Aura-Link, The Office Boy’s Rise to Global Supremacy

Chapter 8

The Watchers. They weren't waiting until tomorrow. They were already here. And they knew exactly who Rian was.

"M'lady," Rian's voice trembled as he pointed toward the screen, which was beginning to display geographical coordinates for London being locked onto by orbital weaponry. "We don't have time to get a suit tailored. They just locked a target on this building."

Victoria Sterling didn't waste a second. She snatched a pistol from behind her desk drawer and glared at Rian with a lethal flash in her eyes. "Then show me what that eye of yours can do, Rian. Right now!"

***

The floor-to-ceiling mirror in Sterling Tech's exclusive dressing room seemed to reflect a stranger Rian had never seen before. The young man who usually spent his days with a grimy mop and a blue polyester uniform smelling of cheap detergent was gone.

In his place stood a young man in a three-piece midnight blue suit, handcrafted by the finest tailors on Savile Row. The cut was precise, following the lines of his broad shoulders and lean waist, creating a sharp and intimidating masculine silhouette.

Rian touched the collar of his Egyptian cotton shirt, which felt both incredibly soft and stiff against his neck. A charcoal grey silk tie was perfectly knotted in a Windsor. A mechanical watch worth as much as his flat in Shoreditch weighed heavily on his left wrist. He felt as if he were wearing a very expensive suit of armor, a near-perfect disguise to hide his true identity as a London outsider.

Rian's right eye throbbed slightly, sending a wave of data that began to flood his vision. In the upper corner of his sight, digital numbers glowed in gold, blinking in time with his heartbeat.

[Appearance Analysis: Perfect.]

[Attractiveness Score: 9.5/10 (400% Increase from Janitor Database).]

[Charisma Status: Maximum. Psychological Effect on Target: Intimidation, Attraction, Curiosity.]

"Stop staring at that mirror like you've just seen a ghost, Rian. We're ten minutes late," Victoria's cold voice shattered the silence of the room.

Rian turned around, and the breath seemed to catch in his throat. Victoria Sterling stood in the doorway, wearing a backless black evening gown that showed off her porcelain-white skin. Her black hair was left loose, framing a face polished with minimal but incredibly classy makeup. The diamond earrings in her ears caught the light, reflecting a flash that matched the look in her grey eyes.

[S-Class Target Detected: Victoria Sterling.]

[Loneliness Level: 89% (1% Decrease – Variable: User Presence).]

[Heart Rate: 78 BPM – Slightly Above Normal. Analysis: Hidden Nervousness.]

"Forgive me, My lady. I'm still trying to get used to... all of this," Rian replied, his voice sounding deeper and more stable, thanks to the Aura-Link neural synchronization that was beginning to affect his vocal cords.

Victoria walked closer, a sharp, cold scent of jasmine accompanying her every step. She stopped right in front of Rian, narrowing her eyes as if examining every detail of the stitching on his suit. She reached out, adjusting the pocket square in his chest pocket with a slow and very intimate movement. Her cold fingers briefly brushed against Rian's chest, making the young man's heart race—a change immediately recorded by his own system.

"Remember the role, Rian," Victoria whispered, her voice low and full of warning. "In Canary Wharf tonight, you are not my personal assistant. You are a genius Strategic Consultant I just recruited from Singapore. You're arrogant, you're brilliant, and you're very protective of me. Lord Arthur will try to belittle you, and I want you to strike back without mercy."

Rian nodded, his eyes locking with Victoria's grey ones. "Why are you doing this, My lady? You could have gone alone or brought professional bodyguards."

Victoria pulled her hand back, her face returning to a stiff mask of ice. "Because Arthur is the kind of man who thinks women are just assets to be collected. He thinks that just because our relationship ended, he still has control over my life. I want him to see that I've found someone far superior to him in every way. Let him be jealous until he makes a mistake in our business negotiations."

The black Rolls-Royce Phantom carrying them cut through the wet streets of London toward the elite district of Canary Wharf. Inside the soundproof cabin, the tension was thick. Rian stared out the window, watching the skyscrapers glittering like diamonds in the dark of the night. He felt as if he were headed into a battlefield far more dangerous than the dark alleys of Shoreditch; a battlefield that used words as bullets and social status as a shield.

"We're here," Victoria said as the car pulled up in front of The Plateau restaurant.

The car door was opened by the valet. Rian stepped out first, offering his hand to Victoria to help her out. The touch of their skin sent a small electric jolt that made the Aura-Link in Rian's eye vibrate.

[Physical Connection Detected.]

[System Suggestion: Maintain Physical Contact for an Additional 3 Seconds to Reinforce the Image of a Couple.]

Rian didn't release Victoria's hand immediately. Instead, he tucked her arm into the crook of his, leading her into the building with a stride full of confidence. The restaurant patrons turned their heads, whispers of admiration accompanying their entrance. Victoria seemed a little surprised by Rian's initiative, but she didn't resist. Instead, she leaned closer to him, playing her part perfectly.

The restaurant was incredibly luxurious, with a direct view of the docks lit up by city lights. At an exclusive corner table, a man sat with a glass of whisky in his hand. He looked very handsome in a classic British aristocratic style, blonde hair neatly styled and a conspicuous Rolex watch.

[New Target Detected: Lord Arthur Penhaligon.]

[Status: Aristocrat, Victoria's Ex-Lover.]

[Arrogance Level: 98% (Highly Dangerous).]

[Emotional Status: Dominant, Pent-up Envy.]

Arthur stood up as they approached, a thin, mocking smile etched on his lips. He didn't look at Victoria, but instead locked his gaze onto Rian with a stare that seemed to want to strip away his true identity.