A Blade Hidden in Velvet

The skyline outside Aruba Industry's headquarters was painted in orange hues as the sun began its descent. The tall glass-paneled tower stood like a beacon of power in the heart of the city. On the top floor, behind a set of sleek mahogany double doors, a meeting was underway.

Inside the executive suite, a broad window overlooked the sprawling city below. The office was spacious—adorned with expensive furnishings, modern art, and the faint scent of cologne and polished wood. At the center of the room sat Stord Elen, CEO of Aruba Industry, a man in his early 30s with sharp features, thick dark hair combed immaculately, and a calculating gaze that never lingered anywhere without purpose.

Seated across from him were his trusted staff members—men in tailored suits who smiled too easily and nodded too quickly. Their loyalty came with conditions, though none would dare admit it aloud. Alongside them sat another man, a presence that stood apart from the rest: a well-groomed CEO of another powerful conglomerate. He wore a deep navy-blue royal-cut suit, a silver tie pin catching the light. His face was striking—handsome, composed—but his eyes gave nothing away. His identity, for now, remained unrevealed.

Stord leaned back in his leather chair, fingers steepled in front of his face.

“AURY is vulnerable,” he began, voice low and deliberate. “Their quarterly losses have begun to stack, investor morale is thinning, and our sources inside confirm internal instability.”

One of his staff members—a lanky man with slicked-back hair—chuckled sycophantically. “Perfect time to push them down another rung, sir.”

Stord's lips twitched into a cold smirk. “Exactly. Tim Aury’s been running that company on ideals and sentiment for far too long. It’s time we show him how ruthless the real game is.”

The unnamed CEO beside him shifted slightly, resting his elbow on the armrest. “You want to bring AURY down... or bring Tim down?”

Stord glanced at him. “There’s no difference. AURY is Tim. Discredit the man, and the company bleeds from within.”

He stood and walked over to the bar at the side of the room, pouring himself a drink. The sound of ice clinking echoed.

“I’ve already got the media ears whispering the narrative I want. All it needs is... a trigger,” he said, sipping slowly. “As for my next move...” —he turned, facing them again, a glint of amusement in his eyes— “I’ve already set it in motion. A personal little present.”

The men around the room shared curious glances but didn’t dare ask further. The unknown CEO, however, raised an eyebrow, sensing something more sinister beneath Stord's calm surface.

Stord finished his drink. “Just wait. The next headlines will write themselves.”

A slow, satisfied silence filled the room.

FOLLOWING SATURDAY NIGHT – AT THE FAMOUS NIGHT CLUB

The atmosphere inside Aurelia Lounge was electric. The bass thumped through the walls like a living heartbeat, the room dim except for shifting neon lights that danced in shades of violet, gold, and crimson. Bottles sparkled behind the bar. Laughter, conversation, and flirtation blended into a symphony of nightlife decadence.

Tim Aury sat at the VIP section toward the back of the club, dressed in a charcoal-black shirt with the sleeves rolled just enough to show the veins on his forearms. His gaze was distant as if part of him wasn’t truly present. A short glass of whiskey rested on the table beside him, untouched.

Saturday nights were his ritual escape—a momentary break from pressure, betrayal, and corporate warzones.

Then… she appeared.

A woman with golden wavy hair cascading down her back and eyes that shimmered like honey under the club lights. Anri, 25, moved through the crowd like silk on water. Her dress clung to her curves in all the right places—deep emerald green with a slit that hinted more than it revealed. Her heels clicked with confidence, her scent a subtle but intoxicating blend of jasmine and danger.

Her eyes locked on Tim like a predator spotting prey.

She approached with smooth elegance, slipping past the velvet ropes like she belonged.

“Hey there, handsome,” she purred, her voice honeyed and low, a practiced warmth woven into every syllable. “You always look this alone… or did I just get lucky tonight?”

Tim glanced at her, caught off guard. “Do I know you?”

“Not yet,” she replied, leaning in just enough to let her perfume drift close. “But we can change that.”

He studied her face. Everything about her felt intentional—her smile, the tilt of her head, the way she sat beside him like she belonged there. Too perfect.

Still, something in her presence numbed the tension in his chest. Maybe it was the way her eyes held his. Maybe it was the drink she offered him moments later—light beer, unassuming.

“Let me get you something lighter,” she said sweetly, taking his untouched whiskey and walking to the bar. When she returned, she handed him the new glass, condensation dripping down its side.

“There,” she whispered. “Something gentler on the soul.”

He sipped it without a second thought.

Anri smiled to herself.

They talked—well, she mostly talked. Her words were like silk, wrapping around his senses, disarming him. She laughed at just the right moments, feigned surprise and admiration in perfect doses. Her touch lingered on his wrist longer each time. She played her part flawlessly.

Then, as the lights dimmed slightly for the midnight dance set, she leaned in.

“You know,” she whispered in his ear, breath tickling his skin, “this place is fun... but it’s far too loud to talk. What do you say we go somewhere a little more private?”

Tim blinked, hesitating.

But his limbs felt slower, his head lighter. That last drink… it had a strange warmth.

She stood and offered her hand like an invitation.

“Just a nightcap,” she said playfully. “You look like you could use some company.”

He hesitated a second longer—then nodded, rising unsteadily.

Anri took his arm and led him through the back door of the club, down a quiet alley toward a nearby hotel where a room was already prepared.

Her smile, hidden behind her golden curls, was victorious.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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