Victoria and Kael walked through the hotel lobby, her heels echoing with refined elegance on the floor, while Kael, beside her, walked calmly.
The air of the gala still seemed to permeate the walls.
"Let's go before some old man tries to make me sign a treaty using wine," Victoria murmured, making Kael chuckle with that deep, soft sound.
But not everyone was willing to leave them alone.
Liam, Victoria's unwanted fiancé, was a few feet away, in a forced conversation with a group of nobles.
Seeing Kael and Victoria walking together again, and now closer than before, his eyes narrowed like blades.
And then he saw it: Victoria holding Kael's arm, both of them smiling as they approached the private entrance to leave the hotel.
Without wasting time, he discreetly recorded another video.
Sent directly to the special contact named: Mr. Lancaster.
And along with it, he wrote: "Your daughter seems increasingly comfortable with the Prince of Cryon. Perhaps it is time to discuss the contract..."
Outside, in the luxurious black car, the lights of New York danced across the windows like modern constellations.
The silence between Kael and Victoria was... pleasant. It wasn't awkward. It was mature. Almost intimate.
Both seemed to absorb the last minutes of the gala.
"Are you okay?" Kael asked, breaking the silence, his voice low as a polar whisper.
"Yeah... just thinking about the amount of fake people per square meter."
He smirked, approving of her frankness.
Shortly after, they arrived at the nightclub.
The sign pulsed with the word "Abyss," and red and blue lights snaked like serpents in the night air. A huge line of humans stretched along the sidewalk—all dreaming of the privilege of entering the VIP paradise.
When they got out of the car, Kael held out his hand.
It was a calm, natural gesture.
Victoria hesitated for a microsecond.
She didn't usually allow touching. She didn't like the sense of control that such gestures often carried.
But with Kael... the touch seemed to say, "I'm here for you, if you want me."
And then, she accepted.
Her hand fit into his with a surprising warmth for someone from Cryon. And even though they didn't say anything, his fingers intertwined with hers spoke louder than any diplomatic verse.
They climbed a lit glass staircase and entered the VIP area.
The electronic music vibrated in their bones, but their space was acoustically isolated, with glass windows that allowed a view of the sizzling dance floor below.
Down below, bodies moved with the freedom that only darkness and anonymity allowed.
Some kissed as if the world were going to end, others exchanged glances full of fleeting promises, and a waitress with elf ears danced while serving fluorescent drinks.
Kael turned to Victoria. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Something light... I'm trying to appear sober enough to understand intercontinental politics."
He laughed, signaling for a waiter.
Soon, she was handed a glass with a delicate-looking cocktail, pink in color, with petals floating on top.
The taste? Perfect.
One by one, the noble guests arrived.
Kael greeted them with an impeccable, firm but courteous greeting and led them to seats arranged in a luxurious circle.
Victoria stood beside him, elegant and observant, like a silent ambassador.
Negotiations have begun.
The nobles spoke of tax reductions, customs facilitations, and exclusivity contracts.
Kael, in turn, demanded sustainability, respect for polar ecosystems, and long-term partnerships, without predatory exploitation.
And while the words circulated from mouth to mouth, between toasts and arguments, Victoria just watched.
But not just the meeting.
She watched Kael.
The way he held his posture. The care he took in listening. The precision he delivered. The elegance he displayed without forcing it.
A stark contrast to that idiot Liam, who could barely talk without sounding like a drunken peacock trying to intimidate a mirror.
And it was there, in that subtle moment, that Victória felt something: a twinge of... irritation.
Irritation that, until that moment, she had passively accepted the fate of an engagement of convenience. Irritation that she hadn't realized sooner how much more she deserved.
And maybe, just maybe...
...irritation because she was starting to like that ice prince, who didn't even realize that while he was discussing export tariffs... he was playing with her fingers.
Gently sliding the tip of your thumb across the back of your hand, without even realizing it.
But she noticed.
And her heart too.
In a calm but authoritative voice, Kael declared, "The Cryon Empire is willing to consider a reduction in import duties for stable partnerships... as long as neither action violates the laws protecting polar animals and the icy ecosystem."
A slight murmur followed.
One of the nobles, the CEO of a renowned pharmaceutical corporation, leaned forward. "That's understandable, Your Highness. But... what about the possibility of building a branch in Cryon? With clean technologies, of course."
Another CEO, from the green technology sector, added, "It would be symbolic, Prince Kael. For two hundred years, a company hasn't been allowed to set up shop on Cryon."
Kael did not respond immediately.
His fingers continued to play absentmindedly with Victoria's, as if that gesture were a silent anchor that kept him focused.
Then he responded with diplomatic firmness. "The imperial government of Cryon still maintains the ban as a legacy of past mistakes. But... I can take the proposal to my father. Openness to new investment must be accompanied by mutual trust and unquestionable environmental responsibility."
The silence was one of expectation.
Victoria, who until then had remained apart from the negotiations, watching and playing absentmindedly with Kael's hands, comparing her small, delicate hand with his, large, strong, and with long fingers like those of a harp artist, raised an eyebrow with a slight glint in her eyes.
"Kael," he said softly, with a hint of diplomatic malice. "...what if the Diamond Tycoon Group were the first to invest in the Cryon Empire?"
The eyes around her turned to her with surprise, curiosity, and, of course, that specific kind of judgment that only the very rich know how to disguise.
Kael turned to her slowly, his green eyes piercing hers with genuine interest. "Diamond Tycoon... the group you and your friends founded?"
"Exactly," she confirmed, smiling as she swirled the pink cocktail. "We're still in the early stages… but we've already made quite a splash in the market."
The nobles, now visibly more alert, exchanged glances and discreet gestures.
The name had been circulating for an hour, a new billion-dollar corporation formed by four of the most influential heiresses of global families.
And Victoria… the only one who was still "committed" politically — which now seemed like a shaky game.
One of the nobles pulled a small silver card from his blazer pocket and handed it to her. "In case the Diamond Tycoon needs any logistical partnerships, miss..."
"Or international legal counsel," said another, handing over a card embroidered with digital runes.
"Export of sustainable materials," added a third with a shrewd look.
Victoria laughed lightly. "Thank you. Send your portfolios, and maybe we'll see each other again in a room like this."
Kael smiled. It was a small smile, but it said, You know how to play.
Then he took control of the meeting. "I'm particularly interested in carbon-neutral projects."
The conversation lasted for more than an hour.
Empty glasses. Discreet laughter. Half-signed proposals.
Victória, already slightly drunk, felt her face hot, not only from the drink, but from the environment and Kael's presence at her side.
His fingers continued to be absently intertwined with hers, as if the touch were unconscious... but in a way that made her heart race.
As the night deepened and the New York sky was sprinkled with lights from helicopters and drones, Kael stood up, signaling the end.
"It was a productive evening. Thanks for coming."
One by one, the nobles began to take their leave, some stumbling slightly, others offering final toasts that would no longer be accepted.
Victoria also stood up, adjusting her tight dress that rose discreetly when she sat down.
"You... handle everything so naturally," he commented, averting his eyes. "It's frighteningly impressive."
Kael offered his arm. "Come. I'll make sure you get back to the hotel in one piece."
She accepted, smiling.
Their car hurtled down the illuminated avenue, cutting through the pulsating lights of New York, its tinted windows shielding what was happening inside.
The cabin inside was comfortable, with white leather seats and soft amber lights that bathed Kael and Victoria in a golden glow.
Outside, the city lights seemed to flicker like drunken stars, or maybe it was just the sight of Victoria, drunk enough to laugh to herself before letting out a long, exhausted... and slightly disgusted sigh.
She turned to Kael, her head falling back against the headrest as if the alcohol weighed her body down more than necessary.
"It's... it's pathetic, you know?" she began, her voice slurred but still thick with emotion. "I'm the daughter of one of the richest and most influential families in the world... and yet, I'm... a marriage asset. A walking barcode. They want to sell me like I'm an auction jewel."
Kael remained silent for a moment, watching her from the side.
The soft lighting reflected on Victoria's hair, the alcoholic flush on her cheeks, and the slight tremor in her voice, which, despite its playful tone, carried real pain.
She continued.
"You have no idea what this is like. Having an arrogant idiot engaged to you... because your father thinks he's a good political match." She snorted. "You know what he said to me the other day? 'After all, you won't have to love me. Just smile in pictures.'"
She laughed, but without humor. The laughter died on her lips.
Kael turned toward her. His icy green eyes were warm now, intent, deep.
"You don't have to accept this, Victoria," he said quietly but clearly. "You don't have to submit to what your family expects."
Those words, spoken so softly, hit Victoria like a silent punch.
She blinked. Drunkenness made her more fragile, more open, more impulsive.
She stared at him. For a moment too long.
And then, before he could look away, she lunged forward, straddling his lap, her legs on either side of his, her arms wrapped around his neck like a velvet serpent.
Kael tensed, but didn't push her away.
"So tell me, Prince..." she whispered, her warm breath brushing his ear. "...what do I do now, huh?"
Kael swallowed. His hands remained at his sides, rigid, respectful... but his eyes roamed her face with an intensity that made the cabin feel warmer.
"You're drunk," he muttered.
"I'm clear enough to know that… you look at me differently," she replied, her breath sweet and perfumed. "Since you held me at the gala. Since you took my hand. You like me… don't you?"
She shifted in his lap, slow and catlike, just enough to make the physical tension between them solidify like a storm about to break.
Kael closed his eyes for a second.
Her scent was floral and alcoholic.
An expensive perfume mixed with champagne and the warmth of her body.
The way the dress fit her, the way her hips molded to the position... it was torture sculpted by cruel gods.
"I do," he replied finally. "More than I should."
Victoria smiled. It was a victorious, drunken smile, with a touch of lust and need mixed in.
She rested her forehead against his, her eyes half-lidded. "Then kiss me."
Kael didn't move.
But his eyes fell on her lips, half-open, pink, and that silent plea hanging between them like an inevitable sentence.
He slowly brought one hand to her waist. The other rested on her back, trembling. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath...
...and when his lips were millimeters away from touching hers—
The car stopped.
Victoria stumbled against his chest with the jolt, laughing softly.
"Are we here...?" she whispered, confused.
Kael held her tightly, but gently.
The driver opened the door and the cold early morning breeze came in like a bucket of ice.
"Yes," he replied quietly. "We're at the hotel."
Victoria blinked slowly.
She was still straddling his lap, her hands clasped behind his neck. Her eyes, filled with emotion and desire, seemed to beg time to stop right there.
But he smiled slightly and rested his forehead against hers. "You'll regret it if something happens today."
She pouted. "Maybe..."
"Then wait," he murmured. "Kiss me tomorrow. When you're sober. When it's real."
Victoria slid slowly off his lap, feeling ridiculous for a moment and also amazed. Because he hadn't rejected her.
He just... cared.
The two got out of the car.
Without saying anything, Kael held her hand and they walked together to the hotel lobby, under the gaze of some employees and security guards who pretended not to see anything.
And as the elevators opened with a small ding, Victoria knew that, for the first time in a long time, she wanted to wait.
Not because society dictated it.
Not because her father wanted it.
But because this polar prince was worth it.