban and Chaeyoung's faces only made him more confident. As expected of the people from the East. They were naive and stupid. They did not even know that danger was already looming over their heads.
"You!" A businessman in a blue suit beside Mr. Ruiz got up from his seat and pointed at Chaeyoung. "Are you calling us dogs?" He then glanced at Mr. Ruiz, trying to gauge if his actions impressed the latter. To his disappointment, the latter did not even spare him a glance. He was just leisurely drinking next to him.
How embarrassing!
"Lili… let's go to the next table." Chaeyoung said ignoring the raging man in front of them. In response, Lisa also ignored the man and walked towards the next table, leaving the furious man gritting his teeth in anger. The man was about to follow the couple when he saw Peter Pardi's warning glance.
That's right, he was not supposed to do anything to the couple. Peter Pardi had already sent a word to every prominent family to not ruin Lisa Manoban's birthday. The man furiously sat back and glared at both Chaeyoung and Lisa. The thought of Peter Pardi's warning instantly lightened his mood. Since the latter had warned them not to get involved, it should be because he was already planning to ruin the celebration before the night even ended, right?
After all, Peter Pardi was one of the most influential men present at the banquet.
Suddenly, the man felt goosebumps run all over his body, he then shifted to look at a man, who was dressed in a black suit and was sitting at the last table to his left. The man was just staring at him with a blank look on his face. However, for some reason, he instantly felt that this man was a threat to him.
"Hey… Mr. Ruiz, may I know the identity of the man sitting at the last table to our left? He is wearing an all-black suit with a black tie, the one beside the handsome young man, wearing a maroon dinner suit." He whispered to the old man beside him.
"That should be Mr. Ivan Petrov. He came from one of the old families in Germany. Not many people know him because he rarely appears at banquets like this." Another man answered. "It is known that the Petrovs are enemies with the Vercellos for a long time now. It was even rumored that most of the Petrovs died from the Vercellos' hands not too long ago." The man elaborated in a tone that could only be heard by the people next to him.
Everyone, who heard the man's words, instantly turned their gazes towards Ivan Petrov. They couldn't help but wonder how a man like him turned up at a party like this. He should have had a certain goal for coming to this party.
Could he be looking for an ally against the Vercello Family?
The group of men continued observing Ivan Petrov until the latter noticed their gazes. Ivan only glanced at them before raising his wine glass towards them. Then, he gave them a smile and turned his gaze away from them. He turned his gaze towards Chaeyoung and Lisa who were walking hand in hand towards his table as his gaze turned gentle.
"Thank you for coming. Here is a toast for everyone." Lisa said when she reached the last table with Ivan Petrov.
"Happy birthday, Ms. Manoban. My name is Ivan Petrov and this is my son Alex Petrov. It is a pleasure to meet you." Ivan greeted after downing the glass in his hand. His words instantly surprised everyone, including his people who were sitting at the table with him.
It was very unusual for Mr. Petrov to introduce himself to someone first. He was even smiling amicably at Lisa Manoban while introducing himself. It was completely out of his character.
Even Chaeyoung and Lisa were taken aback by his actions. Both had already heard about this man. In fact, they never thought that he would attend the party. Lisa had only sent out the invitation as a sign of respect towards the Petrovs. He didn't expect any of them to show up and even introduce themselves to him.
Both Ivan and Alexander were known as the golden father and son in the black market. However, it was said that Ivan only revealed himself recently after the death of his wife. With this in mind, Chaeyoung stared at the two handsome men in front of them.
Ivan was as tall as Lisa while Alexander was a little shorter than both of them. However, their looks were as if they were taken straight out of a painting. The father and son looked absolutely stunning. Except for the fact that the duo did not bear any resemblance to each other, the duo did not have any major flaws in their appearance.
Seeing Chaeyoung's eyes linger towards his son, Alex, Ivan instantly explained. "Alexander is my adopted son." He said while smiling at Chaeyoung. "It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Park. I have heard so much about you." He then held Chaeyoung's hand and kissed the back of her palm: a gesture that surprised not only Lisa and Chaeyoung but everyone inside the hall.
According to everyone's knowledge, the Petrov Family had a different tradition. They would never kiss someone's hand if they did not greatly admire the person. The women instantly start wondering if Ivan Petrov might have taken a liking toward Chaeyoung Park. Was that the reason he came to this party?
It was also known that Ivan's wife had just died a few months ago. He could not have possibly attended this party to steal Ms. Manoban's future bride, right?
If so, that would be presumptuous. How could the handsome and single Ivan Petrov take a liking to a woman from the East with an unknown background? Of course, not many people knew about Chaeyoung's achievements since they only took the time to research Lisa's background. After all, this was her party and she was the new owner of Moon Empire. Lisa was the one with the biggest authority on this island.
Chaeyoung instantly felt more daggers directed into her back. Women were initially jealous that she had the opportunity to stand beside Lisa Manoban, but now that Ivan Petrov was also showing that he adored her, some women's jealousy instantly increased by another mile. Chaeyoung could only laugh inwardly at these women's antics.
She knew that Ivan Petrov's gaze contained adoration. Yet, it was a different kind of emotion. She was almost certain that it was not the type that was directed to a lover. Instead, it was like…
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Petrov." Lisa said. She was surprised by Ivan Petrov's action, however, it did not show on her face. She only gave the older man a smile before looking at his son. "Please, enjoy the party."
After engaging into small talks with Ivan Petrov, both Lisa and Chaeyoung bid him goodbye as the entertainment was about to start. After a few minutes, a group of entertainers made their entrance and started performing for everyone.
However, Chaeyoung's mind was already a mess. Her heart was pounding so hard, she could barely hear the music. Maybe she was simply hallucinating just now, but Ivan's eyes were exactly like Henry's. The way Henry looked at her mother was exactly the way Ivan Petrov looked at her. It was so gentle and full of affection. The pull that she felt toward him was also another important matter to consider.
"Lis… do you think that man…" Chaeyoung's words were interrupted by Lisa's nod.
"I think so," Lisa said. "He should come and talk to us before this night ends."
Lisa's confirmation instantly made Chaeyoung smile. However, it did not last long when she noticed another older man also staring at her intently. She glanced to her right and smiled at the old man who was looking at her. From the images, she assumed that this man was Antonio Pardi, her grandmother's husband. Her gaze then traveled to the older woman next to him. This two were not present a while ago, they must have just arrived.
Chaeyoung's gaze lingered towards Natalie, as her smile becomes broader.
To say that she did not bear any resemblance to the woman would be a lie. In fact, the woman looked just like Claire's older vision. Except for Claire's piercing gray eyes, this woman was the exact replica of her mother. She should be Natalie Vercello, the matriarch of the Vercello Family and the owner of the biggest real estate company in the Country.
Seeing the change in the woman's face, somehow made Chaeyoung elated. She might not know the real reason that woman had left her grandfather, yet, she couldn't stop herself from showing resentment to her grandmother.
Claire's words instantly echoed into her mind. Natalie Vercello had left her grandfather for power. Of course, Chaeyoung would not be that naïve to believe her mother, after all, she did not know the real story behind her grandfather and Natalie. However, it did not mean that she likes that woman. To Chaeyoung, that woman was nothing but a stranger. Whatever her reason for leaving her first husband was, be it for power or for protection, that woman was someone that she would not recognize as her grandmother.
If she was one, then she would not have let the Vercello Family do whatever they were doing with those children.
A sudden chill flashed in Chaeyoung's eyes, too quick for anyone to notice. Thinking about those kids that the Vercello Family was experimenting on, instantly affected her mood. This Vercello Family was very cruel, they were almost inhumane.
Of course, Chaeyoung also understood that the Vercello Family was nothing but a group of smart and rich businessmen who would do everything to protect their empire.
Empire.
Too bad that empire was going to crumble in her hands soon.
With this in mind, the smile on Chaeyoung's face became even more beautiful. It was almost blinding. That smile instantly made Antonio Pardi frown. For some reason, he couldn't help but start having a bad feeling because of attending this party.
....