“Hello, ma’am. It’s been a while. How have you been?”“Of course I’ve been well, Chrissy. My, you’re still as handsome as ever.”She always offered such pleasant compliments. I thanked her and smiled politely. She seemed about to say more, but the Prosecutor General interjected first.“All right, let me introduce ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) you to the host. Dear, just a moment, please.”With his wife’s assent, he led me through the crowd. I gave her a brief nod in greeting and followed silently. We wove past small groups in conversation until the Prosecutor General stopped before someone he had been seeking.“Mr. Field, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”At that, a man who’d been chatting over cocktails turned and looked at me. After the Prosecutor General’s brief introduction, he extended his hand in a friendly greeting.The villa’s owner was a famous figure known from television—a vast fortune and eccentric antics that had made him a frequent subject of gossip among high society.“I’ve prepared all kinds of interesting dishes—please help yourself.”He grinned as he spoke. The buffet set up along the garden was lavish and varied, though some offerings were startling—like certain regional insect delicacies.“Sometime soon these will all be staple foods for us,” he said, popping an unidentifiable giant roasted insect into his mouth. Later I learned from the Prosecutor General that the man had invested heavily in insect farming as a future food source. Perhaps this event doubled as a promotional showcase for his venture.Not a bad idea, I thought as I sipped champagne. Though I’d heard about this gathering, seeing it in person was overwhelming. Several celebrities celebrated for recent business triumphs mingled with prominent politicians. A famed racecar driver stood nearby, and I was introduced to a diplomat from a foreign nation. Most attendees were household names, so it wasn’t too hard to match faces with names.“What did I tell you?” the Prosecutor General murmured with a knowing smile. Satisfaction shone on his face—pride in providing a promising junior prosecutor with such an opportunity. I returned his smile.“Thank you. I’m grateful for this experience.”He laughed broadly and drained his champagne. Though I felt awkward at my first event of this kind, it was undeniably fascinating. Without his favor, I might never have known such gatherings existed. Ironically, it probably would have been Doug who’d loved to come—but here I was, and it felt surreal. I popped a shrimp canapé into my mouth.“Here, Hanson! Over here!”A man playing on the lawn called out. In the wide pool several men tossed a ball back and forth. Seeing a notoriously hostile politician rolling a ball and laughing like a child left me bewildered. I thought that if I ever saw him on TV again, this image would flash through my mind—and the thought made me uneasy.I turned to take a sip of my drink and noticed a man grilling sausages at a nearby barbecue. A stack of hot-dog buns indicated he was serving them fresh. No one else seemed interested; the area was empty. Holding my glass, I strode over to the grill.“Hello.”Our eyes met, and he offered a warm smile in return. Though rough-looking, his manner was pleasant. Either on the host’s instructions or of his own initiative, he wore a crisp white shirt that seemed incongruous at such a lavish event; the heat and smoke had dampened it with sweat, clinging it to his frame. Feeling a pang of sympathy, I tore my gaze away from the muscular chest beneath and returned his smile.“Chili sauce, please. Thank you.”He handed me a hot dog, and I offered a polite nod before turning away. At a club, I might have struck up conversation, but this wasn’t the time. I wandered off, taking a cautious bite. Since I’d come all this way, I might as well mingle. Scanning the crowd, I spotted a cluster of men and slipped into their circle.“…so the development potential there is practically zero. I heard Shepherd’s building a new resort—did you look into investing?”“Not really. Shepherd seemed lukewarm. Feels like it’s for personal use, not public after all.”“Huh. You never know what those families are up to.”“We’ll never know in our lifetimes, that’s for sure.”Their sneering expressions weren’t exactly welcoming. I nursed my drink, waiting silently for a gap to speak—when suddenly someone spoke up.“Is Miller not coming today?”At the unexpected name, my hot dog nearly choked me. I swallowed hard to avoid coughing, then realized they were talking about his father, not the man himself. Heart racing, I frowned—why should I care? What was Nathaniel Miller to me?Then his words I’d nearly forgotten flashed into my mind—his cold violet eyes.‘I want to lay you out on the prosecutor’s desk, enjoy my victory inside you.’A shiver ran down my spine. How arrogant a man he must be. Those words had been no invitation—they were a declaration, entirely his own. He’d never asked for consent. No wonder he’d lived his life by his own will alone.Ridiculous nonsense.I felt my brow crease as I drained my drink. There’d be no sleeping with that man—let alone a kiss. Foolish fellow, lost in his own delusions.Just then, I sensed someone’s gaze. I looked up to see one of the men in the group watching me. He stood a few paces away, leaving a respectful distance, and when his eyes met mine, he gave a small, friendly smile and raised his glass in a silent toast.

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