The Party (4)

  The next morning. At the main doors of the mansion.

  Fox stepped out of the doorstep, looking back to all smiley faces. He felt a bit left out. Everyone had been in a night with their beloved while he was in Victor's office, checking some last clauses here and there. It was even worse with his hearing, as his senses were better than before the Ters-Ly War.

  Even though everyone stayed a little late to spend some movie night with Fox as the one and only guest, they rushed to different bedrooms soon after, leaving Fox only work as his partner.

  Now that he was leaving, the mansion seemed a little desolate, but all these faces near him, wishing him well with their expressions, reminded him he could always come here. More preferably with ‘company’ if possible.

  “Oh, wait. Come here, you young man.” Marisela stopped his horses, making him turn around. Fox welcomed a pair of hands pinching his cheeks and lowered his head, feeling a smooch on his forehead soon after. Then more.

  “A- aunty, it’s fine. I don’t need to be pampered. I don’t really like it… but you know that.” Fox complained a little but still didn’t move away. Marisela separated at last, looking at him with an ‘admonishing’ glance, “What? Why not ‘mom’? I thought I was in cue to take the role. I don’t mind having a successful son that will bring more money to the table than his father.”

  ‘Ah. He must’ve told her while talking about life.’ Fox sent a sneaky glance to Victor, who betrayed him only for the flesh and hotness of passion. Then, he looked back down at Marisela and hesitatingly said, “Well… back at Proteros… there is this person… she has also helped me…”

  “Sigh, alright. I get it.” Marisela patted his chest and returned to her husband’s embrace, her back against Victor. “There goes my last chance to make Lorenita marry you someday. Sigh.”

  “Mooom~!” Lorena complained, just like a young girl, just like back then. As Marisela giggled for teasing her daughter for the umpteenth time, Mermelada and her wife walked to Fox and shook his hands. “It will be a pleasure for me to work with you, and uncle’s pride. B&C Enterprise will go nuts when knowing we’ll work with you in due time. What name are you putting to yours?”

  “It will be Snowfall.” Fox shook hands with his gloved right hand and said. He added, knowing the possible issues, “I already checked internationally, and done preparatives. I’m still in the middle of creating my enterprise, so I might have to ask you for some advice sometime.”

  Merme’s wife smiled knowingly, polite. Fox looked one last time at Lorena, who slowly pouted. Fox grinned, and when he did, she couldn’t help rushing into his arms. Her head thudded his solar plexus but did no damage, to her dissatisfaction.

  “Don’t go away without coming back every 2 days, okay?” Lorena hugged him tight. Even Bruno, who has grown to a better relationship towards Fox yesterday, felt warmth seeing this.

  “So greedy! Someone’s butt may need some more spanking.” Fox embraced her back, making her cheeks flush, before whispering into the top of her head after kissing her forehead. “But it seems it won’t be me to do it. Mmn, I think it’s my fault you like getting slapped so much. Although, it’s no wonder why they are so big and firm now, right?”

  Lorena couldn’t say a thing, embarrassed to no end. His senses were now so superb, almost like a super human. She couldn’t believe she did all that last night, and furthermore, everyone might have as well. On the other hand, Bruno crossed his arms and tilted his head a little, feeling like he was being accused of something.

  “I’ll try doing my best. You focus on studying, aight? I might invite you from time to time to gain experience, and your father. I’ll make sure he knows I’m stealing you away. Mn, I don’t think Bruno has too great studies in the same matters as you, but I can think on how to keep him close to you, so he won’t get any harlots coming his way and live with it, aight?” Fox said before letting go of her. Lorena looked up at him with shiny eyes, thinking, ‘Truly my Elder Brother.’

  “Now get away from me, I don’t share my women.” Fox said, pushing her away with a playful demeanor. Lorena pouted, understanding his hidden, naughty meaning before hugging his neck to exaggeratedly smooch his left cheek and even make obnoxious, sharp noises.

  “Mwah! There you have it. I want to see how you get spanked for having another woman’s scent on you, hehe!” Lorena scrambled to Bruno right after, leaving Fox a little perplexed. He shook his head before looking at everyone one last time, nodding before turning around after saying, “I’ll come back soon. Thanks for having me.”

  With that, and Marisela threatening to spill tears, and Lorena’s eyes shining for the paved road her brother and father prepared for her, just like a younger sister and daughter, spoiled and talented, should be. Fox departed. He took his Myertha out of Lorena’s garage and rode off.

  … After distancing himself from the mansion further and further, Fox thought of something. While it would be a super surprise to come back here with his women, what would it be like to return with his children with them?

  With those thoughts, Fox first went to the pizzeria, where people were crazily bustling. All the gains from this one would be to the original owners, who were bound to make so many fortunes.

  He then went to see the farmers. Paloma and ?o?o, whose twins were already expecting a sibling. These two were at it, no doubt. Without intending to, Fox was bombarded with multiple tips on how to take care of such little vermins, and sent their regards to Esmeralda and Fabiola.

  At last, Fox, who had long let go of his Myertha, went to the governmental building, where he took the helicopter again, this time to return to Proteros. But he wasn’t landing in the presidential precinct. Instead, he stopped atop a media building, where someone was in the middle of an interview. The chopper left, not going to stay there as a governmental vehicle.

  Fox came down to where the interview was taking place. The doors were opened to him, who stepped into a large, divided by glass, wide space of a studio where half a dozen sat around an elliptic table. One of them, the star of the interview and the rising start of Lymoca, among them.

  Fox smiled thinly a bit, watching as the young women looked at him with widened, dreamy eyes, while the rest of the team felt a little nervous.

  At last, the interview ended. Fox watched as everyone stood up except the star, who relaxed and took her time after going through an intense interview proving the horrors of ‘past’ Lymoca entertainment industry. She finally stood up, whereas the interviewers entered the booth.

  They were shocked to see Fox, but not too surprised, just not expecting him there at this moment. Soon after, Selena walked into the studio’s booth with her head low and her jacket folded around her forearm. She lifted her face, only to widen them and feel utter shock… and joy.

  “Fox!” Selena walked to him, letting go of her jacket, which a young man helped pick up, before hugging Fox’s shoulders. Her ear on his chest for a bit, she tightened her hug on him before letting go, accidentally pressing her bosom on him.

  “Calm down,” Fox looked down at her and blinked. “I’m not here to become your manager or bodyguard. I just came to visit you, and for further business. Walk?”

  Fox gestured outside the studio, which Selena readily nodded and walked out, holding his forearm with her hand. They walked out of the building and talked, not caring about the hidden paparazzi lying down in bushes and behind trees.

  “… And just last month, I finished acting for one curious little movie.” Selena narrowed her eyes joyously, hinting at something. Fox smiled, humoring her, “What movie was it?”

  “Oh, nothing important or interesting. Just the dual story of a news reporter and a kid who are struggling to run from somewhere.” Selena kept hinting. Fox smirked strongly, “Oh, yeah? And what is he running of? What is the reporter doing that is so important?”

  “Hmmm… I don’t know what that brave and filial kid would be doing, but the reporter, a hot ass of course, is on her way to prominence! You know, like I have in the entertainment industry.” Selena flung her arms into the air, becoming all too artistic and ambiguous to respond. Nonetheless, Fox smiled, more or less aware of what she was talking about, which left him pondering.

  “Hey, you should do something. You know?” Selena suddenly said, winning the raise of one of Fox’s eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

  “A book! An interview? Oh! Why not a documentary?” Selena proposed one after the other. Fox didn’t react, and she saw it. “What? Not good enough for you? You know, that could be really important. As for not drawing attention, do you think you are able to say that with a straight face?”

  “I’m not trying to hide,” Fox shook his head, with Selena elbowed him gently on the arm. “I don’t feel the need to. After becoming Senior Minister, I understood I don’t care about ‘statecraft’ or the people. I like killing… and those close to me.”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “Are you flirting with me now? Really— you’d do anything to appear anything but an attention seeker, eh?” Selena jumped her eyebrows like a wave before giving him ‘flirtatious’ eyes, which were as beautiful as 10 kg of makeup in anyone’s face.

  “Careful, if you show me those breasts again, be prepared for them to be taken off.” Fox smirked and teased, a rather rare sight when it isn’t family. There was little relationship between him and Selena, other than his ‘rescue’ from the entertainment industry’s ‘old’ tickets and sponsors.

  “Hahaha, duly noted.” Selena laughed it off, feeling just fresh of having conversations like these. Fox looked down at her, wondering if she had a lack of social interactions. Thus, he ‘teased’ more, “Besides, if you give me such ‘hot’ faces, what would your secret boyfriend and gal say?”

  “Eh!? How do you know that!?” Selena was taken aback, almost sweating cold, but it was Fox who said those words, nobody else. Instead of falling into panic, she felt safe right away.

  “Who do you think protects you?” Fox grinned. She widened her eyes, surprised with a dumbfounded face and protruding lips, “You?”

  “Pft-” Fox burst air from his closed lips before facing her with a smirk, embarrassing her. “No, my people.”

  “Oh?” Selena lifted her eyebrows. That wasn’t really something crucial to say nowadays, but coming from Fox, it seemed so… powerful. Selena felt a big warmth in her heart, so she insisted, holding his arm with both hands and putting puppy eyes.

  “But, hey, I’m serious. I’d love to introduce you to some dudes and sweeties I’ve met. They don’t even dare to think about it, but after working with them, I know they’d be perfect to present you and your words to the public, to the world.”

  “I don’t really care. I’m not interested in that.” Fox flatly said, staring ahead with a calm face. Selena grew angery. She ‘kicked’ his calf with the tip of her shoe, hurting herself in the process but hiding it like a total female warrioress. “You doofus! Who’s going to remember you after everyone you know and you die!? What about your grandchildren’s children? How would they know of you? The things you’ve done, and what you will accomplish sooner or later, whether you accept it now or not. How are they supposed to know!?”

  “… What about history books?” Fox was a little perplexed. He stared at Selena and innocently questioned. Selena frowned and shut her eyes in disgust, “Like that’s any good. There’ll only be mentions of your name, nothing else. Worthless~.”

  “Oh, right.” Fox concurred, remembering what little history he studied when he was still a child. The first time he knew about even Preut’s history was from the Ojazul school, and it wasn’t that insanely better.

  Furthermore, the internet and its methods have much more information from other countries than any scholar book. Only international books are different since, obviously, they come from other countries depicting the history of their nation or people.

  “What can you do, then?” Fox asked after some time. They were walking in silence for the past 2 minutes, with Selena’s face pouty and lovable, swinging her legs back and forth without a care. Her eyes expanded, and she clutched his wrist, “You really want to?”

  “Mn, I’m scarcely interested. Don’t make me too many quest-” Fox rolled his eyes a bit, being patient with this woman, when she jumped and smooched his right cheek. ‘Ugh. Why is it women keep kissing my face? I’m not handsome… Oh, although my body… but I’m not naked!’

  Selena let go of Fox’s face and cheeks, looking at him with smiley eyes and a thin, ear to ear smile. “Well, I can introduce you to some people in a few months. They are very busy with some scripts and working in books with other people. Lymoca’s new history is… crazy, ya’ know?”

  “Mn. I think it’s only getting crazier.” Fox nodded, rubbing Selena’s shoulder, who leaned towards him lie some others do. Namely, Teon, Lorena, and even sometimes Morena and… most recently, Vanessa.

  Fox looked at the vehicle coming from the distance in the opposite direction of their walking and said, “Do you mind talking about this while we eat? Mn, I know of a place…”

  “Yeah, sure. It’s a date!” Selena nodded before craftily smiling with her eyes. But just then, her face changed, and she felt like her neck and back of her head became colder. She added, hugging Fox’s arm like a spoiled little girl, “Of family bonds like brother and sister, hehehe…”

  Fox smiled, watched the truck stop beside them, and gestured Selena to get in. The vehicle was quite something, and new in this latter decade, amazing Selena, who has ‘suffered’ through the best treatment from the government in these years.

  With her brain amazed even more with the interiors, Fox let her sit in the front while he sat alone in the middle row of seats. Soon after, they arrived near a restaurant chain, bustling and with people hectic on their conversations and busy eating with abandon.

  “Oh, I see. So this is your plan all along, eh?” Stepping out the vehicle, Selena narrowed her eyes, looking hella charming. She teased, looking up at Fox, standing on her side. “Maybe I should show you my breasts after all. I’m sure that with this help from me, your scary goddess won’t go after me, right?”

  “Haff,” Fox scoffed. Selena walked forth with momentum, drawing so many eyes Fox could compare it to his known sensations if he didn’t protect his mindset. They walked from a few streets away to the 9th Order Restaurant, with many people taking photos and videos already.

  By the time they arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, with the guard opening for them and an employee bringing them to the reserved table, everyone around the sector knew what, when, where.

  Selena played her part to be seen perfectly, with Fox offering jobs which were not only the trend nowadays, growing and barely envisioning a peak in Lymoca, but also in themes and situations Selena was interested in. Thus, with no surprises, and more than anything promises in several months to a year from now, Selena was all too happy to work under Fox this time, unlike before.

  The people were shell-shocked to see Selena, Lymoca’s glorious lady of the entertainment industry, singer, and even ‘old regime’ fighter for the betterment of Lymoca. Furthermore, that tremendous beauty… too perfect!

  Everyone could be surprised enough to see Fox at the 9th Order, but to see Selena was a much welcoming surprise. What’s more, those two together like they were best friends forever. That’s when people were reminded what Fox worked for once upon a time.

  It seemed like child’s play after these years, where Fox has become so much more the country wasn’t ready for. The first Chief Secretary of Security and first Senior Minister. Also, a powerful individual capable of rescuing head of states’ lives, just as much as killing them.

  His efficiency was notable, something undeniable regardless the person or situation. But his seeming nature and tendencies… were a bane to all people, including Lys.

  After eating to their fill, with Selena using this to fill her tummy with as much pizza as she wanted, and drinking lots of tea, with some delicious pastries and additions, they went different ways. Fox sent her off in the same truck, while he went into hiding, ready to take his baby Myertha in the tunnels again, and head to a… crucial location this time.

  … Fox moved to a rather renown and wealthy district. The Forzt family’s zone. He hadn’t been here in a few years, and had only been to once. That day, he was carrying something that belonged to this place, and didn’t participate in the ceremony, too busy running away.

  Today, he returned with his Myertha, empty-handed, and with an objective. His visit was completely out of the blue. Something Fox decided just after bidding Selena farewell. He was here now, and he was seen, which meant no going back.

  Fox waited not even 20 seconds before a boy attendant rushed over from the large buildings, crossing over the garden as fast as he could before being picked by an interior cart.

  When the gates were being opened, Fox took his helmet off, keeping the rest of his gear on. He stepped down his Myertha but moved it along as the attendants in the cart motioned him to come inside. Fox followed them back to the buildings, taking more than 5 minutes.

  It was enough to let his mind wander. He remembered where he went to place her body on her bed, which building and route, and the people who looked at him back then. Fox stopped at the entrance, with the attendants staring at his Myertha.

  Fox gave them some keys to his Myertha before walking into the main building. A maid, who waited outside a few meters before him, hurried behind him. Fox opened the doors, walking inside and observing rows of butlers, maids, and attendants formed up, waiting for him.

  Fox could tell they were hurried here, with their eyes all on him. Most were curious, while others frowned a bit. The sight back then still in their hearts. How to forget such a terrifying day when the death of someone beloved in the entirety of the family was confirmed?

  Fox walked through the middle, the maid behind him patient with his pace, before he stood before long, majestic stairs. At the top left, he saw a man, looking pretty old, stand beside the wooden railing, with thin pillars but a thick and bulbous armrest from the top to the bottom.

  Both pairs of eyes watched each other, with the polycoria eyes reminding the father of this young man’s first impressions on him; the first time they met and saw each other. And why.

  “I came to make business,” Fox uttered loudly, his voice echoing throughout the grand hall. The father stood there, looking at Fox with a and hand on the railing.

  … 15 minutes later, Fox was walked up, entering an enormous, mostly empty room where lights were barely on, leaving a gray and obscure atmosphere in the room. It was silent, as much as it was outside, but with some maids holding trays and tea, some snacks as well, at the side.

  Fox didn’t talk in the beginning, opting for silence first. After 2 minutes drinking and taking a bite of the snacks, just to try them before finished them, Fox looked at the man whose gaze was still a little lost regarding everything about life.

  “I want the Forzts’ support-” Fox looked at the man and commenced, but the father replied flatly and immediately so. “You have it.”

  “…” Fox wasn’t surprised, but he felt heavy. Looking at the man, he finally turned his head and faced him. The skin around his eyes was haggard. Instead of fat, or at least somewhat chubby, the man was a bit too slim, and his hair and beard grew gray sooner than even white.

  “My name is Neoph.” Pheli’s father commented. He extended a hand, old and slightly trembling, “Nice meeting you, young man.”

  “Phesx… Phesx Caolia.” Fox said before extending his left hand, shaking it with the man whom he could never bring himself to call father-in-law regardless of the situation. Neoph shook hands with Fox and nodded. He stared ahead into the void again, becoming lost and breathing becoming sounding and heavily from his nostrils before parting his lips.

  “I have a need to form better relations overseas. I would rather not wait for things to slowly improve, or to negotiate contracts after endless delays and postponing. I already have some good words with the east, but I want to have your backing. The Forzts’ backing. Your word and approval.” Fox directly stated.

  “Whatever it is, you will have it, too. It’s…” Neoph looked at him and fell silent before finally finishing his words, a little breathless. “What I should do for the only person I could see and call her husband and my son-in-law.”

  “Is there any condition you want from me?” Fox nodded, asking thereafter. Neoph listed straight away, “For starters, I… want you to train my body to look normal again. I won’t miss this… opportunity and leave it for anyone else. More important— you must marry at least one of your children to the Forzt family—”

  “I will.” Fox nodded a bit and rapidly to those words, which were already ending. Neoph looked at Fox, who was impassive. Fox trusted the Forzt family, and more so Neoph Forzt. He added, “Can I ask a favor of you?”

  …