Chapter 6: I WANT TO MEET HER

A soft drizzle tapped against the high rise windows of the Vale Tower lounge, painting the city skyline in blurry streaks of light.

The room smelled of fresh-ground coffee, polished leather, and money.

Elias Vale sat on a sleek couch, ankle crossed over one knee, casually scrolling through a university forum on his tablet.

And then he stopped.

Moonvile Confessions - Post #4273

"Apparently someone tried to delete Lyra Moreno's project. LMAO she submitted it 3x, including one saved in her cat's collar. Iconic."

He blinked.

Read it again.

Across the room,

Theo with a half eaten protein bar in hand, squinted over Elias's shoulder.

"Yo. What's this? Lyra? Like Lyra Moreno?"

Kade, dressed in black and always looking like he'd just come back from breaking into a private server room, walked in with a cup of cold brew.

"What did I miss? Who got deleted?"

Rio, lounging like a prince with a bag of caramel popcorn, sat up straight.

"Wait....is this about Lyra Moreno? Bro. I saw that thread. She backed up her presentation like she was prepping for a hostile takeover. Had timestamps. A version in her professor's inbox. Someone said her cat had a copy."

He kept scrolling.

Another post.

Another rumor.

Another screenshot this time of a blurry classroom pic showing Lyra in her hoodie, sipping whipped cream and completely unbothered as whispers circled around her.

"...someone tried to sabotage her but she walked in like nothing happened."

"Her cat has a USB drive???"

"She didn't snitch. Just submitted a timestamped backup with a sarcastic subject line and disappeared."Rio said amazed

"Queen behavior."

Kade choked on his coffee.

Kade: "Wait, wait, wait...so someone sabotaged her and she still beat them with... what? Organization and pettiness?"

"Yes,"

Elias murmured, eyes distant.

Theo snorted. "Legend."

Kade sat beside Elias and read over the tablet.

"Damn.Serenae and Jade tried to wipe her file off the system. Dirty."

"But Lyra didn't even call them out publicly," Rio added.

"She just submitted her backup and told the professor she 'forgot to mention' it. Then disappeared."

Kade whistled.

Theo grinned.

"Cold. I love her."

"You don't even know her," Elias muttered, but it came out... quieter than usual.

Theo raised a brow. "You do?"

Elias didn't answer.

Theo, sensing something, leaned back.

"You have been asking about her company lately."

"Because it's connected to a potential leak," Elias snapped.

Then, softer

"...and because people like her don't end up in people like Serene's crosshairs unless they're a threat."

A pause.

Theo nodded, unusually serious.

"We should do something."

Elias raised an eyebrow.

"She already handled it."

"Yeah," Kade said, sitting upright now.

"But that doesn't mean we shouldn't show we're watching. People don't try that crap again if they know someone powerful's got your back."

Theo smirked.

"Like a subtle warning."

Elias stared out the window.

"Something subtle," he echoed.

Then, after a long beat

"She plays the long game."

Elias remained silent, scrolling.

But his gaze had sharpened.

Focused.

There was a gleam of something rare in his eyes curiosity.

Rio noticed.

"Don't tell me you're interested now."

"I'm observing,"

Elias said calmly.

Kade smirked.

"That's what you said before you bought out an entire start-up to fire their board."

Theo folded his arms.

"So, what's the play?"

"She's clearly more than she appears," Elias said, tapping the edge of the tablet.

"She's quiet.

Sharp.

Too prepared for someone supposedly 'lazy.' And she doesn't chase recognition."

A pause.

"I want to meet her."

Kade raised a brow.

"You mean... officially?"

"Yes."

Rio leaned back.

"You've had chances."

"Not like this,"

Elias said.

"Now I know what she does when cornered."

Theo nodded slowly.

"Alright, so how?"

"Instead of meeting next month for dinner to finalize the engagement we're gonna do this tomorrow. "

Lyra Moreno was dangerous in the quiet way that made him want to know what else she was hiding.

And this time... he wasn't going to wait for a coincidence.

He was going to meet her...on his terms.

On the evening

The clock ticked softly in the background. Warm golden lamplight washed over the dark wood of the Vale estate's private study, where Celeste Vale sat, skimming through legal briefs with the kind of elegance that made CEOs fidget.

A soft knock.

Elias entered, crisp as ever in a tailored charcoal suit, expression unreadable but thoughtful.

Celeste looked up, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.

"Done terrorizing the board, darling?"

"Just giving them clarity," Elias replied smoothly.

"But I need a favor."

She tilted her head.

"You? Asking?"

He slid his hands into his pockets.

"I've decided to move forward with the engagement."

The silence that followed was brief but heavy.

Celeste slowly closed her folder.

"You're serious."

"I usually am."

"This isn't about company mergers or stock leverage. This is family. And you've avoided this conversation for a month."

"I've done my research," Elias said calmly, eyes gleaming with intent.

"Lyra Moreno may not be what she seems. That intrigues me."

Celeste leaned back, surprise flickering across her composed features.

"She's... not the type of girl you usually show interest in."

"Exactly."

"Then you're not doing this out of obligation?"

"I'm doing it because she's smart, detached, and completely unaffected by the noise around her. That makes her dangerous. Useful. And maybe..."

(he pauses)

"...interesting."

Celeste arched an elegant brow.

"You sound like you want to court her, not just marry her."

Elias shrugged.

"I'd like to know who I'm marrying. I'll play the game, but on my terms."

A faint smile curled on her lips.

"I'll contact your grandparents. They've been waiting for this."

"Schedule the family dinner," he said, already turning to leave.

"Keep it small. Controlled."

"And Lyra?"

"I'll handle Lyra."

Celeste watched her son go, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"Dangerous, detached, and unpredictable," she murmured.

"You might've just met your match."

Celeste looks at the Study room door that has long closed...

After a while, a genuine smile appeared on her face...

"We're going to be a family now, Laurin," Celeste said softly eyes teared..