Zara couldn't believe her eyes.
Kai had stood up for her in a way she hadn't expected.
The thought of it completely puzzled her.
Why had he done it?
What was the end game here?
She asked herself multiple times.
As the procession went on, with so many business moguls introducing themselves and their contribution and investments in certain projects, Zara was completely awestruck.
She turned to Kai, who kept his eyes on his watch time and again.
"Of course, they have to be here fashionably late."
"Who's that?"
Zara asked, and Kai turned to her in surprise. He was shocked she was interested in what he was saying.
"Oh. My father and his associates." Kai said, his voice firm. "I never see why you'd care though, given you've been in another world for the past hour instead of focusing like you should be."
Kai smiled, but an undertone of seriousness lay beneath. He had gone back to that cold, ruthless person that Zara had been introduced to.
But that was not the Kai she saw defending her earlier.
She finally asked the question that had been bothering her.
"Why did you do it?"
Kai paused from what he was doing on his phone, looking at her a bit confused.
"Do what?"
"Publicly defend me when you knew your reputation was at stake.", she added without hesitation.
Kai thought for a moment, like he had already forgotten about the incident earlier, and then he chuckled.
Zara was unsettled.
"As you said in your own words: my reputation was at stake. If I didn't do anything then your family would've dragged you down, and that would've been the highlight of my gala. I really don't need those kind of ratings to follow me on live TV." Kai said, his voice flat and direct.
So he did it for himself.
Zara thought once more. She was getting her head wrapped around something that was as plain as daylight.
Kai didn't care for her, he only cared for himself.
What use was being a trillionaire if the care that came from you was next to nothing.
"I see", Zara said, turning back to face the audience.
Kai turned away from her, his cold gaze unwavering. But inside, he was fighting a war.
He didn't understand why he did some certain things for this woman. He couldn't even wrap his head around it not to talk of explaining it to her.
He hadn't thought it possible for him to lose himself in this kind of way, doing things that lacked any form of logic and reasoning.
He glanced back at Zara, his peripheral vision capturing her beautiful face.
She looked stunning, like the powerful woman he had always envisioned any partner of his to be. His mouth watered as feelings of hunger crept within him.
Surprised by this reaction, he quickly turned back, facing the procession just as the announcer mentioned a name that made everyone stand up and cheer.
What is wrong with me?
Kai asked himself as the announcer called upon a name he had been expecting to hear all night.
"Damien Frost!"
That was enough to snap him back to reality.
The entire crowd cheered as a man in his fifties entered the gala from a side entrance no one had used before. He had a striking resemblance to Kai, with a rough face that spoke years of experience and a pot belly that signified his retirement.
He quickly made his way to the high table, not giving much thought or attention to the people that clapped and waved at him.
Kai stood up as the man got closer, welcoming him.
"Welcome, sir. Please have a seat."
The man gave Kai a quick glance, briefly eying him from head-to-toe, before taking a seat next to him at the left hand side.
Zara had tried to welcome him as well, but he completely ignored her.
This man's just a worse version of his son.
Zara thought to herself as she faced forward again, making a mental note to never try greeting Mr Damien Frost until he showed her a little regard.
Meanwhile, at the corner of his eye, the old man peeked at this dazzling new girl that he saw at his son's side, and swiftly whispered in his ear.
"Is that your new girlfriend?", he asked Kai in a teasing way. His face, however, was more staunch than a hardened rock.
Kai froze for a moment, wondering if his father had approved of Zara just by the looks of her.
He knew how his father was, judging people by merely looking at them. He barely ever met people, always chasing them away if they didn't match his aura alone.
It was his way of keeping bullshit out of his life. This was one thing he always told Kai.
"Yes." Kai eventually answered, and Damien reclined back to his chair.
No comment?
Kai thought to himself. The old man had completely gone silent. Maybe that was a good thing given their circumastances. If Damien Frost truly did not like Zara, he would have said so almost immediately.
Silence was an answer delayed, but it was the best answer Kai could ever get for now.
He also reclined in his chair as his mind was finally at peace. Zara had passed the first trial, but there were still much more to go.
***
The gala event had finally ended, Kai and his father unveiling their plans for Imperial City in the future, and Kai, of course, expounding on his trillion dollar contract to better their state's infrastructure.
People just sat and sipping their gold-laced champagne, enjoying the festivities. Zara didn't know what to do with herself.
They weren't required to sit at the high table anymore, so most of its occupants had vacated to go mingle with the crowd. Kai, as insufferable as he was, was not there as well.
Zara thought of her bestie and decided to give her a video call, but someone had quickly interrupted.
"Hi."
Zara looked up.
It was the businessman from earlier who had personally introduced himself to both Kai and her. With his remembrance came a bad taste. Zara remembered her shameless family cutting in before they both could catch his name.
Luckily, she could get it now. This man was really handsome after all, and Zara had an appreciation for handsome men, being that they got to get more of her time.
"Hey", she responded, quickly adding: "I didn't catch your name earlier."
The man hesitated for a split second, as if his own name was a bit hard to recall.
"It's Diego."
Zara's ears stood.
"I'm sorry. Diego who?" She requested, her eyes blinking in slight confusion.
"Diego Vasquin"