Chapter 2 I Want Her

"Where's the owner of this place?!" a man roared, his voice thundering through the luxurious karaoke lounge. Several hostesses standing by the walls exchanged nervous glances.

"How can a high-class place like this have hostesses who look like that?!" he continued, pointing at the shocked women with a rough gesture.

A sweating manager stepped forward, trying to calm the situation. "Please, sir... we still have other hostesses. If you'd like, we can replace them."

The man sneered. "For what? They all look just as bad as the last one." His eyes narrowed. "My boss wants to speak directly with the owner. Now."

The manager darted a nervous glance toward a sharply dressed man sitting quietly on the sofa-Neil, the youngest son of a powerful conglomerate family. He hadn't spoken a single word, but his mere presence dominated the room. The manager swallowed hard.

"V-very well, I'll call the owner right away," he stammered, bowing before hurrying out.

"Don't worry, Boss," said the man standing beside Neil-his loyal assistant. "If you're really dissatisfied, we can sue the owner. But so far, this is one of the top-rated places."

Neil said nothing. His eyes lingered on the chandelier above, jaw tight, expression cold and unreadable.

A few minutes later, there was a gentle knock at the door.

Knock, knock.

The door opened, and all eyes turned to the young woman stepping inside. A sleek black bodycon dress hugged her curves perfectly. Her long, wavy dark brown hair cascaded down her back, giving her an elegant yet alluring presence.

"Good evening. I'm Selena, the owner of Selena's Dream. How may I help you?" she greeted with a polite smile.

But the moment her eyes met Neil's, her expression faltered ever so slightly.

God... what is he doing here?! she panicked silently.

He mustn't know that Lena is actually... me!

Neil's assistant shot up from his seat, stunned. "Y-you're the owner?" he stammered. "You're so young..."

Selena responded only with a faint smile.

The assistant quickly remembered their purpose. "You see, my boss is not satisfied with the hostesses provided tonight."

Selena's eyes flicked briefly to Neil before resting back on the assistant. "If the women we selected didn't meet your expectations, we can offer-"

"How about you keep me company instead?" Neil cut in, his voice deep and calm. Sharp, yet smooth.

The room went silent.

Neil's assistant froze. Even the hostesses by the door gasped.

"Boss..." the assistant whispered cautiously. "She's the owner..."

"So what?" Neil's gaze pierced straight into Selena, unreadable.

Selena drew a slow breath, forcing composure. "I'm sorry, sir... but I'm not a hostess," she replied softly, though her heart pounded violently.

"Well, Boss, perhaps we should look at others. Maybe someone more beautiful-" the assistant suggested nervously.

But Neil didn't budge. "I want her."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm, final, undeniable.

The assistant began to panic. He knew all too well-if his boss didn't get what he wanted, this wouldn't end with mere complaints. It could turn into something far worse.

"U-uh, Boss, maybe it's better if-"

"All right."

The soft voice cut him off.

Everyone turned toward Selena. Even Neil raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I'll accompany you tonight... just tonight," Selena said with a small smile. "As a gesture of goodwill for this establishment's service."

The assistant exhaled in relief. "Th-thank you, Miss Selena. That... that's a good solution."

Selena signaled for the hostesses to leave. They exchanged uneasy looks but eventually filed out one by one.

Now only the three of them remained.

Selena sat beside Neil, her expression calm though her eyes carefully studied his every move.

"Our boss rarely visits places like this," the assistant tried to ease the tension. "Tonight is special."

"Is that so," Selena replied with a faint smile. "Then let's make tonight memorable."

She picked up the karaoke remote, selected an old romantic song, and began to sing. Her gentle voice filled the room, softening the air that had moments ago been heavy with tension.

The assistant joined in awkwardly, laughing nervously.

But Neil said nothing. His eyes never left Selena. Without a word, he observed her every movement. Deep down, he admitted-this woman was not just beautiful.

She was graceful. Untouchable. Mysterious.

And for some reason, he wanted her-not just for karaoke. But for far more than that.

---

Lena's footsteps echoed faintly along the upper corridor of the grand mansion. Towering white walls lined with golden-framed classical paintings loomed on either side. She muttered softly under her breath.

"God, this house is enormous. If someone got lost in here, they'd never find their way out," she said, glancing around.

She wiped sweat from her temple. The air conditioning was cool, yet her chest burned with unease and anxiety. Since marrying Axel-forced by family pressure-Lena had never truly felt like she belonged here.

Suddenly, from the end of the hallway, a tall figure approached with confident strides. Neil. Again.

Damn it! Not this annoying man again! she panicked silently, quickly lowering her gaze and pretending to study the floor.

Neil walked closer. His steps were so light they made no sound. Maybe he won't even notice me, Lena hoped.

But as he passed by, her relief was short-lived.

"Hey, you..."

Lena froze. Oh God, why is he talking to me?! Her heart hammered in her chest.

Slowly, she turned with a stiff smile. "Yes, Uncle?"

Neil narrowed his eyes. "You're Axel's wife, aren't you?"

"Yes, Uncle," Lena replied, her voice trembling.

"I see... all right then."

Without another word, Neil turned and descended the stairs, his face unreadable. Lena frowned in confusion but didn't dwell on it. She hurried toward her room, desperate to avoid any more uncomfortable encounters that night.

But her steps faltered as the door swung open.

"Ahh... Axel... faster!"

The moans were unmistakable, along with the rhythmic creaking of the bed.

Lena's eyes widened in horror. Right before her stood Axel, entangled with a stunning long-haired woman. The woman's red dress lay crumpled on the floor.

Lena screamed.

"AAAAAAA!"