I had overestimated what I could do at this party. I also misjudged the value of the participants of said party. After the first man had approached me, a steady stream of ogling men and chittering women approached me for small chat and of course, leering.

  It seems, the rumors had reached some of these people’s ears too, based on the broken chatter from here and there. Unfortunate.

  The men, for the most part held a condescending air about them, especially when the rumor mill churned, and they heard about my occupation. Most of them considered me one of Leo’s conquests, or prospective conquest. For the most part, after a brief chat, I could sway them away from perceiving me negatively, but only just.

  There were a few that showed genuine interest, but they were rare. Making the party not a total loss as I got some names and numbers to squirrel away.

  Universally Leo was panned by the guests, derided, and just generally disliked. After so long, I was beginning to question if Leo deserved all of that hate, but I wasn’t exactly in a position to change minds. At best, I could make noncommittal noises while doing my best not to idly sip at my glass of wine out of boredom.

  It didn’t help that quite quickly, I clued into a very disappointing fact. None of these people truly mattered. Moguls, or rich executives, not a single one of them was such.

  They paraded around with seemingly glamorous attire, but at a glance, they came off as fake. Glittering jewelry, on closer inspection, proved themselves fake. Their dresses and outfits were lacking in taste or had clear signs of not being properly tailored. One couple even still had rental tags on their party attire.

  Which just served to worsen my mood. Ironically, my worsened mood seemed to attract them even more. Like buzzards to a corpse. No, perhaps it was more like visitors to a zoo, gawking at a proud beast and thinking themselves better.

  I wasn’t sure what clued me into that particular nugget. Perhaps it was due to my popularity, as everyone in the party seemed to slowly mill and churn to my location, almost like I was an exhibit at a freakshow. It could just be the blatant replies on, how elegant I looked, or how I held myself. Even as they derided me for being Leo’s addition.

  These people were like apes seeing a human being for the first time, and being looked down on them filled me with the desire to call them out for what they were. Damn dirty apes. At best, they didn’t approach too close. So, at least they didn’t get a good whiff. The deodorizer and perfume did well enough to hide the smell of my apartment building’s public bathroom. But the cloying cologne stuck to me like a fetid cloud.

  I could only imagine that was due to their own insecurity. I wasn’t exactly short, or demure. The heels gave me a bit of height, not much, but enough that most men second guessed standing near me, for fear of being thought short or having their presence dwarfed by my own. As for women? One look at me and they kept their distance, not that it stopped them from chittering and pointing. Not unlike monkeys at the zoo.

  Even then, the gaggle of incomers didn’t slow, if anything, the traffic increased. It took all my strength not to just quaff down my wine and be done with it all. Even then, I was well into my third, and I was beginning to feel a bit more than just buzzed.

  Inevitably, my mind wandered. I could imagine how this would go if I were a man. I had been to many charity drives and galas or been invited to join the rich and famous at parties, as part of my job at my company. Had I been a man, these people would be licking my boot, even with my low position. They would see me as an up-and-coming star. Someone to support, back, a young and hungry lion looking for his next meal.

  In some ways, it helped me recontextualize my previous life. Certain things were expected of me back when I was a child. How to hold myself at an event, how to show dignity and grace befitting the family. All so that I wouldn’t tarnish the family name.

  Then there was my life after, with Alex, on the streets between jobs. Saving up money for college. But mostly, it made me second guess certain events from when I was working with him, my previous boss. That man, I had considered someone I could trust.

  He brought me to such events, no, he made sure I was at them. He was always the center of the party. Bringing people in with his natural charisma. He was always the life of the party… and what of me?

  I always thought that we were sharing the spotlight. Something, I allowed. If anything, I wasn’t upset with it. I trusted him, owed him. Sharing a bit of glory here and there wasn’t a big deal.

  But was that the case, really? Being here, so obviously a sideshow… Was that what I was? A pedigree dog that he could show around to the rich and famous?

  A sideshow?

  The very thought made me sick. Especially when he made attempts for me to connect with woman, usually of the older variety and had me entertain them. I never liked it, but I wasn’t against doing it. After all, it was for the company, for our, my future. Even if they tended to get rather handsy…

  Still, his last words rang in my mind…’You’re Just like me.’

  And perhaps he wasn’t wrong… because as much as he used me… I too was using him, wasn’t I?

  With a sigh, I refocused and reconsidered. As a woman, a lot of the edge was taken away. Men and women both perceived me in a different way, different enough that it was easier for me to separate the sycophants from the intelligent. Far too many people here were satisfied with merely looking down at me, while leering, always the leering. Though, it didn’t seem like any of them were prone to getting a touch in. Not with their wives or dates watching them like hawks. Funny how that works.

  Whereas the few that took a moment to judge my worth without leering, were earmarked for future collaboration. As for those that disregarded me? Blacklisted, or earmarked to be used and abused when the chance arises.

  So, even if I felt like thousands of gazes were searing me alive, I knew, this party was turning quite profitable.

  Just as I was getting into the swing of things, the crowd that had slowly built up around me split. A single man practically cut through the crowd, like an icebreaker ship cutting through ice on the polar caps. A man I recognized at a glance.

  A silver fox, through and through. With silver-grey hair and a well-trimmed beard of the same color. His eyes were like steel, and yet, a gentle smile was on his aged face.

  “Prima!” He practically shouted. His voice though, held an authority that none of the party goers could go against.

  “Mr. Torres.” I replied calmly and extended my hand. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but just like the first time we met, he reached down and grasped my hand, bringing it close. He froze, for an instant, his nose twitched.

  I squirmed just a bit in embarrassment, especially as he finished the motion, planting a soft kiss on the back of my hand.

  “A treasure, as always, and didn’t I mention that you should call me by my first name?”

  “You did, but this is a public venue, Mr. Torres.”

  “It is also my party!” He returns with. “To think, my own son would bring you back to me. Truly, perhaps our fates are intertwined.”

  “As they say, the son of a lion is still a lion, no?” I replied back.

  He laughed, but it wasn’t a kind one. “I truly wonder if that is true, Leo has never truly succeeded at anything and has been a continual disgrace to my name and reputation. And some days, I wonder if he truly is my son.” He says, with an animated sigh. “But let us talk of something else, yes? In fact, I’d like to show you something.”

  “Ah, but of course. You are the host after all.”

  Taking my words as they were, he took my hand and pulled me close. I could feel him shift slightly in discomfort as we walked. Was it the cologne, or… ugh, just thinking about it made me want to curl up in embarrassment.

  “I apologize.” I started.

  “Whatever for?” He answers back. Confident as ever.

  “For being such a mess. I did my best to prepare, but I had such short notice.”

  “Of course, I understand perfectly!” He replies. “I have to say, at least Leo knows who to approach when he needs something.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Then you know?”

  “Of course, I knew the moment he even had that dress ordered. I’m old friends with that tailor, and I always know when Leo orders something for some floozy he picks up off the street. This time though, imagine my surprise.”

  “I can imagine too, though, is it possible you’re being too hard on Leo? He’s proven himself quite capable in the last month.” Though, I had no idea why I was even trying to defend the lout.

  He scoffs. “I’ve known that boy since he was born. He’s never committed or focused on anything. I blame his mother, always coddling him.”

  “Oh? And where is Mrs. Torres?”

  “Dead, unfortunately.” A trace of regret could be felt in his voice.

  “My condolences. I’m sure she was a good woman.”

  “One of the best.”

  We lapsed into silence as we walked. Mr. Torres, was not a good lead. His arm snaked around my waist, pulling me in. His pace, almost too much for me to handle. It took all I had just to keep my feet under me, and if anything, he seemed to pick up pace, forcing me to lean further into him as my only support.

  I didn’t like it. How he barred me in, how every step was made only with his consent. How he led me, took away all agency. As if he were due this. It rankled, it burned. Internally, I could feel my teeth baring, seeking to draw blood.

  Still, I kept my calm. A generous dose of ice kept me from blowing my handle, but the alcohol in my system made that difficult, if not impossible to freeze anything. Especially when it became clear that the man was parading me around, showing me off like some trophy.

  Perhaps Leo’s words had merit, but to be treated like this, a piece of meat? I couldn’t even begin to possibly condense all these bubbling emotions into but a single word. But it made for a potent venom.

  It wasn’t long before our tour took a shift. No longer did we walk packed halls, but down a distinctly empty hall. One that led to a series of stairs down into the basement of the mansion. I could tell, at a glance, that unlike most of the partygoers, Mr. Torres was a cut above them. Not truly rich, but he had the bearing of someone that had money for quite some time and knew how to build it.

  Even if his attitude needed work.

  If this truly was his mansion, though it wasn’t the largest or the most ornate, but it held a certain dignity to it. Something that couldn’t just be replicated with money. Something I noted on our little tour round the mansion.

  As we continued, further down another set of stairs, past what looked like a wine cellar, past servers scrambling about. We continued, until we came to a larger wooden door, where a pair of guards stood.

  Though they were dressed in the attire of servants, their bulging muscles were barely hidden under their uniform, neither was their sharp gaze. Without a word, the pair opened the door, a wind blew and, on that wind,

  I smelled blood.

  Going forward, the sounds of cheering. Like I was at a sporting event crashed into my ears. The smell of blood and sand permeated my senses while we walked forward, through a crowd of wealthy men and women. All of whom had their eyes on a singular point.

  The moment we broke through the crowd, I became witness to a strange sight.

  “Fascinating, is it not?” Mr. Torres said. A hint of heat in his voice. His pulse picked up as his heart thumped.

  Before us, just beyond a railing, a floor down, inside what looked like had been an annex of a crypt, were a pair of men. The annex had been filled with sand. Sand that looked like it had seen plenty of blood. The men were both bloody, eyes wide, with bestial grins on their face.

  I stared in awe, and also, shock.

  Why would he show me this? What was the point? Not just that, but wasn’t this illegal? Was he going to silence me?

  I had heard the ultra-rich had certain types of hobbies. Our company had only just started getting involved in them when the incident happened, but even then… I had heard things. Private islands where they hunted the greatest of prey, men. Great feasts and debauched parties that never saw the light of day.

  And that was just scratching the surface. Just rumors I had picked up as we prepared for when our company would finally hit that threshold…

  Inadvertently, even with what little ice I could muster, I gripped onto Mr. Torres with a bit more strength.

  “Are you scared?” The man asked. I didn’t dare look him in the eyes.

  “I’m just concerned that you would show me something like this. I mean, what is this? An underground fighting ring? A fight club?” My voice low, almost, damningly demure.

  “Blood Sport.” The man answered back. “And the reason I’m showing you this, is because I have high hopes for you.” He said, even as I felt his fingers caress the small of my back. Sending tingles up my spine.

  I stared at the pair of men down in the annex as they crashed into each other. They fought, more like wild animals. Clawing and tearing into one another as the crowd screamed and roared. Feet stamped; voices cried out, urging on their chosen fighter. Drinks were waved out.

  “This feels like almost too much, especially when you add in the watch you gave me.” I said, trying to shift away, pull back, but his hold was like iron, and the ice felt so thin.

  “Heh, so you realized?” He said, reasserting his control over my body, and me.

  “A friend told me what it was.”

  “You have good friends…” He starts. “Indeed, it is a heavy investment, but I am a gambling man.” His smile said as much, and his gaze. It wasn’t the gaze of a man looking at an equal… but something, else…

  “Did you know?” I ask. “Or was that too, a hunch.”

  “At first, a hunch. I had a number of reasons for approaching you that day. As a gentleman, as an entrepreneur, and also, as a man.” He let that last part hang before continuing on. But not before once again making himself known, his fingers trailing along my back.

  “It wasn’t until we spent some time together that I was able to confirm my hunch, and I made plans to back you. You held yourself well, and something told me, that you might be a horse worth backing. It was why I used some of my influence to get you placed under my son and either straighten him out or push him out.”

  I winced at that. “Does that make you the CEO of Taurus Company?”

  “No, I’m not. Just a man with some influence in the company.” He said, not quite dodging the question. His grip, loosened ever so slightly.

  “That seems like a heavy price to pay then…”

  “It was, but you’ve already paid me back in spades. Leo is finally doing something, even if he is a failure. And I’ve already started the process of pushing you up.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Your gain is my gain. Simple as that.”

  I pursed my lips, but kept my mouth shut.

  “Does that mean you’re a mage?” I ventured a guess. Pushing past that little masquerade.

  “No, unfortunately…” He says, a bit of fervor in his voice. “I am nothing like them, just a humble magic user.” He pulls out a coin, and at first, it really does look like a normal coin. Up until I see the markings etched into it, a single gem inserted at the center. The marking were intricate, and based on what little knowledge I had, it seemed like a type of protective charm.

  Just my luck to get involved with city politics so soon, but at the same time… I wished I had known sooner. Had I been aware at the start… Maybe I could have leveraged something… Or was this too planned by Usagi?

  “Very well, so why bring me here? What’s the point of this?” I gesture to the bloody men. A victor had yet to be decided, but the climax was approaching, the final clash.

  “I am merely introducing you to how business is done behind closed doors.”

  “What, through a fight, with proxies?”

  “Indeed.”

  “That seems messy.” I say with a shake of my head. “I mean, if you need something done, a couple men, a van, some basic supplies that you can buy from a home improvement store would do the job well enough.”

  He laughs at that.

  “You would be right, but that would lead to madness. Perhaps if we were simple humans, it would work like that but with magic in the mix, it can get messy. Also, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, as one man once said. So, when possible, it’s always better to avoid direct conflicts.”

  Ah, wasn’t expecting that quote from him. I stared down at the fighters, both were tensed. Like an old western at high noon, the pair waited for the final moment. It almost distracted me from the fact that I was more or less trapped… Well… if I wanted to break all decorum, I could maybe break free, but the cost? At least he hadn’t crossed any lines, though, that hand of his was getting awfully close.

  “I can’t imagine.” I state, though, I couldn’t quite complain. No matter how barbaric it was. After all, I wasn’t entirely innocent either. “Though, I can see the merit, so long as everyone plays by the rules.”

  “Indeed, so long as everyone plays by the rules, but thankfully, we have the Board of Executives to uphold the law and order.”

  “Board of Executives?”

  “Indeed, each major company’s executive is on the board. The board upholds the rules and acts as the judges for these little games.”

  “Are they equals then? Because that can be quite messy.”

  “Above the board is the Chairman, and below the board are the shareholders.”

  Mm… I was beginning to get it, though, it sounded absolutely insane. “And, again, how does showing this help me?”

  In response to my question, or as if responding to my question. The pair of fighters launched themselves at each other. A final clash began, blood spilled. In a sudden burst of movement, one of the fighters fell down. Whether they were alive or dead, was left unanswered as a referee stepped forward, declaring the standing man the winner.

  The noise grew deafening, as people roared in victory, as losers cried at their loss. For a long moment, the raucous noise bled everything else away. Only when it started to die, did he answer me.

  “Because, in order to climb to the top, you need a fighter.”

  “A fighter? Presumably a good one.”

  “A very good one, unfortunately, none of the men I have are quite capable of such a feat, but you, I believe you could find someone capable.”

  “Is that another hunch?”

  “I would prefer to call it a prophecy.”

  I let out a small snort. “Regardless, I have to admit, it is better to know this now then later.” Not that I know when or how I will find a proper fighter, or at what level they have to be.

  “Indeed, it is, now… I suppose we should be heading back, it is getting late and my failure of a son must be looking for you.”

  Perhaps it was the wine, no, it definitely was. The ice had long melted into mush. I was probably on my fifth glass by now… Maybe my sixth. Which is why I spoke up.

  “I think you’re being too hard on him.” I said, “Leo is…” I trailed off, unsure how to continue. “He’s trying now at least. That’s as much as I can say.”

  He stiffened a little, but… “His mother used to say the same thing. That I was being too hard on him…” He trails off, “But even if he is finally getting his act together, I know him. I know he’ll find a way to mess up. Which is why, I’m making plans for you to replace him.”

  “Is that so?” I say, feeling a bit dirty for even thinking this was a good thing. Did it really matter though? After all, from the beginning wasn’t Leo supposed to be just another stepping stone to my eventual ascension to the top?

  “Though, I doubt you’ve ever had that problem. Surely, your parents must be proud of you.”

  I didn’t reply. No, if anything, his words dug deep. Deep enough to draw blood. Eventually, he dropped me off at the ballroom, but I didn’t have the energy or will to converse with anyone else, so I made my way out back into the garden where there was a maze, and through the maze towards the fountain at the center. It was an isolated area, with benches and flowing water. The winter night chill felt nice to my burning body.

  The sun had set. The moon is just peaking over the horizon. Not enough to be dangerous, as the area was well lit with ornate lamps. Looking up though, was quite the sight. Stars glittering and glistening. A canvas of light, only for my eyes.

  For a moment, a single moment I was alone. Then… I heard footsteps approaching.