The dinner reservations at Dolce Vita have already been made. I'll make some arrangements and make some phone calls to invite Daira and Vivian to join us. You'll go home, take a shower, put on some appropriate clothes and come pick us up in front of SHH at 8:45 pm sharp.
“That's what she said, but it's already 9:13 pm and she hasn't shown up…” Gregory said, impatiently looking at the entrance of SHH.
Gregory was inside his black GTR with carbon details, reflecting the glow of the street lights. A luxury sports car with an aggressive and elegant design, black leather interior with red stitching matched the dashboard illuminated by a state-of-the-art digital interface.
According to the digital clock on the console, waiting impatiently, Juliette was almost 30 minutes late. Which Gregory, as an extremely punctual and diligent guy, didn't like.
But it didn't take more than a few minutes until Juliette left SHH, and was accompanied by Vivian and Daira.
“Finally,” he said, getting out of the car to wait for the three women to arrive at the car.
Gregory wore a well-cut dark suit, with silver buttons and a black tie, adjusted to enhance his athletic silhouette. His polished leather shoes and a discreet watch completed the look.
His hair was impeccably styled, and his calm expression, with attentive eyes on the three women who were impeccably dressed for dinner.
Juliette wore a long wine-colored dress, fitted to the body, with a side slit that showed elegance without losing formality. Her hair was tied in a bun with a few loose strands, softening the look.
Vivian opted for a dark blue satin dress with a moderate V-neckline and long sleeves, a discreet contrast to her usually confident personality. Her striking red hair was loose and wavy, standing out even more in the ensemble. Daira, on the other hand, brought a touch of boldness with an emerald green dress with thin straps, with gold embroidery details that highlighted her skin tone. Her hair, tied in a high ponytail, emphasized her striking features.
“Sorry I’m late, Gregory,” Juliette said, with a guiltless smile.
“Okay,” he replied, but his eyes briefly passed over Vivian, who looked away. When he looked at Daira, she had a visible smile, looking at him with clear interest, but he didn’t linger his gaze on her either.
“How are we?” Spinning around to show off her look, Juliette asked Gregory cheerfully.
After giving her a gentle hug and a kiss, Gregory looked Juliette up and down in awe and said, “You really don’t disappoint in surprising me, Julie…”
Juliette smiled in satisfaction. “You don’t look too bad yourself. Anyway, this is Miss Wynne…”
Gregory extended his hand and briefly shook Vivian’s hand and introduced himself. “I’m Gregory Gunn…” He said nothing more.
“Vivian Wynne.” Vivian was visibly uncomfortable, avoiding direct eye contact.
Seeing that the situation was strange, Juliette quickly intervened: “This is Miss Creer. She volunteered to perform first aid and relieve some of Monique’s pain. Thanks to her, the medical team had an easy job since Monique was stabilized and sedated when they arrived.”
“Hehe… It was no big deal, I did what I had to do.” Embarrassed, Daira subtly denied Juliette’s compliments with a striking smile.
“I sincerely thank you, Miss Creer… Healing abilities are extremely rare and precious, your efforts have been of great help to me and my partner. I don’t even know how to thank you, I just think I could pay for your services.” As soon as he said that, Gregory took out his transparent cell phone.
But seeing what Gregory was doing, Daira stepped forward and grabbed his hand, stopping him from continuing. “Please don’t do that or I’ll be offended.”
“But-”
“I did it of my own free will. In the duel, Monique was… impressive. You know, her resistance, her courage, her determination, everything about her was extraordinary. Even at such a clear disadvantage, she resisted and fought bravely. It was beautiful to watch…”
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“…” Gregory felt the genuine glow of admiration in Daira’s eyes, but he also felt something strange when he was stared at by that gaze. He tried to let go of her hand, but Daira held on tightly and seemed unwilling to let go.
Noticing that the situation had once again become awkward, Juliette interceded again.
“It was certainly beautiful… But we can talk about it once we get to the restaurant. Shall we go?”
_____________________________________
Dolce Vita is a 3-star restaurant known for the sophistication of its decor and cuisine.
The façade boasts marble pillars and ornate glass doors, with the restaurant’s logo in gold. Inside, a huge chandelier illuminates the entrance, reflecting off the polished black tiles on the floor.
The tables are spread out spaciously, covered with impeccable white tablecloths, and flower arrangements decorate the space. Some are for couples and several others seat up to 6 people, but there are some special tables that are reserved for special occasions, reserved for entire families, seating up to 15 people.
Upon entering, Gregory and the 3 women were warmly welcomed by the manager, who led them to a reserved area, where one of these special tables was set up.
The group was led to a separate room, overlooking an outdoor garden lit by lights hanging from trees. The table was long, covered by an ivory tablecloth, and decorated with gold candlesticks and white flower arrangements.
There, they met the rest of the group: Leyla, Patricia, Aria, Teresa and Beatriz, all elegantly dressed. Miss Lira Frostwood and Nora Churchill were also there, very well dressed, but much more relaxed than the others, clearly enjoying the night away from their routine.
Leyla wore a silver dress made of shiny fabric that reflected the light softly. Patricia opted for a bright red dress with lace details. Aria wore a classic black dress with a striking necklace of green stones.
Teresa chose a teal blue dress with a more modern design, with discreet cutouts. Beatriz wore a light pink silk dress with floral details. Miss Frostwood wore a black dress with gold embroidery, matching her imposing presence. And Nora wore an elegant white outfit, simple but refined.
“Gregory, this is Miss Lira Frostwood,” Juliette announced in a light tone, but with hidden intentions in her eyes.
“Nice to meet you,” Gregory replied, leaning in slightly to greet her. He wrapped her in a short, formal hug, placing a simple kiss on her cheek.
“Pleased... But I believe the pleasure here was all for Juliette,” Lira whispered in Gregory’s ear, a mischievous smile curving her lips.
“???” Gregory recoiled in surprise. His expression was a mix of bewilderment and doubt as he gave Juliette a questioning look, as if asking for a silent explanation.
“Hohoho... I couldn’t resist, Juliette,” Lira confessed mischievously, before grabbing Juliette by the arm and leading her to their seats at the table, leaving Gregory alone with his confusion.
Before he could compose himself, a firm and direct voice cut through the air:
“You know, boy, no matter how I look at it, you seem very irresponsible for someone who is the Academy’s Number 1 Aspirant.”
Gregory turned to face the woman who had just spoken. “You must be Senior Manager Churchill, correct?” he asked, adjusting his tone slightly to sound respectful, although his gaze did not hide his discomfort.
“Call me Nora,” she corrected, with a dismissive gesture. “I hate formalities.”
“Very well, Nora,” Gregory replied, adopting a more relaxed tone. “I completely agree with your opinion. How could someone who can’t even manage or control his partner’s behavior be Top 1, right?”
“No, no…” Nora shook her head, her expression serious. “I didn’t mean that. I read your file and your partner’s. I saw your test results, your exams… I even looked at your mission history. But honestly, what I found doesn’t make sense.”
Gregory arched an eyebrow. “I don’t think there’s anything special about it. I did some above-average things, but nothing that I would consider extraordinary.”
Nora leaned in slightly, her eyes fixed on him, as if trying to decipher every word. “You managed to complete level 3 and 4 missions by yourself… That’s far from normal, kid. Especially when your partner is a physical-type Hound, specialized in resistance and defense. I simply can’t imagine how you managed to kill a Stegobreaker and a Dilophovile.”
“Strategy and discipline,” Gregory replied without hesitation, the confidence evident in his voice. “Of course, I have no direct merit in the fights. My role is to devise strategies, and Monique trusts my orders blindly. She executes them with rigid and ruthless precision.”
For a moment, Nora remained silent, her eyes fixed on Gregory with an almost palpable intensity, as if she were unraveling every fragment of his personality.
Her expression was impassive, but her eyes shone with a sharp curiosity that she made no effort to disguise.
“Strategy and discipline… Interesting,” she murmured, her voice carrying a subtle tease. “Perhaps you are less irresponsible than you first appear, after all.”
She paused, as if pondering something. “But that raises another question: why did your partner accept such an irrational duel without even consulting you? Is she… an idiot? Or are you two fighting over your confession to Nancy Rosen?”
Gregory felt a growing discomfort, his face hardening at the direct accusation. “This is a personal matter...” He replied firmly, wanting to cut the conversation short, not allowing the subject to go any further.
Nora smiled, but it was a smile without warmth, just the kind of smile of someone who sees something that intrigues them. “I see...” That was all she said, but the way she said it made the word carry extra weight, as if she hadn’t given up yet.
Gregory, uncomfortable with the growing tension, tried to change his tone. “Shall we sit down?” He asked, trying to reestablish some control in the conversation, his voice softer, but still with a firmness that left no room for further provocations.