10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

62  A Game Of Wits

The moment I stepped into the lounge, my eyes locked onto her instantly.

Alyssa Gyokares.

She was seated at the bar with the confidence of a woman who had been handed things her whole life. In her hand was a glass of champagne which she swirled expertly. She was utterly captivating. The kind of captivating that meant she constantly had men throwing themselves at her feet.

And at that moment, she wasn't alone.

Wang Tae Bin sat next to her, gesturing animatedly as he probably regaled her with one of his boring billionaire tales. His laugh carried across the room, loud, exaggerated and easier to tell, desperate.

He wasn't as close to her as he'd made me believe the last time I'd met him. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Perfect.

In the second I'd taken to observe, my mind had analyzed the situation and come up with a game plan.

Taking a deep breath, I walked into the lounge with the kind of confidence that made others believe when you tell them the sky was green. I had convinced myself. It was time to convince them.

Fortunately, I'd come dressed nicely, already knowing I would be impressing the ladies. Perks of being handsome, I didn't have to try too hard to look good.

My boots clicked against the floor as I approached the bar and Wang looked up and saw me. His face lit up and his smirk widened as if he'd just been gifted the opportunity to ruin my evening.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the struggling businessman." He sneered as I approached. "I didn't think you could afford to drink here, Nico. You lose your way?"

I kept a bored expression on my face, stopping just short of them. I knew what Wang was trying to do. He was trying to put on a show and put me down, making himself look like the better male between us. Unfortunately for him, I was about to burn his wings.

My eyes flicked from him to Alyssa and I gave her a dismissive yet polite nod like I didn't find her noteworthy before turning back to Wang. "Shut the hell up, boy." I said like this was another Tuesday for me.

The two of them paused at my words. This hadn't been what they were expecting.

Alyssa raised a brow like she was just noticing me for the first time while Wang's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, unable to keep his shock off his face.

I could tell that ever since he acquired his status as a billionaire, he'd become accustomed to the new treatment and clearly wasn't used to being spoken to that way, and I enjoyed the way he struggled to process it.

When he finally found his voice, it was unsteady. It was the voice of a man caught off guard. "What did you just say to me?" He asked and I could see Alyssa glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

"You heard me." I replied, keeping my tone casual as if I hadn't just verbally slapped him in the face. "Now, why don't you go back to doing whatever it is you do when you're not busy annoying everyone around you?"

Alyssa's lips twitched as if she was suppressing a smile.

Wang glared at me, his bravado returning in waves. "You think you're clever, don't you? Strutting in here like you're somebody when you're nothing. I looked into you. Sunset Inn? Please, the whole industry knows it's a joke."

"Ah, Sunset Inn." I said, feigning a thoughtful expression. "You mean the venture that's attracting the attention of serious investors? I can understand why you'd feel threatened, Wang. After all, actual success must seem like a foreign concept to you."

Wang's face turned red, his voice rising. "You think you're better than me? I could buy and sell you a hundred times over!"

I tilted my head, studying him as if he were a particularly dull child. "Wang, you're a man who thinks wealth is the only measure of worth. That's sad, really. But let me give you some advice. Money can't buy class, and it certainly can't buy brains."

Wang's mouth opened and closed as he searched for a retort. He glanced at Alyssa and his fists tightened around his glass. He looked like he wanted to hurl it at me.

"Anyway," I said, dismissing him with a flick of my wrist, "while I didn't come here to trade barbs with you, I can see that you do have some taste." I turned to Alyssa, offering her a charming smile. "And you are?"

She smiled back, unable to hide her interest in the man who had turned his attacker into a stuttering idiot.

"Don't answer him, Alyssa." Wang said, not knowing he was devaluing himself in her eyes.

She glanced at him before extending a hand to me. "Alyssa Gyokares." She said, keeping up her smile.

"A pleasure, Alyssa. I'm Nico Voss."

"Voss? Like an actual Voss?" She leaned forward. If I didn't have her interest before, I did now.

Wang scoffed. "In his dreams."

"Maybe." I ignored him, grinning as I tapped the side of my nose in a way that let her know that I was definitely an actual Voss. I gestured toward Wang. "So, how do you know this guy?"

"We're friends." She said with a shrug, glancing at Wang, who was still fuming.

"Friends?" I raised a brow. "Interesting choice."

Alyssa chuckled, amused by the playful jab.

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "Well, Alyssa, since I've probably ruined whatever riveting conversation you were having, how about I make it up to you? Let's get out of here. I'm sure we can find somewhere more... entertaining."

Wang shot out of his seat, unable to hide the desperation in his voice. "Alyssa, you don't need to go anywhere with this guy! He's just-"

Alyssa placed a hand on his arm, silencing him. Her gaze shifted to me, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Why not?"

Wang's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Let's go." Alyssa said, standing and grabbing her clutch.

I stepped aside, gesturing for her to lead the way. "After you."