Phoenix Sterling

We ended up picking a seafood boil restaurant for our lunch. We ordered to servings of mix seafood boil. I saw her rolling her sleeves up and then she even clipped her hair into a bun to prevent her long hair from going near her mouth.

I found her adorable by doing all of these.

When we first met, she gave this badass attitude and even mocked Julie for being a commoner. I judged her badly because of how rude she was when we first met months ago. Our second meeting, she was pretty cold and not friendly. But our third meeting was rather interesting. She showed me how professional she is, not to mention that she's pretty responsible for all my employees.

Now, she's acting all adorable and calm. Pretty different from our first encounter.

She put on the apron to prevent the sauce dripping on her dress. Not only that, she put on the plastic gloves completely ready to eat seafood boil.

"Why are you.. laughing?" She raised my eyebrows when I chuckled looking at her. I didn't even realize that I was laughing at how adorable she was.

"You're so ready to eat." I said and she looked down to her apron and she nodded.

"So.. can you reach your father today?" I asked curiously and she shook her head.

"I don't think he's running away from this case." She sighed and she looked blankly to the table. I raised my eyebrows seeing her reaction on that statement.

"Where did he go?"

"You don't want to know and please let's not talk about my father. If you need anything, just contact me." She said in a sad tone and I nodded. I don't want to be disrespectful to her decisions.

When I was about to ask her, the waiter came with out order. She poured the seafood on the table and her eyes widen. I can tell that she's excited for the food. She grabbed the potato first and ate it slowly since it was so hot.

"This is so good!" Her eyes widen after she took a bite. She was looking at me excited and she even squealed before taking a crawfish. I felt a loud thump on my heart seeing it and I couldn't help but looking at her most of the time.

"Eat up.. it's good." She said as she put a crawfish in front of me. I grabbed it and started peeling it. I took a bite and it was good. The seasoning was so good.

She started peeling some shrimp and eating it deliciously. I followed her pace and started to eat a lot even more. I saw her struggling to crack the king crab. She was trying so hard to use the scissors to crack the crab.

I took the scissor from her hand and the crab too. I cut it for her and thanked me while smiling sweetly at me. She ate it slowly and I couldn't stop being amuse by her.

"How's Finn?" She asked.

"He's doing good with Julie." I said and she rolled her eyes when she heard Julie's name.

"His taste in woman is annoying." She hissed as she kept peeling crawfish and shrimp without eating it.

"Julie is a nice girl, you shouldn't judge her that way." I said as I took a bite of the king crab.

"Don't tell me you like her too? This is not a disney movie where the commoner just gets the prince." She sighed as she looked at the pile of the pelled crawfish and shrimp. She ended up giving it to me instead of eating it.

"I don't like her but she's nice. She might not have all the money in the world like you but she's nice."

"Where did Finn find her? From the streets?" She snapped and I don't really like this side of her. She was judging people really hard.

"Julie is actually my employee." I said and her eyes widened. She was going to say something but she immediately closed her mouth. She ate the king crab again.

"I heard that you're one of the Illicit, is it true?" She asked and I shook my head. No one knows who the Illicit are, people know they exist but never know who's a part of it. We rather stay that way instead of going public.

"Who said that? I mean I wish.. I am." I said pretty much lying.

"I wonder if Finn is a part of it." Finn is absolutely not a part of it. Finn might be my friend but sometimes I don't like him for some reason. He just makes me mad sometimes.

"Honestly, I don't really like someone talking bad about someone so I rather not hear you talking bad about Julie and Finn." I said in a nice tone and she looked at me with an unreadable expression. She ended up keeping eating and peeling everything without stopping or eating.

"I hope we can settle all of this fast, I couldn't stand being in one place with you. We will end up hating and killing each other in the process if we keep meeting up like this."

"We have lawyers." I said simply responding to her rant about hating on me.

"I rather speak to you directly to get this settlement fast." She said in a cold tone. There you go again, she really can make people like her in a second and hate her right away.

"Hello Phoenix." I turned to see Adrian appearing out of nowhere. Some people gasped when they saw him but Lana didn't even react that much.

"Fancy seeing you here." I said sarcasticly.

"You got a friend?" Adrian smirked as he turned to Lana.

"Adrian, this is Lana Castroff. Ms. Castroff, this is my friend Adrian Nielsen." I introduced them both and Lana smiled to him.

"You want to join us?" Lana offered and I can't believe that she's being nice right away. Adrian nodded and sat beside me. He put the plastic gloves on and started eating the peeled crawfish and I can't believe that he can be this comfortable the second Lana offered him to join.

"I'm quite surprise to see a prince going around town." Lana said as he turned to Adrian smiling. I guess she can be sweet to other people except me.

"I was visiting my friend nearby and I saw Phoenix's car." He wanted to see Lana so bad that he stalked me.

"Nice to meet you, Your Highne-"

"Please, I don't like being formal. Just call me Adrian." Smooth Adrian.. smooth.

Lana Castroff

After more than a week investigating all the products, we found no acid on every single product that we launched that day. It was weird for us to see. We did get the medical records of Phoenix's employees for it and they really contains acid inside that product.

I was more than confuse at this point. I even asked my team to check it again but the result was the same.

I walked to Phoenix's office building and his secretary led me his office. I brought the files with me and I saw him having all his lawyers ready. I guess I should have brought my lawyers but let's just see.

I walked in and Phoenix turned to me. He gestured me to sit on the sofa beside him. I took a deep breath and walked towards him. I met his lawyers already and they greeted me politely.

"Ms. Castroff, we already have the exact amount for the settlement." One of the three lawyers said. I nodded and gestured him to continue.

"We want 1 million euros for this." He said and I was not surprise. We're talking about Phoenix Sterling, a businessman and a billionaire who always deal with this things on a daily basis.

"I paid for their hospital fees, I gave them more money for the damage and that cost around fifty thousand euros. I know that your company can't operate well without your employees but one million is too high." I said trying to negotiate with him.

He was about to say something but his phone rang from his pocket. When he saw who the caller ID was, he immediately asked his lawyers to go. He turned off his phone instead and he turned to me.

"Play along and I'll reduce the settlement." He said and as he finished his sentence, someone bursted the door open. Phoenix immediately held my hands tight when I saw 2 women walking into the office.

"Pho-" I'm assuming the woman who is in her 50s is his mother.

"Mother, what are you doing here with Lorena?" Phoenix asked.

"Mrs. Sterling." I smiled to her politely and she rolled her eyes at me. Well that's rude.

"We're having lunch together, Phoenix. Don't tell me that you forgot." She said ignoring me and Phoenix nodded.

"Meet my girlfriend, Lana Castroff. This is my mother and my friend, Lorena." Phoenix introduced me to them.

"I'll be waiting for you at the lobby, we're going to have lunch together." His mother immediately left the room leaving us alone. I pulled my hand away from him and he sighed.

"Stay here for ten minutes before leaving my office. I'll contact you later on." He said and he walked out from the office. I sighed and sat down on the sofa. I have to wait for a solid ten minutes before going out and I don't know why I have to wait.

I took out my phone to check my emails when the door bursts open revealing Adrian. He was surprised to see me in Phoenix's office.

"Hi.." He said as he walked to me giving me a light hug.

"Hi."

"Where's Phoenix?" He asked as he sat on the sofa across me.

"He went out with his mother and his friend, Lorena." I said and Adrian raised his eyebrows.

"That's a definition of a shit show." He chuckled but I didn't respond anything. I checked my watch to see if it's already 10 minutes or not.

"You're waiting for him?" He asked and I shook my head.

"He asked me to wait here for 10 minutes before leaving his office."

"She's planning to marry him with Lorena again." Adrian sighed and I shrugged. I don't really care about other people's business.

"Are you free now?" Adrian asked.

"Why?"

"I was wondering if you want to grab lunch together." He smiled to me and I nodded. "Sure." I got up from the sofa and he walked to the door opening it for me.

"Thankyou."

He forced me to get into his car and his chauffer can take my car to the restaurant. He asked me what I kind of food I like and don't like. Adrian is really sweet and no wonder he got his playboy title, he knew how to pleased a woman.

"What did his mother say when she saw you?" Adrian asked as he stopped on the red light.

"She didn't say anything, I mean Phoenix introduced me as his girlfriend." I said and Adrian turned to me with his mouth wide open completely confused.

"He.. oh no.."

"What? What's wrong?" I asked because his reaction seemed like I'm in a big trouble.

"Did he ask you to be his girlfriend that second only or.. for the rest of.. I don't know..?" He started to drive again.

"That second only, why would I date a guy like him? Even though it's a fake relationship." I chuckled and Adrian laughed.

"I agree, he's such an ass." I laughed more because of his statement and Adrian suddenly gave me his phone.

"We can hang out sometimes, Lana. You're kinda cool." He said and I took his phone from him typing in my phone number.

"You're pretty cool too, I thought you will act like Phoenix since you both are friends."

"No way, Phoenix is an ass. As for me, I have ass." He smirked and I laughed. The tone that he use was pretty much joking around.

"He's a mama's boy huh?" I asked curiously.

"He's not but the only thing that his family wanted was for him to settle down and give them grandkids." That's surprising.

"Where's the fun is that? Settling down? In this young bachelor age?" I laughed at his statement because his own siblings were already settle down except him so I bet he got the same shit from his family about settling down.

"I mean.. if you already meet the right person, why not?"

"That's true but seeing my family act so stupid makes me not wanting to fall in love. I don't want to look dumb and follow my wife everywhere. I don't want to turn myself into a possessive maniac." He hissed and I laughed.

"Well.. I can't wait to see you going through that."

"In my second life, Lana. You'll see me like that in your second life."

Phoenix Sterling

I really hate it when my parents tried to set me up with the woman of their choice. I don't understand why they really want me to settle down as soon as possible when I'm only 26 years old. I'm the youngest out of the Illicit and why am I supposed to be the first one to settle down.

I don't want to settle down.

After I asked my chauffeur to send Lorena back to the hotel, I decided to have a word with my mother.

"You know now that I have a girlfriend so could you please stop trying to set me up with Lorena?" I asked her and she drank her tea slowly.

"Mother, I really like Lana and you can't treat her coldly like what you did in my office. She's my girlfriend so you shouldn't act like that."

"I don't believe you, Phoenix. You asked her to be your girlfriend last minute right? I've been watching you closely these days and you never went out with her." She said and I sighed.

"Mother, I'm still young and I'm not planning to settle down just yet. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not going to.. settle down anytime soon." I said seriously and she suddenly smirked.

"Very well.. we won't force you to settle down but.."

"What? Please don't make me do ridiculous things!" I sighed.

"You know your cousin will have her wedding next week and the family planned to have a vacation together in Maldives. Why don't you bring Lana with you? Let's spend a week together and maybe I'll consider taking my hands off from your love life, darling." No shit sherlock.

"Mother, I'm still young and please stop th-"

"Do you know why me and your father keep trying to set you up with women?" She asked and I raised my eyebrows.

"You want grandchildren and that's it.." I said and she chuckled.

"I'm so thankful for you, Phoenix, my son. You've been working so hard to get where you are now. You've been working non-stop since you're 17 and you've done so much for me and your father."

"You know why I did that." I said and my mother grabbed my hand.

"Yes, you wanted to save your father. You did everything just to keep him alive."

"I can't live without you both so.. it was worth it." I said as I looked down to the plate in front of me.

"You've been working non-stop for the past 9 years and you're a billionaire now. Me and your father really want you to be happy and having a family is the most wonderful feeling ever." She said as she squeezed my hand.

"Mother, I'm happy now. I'll be more happy if you and father stop setting me up with a lot of women."

"If your definition of happy means sleeping around and get drunk, I will slap the shit out of you." There she goes again with her thick british accent.

"Mother, I'm young. You know my friends and I still love working."

"I really like your friends, Phoenix. I really do but the one thing that I hate about them is that.. you all are workaholics and.. playboys.." She sighed and I chuckled.

"You only live-" I stopped when she glared at me hard.

"Why don't you like Lorena? She's beautiful." She asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Phoenix Andreas Sterling!" She hissed.

"She loves my money, mother. I bet she's already plotting how to kill me once you force your son to say I do." She sighed and nodded.

"Very well, I'll get rid of her but.. you have to promise me to bring Lana to Edeline's wedding." She said and I nodded.

"Deal, I'll see you next week then."

After a long lunch and talk with my mother. I went straight back to my office to do my work again. I decided not to think about my mother's invitation for Lana because I rather make excuses than begging Lana to go and pretend to be my girlfriend.

Suddenly my secretary walked into my office and she gave me a report about the investigation for dangerous chemicals in Lana's beauty products.

"Mr. Sterling, we already did the investigation two times to make sure that the ingredients inside those products and the results showed that there's no acid. Mr. Castroff did change some ingredients but it was clear. There's no acid or other dangerous chemicals in those products." My secretary said and I checked the papers to see the results.

"Lana knows about this fact?" I asked and my secretary nodded.

"She knew and her team is still figuring out how that acid could be in those bottles."

"Check their CCTVs and ours, we might find something from there. Please make sure no one knows about this investigation except you, me and the investigation team. I want to know who dares to do this." I said seriously as I read through the result.

"Yes, Mr. Sterling." She said and I gestured her to go out from my office.

"Oh Mr. Sterling, I forgot to.. mention this but Ms. Castroff already gave your employees who got hurt a lot of money to cover their work and the damage that they got. She apologized again yesterday to them."

"Okay, thankyou for letting me know." I said and she smiled before walking out from my office. I turned my seat around and looked out the window to see the beautiful view of the Eiffel tower.

My phone rang and I picked it up right away.

"Hello."

"You're free?" Angelo asked me.

"I'm busy, ask Adrian." I said as I turned my seat around again.

"He's busy dating." I laughed at Angelo's statement.

"Dating who?"

"Lana Castroff." My eyes widen that second.

"He's dating?"

"Yeah, they're having lunch and apparently.. coffee date too." That mother F. I ended the call and immediately dialed Adrian's number.

"Yes, Phoenix my darling." Adrian answered immediately.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the office?"

"You're with Lana?" I asked straightforwardly.

"I told you not to call me that." I heard Lana said in a not so friendly tone.

"I need to talk to you."

"You better reduce that settlement."

"I've got more to offer." I smirked.