I finished my main course and moved on to dessert, taking my time as I spoke.
"Your company has done a great deal of good," I said calmly. "You've helped people suffering from conditions that couldn't be treated before. You've saved countless lives. Your family must be proud of you."
She looked at me for a moment before answering.
"They are," she said. "But it's simply my nature. Helping people is what I do. I do it to the best of my ability."
I watched her carefully, my expression unreadable as I took another drink.
"I admire that about you," I said evenly. "It's a rare quality. Especially in someone involved in business. Genuine intentions… honesty. Those traits are attractive—particularly in a partner."
"Thank you for the compliment, Ren," she said calmly. "I appreciate your words. I admire how straightforward you are—it's a quality I also find very attractive in a partner."
We continued talking and drinking for some time after that. Eventually, she had me dropped off at my estate.
I bid her farewell and stepped inside.
The moment I returned to the throne room, I sat down upon my seat. Eternal Empress Bai was already there, holding one of our children while two maids carefully carried the other two behind her.
She approached and settled onto my lap, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips.
"So," she said softly, smiling. "How was your day, Ren? I heard you met a very attractive woman today about business. I believe her name was Venasa Stillrose… am I right?"
I looked back at her and shifted, my form slowly returning to my full armour. The weight of it settled naturally around me.
"Yes," I replied calmly. "That was her name. It was… an interesting day. I met her fiancé as well. The two of them are plotting to kill me."
I gave a quiet chuckle.
"Pointless, really. It's becoming rather entertaining."
My gaze drifted to the child in Bai's arms, my expression unreadable.
Liyun, our eldest, curled her tiny fingers around mine, gripping them with surprising strength. She looked up at me, wide-eyed and calm, as if studying my face.
Bai smiled softly beside me.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
"Of course she is," I replied without hesitation. "She's your daughter, my wife."
Bai's smile widened at that. She reached up, removed my helm, and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.
"You always know what to say," she murmured.
She leaned her head against my shoulder as I gently played with her hair. My gaze shifted to our other two children, Meiying and Xueyao, resting peacefully in the maids' arms. Both were fast asleep, their breathing soft and steady.
A rare smile touched my lips as I looked at the three of them—so small, so perfect. Seeing them like this filled me with a quiet warmth I rarely allowed myself to feel.
Bai noticed it immediately. She smiled when she saw my expression, knowing how rare it was for me to show such emotion in front of others. Slowly, she leaned closer to me.
I looked down at her and smiled again, meeting her gaze—those burning phoenix eyes of hers glowing softly as she looked back at me.
"I love you, Bai," I said quietly. "Thank you… for loving someone like me. For accepting my true nature, just as I accept yours in return."
"I love you too, Ren. For all eternity—forever and always, no matter what."
She eventually fell asleep against my shoulder. I quietly signalled for the maids to leave, and they did so without a word. With a thought, I summoned three cribs for our daughters and gently teleported them into place, laying them down safely and soundly, still deep in sleep.
I remained where I was, seated upon my throne, watching over them in silence.
I closed my eyes, and my vision shifted—seeing through Venasa's eyes as she argued with Nelson.
"You idiot," she snapped. "I had him under control. I was handling him perfectly on my own. You had no reason to interrupt my business with him."
Her fists clenched at her sides.
"What were you thinking? I can handle him. I will make him trust me. And once he does… I'll kill him for the Unity."
Her voice was cold, sharp with certainty.
"For a woman who claims to love me," he said quietly, "you rarely show it. Unlike me, who at least tries to show you some affection."
His voice hardened slightly.
"We may be similar in our ambitions… but I'm still human. Your words—sometimes they're too cruel."
"Then why did you interrupt us?" she shot back. "I wouldn't have had to be so cruel if you hadn't interfered."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Can't you handle it when I'm honest about my feelings? Isn't that my way of showing you how much I love you—by showing you who I truly am?"
She leaned closer, her voice low.
"Or would you rather I be dull and easy, Nelson? Is that the kind of woman you want?"
He laughed softly, pulling her closer as she settled onto his lap. His hand rested at her waist as he leaned in and kissed her.
"I'm just being honest myself," he said with a faint smirk. "Would you prefer a dull, easy man instead, my fiancée?"
"Why did you come here at all, Nelson?" she asked coldly.
He smiled faintly. "For the same reason you did. Why not take advantage of the richest family in the world… and then remove one of them?"
His eyes darkened.
"After all, what better target than the descendant of the legendary Black Dragon Emperor?"
"That's why you chose him, isn't it?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," she replied without hesitation. "But I couldn't read him at all. His expression was… empty. Hollow. He only showed emotion when he chose to—like when he smiled at me."
She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"But I do know one thing. He's a very intelligent man. He won't be easy to manipulate… not completely. Still—" a faint smile touched her lips, "—I have enough confidence in myself to try."
I smirked softly, my eyes still closed. Then I opened them and tapped my device, placing the call.
For a moment, I was still seeing through her eyes—but I withdrew from her vision and watched them from my own.
The device rang.
She glanced down at it and answered.
"Hello, Ren. Is there something you forgot to mention?"
"Well," I said calmly, "I've been thinking about agreeing to Nelson's partnership offer. I'm guessing he's with you right now. May I speak to him?"
Her expression changed instantly.
The warmth vanished.
Her face turned cold—utterly emotionless—as she looked at Nelson. Without a word, she handed him the device.
Nelson took it, a slow smirk forming on his lips.
"Hello," he said smoothly. "Eternal Imperial Highness."
Nelson and I spoke for nearly an hour over the device. I explained my reasons for changing my mind, calmly laying them out one by one. He listened without interrupting, a faint smile on his face the entire time.
I was smiling as well.
Across from him, Venasa stood in silence. Her expression had gone completely cold—empty of emotion. Strands of her dark, wine-red hair had fallen across her face, shadowing her eyes. She watched Nelson closely, her gaze sharp and unreadable.
Nelson, meanwhile, seemed almost amused by her reaction. He reached out casually, brushing his fingers through her hair as if testing her patience.
She didn't react.
Not outwardly.
But after a moment, he stopped.
Without a word, she lifted her second device and began typing rapidly. I could see the message as it was sent.
Take me back to Ren's estate. Now. We have to stop him and convince him not to take Nelson's partnership—at any cost.
Her jaw tightened as the message sent.
She didn't look at Nelson again.
She left through the hotel balcony, her private flying vehicle already waiting. It lifted smoothly into the night sky, vanishing between the towers.
Nelson remained seated, watching the direction she had gone with a faint, amused smile.
I spoke first.
"Anyway, Nelson, that's all for now. I'd like you to pass the device back to her—I want to speak with her."
There was a brief pause.
"She's already left," Nelson replied calmly. "Didn't say where. Seemed urgent."
I smiled slightly at that.
"I see. Then it was good speaking with you. I look forward to what we can accomplish together."
"As do I," Nelson said smoothly.
The call ended.
I simply waited for her to come to me—to try and convince me not to accept his partnership, to erase it entirely. The thought made me grin even wider.
I looked down as Bai stirred beside me. She had woken up.
She looked at me for a moment, then smiled knowingly."You're playing the two of them like a fiddle," she said softly. "You're so cruel, husband."
She rose to her feet, signaling to the maids.
"I'll leave you to it then. Goodnight, Ren. I'll see you later… in bed, with the others."
With that, she turned and left, the two maids carefully carrying our children while she held one of them herself.
Not long after, the bell rang.
A low chuckle escaped me as I rose from my seat and made my way toward the entrance. My servants opened the doors without a word.
And there she was.
I pretended ignorance as I looked at her.
"Hello, Venasa. I didn't expect to see you tonight. What brings you here?"
She straightened, her expression composed, her voice steady.
"I came to tell you not to accept Nelson's partnership," she said. "Like I told you before, he may be my fiancé, but he isn't doing this for the same reasons I am."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's only partnering with you because I am. He wants to make sure he gains more than I do… to stay ahead of me."
"I'm sorry," I said calmly, "but I've already made my choice."
I stepped closer, my tone steady.
"Don't worry. I intend to make sure you stay ahead of him. I can tell from your character that you're far more serious about this than he is."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as I continued.
"But that doesn't mean he isn't useful. He has his own value—different from yours. You both have strengths, and I intend to make use of them for our mutual benefit."
I smiled faintly.
"I promise you that."
She stared at me in silence, her expression unreadable.
She looked at me and spoke quietly, but firmly.
"If you say that, then fine. You've convinced me. But don't take back what you said—because if you do, I'll take back every nice thing I said about you at that dinner you took me to."
I smiled faintly.
I spoke evenly, my expression unreadable."Is that all, then? If so, goodnight."
She didn't hesitate.
"No," she said flatly. "It isn't. I'm coming in."
I looked at her for a moment, then let a faint smile form.
"If that's what you want," I replied calmly. "Why would I stop you? After all… it's you."
We sat in my office, the door closed behind us. Just the two of us.
I leaned back in my chair, fingers resting lightly against my face as I poured myself a cup of tea. She hadn't touched hers. Her gaze drifted around the room instead, taking in the walls lined with achievements, records of companies built and crushed, empires shaped under my name. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the floor.
At last, she spoke.
"Since you've decided to take Nelson's partnership," she said calmly, "may I recommend another as well?"
I looked at her, waiting.
"A woman," she continued. "Her business specialises in technology and private military forces. Her name is Alexia Warfare."