Lucian's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked, "Ace, can I ask you something?"
I nodded, intrigued. "Of course, Lucian. What's on your mind?"
Lucian leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "What made you leave the city? You just disappeared, and then...you're a CEO. How did that happen?"
I chuckled, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over me. "It's a long story, Lucian," I said, "but I'll try to give you the short version."
Lucian nodded, her eyes encouraging me to continue.
"I didn't leave the city because I was struggling," I explained. "I was already a CEO, even back then. But I wanted something more - I wanted love. And to get it, I had to act like I was someone else."
Lucian's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean, you pretended to be poor?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yes, I did. I had to convince the person I loved that I was genuine, that I wasn't just some wealthy CEO trying to buy their affection."
Lucian's expression softened. "I see," she said. "And what happened?"
I shrugged. "It didn't work out. But I learned a valuable lesson - that sometimes, you have to be true to yourself, no matter what."
Lucian nodded, a look of understanding on her face.
"As for why I left the city," I continued, "I simply moved to where my company is based. It's a global corporation, and I have to be where the action is."
Lucian's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "And what does your company do, exactly?" she asked.
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride. "We're a multinational conglomerate," I said. "We have interests in everything from tech to finance to real estate."
Lucian's eyes widened. "That sounds impressive," she said.
I nodded. "It is. And I'm proud to be at the helm."
But what Lucian didn't know was that my company's success came at a cost. We'd acquired and dismantled thousands of companies over the years, leaving countless people without jobs. It was a ruthless game, and I was one of the players.
Lucian's eyes sparkled with curiosity, but I could sense a hint of unease beneath the surface. She seemed to be piecing together the fragments of my past, and I wondered what she would do with the information.
As we stood there, the tension between us grew thicker, like a challenge waiting to be met. I knew that I had to tread carefully, to avoid revealing too much about my true nature.
But Lucian's next question caught me off guard. "Ace, how many companies have you...acquired?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of trepidation.
I smiled, trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh, I don't know," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "Thousands, maybe. It's just business, Lucian."
Lucian's eyes widened, and I could see the shock written across her face. She took a step back, as if trying to create distance between us.
"Ace, that's...that's devastating," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "All those people, losing their jobs...their livelihoods."
I shrugged, feeling a twinge of guilt. But I pushed it aside, reminding myself that this was just the way the game was played.
"It's just business, Lucian," I repeated, my voice firm. "You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs."
Lucian's eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, I thought she might lash out at me. But then, her expression softened, and she looked at me with a mixture of sadness and pity.
"Ace, you're a complicated person," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "I'm not sure I understand you."
I smiled, feeling a sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, Lucian could see beyond the façade, to the person beneath.