The Secret Life of a Billionaire

Grace Li had been working in venture capital for five and a half years. During that time, she had dealt with all sorts of people, yet her personality remained straightforward and a bit too direct for the industry's usual smooth-talking, diplomatic norm. Deep down, she preferred interacting with laid-back and kind people—those who didn't speak in riddles or play mind games.

This time, however, she had no choice but to meet with Evelyn Garcia of Vanguard Capital. The meeting was at the behest of Benjamin Harris, the managing partner. Benjamin wanted her to smooth things over between Nova Capital and Vanguard Capital. There was no way Grace could refuse such a directive.

On the drive to the restaurant, Grace gave her colleague, Aiden Thompson, a heads-up. "Aiden, you've probably heard Ryan and the others mention it—Evelyn isn't the easiest person to deal with. She's had a bit of a falling-out with our firm before. If she wants to vent tonight, we just let her. No need to push back."

Aiden frowned. "If she's that difficult, why bother with her?"

"This project fits squarely within her area of expertise, and there's a good chance she'll be interested. Plus," Grace sighed, "there are some internal dynamics at play in our company that I won't bore you with right now. Bottom line: our team finally got a project approved by the investment committee, and I have high hopes for it. If we can get Evelyn onboard, it'll be smooth sailing from here."

Grace didn't spell it out, but Aiden had a good idea of what was going on. Benjamin was using Grace to mend fences between the two firms while also solving the funding issue—effectively offloading all the pressure onto her.

Grace picked a high-end steakhouse for the meeting, scheduling it for 7:30 p.m. She and Aiden arrived ten minutes early. By 7:30, there was still no sign of Evelyn Garcia. Growing restless, Grace checked her phone and found a message from Evelyn's assistant: Evelyn was stuck on an important call and would be 15 minutes late.

Fifteen minutes came and went, but Evelyn was still nowhere to be seen. Grace, glancing at the restaurant entrance for the umpteenth time, turned to Aiden. "Are you hungry? Should we order some bread to tide us over?"

"I'm fine, not hungry yet," Aiden replied.

At that moment, Grace's stomach betrayed her with a loud grumble. Her cheeks flushed pink. She'd barely touched her lunch earlier, as the takeout had been unappetizing, and now she was starving. Aiden, clearly having heard, suggested, "Why not go ahead and order something small?"

Grace shook her head, still embarrassed. "No need. If you're not hungry, we'll wait a bit longer."

Finally, ten minutes later, Evelyn Garcia arrived. She walked in wearing a fitted burgundy dress that hugged her figure, her shoulder-length chestnut waves styled in loose curls, and bold red lipstick that turned heads.

Grace quickly stood to greet her. "Evelyn, good evening."

"You must be Grace Li," Evelyn said, extending her hand.

"Yes, that's me."

As the two women shook hands, Aiden rose from his seat and politely pulled out Evelyn's chair. "Evelyn, please have a seat," he said, his demeanor effortlessly gentlemanly.

Evelyn immediately noticed the strikingly handsome young man. Over her years in the financial world, she'd met plenty of good-looking men, even movie-star types, but Aiden stood out. His masculinity had no trace of pretense, and his natural charm exuded a quiet confidence.

While looking at Aiden, Evelyn asked Grace, "And who is this?"

Grace introduced him. "This is Aiden Thompson, a new investment manager on our team."

Evelyn's smile widened. "Aiden, you're quite the standout."

Aiden replied modestly, "You're too kind, Evelyn."

Evelyn's curiosity was piqued. "You look young—what are you, 25?"

"Spot on. Just turned 25," Aiden said with a polite smile.

Evelyn remained all smiles, completely opposite from the hostility Grace had braced herself for. She had come prepared to take criticism, even harsh words, without complaint. Yet Aiden's presence had transformed Evelyn's attitude into something surprisingly warm. Grace, a seasoned professional, couldn't miss the subtle interest Evelyn was showing in him.

After the small talk, Grace flagged down the waiter to order. Evelyn casually picked a sirloin steak, a salad, and a glass of white wine. Once the orders were in, Grace took the opportunity to steer the conversation to business. "Evelyn, what do you think of our 'N-Perspective Baking' project?"

"I've reviewed the materials you sent," Evelyn said. "It's a solid concept so far."

Grace took that as a good sign and pressed on. "Would you consider investing in it?"

Evelyn leaned back slightly, regaining her composed air. "Investment decisions aren't made lightly. I wouldn't commit based on just a few documents."

"Of course, I understand. If you'd like additional data or an on-site visit, let me know, and I'll make all the arrangements," Grace said quickly.

Evelyn shifted her focus back to Aiden. "Thompson, right?"

"Aiden's fine," he said with an easy smile.

"So, are you involved in this baking project?" Evelyn asked.

"I've only been with the company a short time," Aiden said modestly. "I'm mostly assisting Grace. She's the one taking the lead on this project."

"No worries. I just wanted to hear a fresh perspective," Evelyn said before turning back to Grace. "Miss Li, the baking market is quite competitive. How long do you think the differentiation of 'N-Perspective' can last? And what's the market share of its competitors?"

Grace responded with detailed data and analysis. Evelyn occasionally redirected questions to Aiden, asking for his thoughts on consumer behavior in their target demographic. His responses were clear, concise, and insightful, impressing Evelyn more with each passing moment.

As dinner progressed, Evelyn looked thoroughly pleased. Toward the end of the meal, she swirled the last sip of wine in her glass and chuckled. "Well, now I've gone and forgotten I drove myself here. Can't exactly drive after drinking, can I?"

Grace immediately offered, "Evelyn, I can drive you home to make sure you get there safely."

Evelyn waved her off, her gaze landing on Aiden. "Aiden, you drive, right? Could you do me a favor and take my car? I'll even pay you for your time—and consider it a personal favor to me."

Aiden hesitated, but before he could answer, Grace interjected with a smile. "Evelyn, we could arrange for a professional driver. That way, you and Aiden won't have to go out of your way."

Evelyn smiled lightly. "Grace, you're so thoughtful. But tonight's been delightful, and I'd like to chat with Aiden a bit more."

Sensing Evelyn wouldn't budge, Grace remained composed. "How about this—Aiden drives you, and I'll follow in my car. That way, if you need anything, I'll be close by."

Evelyn considered the suggestion and finally nodded with a smile. "That works."

Evelyn's car, a $2-million Maserati, smoothly pulled out of the restaurant parking lot, with Grace following closely behind. As she trailed them, Grace couldn't help but regret bringing Aiden along. She could've handled the meeting on her own. Now, if Evelyn crossed any lines with Aiden, Grace knew she'd feel responsible.

At a red light, Grace's car came to a stop behind Evelyn's. She craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse through the heavily tinted windows of the Maserati, but they revealed nothing. When the light turned green, she quickly refocused and followed.

Her thoughts raced. What if Evelyn invited Aiden into her apartment? How would she handle that? Evelyn's luxury building came into view, and Grace watched the Maserati disappear into the underground garage.

Distracted, Grace accidentally blocked the entrance to the garage until the honking from cars behind her snapped her back to reality. She drove off and parked nearby, finding a spot with a good view of the building's main entrance.

With the engine idling, she kept glancing at the entrance, waiting for Aiden to reappear. Minutes dragged by. Ten minutes. Then fifteen. Anxiety gnawed at her. What if Evelyn really had invited Aiden upstairs? Grace tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, her mind spinning as she watched and waited.