The Billionaire's Promise Of Love

The morning sun shone into the dark room, and the melodious sounds of birds singing outside indicated it was a bright Monday morning. A guy was seated on the bed in the dimly lit room, stretching his muscles.

After a few moments, he rose from the bed and made his way to the bathroom to take a refreshing shower. It was a part of his daily morning routine.

Having finished his shower, he descended the grand staircase with purpose. As he approached the dining table, he noticed the maids still meticulously arranging the place settings. His presence was commanding, but it was not lost on one particular maid who had become captivated by his well-chiseled abs. She had become so lost in admiration that she momentarily forgot he was her boss.

The man's presence exuded charisma and undeniable charm. With his lips as vivid as fresh blood, a hawkish nose, well-defined cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes, he seemed almost otherworldly. These captivating blue eyes had the power to shine like evening stars, filled with joy, yet they could also smolder like two liquid-blue pools of fire. The mere thought of being inches closer to him sent shivers down people's spines.

Darius, the man of the hour, interrupted the maid's silent reverie with a sardonic smile and a pointed question, "Are you done admiring the view?" His eyes roamed her body, leaving her flustered. "Yes, sir... boss," she stammered.

His voice turned cold, "Oh, please serve the food since you've finished admiring." The maid hastened to complete her duties, striving to keep her focus on the task at hand and not her charismatic boss.

Darius concluded his breakfast and then headed to the garage, where a chauffeur awaited his arrival. As soon as the chauffeur spotted Darius, he hurried to open the car door, and Darius climbed in, ready to begin the day.

**R&B Company**

Darius arrived at the company, heading directly to his office. Once inside, he settled behind his desk, opened his laptop, and engaged in the tasks of the day. His secretary, Ava, entered the room to brief him on his schedule. However, Darius remained fixated on his laptop screen, only acknowledging her with a nod.

Ava, accustomed to his focused working style, turned to exit the office but was interrupted when a lady entered. Ignoring Ava, the lady went straight to Darius's desk, leaned in, and inquired, "Good morning, how was your night?" Despite her poised demeanor, Darius continued to concentrate on his work, not offering a response.

Unfazed by his unresponsiveness, the lady hesitated, preparing to continue. But before she could, the door swung open, and Cyrus entered the office. Recognizing the situation, the lady decided to make a hasty exit, exchanging polite greetings with Cyrus as she left the room.

Cyrus, observant as ever, noticed something amiss but opted to maintain a cheerful facade as he greeted Darius."If it isn't the shark himself, then who is it?" Cyrus chuckled."You know when trying to be funny, you end up being stupid!" Darius retorted, and Cyrus didn't respond.

He inquired, "What happened between you and her this time?" referring to the lady who had exited.

Darius issued a stern warning, "Don't." Aware of his friend's nuances, Cyrus tactfully changed the subject, revealing, "A young candidate is waiting for you in the conference room."

"I'll be there shortly," Darius assured.

In the conference room, a candidate was in the midst of an interview. Darius, Cyrus, and the board members, all listening intently, observed as the candidate spoke. Cyrus took notes, while others lent their ears.

Once the candidate had concluded, Darius posed a question, "Are you finished? Is this your best?" The candidate nodded. "What is your name?" Darius inquired, fixing his gaze intently on the interviewee. "Ronald, sir," the candidate replied, his voice tinged with confidence.

"Do you believe you were adequately prepared for this?" Darius continued to scrutinize Ronald. "Yes, sir," came the confident reply, along with a smile.

Darius, in no uncertain terms, expressed his disappointment, "I must say, I believe I speak for everyone when I say that this presentation has been a colossal waste of our precious time." The candidate's expression fell, and his smile vanished.

Darius continued, maintaining his unwavering focus on the candidate, "This is, by far, the least promising idea presented to me in recent memory, and trust me, I've reviewed many." Ronald, appearing thoroughly perplexed, attempted to interject, but Darius held his gaze, unfazed.

"One of our board members believes your presentation holds potential and that there's room for improvement," Darius acknowledged, dismissing the board member's opinion as though it were of no consequence.

The room fell into a chilling silence as the interviewee, Ronald, retreated with his documents. Ronald's frustration was palpable. As soon as he was out of sight, an air of tension enveloped the room, and all board members appeared apprehensive.

Darius fixed his gaze on the board member who had challenged him earlier, his intensity palpable. "Have you lost your mind?" Cyrus, seated beside Darius, confronted the situation.

Darius made a decisive move, "You're fired." Then, he shifted his attention to another board member and commended, "In contrast, your idea is brilliant-genius, even."

Attempting to rationalize the situation, Tanya, a board member said "But you said..." before Cyrus cut her off in frustration, insisting, "He said what he needed to say.The guy is so talented that he doesn't even know it."

"Maybe he knows and doesn't know how to pull it off. But we're going to do what we're going to do," Darius said with a smirk as he snapped his fingers with Cyrus.

"So, what are we doing? Are we stealing his intellectual..." the interrupted board member was asking, but Cyrus interrupted her with an angry tone, saying, "We aren't stealing; we aren't thieves. We're just making it our own."

"What's the difference?" she asked, receiving no answers. She turned to Darius, but to her surprise, Darius and Cyrus exited the room, leaving Tanya hanging, wondering about the company's next steps.

Intriguingly, it appears there is a history of conflict between Tanya and Darius that allows her to speak out against her bosses without being dismissed. Darius and Cyrus depart, leaving Tanya with her thoughts.

There was a click of shoes entering the room. All the staff bowed their heads; they dared not look up because Cyrus was second in command to Darius. Cyrus fully entered the room, and everyone greeted him. He nodded as he looked around the room.

Crystal sat in her office, crying profusely. Her office was in disarray, the aftermath of a phone call she'd received. She was crying, her hair disheveled.

Aubrey, Crystal's friend, rushed into the office.She surveyed the chaos and shook her head. She walked up to Crystal, who was oblivious to her presence, and asked, "Crystal, what's wrong? Look at what you've done to the office. What happened?" Aubrey asked with concern.

Crystal broke down in tears."Lu...Lu...Lucas," Crystal muttered, crying. "What happened to him?" Stella asked patiently. "He broke up with me. He said it's over. He said he's done with me," Crystal cried helplessly.

Aubrey cursed under her breath."That son of a b^tch. After all you've done for him, this is how he repays you? He's going to regret ever messing with you," Aubrey fumed angrily.

"Babe, you need to calm down. See, he doesn't deserve your tears. He did what he wanted to do, and you have to show him that you're strong enough to handle it. Trust me, he's going to regret it," Aubrey said, trying to console her friend.

"Why am I so unlucky with love? Tell me, tell me, Aubrey?" Crystal yelled and cried. "You're not unlucky with love. Don't ever say that. Trust me, love will find you by itself," Aubrey said.

But Crystal's next statement shocked her to the core."I'm not even interested in love finding me. I've thought about it. I can never find a man with true intentions, so what's the point? I've made up my mind. I'm not interested in this love thing anymore," Crystal said thoughtfully.

"Why would you say that, babe? You know that's not true," Aubrey tried to convince her friend.

"Love has given up on me, and I've also decided to give up on it too. And don't try to convince me; my mind is made up," Crystal said with heaviness.

"Okay, fine. Just dry your tears. I promise not to talk about it again. I know you're worth more, baby," Aubrey concluded as Crystal wiped her tears."Now, that's the Crystal I know. You're not a weakling," Aubrey cheered her up, and Crystal smiled.

"We've got to teach him a lesson. He messed with me, 'Crystal Chen.' He'll regret ever knowing me. He'll curse the day he met me," Crystal smirked devilishly."That's the spirit, girl," Aubrey smiled, but her face turned cold.

★★★

"Hey, watch it, man," Lucas shouted at a man who almost spilled a drink on him. Lucas was a good-looking guy with killer abs that any girl would fall for. His face had green eyes, a well-sculpted nose, and pink lips that could make any girl beg to be with him. He was currently at the resort with his close friend, Muller.

"Are you out of your mind?" Muller yelled at his friend, who seemed completely out of sorts. "How could you break up with her? She's incredible, she has the perfect body, she's educated; what more are you looking for in a woman?" Muller said.

"I don't love her, and you know that. I dated her for a reason known only to me. I'm done with her, dude. I got what I needed," Lucas smirked.

"But, isn't it wrong? You know that girl loves you," Muller said."Save your story for the gods. I'm not interested," Lucas stated.

★★★

"Are we hanging out today?" Crystal said. Aubrey's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "You mean you want to go out?" Aubrey asked, not believing her ears.

"Yes!" Crystal confirmed. "I thought you were crying a minute ago," Aubrey said, laughing."I'm going to the bar. Are you interested or not?" Crystal asked, ignoring her friend's previous statement.

"No, babe, I won't be going with you. I have a date with Ryan tonight," Aubrey said.

"Are you rubbing it in my face?" Crystal asked. "No, babes, just letting you know," Aubrey said, her sarcasm evident in her voice.

"I recognize sarcasm when I hear it," Crystal said, practically shooting daggers at her. If looks could kill, Aubrey would be dead by now.

"I'm dead," Aubrey said, running out and laughing heartily."I hate you," Crystal shouted after her.

"The feeling is mutual," Aubrey shouted back. Crystal smiled.

Darius stepped out of the company with Cyrus, Tanya was the first person they came across. She was wearing a revealing short blue gown that showcased the upper part of her outfit.She stood in front of Darius, not minding that Cyrus was also present; all she wanted was to understand why Cyrus had been acting cold towards her.

"Hi?" she greeted. However, Darius didn't respond to her greetings as she had expected."Aren't you going to respond, are you? Just like you did in the office, you won't answer me?" She was still talking when Darius walked past her, seemingly ignoring her completely.

Cyrus bid her goodbye and followed Darius, resembling a lost puppy.Darius reached his car, waiting for Cyrus to catch up with him. He had been trying his best not to get Tanya fired.

"Every corner I turn, she's there. You need to increase her workload; she's been acting jobless these days," Darius stated as soon as Cyrus joined him.

"What happened between you two?"Cyrus asked.

"Nothing really. I'm going to the bar tonight; are you in?" Darius asked, attempting to avoid the question.

"Don't avoid the question, man. Or have you mnnnn...?" Cyrus asked with a sly grin."Nope, don't even go there. She's not even worth my bed. Why are you thinking like that, man?" Darius said.

"Take a chill pill, guy. I'm just joking, and I'm only trying to connect the dots," Cyrus shrugged."There's nothing to connect. Are you going with me tonight?" Darius asked, giving him a look that said, "Don't you dare avoid my question."

"I'm going home to the love of my life, my heartbeat, my love, my life, the queen of my heart," Cyrus said dreamily."Uhmmm," Darius hummed."My best friend..." Cyrus continued, but Darius cut him off.

"Now, that hurts. I am your best friend," Darius said, sounding a bit annoyed."Fine, don't kill me with your eyes. But come to think of it, I'll go home and meet my wife, while you'll go to the club or a bar looking for a lady to prey on. Don't you think you need to settle down and stop this playboy act?" Cyrus asked.

"Can you stop these lectures? I don't want commitment, so leave me the way I am. I'm cool with it. I'm going already; do you want to come or keep standing there?" Darius muttered, clearly not interested in the conversation they were having.

"Why not? I'm going with you," Cyrus said, heading to the other side of the car. But what he heard next made him halt his steps.

"On second thought, you should go home to the love of your life," Darius said dramatically."The love of my life won't mind," Cyrus replied, but Darius was already in the car.

"No, she should mind. Adios," Darius said, driving away, not minding his friend who was screaming his lungs out.

**TANYA'S HOUSE

Tanya was wearing a light mini gown and seated in a chair, lost in thought. She was trying to process something in her head, clearly frustrated. Darius had pursued her relentlessly since she joined his company. She played hard to get, wanting to understand his feelings for her. They eventually started a relationship, but after they had been intimate, he had been giving her the silent treatment and ignoring her.

It was driving her crazy because she had fallen in love with him. She tried to figure out what was wrong, but she couldn't come up with any ideas.

"I'm going crazy for this guy; he's driving me nuts," Tanya said, hitting her head and stamping her feet. The glass in her hand slipped and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

**Elysium club**

Crystal glanced up at the club; she knew she wasn't supposed to be here, but she needed to clear her head after the chaos caused by Lucas. She was dressed in a stunning red gown that accentuated her curves, radiating a dangerously beautiful aura. She had kept her makeup simple.

She looked at the club once more before stepping out of her car and making her way inside. She found what she thought was a quiet corner and ordered a bottle of whiskey, pouring herself a small sip.

Her phone began to ring, displaying "Girlfriend," which was Aubrey, her best friend. She picked up the call.

"Don't drink too much there, okay? I won't be around to take care of a wasted somebody. Just a friendly warning!" Aubrey cautioned without giving Crystal a chance to respond before hanging up. Crystal smiled.

She continued to drink, hoping no one would disturb her peace. However, she hadn't finished that thought when a guy appeared and took the seat next to her.

---

Darius entered the familiar bar and went straight to the bartender, requesting a bottle of vodka. He scanned the room for a place to sit and noticed an enchanting woman in a red gown seated in a corner. Without hesitation, he began making his way toward her, contemplating how to start a conversation. He was still deciding when he heard a word from her lips. It was a simple "NO."

He turned to face her, and although she wasn't looking at him, he now knew she was talking to him, so he continued.

"Excuse me," he said, seeking confirmation.

"My answer is NO," Crystal replied, still not turning to face him.

"What didn't I ask?" he questioned.

"If I'm alone," she replied, her tone heated. "So, are you?"

"Doesn't it matter?" Crystal responded with a touch of irritation.

"Let me buy you a drink," Darius suggested.

"Are you blind? I can afford my own. Jeez, what's a lady got to do for some peace?" Crystal said, now fully facing him.

"Stay back at home," Darius smirked, meeting her gaze. He couldn't help but notice her captivating green eyes, and although she was undeniably beautiful, he was focused on other desires.

"A great sense of humor, good for you. I'm sure one of these ladies here will find that charming. I'm not interested," Crystal said, turning away and continuing to sip her drink. The conversation was becoming irritating and unbearable for her.

"How long has it been?" he asked.

"What?" she questioned, confused.

"Since the split," Darius replied.

"You've got quite an imagination," Crystal commented.

"Since you're still hurting, I guess he ended it," Darius smirked. Crystal burst into laughter and said in between, "You don't know me, so stop pretending like you do." She maintained a calm expression.

"I know you're not here to find peace like you claimed," Darius mumbled. "Oh yeah? How did you figure that out?" she asked.

"You put too much effort into dressing. Your attire says it all," he replied.

They continued chatting, and as the night wore on, Crystal got progressively intoxicated. Suddenly, they found themselves in a hotel room, their lips meeting in passionate kisses.

All of a sudden, Crystal pulled back and asked, "What's your name?" Darius answered, "Darius."

"Okay, I'm Crystal. Will you still be here when I wake up?"

"Sure, I will serve you breakfast in bed," Darius assured.

"PROMISE!" Crystal emphasized.

"I promise," Darius said without thinking.

---

At 4 am in the morning, Darius slipped out of bed quietly, dressing without making a sound. He gazed at the lady sleeping on the bed, momentarily lost in her beauty. When she stirred, he snapped back to reality, realizing he should be leaving, not lingering.

Collecting his belongings, he cast one last glance at her, opened the door gently, and quietly exited.

---

**Darius' Residence**

Darius arrived home and collapsed onto his bed, still fully clothed.

A few hours later, Darius awoke in his king-size bed. He headed to the bathroom to freshen up for work. However, as he looked into the mirror, he let out a horrified scream and rushed back into the bedroom.

He stood in front of the bedroom mirror, his hair long and disheveled. Confused and terrified, he began to undress to investigate further.

Panicking, he picked up his phone and dialed Cyrus.

---

"Thank God you're here," Darius said.

"It was you I spoke to on the phone. Where is Darius? Is he okay?" Cyrus asked as he rushed inside the house to meet a lady at the door.

"This is me," said the Darius at the door.

"This is who?" Cyrus asked, looking at Darius from head to toe.

"Darius!!!" He said.

"Oh, geez," Cyrus lamented as he started to head upstairs.

"What are you looking for?" Darius asked.

"I'm going upstairs to look for Darius because, obviously, man, I came all the way from my house," Cyrus yelled.

"This is not a prank, okay? This is me," Darius said calmly.

"Darius!!!" Cyrus hissed.

"Okay, fine, ask me anything," he said.

"Where is Darius? That's the question!!" Cyrus asked.

"This is him, right now," Darius said, almost getting frustrated.

"Damn, it's too early for this, man," Cyrus said.

"Okay, ask me anything that only Darius would know," he said.

"What's my favorite color?" Cyrus asked.

"Cyrus, how am I supposed to know that," Darius was still talking when Cyrus cut him short. "Darius would know that," he said.

"But that's not the kind of discussion that bros have," he half yelled.

"Well, it's blue, just in case you're wondering," Cyrus chipped in.

"I don't give a damn," Darius snapped at him.

"When is my daughter's birthday?" He asked.

"June 7th, same day as mine, are you convinced now?" He asked.

"That's easy, what is my favorite food?" Cyrus asked.

"Oh my goodness, why are you asking me this kind of question like we're in a relationship," Darius snapped at him.

"I don't know, Darius, would you come down and save me from this bullshit," Cyrus shouted as he climbed the stairs.

"Geez, you have a scar on your pecar," he shrugged as he said it. Cyrus stopped in his tracks when he heard that.

"No, I don't. How would you know that kind of thing? What kind of nonsense is this?" Cyrus shouted at him.

"Yeah, last month at the resort, you were dead drunk, and you peed on yourself. I was there. I wish I could erase that memory," he said. Cyrus made a U-turn back to where he was standing and opened his mouth in shock.

"This is me, I woke up like this!" Darius dropped the bomb.

"This is really you, Darius!" Cyrus said.

"Yes, so can you close that big mouth of yours now? It took you hours to believe me," he stated.

"How come?" Cyrus asked, still in disbelief.

---

Back at the club,

Crystal adjusted herself on the bed, reaching for the spot where Darius was supposed to be, but she found nothing.

She sat up abruptly and looked around, realizing he wasn't there. She thought he might be in the bathroom taking a shower, so she listened carefully, but to her surprise, she heard nothing. She checked the table, hoping to find her breakfast, but it was empty.

He had failed to keep his promise to her. She sat up with a cold, deadly gaze, her aura freezing the room.

"Used and dumped" was the only way she could describe her feelings at that moment. She summoned the courage to get out of bed and prepare for work.

---

**DARIUS' MANSION**

"How come?" Cyrus asked, still in shock. He couldn't believe his ears, or maybe they had suddenly gone deaf. It was hard to process that his one and only friend had turned into a woman overnight. How was that even possible?

---

Cyrus was seated in a chair, staring at the lady in front of him.

"Come on, bro, you're making me nervous," Darius said, watching his best friend as he stared at him as though he'd seen a ghost.

"No, bro, it's just that you went to bed as Darius and woke up as Daisy. I'm just wondering," Clive said sarcastically.

"Too soon," Darius muttered, shooting daggers at Cyrus, who was laughing like a maniac. If looks could kill, Cyrus would be dead by now.

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry for laughing, but it is funny, though. But for real, you don't look that bad. You're at least a 6," Cyrus chuckled, emphasizing the word "6" with his hands.

"Nope, I checked myself in the mirror, and I'm at least a 9," Darius argued. "Don't get ahead of yourself, dude," Cyrus cut him short. "Like, have you seen these boobs?" Darius said, pointing to his chest.

"I've seen better. Let's say you're a 7," Cyrus muttered. "Bro, I'm not wearing makeup right now. Wait, why are we talking about this?" Darius frowned.

"I woke up as a woman, isn't it insane?" Darius yelled at him. Cyrus jerked up, not expecting that reaction.

"Hey, calm down. I know there's a good explanation for this," Cyrus said in a low tone. "I don't want an explanation; I need solutions!" he snapped.

"Chill, dude. Let's know the problem first so we can fix it. So, what happened yesterday?" Cyrus asked.

"Yeah, I went out to the usual bar and came back, that's it," Darius muttered.

"There you go, you came back? Just that? And you want me to believe you? Bro, you need to give me the full story so we can get to the root of this," Cyrus said with a worried expression.

"Fine, I hooked up with a lady," Darius said in a low tone.

"That's it. So what happened next?" Cyrus asked. "Does it matter? You don't expect me to tell you everything that transpired between us, right?" he snapped, never breaking eye contact.

"Sure, just that, did you... or was it just a typical night?" Cyrus asked.

"Cyrus, you know I don't do typical things," he said.

"You see, even as a lady, you still don't have sense," Cyrus muttered, not bothering to look at his friend, who was burning with rage, as if he was about to explode.

"So, what's her name?" He asked, still avoiding eye contact.

"Her name, uh mm mm, Cry...stal. Yes, it's Crystal," he said.

"Wait... this lady made me... damn it," Darius panicked.

"Hey, any problem?" Cyrus asked, confused.

Darius began to explain everything that transpired between Crystal and him. He told the story of how he came across her in the bar, how she gave him a tough time, how they ended up in bed, and how she made him promise. He gave every detail.

Cyrus burst into laughter. He knew his friend would one day learn his lesson, but he never thought it would turn out this way. He couldn't control his laughter and let it out freely.

Darius, on the other hand, stared at his friend, who was taking his situation as an opportunity to display his madness. He was fuming with anger.

Crystal got to work, dropped her bag, and tried to start the day's work, but she couldn't. So, she decided to put a call through to her friend Stella to ease the burden.

Stella picked up the call on the first ring. "Hello, babes," Stella's voice sounded through the phone. "Good morning, babe," Crystal replied.

"How was your outing yesterday? Hope you didn't drink too much or cause any drama last night?" Stella bombarded her with questions.

"Which of them do you want me to answer?" Crystal responded.

"All of them," Stella said.

"My outing was good. The answer to the second and third is a capital no," Crystal replied calmly.

"Good? Gist me now. Give your babe the full story," Stella said anxiously.

"My outing was going smoothly until a guy came to interrupt. Wait, why am I telling you this on the phone? If you want the full story, get your flat ass down here," Crystal smirked.

"Okay, I'm coming. I'll be there before you know it," Stella said.

"Such an amebo. Queen of gist," Crystal teased.

"Gist is life, baby girl," Stella replied.

Crystal was about to say something else when the door opened, revealing a guy and a lady who were Cyrus and Darius, respectively.

"I'm expecting you, big head," Crystal said and hung up.

**Earlier that day:**

Darius was descending the stairs in a shirt and trousers, his hair still unkempt but now brushed. Cyrus was leaning on one of the chairs, waiting for Darius. As soon as Darius appeared, Cyrus said, "Do you know what's worse than a low score?"

"I don't know," Darius replied.

"You better find out because that's what you are," Cyrus smirked.

"Why not save the scolding for when I'm back to normal?" Darius retorted. "Better pray that we find her, or else," Cyrus opened the door and left, with Darius following behind.

Darius and Cyrus were seated in Darius's car, driving to Vision Hotel, where they hoped to find answers to their questions and information about Crystal.

"What are you waiting for?" Cyrus asked Darius, who was deep in thought. "I think you should go alone," he suggested.

"Why?" Cyrus asked, surprised.

"Because it's not like anyone is going to recognize me," Darius explained.

"So, you think they'll recognize me? I've never been here before," Cyrus retorted. "It's fine. Just try to convince them. Tell them you work with the police," Darius suggested, his eyes filled with calmness.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Cyrus agreed. Darius was about to say something else when he was interrupted by Cyrus. "Look at you, seems you're beginning to like this new look, or else you wouldn't want it to end soon," Cyrus teased.

"Leave me alone. Besides, it'll seem suspicious when you walk into a hotel with a woman," Darius reasoned. "Oh, that's true. Evelyn has spies everywhere," Cyrus said thoughtfully. "You see, I just saved your marriage," he added. "Hey, hold it," Cyrus said, getting out of the car.

**Tanya's house:**

"Babe, what's all this mess?" Oliver said as she entered Tanya's apartment, which was in disarray. To make matters worse, she found her girlfriend crying like a newborn baby.

Tanya's sobs grew louder. "What happened, babe?" Oliver asked. Tanya began to explain how Darius had been treating her recently. Oliver sat beside her, comforting her.

Darius was sitting in the car, panting like a deer on the run, his eyes darting left and right to check on his friend, who had been inside the hotel for the past half-hour. He wondered if their plan had gone awry, and Cyrus had been caught. He looked at the hotel gate and, at that very moment, Cyrus came out and opened the car door.

"It worked," Cyrus informed as he got into the car. "I told you," Darius replied.

"Yeah, that's true. You didn't tell me she paid with her debit card," Cyrus frowned at him. "Oops, it slipped my mind," Darius replied, hoping that Cyrus wouldn't press further. Unfortunately, he knew his friend too well.

"How did you get her to do that?" Cyrus inquired. "My card got declined, so she had to use hers. What did you find?" Darius smirked and deflected with another question to avoid revealing too much.

"So, I looked her up on social media. Is this her?" Cyrus asked as he showed a picture on his phone to Darius.

"Yes, that's the witch," he said harshly. "Wow, she's cute," Cyrus said, trying to annoy Darius.

"Focus, Clive, focus!" he snapped at Cyrus. "See who is telling me to focus. If you had focused, you wouldn't be in this predicament. Anyway, she works at MK Enterprise, and I know where that is," Cyrus said as he hit the road.

"That's good. Let's start heading there now because I need to get back to being Darius," he said.

**MK Enterprise:**

Cyrus parked the car, and Darius unfastened his seatbelt, eager to rush in. However, Cyrus stopped him.

"Wait, we don't have a plan?" Cyrus asked.

"The plan is for us to go in there and ask her if she had a hand in my current predicament," Darius declared.

"So, we're just going to walk in and ask her that, right?" Cyrus asked, surprised. "Cyrus, I need answers," Darius yelled.

"Then you're not going to get any answers with that attitude, you know that, right?" Cyrus said calmly.

"You know what, spare me that crap, okay? All this rubbish ends now! Let's go," Darius said without giving Cyrus a chance to respond. He followed him inside.

"I'm expecting you, big head," Crystal said and hung up. She gazed at her visitors, who had barged into her office and taken their seats without permission. She watched them sitting there, completely silent, trying to keep her composure.

Finally, she said, "I'm pretty good with faces, but I can't place yours." Darius started to introduce himself, but Cyrus cut in, "We need you to turn him back," Cyrus blurted out without much thought. Darius turned to him instantly and whispered, "Are you just going to put it down like that?" "Someone has to," Cyrus whispered back.

Crystal, who had overheard Cyrus, asked in surprise, "What is this about?" Darius began to explain, but Cyrus interjected, "Okay, you two had sex last night, and he woke up like this!" Darius was still trying to find the right words to respond when Crystal interrupted him.

"Okay, I don't know what you're talking about, but I assure you, I'm as straight as die" Crystal replied.

"Oh, my bad, he had the right equipmen~~~~t when it happened," Cyrus stated bluntly. Darius, shocked, looked at Cyrus with his mouth wide open.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I can assure you I'd remember if I hooked up with a woman, which is something I'd never do!" She snapped back at him.

"Hey, let me make it easy for you, okay? You were wearing a red dress with matching purple underwear, black pants, and you kept saying numerous French words when we were... you know," Darius said, looking at Cyrus for support but immediately regretting it.

"I don't know. You had sex with her, not me," Cyrus muttered.

"Darius?" Crystal asked.

"Right in the flesh, literally," he said, happy that she remembered him but shocked by her next move.

She stood up abruptly and slapped him across the face. "Pa!" Darius's face turned red instantly. Her five fingers left their mark on his face.

"I think I deserve it," he began to say but received another slap.

"How dare you?" She glared at him. "You son of a bitch" she said before Cyrus corrected her.

"Daughter of a bitch" Cyrus added, and Darius cursed under his breath.

"What made you think I have the power to change you back?" Crystal said, but her expression turned to one of worry. "Oh no, this can't be," she said, visibly concerned.

"What do you mean?" Darius asked anxiously.

"My grandmother, she is different," she replied. "Different how?" Cyrus asked.

"She had powers," she said. Darius was taken aback by the words Crystal had uttered.

---

**Lucas Mansion:**

A masculine figure could be seen descending the stairs with a drink in hand, but he stopped abruptly when he noticed an elderly man comfortably seated in the living room. The old man might have heard footsteps because he looked up to meet his son's gaze.

"Son, you're here," Dylan said, smiling, but hidden beneath that smile was simmering anger.

"Old man, what are you doing here?" Lucas frowned, well aware of why his father must be visiting.

"Is that your idea of a greeting? Well, I'll take it as one. I'm fine, son. What about you?" Dylan said, still smiling.

"Get straight to the point, old man. I have no time for small talk," Lucas said, sitting directly in front of his father and sipping his drink.

"Mr. Chen called me last night and said you ended things with his daughter. Is it true?" Dylan asked, already knowing the answer.

"You know the answer already. Why ask? I've already ended things if that's what you want to hear," Lucas said bluntly.

"Then you must be out of your mind, young man. It seems I need to inform you that the lady is your fiancée. The agreement has already been signed, and I won't have you spoil things for me," Dylan half-yelled, finally letting out the anger he had been hiding.

"Old man, I'm done with her, and that's final. As for the fiancée thing, I'm not interested. If it's a must for you to marry her, you can go ahead and marry her for yourself. End of discussion," Lucas declared, standing up and heading to the fridge to get some fruit.

However, the next words he heard made him halt his steps and turn back.

"You can't command me, son. I call the shots, and you will do as I say. So, if you want to disobey, you can go ahead. I will disown you and take away the company from you, period," Dylan said, heading towards the door.

"Is that a threat, old man?" Lucas asked.

"If you can't take it as one, then it is," Dylan said without turning back. He was about to open the door when it revealed a lady.

"Hey, babe," Oliver was still talking when she noticed an old man in front of her with a striking resemblance to Lucas.

"Good day, sir," Oliver greeted.

Dylan looked at her from head to toe before answering with an irritated expression. "Afternoon, whore," Dylan said and walked out.

---

The word "whore" kept echoing in Oliver's head. She tried to push it to the back of her mind, but it seemed impossible. She had just arrived home. Throughout her stay at Lucas's house, she hadn't enjoyed his mood at all. Something seemed to be bothering him. She had merely used her body to please him and left.

She herself was not in the right state of mind. The words that Lucas's father had muttered must have hit her hard, and she couldn't shake them off her mind. She needed to clear her head. She picked up her phone and called Tanya.

"Tanya, let's meet at our usual bar," she said.

"Okay, girlfriend," Tanya's voice sounded through the phone.