Amelia got the invitation as she was reviewing NexTech's acquisition numbers. She thought it was a nice gesture from Darren, but her mind was more overwhelmed with something that had happened earlier.

Yesterday.

A package had arrived at reception, addressed to her from Darren. Curious, she had retrieved it, and inside was a small velvet box with a silver bracelet inside, engraved with 'Balance'. A note read: 'Thank you for keeping me steady. – D.'

Her heart fluttered. Was it finally happening? After all she had done ever since Trendteller, was Darren finally thinking of her the way she wanted him to.

That was until she noticed the delivery slip. It was dated a week ago, meant for Penelope, but sent to her instead to hold for Darren.

Amelia's fingers tightened around the box. Penelope, with her warm smiles and home-cooked meals, was the opposite of her calculated precision.

So, Amelia had discarded that idea... Again. Darren was her boss, and didn't think of her in any romantic way whatsoever.

Which was why to her, this invitation was most likely nothing but an official business matter. She had no expectations. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel{f}ire.net

At least that way she wouldn't be disappointed.

She had tucked the bracelet into her drawer, her lips a thin line.

-----

For the richest self-made woman in the city, Cheyenne Lamb Bordeaux, it was amusing for her when she got it.

She sipped a martini at her penthouse office, her view of Los Alverez a glittering chessboard. As a political powerhouse, she played every move with precision, and Darren was her favorite opponent.

His debt to her — forged in a deal to save his Bitcoin Operation — gave her leverage, but his charm was what kept her hooked.

But she was at home now, so there was no reason to lie or pretend. This was unexpected to her. Darren, planning something like this. But was she unhappy about it? No. She was even kind of... glad? Intrigued? Touched surprisingly in that cold heart of hers.

Was Darren Steele catching feelings for the woman manipulating him?

She wasn't catching feelings, she told herself. Of course not. But was he?

Cheyenne laughed, but it was pretentious. Even to herself. If Darren wanted her in his orbit, he'd need to offer more than flowers and a seat at his table.

Yet she was still going to go for the damn date.

-----

Penelope refused to leave her room crying.

A delivery had arrived: a bouquet of roses with the invitation.

She wasn't sure that she was going to go. Her father's own pleading words couldn't get her out of her room. What made Darren think she would come out just because of flowers and a nice card.

She sniffed the flowers, drying her tears.

Sigh, Penelope did like daisies.

-----

Sandy was in her car when she got hers. She wanted to tear it into pieces at first, but she realized how childish and wrong she was being.

She drove immediately to a store to get a gown.

------

Ileana sat in the IT department, her fingers trembling as she looked at the card in front of her.

She hugged her knees, whispering, "Please don't let this be a mistake."

------

The perpetuator of all of this, Darren, was slumped in his office chair, the city skyline a blur beyond his window. The system's holographic screen blinked to life, giving him the update that showed the women's reaction to getting the letters.

Ding!

┏Warning: Tension Spiking Across Romance Radar┛

┏Multiple loyalty drops detected. Immediate action required to prevent catastrophic fallout.┛

┏Rachel: 35%┛

┏Kara: 75%┛

┏Olivia: 50%┛

┏Amelia: 55%┛

┏Cheyenne: 36%┛

┏Penelope: 50%┛

┏Sandy: 30%┛

┏Miranda: 30%┛

┏Daisy: 20%┛

┏Tamara: 35%┛

┏Ileana: 60%┛

┏System Note: You've lit a fuse, Heartbroker. The Heart Table dinner is your last chance to defuse it. Tread carefully.┛

Darren's head pounded. There were many more reductions than he expected. Especially in Rachel's and Amelia's case.

He stood, his jaw set. The La Villette dinner was tomorrow night. He'd invited them all, every woman on that damned list, to lay everything bare. It was a gamble, but he had no choice. If he didn't fix this fast, the system would give him the punishment and the effects would bury him... and Steele Investments with it.

"Alright, system," he muttered, his voice steel. "Let's see if I can pull this off."

-----

It was finally five days later.

The rooftop of La Villette, Darren Steele's crown jewel among his Los Alverez properties, shimmered under the twilight sky. The restaurant, perched atop a sleek glass tower, was a masterpiece of urban elegance. It had everything that defined beauty: marble floors, cascading ivy walls, and a panoramic view of the city's glittering skyline.

A long, polished table sat at the center, draped in ivory linen and adorned with crystal wine glasses, silver cutlery, and plates of exquisite hors d'oeuvres: truffle-dusted scallops, caviar canapés, and delicate rosemary flatbreads.

Waiters in crisp black vests moved silently, pouring vintage Bordeaux and chilled prosecco, their professionalism a stark contrast to the electric tension crackling in the air.

Darren was optimistic about the amount of women that would come, if any. But he was surprised that they all did.

ALL OF THEM.

The women arrived one by one, each dressed to kill.

There were two things that were unbeknownst to them though. At least most of them:

This wasn't a personal date, or a business meeting. The second thing was that Darren was watching from a shadowed alcove behind a lattice of ivy.

The system's interface was glowing right in front of him as he sipped on some Pinot Noir. Darren orchestrated this dinner to lay his cards on the table, but first, he needed to hear their unfiltered truths.

He wondered who would be the first to arrive. But never in his guesses did he think it would be Rachel.

She was the one to first step onto the rooftop, wearing a navy gown that mercilessly hugged her curves, the slit revealing a flash of leg as she moved. It threatened to give Darren an erection from just looking at her.

Her dark brown hair fell in waves, not completely hiding her sharp eye, which joined the other to scan the empty table with suspicion.

Darren just stared. 'I thought for sure Kara would be first. But Rachel...?'