Cassian Virex, the Business Magnate

His voice was gentle—pleasant, even. “My name is Kade. My apologies for disturbing you so late. My boss would like to request a meeting with you.” I got straight to the point. “Who’s your boss?” His smile didn’t waver as he spoke the name with quiet gravity. “Cassian Virex.” My heart skipped a beat. He was the fourth name on the list—the wealthiest one. No wonder the entrance was so over-the-top. I glanced at the hovering airship, then back at the man called Kade. One thing was obvious: I had no room to resist. I let out a quiet sigh. “Lead the way.” I followed him downstairs. The moment we reached the ground floor, I stopped in my tracks. Outside, there were two perfectly aligned rows of black-suited bodyguards—at least twenty of them. I couldn’t help taking a sharp breath. …Wasn’t this a bit excessive? I tested the waters. “All of these… are with you?” He adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, “Mr. Virex instructed that Miss Ashley is a valued guest. Your ‘safety’ must be ensured at all costs.” I went silent for two seconds, then translated that line in my head. Clever. He’s worried I might run, but he phrases it so nicely. As we passed the front desk, I caught sight of the receptionist—the same one who had been yawning earlier. Now her eyes were wide as she stared at me. Her expression was complicated—fear, curiosity, and something that looked a little like envy. I walked over. Pointing upstairs, I said seriously, “I checked in less than an hour ago. If I check out now, can I get a refund?” The receptionist glanced at Kade, then at the intimidating line of bodyguards behind him, and finally back at me—the poor guest stubbornly trying to recover an 80 Pulse room fee. Her expression froze. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Once you’ve checked in, refunds are not available.” I wasn’t giving up. “Half would be fine.” She looked like she was about to break down. “It really… isn’t possible.” I sighed, all the energy draining out of me. With my head hanging low, I shuffled slowly toward the exit. Kade followed naturally. The bodyguards immediately parted in silence, clearing a path for me. I had assumed they’d take me onto the airship—but to my surprise, Kade led me straight across the street, toward the opulent building opposite— “Eclipse Crown.” I couldn’t help frowning. “What are we doing here?” “Mr. Virex is waiting for you in the penthouse suite,” Kade replied with a smile. I paused, a trace of hesitation slipping onto my face as I muttered under my breath, “At this hour… what does Mr. Virex want with me?” Kade took a slow breath. “Miss Ashley, Mr. Virex simply wishes to have a conversation with you.” “Oh.” I acknowledged, then suddenly thought of something and turned to him. “Right—how did you even know I was staying at that little motel? I used a fake name when I checked in.” Kade didn’t seem inclined to hide it. He answered calmly, “That establishment—‘Vian Lodge’—is a property under the Virex Group.” The surprise on my face must have been obvious, because Kade “considerately” added, “This ‘Eclipse Crown’ is also owned by Virex.” My mouth dropped open wide enough to fit an egg. These two… had the same owner? He paused, then continued in an almost offhand tone, “In fact, on planet Y-926, seventy percent of all businesses are either invested in by Virex or directly under the group.” Which meant that on Null Terra, if I walked into a random shop, there was a seventy percent chance it belonged to him. By the time I snapped out of it, I had already been “escorted” into the hotel. Kade stayed close at my side, with two bodyguards flanking us. I didn’t have even the slightest chance to slip away. Soon, we entered a private elevator. Kade pressed the top floor, and the lift rose swiftly and silently. I asked another question. “Kade, I’m still curious. Even if the lodge is yours, how did you pick me out from so many people?” Kade smiled and explained, “Miss Ashley, while you may not have used funds monitored by Aegis Prime, your biometric data is already registered in the federal database. When you enter certain establishments or complete registrations, the system automatically identifies you.” He looked at me, his tone still gentle and controlled. “Combined with your age, gender, and the timing of your appearance, confirming your identity is not difficult.” My heart sank. He added, his voice as calm as if he were stating something utterly ordinary, “Virex’s artificial intelligence is second only to Aegis Prime in data analysis.” I fell completely silent. I had thought I’d been careful—but in the face of this level of power and technology, I was practically transparent. High-tech really is the worst. “Ding—” With a soft chime, the elevator stopped. The top floor. The doors slid open slowly, revealing a luxurious corridor lined with plush carpeting and warm lighting. At the far end stood a pair of heavy double doors, carved with intricate, ornate patterns. Kade stepped aside and gestured politely. “Miss Ashley, Mr. Virex is waiting for you inside.” I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The door behind me closed soundlessly. The room was done in muted gray-blue tones, with a thick, plush carpet underfoot. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched Null Terra’s rugged, chaotic nightscape—its raw, almost violent colors forming a strange contrast with the refined elegance inside. And Cassian was sprawled lazily in the oversized sofa at the center of the living area. He was dressed in dark loungewear, the fabric looking soft, the collar casually open to reveal sharply defined collarbones. His short, deep auburn hair was still slightly damp, a bit tousled. One hand propped against his temple, the other draped over the armrest, his fingertips tapping idly, one beat at a time. At the sound of the door, he slowly lifted his head. I froze for a second—his face was almost unfairly good-looking. Cool, pale skin. A high, sculpted nose. Slightly upturned fox-like eyes, their irises a rare shade of amber, carrying a hint of languid indifference. Who would have thought this man was a top-tier business magnate controlling industries worth trillions? Honestly, that mysterious Aegis Prime really does have impeccable taste when it comes to “matches”—rich, and ridiculously handsome. It’s just… a bit too generous. If there were only one of them, I might actually consider it—date seriously, maybe even think about marriage and kids down the line. …Too bad this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.