Inside the back room, the atmosphere had softened after the formal rituals earlier that morning. Anh ?ào and Anh Ph??ng were helping Anh Th? change into more comfortable clothes. The soft rustling of silk fabric contrasted with the bustle outside.

  Just as everything was settled, Mrs. Nguy?t walked in, holding a plate of still-warm pastries:

  – “Eat a little so you don’t get hungry. And Anh Th?, stay here and rest. This afternoon we’ll go straight to the restaurant. Tomorrow morning, you and Huy will return to your parents’ house.”

  Anh Th? nodded lightly, her expression clearly relaxing:

  – “Yes, then I’ll stay here for one night.”

  In the corner of the room, Mary was carefully arranging the wedding dress suitcase, laying each layer of fabric neatly in place:

  – “I’ll leave your wedding dress here. As for the wings, this afternoon Join and I will bring them to the restaurant for you.”

  Suddenly remembering something, Anh Ph??ng turned back and spoke quickly:

  – “Everyone, tomorrow morning is the casting for the representative model. We have to arrive early or it’ll be very crowded.”

  Hearing that, Mrs. Nguy?t frowned slightly in concern, her gaze resting on her daughter-in-law’s belly:

  – “I don’t have any objection to you joining the modeling casting, but you’re pregnant, so be careful when you move around.”

  Anh Th?, usually a headstrong young lady accustomed to being pampered, softened in the face of her mother-in-law’s gentleness and sincerity:

  – “I know, Mom. Huy and my sisters will be going with me, so I feel reassured.”

  ***

  Outside, the guests were gradually leaving. The lively laughter from earlier faded away, leaving only a quiet courtyard with ribbons gently swaying and scattered flower petals on the tiled ground. The house, after the bridal procession, felt as if it had just passed through a large wave and now sank into a gentle calm, leaving behind a sense of fatigue but peace.

  At the entrance of the alley, Erion’s group was preparing to get into their cars. Mr. Tài’s family was also getting ready to head home:

  – “Our family will leave first. Professor and everyone else can head back later.”

  Charles stepped forward and placed a hand on Mr. Tài’s shoulder:

  – “Thank you to your family. By the way, where is Hi?u?”

  Mr. Tài looked around, then laughed:

  – “He and some of Erion’s staff are gathered in front of the aquarium shop.”

  Hearing that, Erion’s voice lowered:

  – “Come back quickly. It’s hot outside. If you don’t come now, you’ll have to take a taxi back yourselves.”

  Right after that, Hi?u and the group of little devils ran over, laughing and chatting noisily. Hi?u happily showed off a bag of newly bought guppies, while the others carried bags of shimmering goldfish:

  – “These fish look great in planted tanks. The subordinates are planning to set up another tank, bigger than the current one.”

  Erion curled his lips, half-joking:

  – “That’s right. Aside from eating and sleeping, raising fish for entertainment in your free time is reasonable. Not like us, working ourselves to exhaustion to make money.”

  Trang smiled and hooked her arm through his:

  – “Just let them be. There’s still space at home to keep them.”

  One little devil standing behind muttered just loud enough for the person next to him to hear:

  – “His house in ?à L?t could fit several golf courses, yet he acts like it’s small.”

  Mr. Tài overheard and was startled:

  – “Huh? A house as big as several golf courses?”

  Din nodded casually:

  – “That’s right, brother. It’s their virtual reality game.”

  Mr. Tài laughed heartily:

  – “Oh, I see. You guys really like video games.”

  Mrs. Nga spoke up softly:

  – “Let’s head back. We still need to go to the restaurant this afternoon.”

  One by one, the doors of luxury cars closed. The convoy slowly left the narrow alley, leaving behind a bridal procession that was both splendid and filled with hidden undercurrents, quietly drifting toward the upcoming banquet.

  Now C?u D?ng and M? Linh were also preparing to leave. Mr. Tín escorted the in-laws all the way to the gate, his tone calm and polite:

  – “Goodbye. Please travel safely with the children.”

  Standing beside him, Huy bowed slightly to his parents-in-law, his manner respectful and proper:

  – “Yes, Mom and Dad. Tomorrow morning, Anh Th? and I will come back to our home.”

  C?u D?ng nodded, his voice steady:

  – “Alright. You two can come back and visit every week. We’ll head home now, brother-in-law.”

  Mr. Tín smiled gently:

  – “Yes, have a safe trip.”

  Right after that, Anh ?ào, Anh Ph??ng, Join, and Mary also took turns saying goodbye before heading out together. As everyone walked toward the entrance of the alley, M? Linh tilted her head slightly and asked her husband:

  – “Is Tú watching the cars at the alley entrance, dear?”

  C?u D?ng nodded lightly:

  – “Our family’s cars are all high-end. If something unfortunate happens, it wouldn’t be good.”

  ***

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, the atmosphere was completely different. Trúc Di?n and Lita were preparing their outfits for tonight’s banquet. Standing in front of the mirror, Lita curved her lips into a knowing smile:

  – “That girl will definitely be there. I want us to wear matching outfits.”

  Trúc Di?n grimaced and let out a perfunctory sigh:

  – “Matching outfits too, my lady? … Fine, you pick whatever you like. I’ll go along with everything.”

  In another room, Phong Túc stood before a full-length mirror, cold light reflecting off every perfect contour. He whispered softly, his voice blending into the darkness:

  – “Just changing the eye color is enough. This face and body are too perfect… but they’ve been hidden for twenty years. Now, I’ll let this world see.”

  ***

  At another luxurious villa, inside a private room imbued with the style of a top-tier businessman, everything radiated cold sophistication. The space was designed with transparent tempered glass, dark finely crafted wooden frames, and glossy marble floors reflecting the warm yellow lights. The minimalist dark walls and clean straight lines created a feeling of both power and solitude.

  Nicolas stood before a row of high-end suits neatly arranged, each one custom-tailored by renowned brands. He tried them on one by one, his gaze meticulous, as if weighing both image and authority:

  – “Tomorrow is the competition. As the owner of the brand, everything must be impeccable.”

  Downstairs in the living room, Grimm and Kane sat in front of a large screen, scrolling through countless online profiles of girls who had registered to participate. The number kept increasing as portrait photos appeared one after another. Grimm yawned and leaned back in his chair:

  – “These girls actually look pretty decent, yet the boss still says none of them suit his taste.”

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  Kane curled his lips, his hand still moving the mouse:

  – “If it’s his taste, he should go find them himself. I’m not him, how would I know what he wants?”

  When they scrolled to a familiar profile, Grimm suddenly paused:

  – “Huh… this girl with red highlights, she registered for the competition, but is she attending a wedding today?”

  He frowned and looked more closely, then shook his head:

  – “But hair dyed blue and red like this… it’s really unpleasant to look at. It’s like some kind of party girl.”

  Kane glanced at the screen and gave a quick assessment:

  – “Her face is actually decent. If she changed her hairstyle, she’d look better right away. Leaving it like this, it’s normal for the boss to dislike it.”

  Scrolling a few more images, a photo appeared showing that girl standing next to Trang. Grimm scratched his chin and tilted his head slightly:

  – “The girl standing next to her looks okay too. But why is her makeup so light, it’s almost like there’s none at all.”

  Kane shrugged, sounding indifferent:

  – “Forget it. The boss doesn’t like plain faces without makeup. Besides, she didn’t even submit an application. Why bother paying attention?”

  Grimm nodded, chuckling at himself:

  – “Yeah, right. I’m sitting here judging someone who isn’t even participating. What a waste of time. A cosmetics brand owner not noticing girls who don’t use makeup — makes perfect sense.”

  As Nicolas stepped down the stone-paved stairs, he faintly overheard the conversation between his two subordinates below. His expression immediately darkened, his voice dropping cold and harsh:

  – “I’m the owner of a high-end cosmetics brand, and you’re planning to look for someone who doesn’t wear makeup and doesn’t know how to take care of her appearance? Are you insane?”

  Grimm flinched and quickly bent forward to explain:

  – “That’s not it, boss. For all the girls participating in the selection, we carefully reviewed their profiles and social media accounts. It’s just that today, one contestant attended a wedding and took a photo with a girl who was almost completely without makeup, so we found it unusual.”

  Kane immediately chimed in:

  – “Besides, people who don’t wear makeup or take care of their appearance usually lack the means… it’s not that they don’t want to. The beauty industry simply isn’t meant for the underprivileged in this market.”

  Nicolas stopped, his cold gaze sweeping over the two subordinates. He nodded very slightly, but his tone remained condescending:

  – “I create cosmetic lines suited for every social class, but quality always goes hand in hand with price. That’s something you two need to remember clearly.”

  Grimm let out a breath of relief, stepped forward, and bowed even lower:

  – “Yes, boss, you’re right. Then let’s just leave it at that. We’ve already arranged the casting venue and prepared a private room for you to rest.”

  Nicolas didn’t answer right away. He walked over to the laptop still open on the glass table. On the screen was a photo of the red-highlighted girl, but as his eyes swept past it, they suddenly froze.

  He stopped completely, his gaze drawn tightly to another face in the frame.

  It was Trang.

  A natural, unadorned beauty, almost completely without makeup. Sun-kissed, healthy skin; balanced features that were neither soft nor weak. Most important were her eyes — deep, calm, and carrying a wild, authoritative presence, distant yet alluring, as if existing outside all conventional standards of beauty.

  Nicolas clenched his fist:

  – “This girl… who is she?”

  Kane jolted and looked back at the screen:

  – “Uh… we don’t know, boss. She didn’t register for the competition. She just happened to take a photo with that contestant.”

  Nicolas dropped heavily onto the sofa, pulled the laptop closer, and enlarged the image. He studied every detail of Trang’s face, his gaze gradually becoming obsessed, nearly losing control:

  – “Why is it like this…” he muttered. – “The person I’ve been searching for all this time. It’s her.”

  Grimm was stunned:

  – “But… I thought you didn’t like girls who don’t use cosmetics, boss?”

  Nicolas’s eyes never left the screen. His voice lowered, carrying a clear obsession:

  – “But this is beauty that radiates from within. Not mass-produced aesthetics. Not a face created by makeup.”

  He lifted his head, his gaze sharp as a blade:

  – “Find this girl immediately. I want to meet her.”

  Kane grimaced:

  – “But… where would we even look for her, boss?”

  Nicolas snapped, his voice filled with contempt:

  – “Why are you two so stupid? She took a photo with a contestant who registered for the competition. Call that girl and ask. You can’t possibly fail to track her down.”

  Grimm stammered, sweat forming on his forehead:

  – “Y-yes… we’ll go right away.”

  The two subordinates hurried out. The room fell silent, with only the soft hum of the air conditioner remaining.

  Nicolas leaned back against the sofa, his eyes still fixed on the image on the screen. A slow, satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

  At last… he had found the ideal image of his dreams — the one he had long desired, even though he himself had never been able to name it until this very moment.

  Inside the small room of the red-highlighted girl, the space was modest but neat and clean. The wardrobe was placed against the wall, and the dressing table was simple yet carefully wiped. Standing in front of the mirror, she was trying on a light chiffon dress in soft colors, preparing for the wedding banquet that evening, when her phone suddenly rang.

  She glanced at the screen, her heart beating faster when she saw the organizer’s number.

  – “Hello, this is me.” — her voice could not hide her excitement.

  From the other end came a man’s gentle, polite voice:

  – “Hello, I’m from the organizing committee of the representative model competition. I happened to see your photo on social media… the one where you took a picture with another girl.”

  The red-highlighted girl paused slightly, then answered honestly:

  – “Yes, she was a guest at the wedding. I just asked to take a photo together.”

  The man continued, his tone somewhat hesitant:

  – “Do you know where she lives?”

  She shook her head instinctively, even though she was on the phone:

  – “No, I didn’t know her before.”

  The other end fell silent for a few seconds, a trace of disappointment passing through, but he quickly regained a professional tone:

  – “Thank you. Please remember to come to the casting on time tomorrow.”

  – “Yes, I remember.” — she replied politely, then hung up.

  She stared at her phone for a few more seconds, feeling both happy and confused, then turned back to the dress in the mirror, unaware that an undercurrent had already begun to swirl toward the person she had appeared with in just a single photograph.

  ***

  At Nicolas’s villa, after the call ended, Grimm and Kane entered with gloomy expressions. Nicolas immediately lifted his head, his gaze sharp and cold:

  – “So? Any information?”

  Kane lowered his head, his voice noticeably quieter:

  – “That girl said… the one in the photo was just a wedding guest. They only took a picture together. She doesn’t know where the other girl is.”

  A flash of anger flickered in Nicolas’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He leaned back in his chair, his voice dropping:

  – “I have to find her. Not just because of her face… but because of that presence and aura.”

  Grimm nodded, seeming to understand his master’s obsession:

  – “I was thinking the same. Or maybe… have a hacker search the internet?”

  Nicolas curled his lips slightly and nodded:

  – “That’s one way. I’ll do it myself.”

  Kane’s eyes widened in surprise:

  – “Boss… you don’t need a hacker?”

  The corner of Nicolas’s mouth lifted, his smile carrying confidence mixed with arrogance:

  – “I am the hacker. Among the royal families of the Dark Planet, everyone is skilled in technology. Even children are trained in IT from the moment they learn to walk.”

  Grimm’s face turned slightly pale:

  – “That’s terrifying… I’ve never been to the planet of Demon King Satan. I’ve only heard rumors from demons — it’s an ancient place, very classical in nature…”

  Nicolas’s fingers had already begun tapping on the laptop keyboard, the screen lighting up with complex lines of code:

  – “But that very place… is the pinnacle of technological development.”

  He paused briefly, his eyes sharp as blades:

  – “Even the inhabitants of planets across the Andromeda galaxy… have to come there to apprentice.”

  The room sank into the steady, cold sound of keyboard clicks. The hunt had officially begun.

  The sky over Saigon had darkened. The last streaks of orange and purple faded behind the high-rise buildings, giving way to night as it settled over the city that never sleeps. Streetlights lit up in rows, neon signs reflected off dew-damp streets, forming a vivid, noisy, and lively picture characteristic of the city at night.

  At Mr. Quy’s wedding banquet restaurant, guests came and went in a steady flow. Luxury cars lined up at the entrance, doors opening and closing amid cheerful greetings. Evening gowns, neatly tailored suits, and sparkling jewelry shimmered under warm yellow lights, filling the wedding banquet with a lively yet formal atmosphere.

  Outside the banquet hall, Huy, Anh Th?, and both families stood welcoming guests. C?u D?ng beamed, bowing repeatedly as he greeted them:

  – “Thank you for coming to celebrate with our family. Thank you very much.”

  Mr. Tín was just as warm:

  – “Thank you. Please come inside.”

  Inside, Anh Tú, Anh ?ào, and Anh Ph??ng quickly guided guests to their tables:

  – “This way, please…”

  – “Please follow this direction…”

  From a distance, C?u D?ng spotted three long-time close friends and walked over:

  – “You guys made it. It’s been a long time.”

  Deep smiled politely:

  – “Work’s been heavy lately, so the three of us haven’t really had time.”

  Ti?n continued casually:

  – “Busy work is a good thing. More work means more money.”

  M? Linh looked around and asked:

  – “Where’s Miss My? Why isn’t she here with Mr. Tu?n?”

  Tu?n replied naturally:

  – “She texted me at noon to pick her up, but she called again earlier and said she’d come with her family, so she told me to go ahead.”

  C?u D?ng laughed cheerfully:

  – “Coming with her family is reassuring too. Go inside, everyone. There’ll be performances later — anyone who sings well can volunteer.”

  Deep waved his hand, laughing:

  – “No, no. If I sing, all the guests will probably leave.”

  At the entrance, Bà Nguy?t saw Erion’s group and Mr. Tài’s family approaching and leaned toward her husband:

  – “They’re here.”

  Mr. Tín reassured her:

  – “Stay calm. They’re not that bad.”

  Up ahead, when C?u D?ng saw the tycoon businessmen, his eyes lit up and his smile grew even brighter:

  – “Everyone’s here. Please come inside.”

  Tu?n subconsciously turned around, his gaze stopping on a familiar figure. A girl who matched exactly the type he had once been drawn to — the one he had met only once in the past. He paused for a moment, then quickly restrained his emotions and spoke politely:

  – “Hello. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

  Erion smiled and answered for her:

  – “That’s right. We met at a café on Nguy?n Hu? Walking Street.”

  Tu?n asked pleasantly:

  – “Right. Are you acquainted with anh D?ng?”

  Din nodded lightly:

  – “We’re his neighbors.”

  Seeing Tu?n’s eyes lingering on Trang, Yin gave a soft cough:

  – “This is my boss’s wife.”

  Hearing that, Ti?n nudged him lightly. Tu?n snapped back to his senses:

  – “Ah… I was rude. Sorry.”

  Trang smiled gently:

  – “It’s alright.”

  But deep inside her, a silent undercurrent rose:

  – “Wasn’t it you who once said I was provincial, of low background, and chose My to strengthen your status? If you’ve chosen the person you want, then hold on tight. Don’t be greedy… or you might lose everything.”

  From afar, My’s family had also arrived. As everyone turned to look, they all froze. Today, My looked as if she were entering a beauty pageant. Her crystal- and bead-embellished evening gown covered her entire dress, sparkling to the point of being blinding. Her makeup was overly heavy, her hair elaborately styled — every detail excessively invested in.

  Chen grimaced:

  – “My god, why is it so over the top?”

  The little imps covered their mouths, giggling:

  – “If it weren’t over the top, it wouldn’t be My the third party.”

  Din, Erion, and Yin looked on with visible discomfort. To them, it was pure ostentation: Hair stiff with gel, a face buried under makeup, an outfit completely out of place, topped off with an overpowering perfume.

  M? Linh froze and whispered to the person beside her:

  – “Is something wrong with Tu?n’s fiancée? I’ve noticed she’s dressing up more and more.”

  Deep gave an awkward smile:

  – “She’s always been excessive. Just ignore it.”

  Anh Th? stood stunned, while Huy didn’t dare look straight:

  – “That’s way too much. She’s got a whole pile of makeup on her face.”

  Mr. Tín lowered his voice:

  – “Leave it. Don’t pay attention.”

  The banquet hall lights still shone brightly, and laughter continued to ring out, but somewhere beneath it all, hidden glances and conflicting emotions quietly intertwined throughout the night.