Chapter 2

All the employees greeted Luca with a, "good afternoon, Mr. Lust." As he passed by. He didn't bother to say anything to them, he just nodded and left.

"Barnald, what's the update on our recruitment?" Luca inquired to his 43-year-old assistant. They are now heading to his office on the 3rd floor of Casa de Lujuria.

"We've got two applicants, sir," Barnald politely informed him. "They will be put through a physical test this coming weekend".

"A minimum of three applicants can be taken for the physical test, right?" a frown appeared on Luka's face as he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Then do not conduct a physical test with only two candidates. It's a waste of time!"

"I'll look for a third applicant, sir," Barnald assured. Luca nodded to his assistant and led the way out of the elevator.

Luca owns Casa de Lujuria, an exclusive nightclub inside the Seven Sins Luxury Hotel, which he and his friends run as a partnership. Only the hotel guests with an invitation pass and the members of Underground Society have access to CDL.

"This is the report from the finance department, Mr. Lust." Barnald set the folders he was holding down on the table. "According to our income statement for the previous three months, the—" Barnald was astonished when he noticed Luca's stare.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"Wouldn't be a shame to me if I had an MBA degree, but I didn't know how to read an income statement?" Barnald winced at his boss's sarcasm.

"Please accept my apologies, sir. I'll leave you alone for now so you can read the reports." Luca gives a nod. Barnald then turned and walked out of the office.

Luca's nightclub is doing well according to the finance department's profit-and-loss statement. Their revenue has increased over the last three months, and the casa's profitability is also good. However, Casa de Lujuria earns more money from its illegal business, which Luca enjoys more.

Several hours passed, Luca's focus remained on the reports, reading every detail written on every page of the paper. He simply enjoys reading his company's financial reports, so he spends his time in the office. But Luca's peaceful reading was interrupted when his singing younger brother, Farkas, entered his office.

"Yow, Mr. Lust! What's up?" Luca rolled his eyes, already irritated by his brother's presence. Farkas went straight to the office lounge and sat down. "Wow! It's so nice to lie down on expensive things!"

"What exactly are you doing here, Farkas?" with a poker face, Luca asked.

"Correction, your righteous owner, it's Fast not Farkas. Who the hell is that very handsome man Farkas, anyway?" Luca ignored what his brother was saying. 

He shot him glare. "What are you doing here?" he asked him again, setting the folder he was holding down. "Don't you have class tonight?"

"I have. . . and I want you to send me to school," Farkas said childishly.

"And what do you think you are, a child?"

"Nah, but I'm your baby brother."  Farkas grinned, Luca could see his younger brother's even and white teeth, Luca admits, his brother is really handsome.

"Come on Mr. Lust!"

"Leave me alone Fast, go annoy Barnald instead. ​I'm busy," he shooed him away.

"But you're the one I'd like to drive me to school!" Farkas continues to demand as if he were a spoiled little girl. This kid isn't going to stop until he gets what he wants, but it won't work on Luca.

"I'm very busy," Luca said, his gaze fixed again on the report he was reading. "Ask Barnald to drop you off at your school."

"Tsk! I said, I want you to drive me to school!"

"Do you happen to notice the folders on my table?" Luca sarcastically asked Farkas. "I need to read them all. I'm too busy."

Farkas rose from his seat in the lounge and walked over to his older brother's office table. He cleared his throat and sat in the visitor's chair. "Let's make a deal," Farkas said, not looking at Luca.

"Yeah. . . go ahead," he replied, uninterested.

Farkas turned to face him and smiled. "I'll let you work for now, but you'll come get me after school."

"What are you, a kindergarten?"

"Come on, bro! I'm not going to stop!"

"Farkas Lindenhurst, a NO is a NO! Now leave my office before I f*cking drag you out." Farkas stood up, frowning, he left his office while whispering something to himself.

After reading the reports, Luca stayed in the office for a few more hours before calling Barnald. "Where are we, sir?" the assistant asked politely as they exited the parking lot's elevator.

"I'm gonna drive," he answered and Barnald automatically gave him the key. His assistant sitted at the backseat while Luca sitted in the driver's.

It's their set up every time they visit a location that isn't connected to or owned by the Underground Society. Luca is just keeping the true identity of Mr. Lust, the famous owner of Casa de Lujuria, hidden from the public. This is also a method of the Underground Society to keep their members out of trouble.

With Barnald, they headed to St. Lukes hospital to visit his best friend who is a famous model. They had already exited the parking lot when suddenly the heavy rain began to fall.

"It looks like it will rain all night, sir," Barnald said, peering out the car window.

F*ck! There's a collision on the road ahead us," Luca complained when he saw the commotion in front of the road. They have no choice but to go straight because there is no U-turn slot.

"Sir, may we stop?" Barnald asked. When they successfully passed the traffic one o'clock in the morning.

Luca arched his brow at his assistant. "Why?" 

Barnald moved his gaze to the window, and Luca followed. Outside, he noticed a woman soaking wet and freezing from the cold wind in the waiting shed.

"You like to help her?"

"No, sir. I'd like to hire her." Luca smiled as he heard what his assistant said. He then stopped the car in front of the waiting shed. Barnald opened the window and spoke to the girl. At first, she refused to go with them, but after reading the message on her cell phone, the wind suddenly changed, and she almost begged for a ride.

"Can you tell me how old you are?" Barnald interrogated the lady. They're now on their way to St. Lukes hospital.

"Nineteen, sir."

"What's your name, young lady?"

"Carnation, sir." In the mirror, Barnald's gaze met his. Luca nodded at the old man, who returned his nod to him. They've been communicating through eyes and nods.

"Are you still studying, Carnation?"

"I dropped out sir," the girl replied succinctly.

"I see. Why did you stop?" Barnald inquired once more. The girl looked in the rearview mirror, where they'd met each other's gaze. Luca can only see the girl's left eye because she is sitting on the other side of the car. The girl was the first one to look away.

"Financial issue, sir."

"Can't your parents afford to pay for your education? Wait a second! I apologize for bombarding you with questions. You see, we're currently hiring." Luca smiled. Barnald is a very efficient person, and he admires how smoothly his assistant brought up the subject.

"Have you heard of the SSL Hotel in Makati?"

"Yes, I have been there before. Is that your hotel, sir?" Barnald burst out laughing. "No, my business is only within the Hotel, not the hotel. Have you heard of Casa de Lujuria, the exclusive nightclub in Seven Sins Luxurious Hotel?"

The young lady's eyes widened. "Oh, my goodness! Is it yours? My wealthy blockmates frequently mention your nightclub, sir. I've been to SSL Hotel before, but I've never been to Casa de Lujuria."

Barnald laughed again. "Really? I had no idea the casa was that quite famous"

"Oh! If you only knew sir," the girl said kindly. "CDL is very popular at school, especially you!"

 "Me?" Barnald's amused question.

"Yes! You're Mr. Lust, the famous owner of Casa de Lujuria, aren't you?" Barnald did not answer, he pulled out a card from the inner pocket of his suit and handed it to the girl.

"What is this, sir?" she asked, staring at the card in her hand.

"An invitation pass." Barnald smiled.  "I'm inviting you to my nightclub. 'Didn't I say we are hiring? You'll make a lot of money at Casa de Lujuria. Why don't you try to work for me?"

The girl stared at the card for a long time and asked, "What's the job?"

"Visit Casa de Lujuria to find out."