Later that night, after Selena and Damian had excused themselves and left the restaurant, Lucian remained seated, his expression unreadable as he watched the empty doorway for a brief moment.
Ethan noticed.
Lucian finally broke the silence.
"I want a full background on them."
Ethan turned slightly. "Both of them?"
"Yes," Lucian replied calmly. "Their company. Their investments. Their reputation."
Ethan studied him. "That's not a normal act—even for you."
Lucian lifted his glass, swirling the wine slowly.
"And their personal lives," he added. "Especially Selena."
Maya glanced between them but said nothing.
Ethan frowned. "May I ask why all this interest?"
Lucian's lips curved into a faint, controlled smile.
"I want to know exactly who I'm dealing with."
"That still sounds excessive," Ethan said carefully. "This is business, not personal issue"
"Exactly. And I don't do business without knowing every detail." Lucian said smoothly.
Ethan nodded slowly. "You're considering working with them."
Lucian met his gaze, voice steady.
"Yes , I want to know if they're worth trusting… and worth the risk."
The table fell quiet again, but the decision had already been made.
Lucian wasn't just curious.
He was preparing to reveal secrets. They are not normal partners.
Monday morning , Ethan was sitting alone in his office, screens glowing softly in the dim light. Files were open, reports stacked beside his laptop. He had gone through financial statements, registration records, and investment histories more than once.
Lucian's request echoed in his mind.
Their company was new—registered recently—but the numbers didn't match its age. Within months, it had secured deals with established companies, investments that usually took years to earn. Clean contracts. Strong backing. No legal red flags.
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
"Interesting, Lucian will hear about this" he muttered.
Damian's profile shows what a cautious and clever man he is.
His reputation in the business world was solid—no scandals, no hidden issues, nor rumors of scandals. Everything about him made sense.
Then there was Selena.
Ethan frowned, scrolling again.
There were no interviews. No academic records worth mentioning. No trace of a professional past tied clearly to her name. No family background, no public history beyond her recent appearance beside Damian.
Nothing before that.
He checked databases. Social records. Private networks.
Still nothing.
"That's… strange," Ethan said quietly.
Not even rumors.
No one knew where she came from. No one could explain how she moved so easy in high-level negotiations. No one could point to a past that justified her confidence, her intelligence, her presence.
Ethan closed the file slowly.
"It's like she appeared out of nowhere."
For the first time since Lucian had asked for the investigation, Ethan felt an itch of unease.
Damian made sense.
The company made sense.
But Selena?
She was a blank space—and in Ethan's experience, those were always the most dangerous.
Lucian stood by the window of his office, the city spread beneath him in a grid of lights. He didn't turn when Ethan entered.
"Well?" Lucian asked. "What did you find?"
Ethan closed the door behind him.
"The company is legitimate," he said first. "New, but unusually successful. They've secured deals with major firms—clean contracts, no legal shortcuts."
Lucian nodded slightly. "And Damian?"
"Ambitious. Disciplined. Smart," Ethan replied. "No scandals. No hidden disputes. His reputation is solid. Everything about him checks out."
Lucian finally turned. "Then why do you look concerned?"
Ethan hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Because of Selena."
Lucian's expression sharpened. "Go on."
"There's nothing on her," Ethan said plainly. "No professional history. No academic trail worth mentioning. No family background. No public records before she appears beside Damian."
Lucian's jaw tightened. "Nothing at all?"
Ethan shook his head.
"I checked private databases. Social records. International networks. Even indirect references. It's like she didn't exist before this company."
Lucian was silent.
"That's not normal," Ethan continued. "Someone with her confidence, her intelligence—she didn't come from nowhere."
Lucian walked back to his desk slowly.
"So either she erased herself," he said calmly, "or someone helped her disappear."
Ethan met his gaze. "Either way, it's intended"
Lucian allowed a faint smile to touch his lips and said:
"Which makes her the most interesting variable in the equation."
Ethan frowned. "Lucian, this goes beyond business curiosity."
Lucian leaned back in his chair.
"I told you—I want to know who I'm dealing with."
"And if you don't like what you find?" Ethan asked.
Lucian's eyes darkened slightly.
"Then I decide whether she's a risk… or an opportunity."
The room fell quiet, the weight of that choice settling between them.
Ethan, Lucian's lawyer, was getting ready to leave the restaurent with his wife, As he turned to leave, he paused and faced Lucian, his expression serious.
"Lucian," he said firmly, "don't get involved with these people. Something isn't normal. I can feel it—Selena… there's interest there, but she's married, and her behavior is… strange. I don't think she's trustworthy."
Lucian leaned back in his chair, a faint, smile playing at his lips. "I'll see about her," he said smoothly. "I'll investigate. She won't win with seduction. And if I want her…"
He paused, letting the words hang in the air, sharp and confident.
"…she will be mine."
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly, but Lucian didn't seem concerned. There was a quiet power in his certainty, one that left no room for doubt.
Lucian stepped out of the restaurant and walked toward his luxury car, his movements measured and controlled. He slid into the driver's seat, closing the door with a quiet click. The city lights reflected off the polished dashboard as he leaned back, holding his phone in one hand.
After a moment of thought, he dialed a number.
"Jack," he said when his friend picked up. "How are you, my friend?" He waited for a second and
said :"I need information. About a woman."
Jack Blackwood's familiar voice came through, teasing even over the phone. "Lucian… you're a detective now? Or just obsessed with a woman?"
Lucian's lips curved into a faint, confident smile. "Neither. I need details—full background, connections, everything."
He sent Jack a message immediately: her full name and a picture.
Jack laughed softly. "Lucian, my friend… you really are obsessed, aren't you?"
"I'll give you the details soon," Lucian said, teasing, voice calm, almost dangerous. "Do your job."
There was a pause on the other end, then Jack chuckled again. "Alright, alright… you'll have what you need."
Lucian ended the call, slipping the phone back into his pocket. He leaned against the seat for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly, thinking about Selena. Then, with the same composed precision that had defined him all night, he started the engine and headed home.