The rest of the day passed uneventful, as Steven spent it gaming and chatting in the group chat, all in between exchanging a couple of messages with Lena.

His routine was broken in the evening when he received a call from Hargreaves, updating him on the progress on the selection process and that everything has gone smoothly.

He informed Steven that he would send a summary of everything once the deal was complete and the management company has taken over.

Steven thanked him and continued about his day. Or evening.

It continued with the same tempo, then it moved to him talking with Lena over the phone until it was late into the night.

The next morning, he woke up early and went for his gym session, returned and made breakfast, following the same morning routine.

He was gaming when he received the email from Racheal. It was the summary document as she had promised. He went through it and confirmed that everything was it should be, and he nodded in satisfaction.

Luckily, Holt’s representative had agreed on the seven days timeline, speeding things up for Steven.

All he had to do now, was to wait till Thursday for the signing. After that, he would also have to wait for another seven for everything to be finalised, and he would become the owner of the restaurant.

He continued about his day, without anything else coming up. He gamed, chatted with his friends and Lena.

His relationship with Lena had continued to make progress greatly. They were both learning a lot about each other everyday and Steven loved it.

He remembered the gathering and he checked the time to see that it was almost evening. He got up from the sofa and walked to his bedroom, to start getting ready.

He walked to his wardrobe, opened it and looked at the clothes he had available, and if they would be a good fit for the event he was going.

The gathering wasn’t a gala or a corporate event. It was a private party hosted by someone from old money, on River Oaks Boulevard, with an invitation card that existed less as a formality and more as a filter.

It was the kind of event where the dress code wasn’t stated but the expectation was understood by anyone who belonged in the room.

Even with now limited fashion sense, Steven knew that smart casual was the right choice.

He pulled out a pair of dark slim trousers, a crisp white Oxford shirt, and the quilted Burberry jacket. He looked at the combination for a moment and nodded.

The invitation had included a plus one. Most people attending would bring either a partner or someone whose presence said something about where they stood socially. It was partly companionship and partly a quiet signal, the kind of thing that mattered in rooms like that without anyone acknowledging it directly.

Steven had no intention of bringing anyone. He wasn’t going to perform for Drew’s crowd. He was going alone, out of curiosity, and arriving that way said exactly what he wanted it to say.

He knew that Drew might be expecting him to come with Lena but he wasn’t going to.

He thought briefly about telling Lena. She had warned him that Drew was planning something and she would want to know. He decided he would call her after he was dressed.

Steven walked into the bathroom and took his shower. He stepped out a moment later, drying his body.

He finished with that and started dressing up. He didn’t rush, taking his time to put on his clothes.

After the clothes, he walked wardrobe, opened it and picked up the watch box. He opened the box, took out the watch and wore it.

After he was done, he looked at himself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. Though he felt that he was missing something and he realised that it was because he hadn’t put on a perfume.

Unfortunately for him, he never bought one during his shopping trip. But he wasn’t worried, as his body was giving off a rather good smell without him even using perfume.

Seeing that he was all dressed up and ready, he picked up his phone from the bed and called Lena.

As the phone rang, he picked up the Porsche key fob and walked to the living room to pick up the key card and his Reserve Card.

Lena picked just as he was about to reach the door.

"Hey you. Good timing. I just got home," she said.

"How was the rest of your day?" Steven asked, stepping out of the apartment and pulling the door shut behind him.

"Better than yesterday," she said. "The documentation finally moved. I submitted it to the board this afternoon and heard back within two hours. They’re satisfied. It’s moving forward."

Steven smiled, sensing the relief in her voice.

"I knew it would," he said, walking down the hallway toward the elevator.

"You and your certainty," she said, with a light chuckle. "So, how was yours?"

"Same old. It was quiet," he said. "I got the summary documents from Rachel this morning. Everything is in order for Thursday. Holt’s team agreed to the seven-day timeline."

"That’s perfect."

The elevator doors opened and he stepped in, pressing the button for the garage level.

"Are you heading out?" she asked, as she had picked up on the ambient sound of the elevator.

"Yeah. In a few minutes," he said.

"Where are you going this evening?"

"There’s a gathering tonight. It a private event being held in River Oaks Boulevard. I received an invitation yesterday."

"River Oaks Boulevard? Well, considering your status as a trust fund baby, I’m not even surprised," Lena said.

Steven smiled at how Lena was misunderstanding the whole thing. He decided to help her clear her misunderstanding.

"Lena, two cars stopped me on the road on my way back from the property visit, then a man handed me an envelope and they drove off."

The silence that followed was longer.

"Steven, that’s Drew," Lena said.

"I know."

"And you’re going."

"I’m curious to see what he’s put together," Steven said.

The elevator reached the garage level and the doors opened. He stepped out and walked toward the Porsche.

"I don’t like this," Lena said. "He’s been planning something since the rooftop. Whatever this gathering is, it’s designed for an audience. He wants people there when whatever he’s arranged happens."

"That’s my guess too."

"Then why are you going?"

"Because I’m not going to spend my evenings avoiding Drew Mercer," Steven said. He reached the Porsche, pressed the key fob, and heard the locks disengage. "Whatever he has arranged won’t land the way he’s expecting it to. I’m not the person he thinks he’s dealing with."

Lena was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice had shifted from concern, as though she had accepted that the decision was already made and was adjusting accordingly.

"Is Lena going with you?"

Steven paused, then smiled. "I think you meant to ask if you’re going with me."

"I did," she said. "And I’m asking."

"I’m going alone," he said. "I’m not putting you in a room where Drew is performing for an audience. That’s not something I want for you."

She was quiet again. And Steven understood that she was working through the whole thing in her head.

"I really don’t like this," she said again, but the earlier sharpness in her voice had softened into to worry.

"I know but I’ll be fine, Lena."

"You don’t know that."

"I do. Trust me."

Lena exhaled slowly. "I do trust you. That’s not what I’m worried about," she paused for a moment. "It’s the situation. The room. The people he’s likely to have there."

"I’ve navigated worse rooms and situations with considerably less behind me than I have now," Steven said. He got into the Porsche, settled into the seat, and started the engine. The sound filled the garage.

She was quiet for a moment longer. Then: "Okay. But be careful and call me the moment you’re out of there. The moment, Steven. Not when you get home, not in the morning. When you leave." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I’ll call you when I leave," he said.

"Promise me."

"I promise."

"Take care of yourself tonight. Please," she said with a soft voice that pulled on Steven’s heartstring.

"I will. Go rest. You had a long day," he said.

"I’ll try. I love you."

"I love you too."

The call ended.

Steven set the phone on the passenger seat and looked through the windscreen at the empty garage for a moment. Then he put the car in reverse, pulled out of the space, and drove up the ramp into the evening air.