"Mr. Cooper, this guest is of paramount importance tonight. Make sure he receives excellent treatment for me. If you screw it up..." Scarlett Cone interrupted, holding the man's outstretched hand tightly.
"Enough is enough, Mr. Kim. I don't know who's here today to make him nervous."
"The tycoon of the city of Oxford, Richard O'Neil."
Richard O'Neil?
Scarlett Cone's expression hardened slightly, and Mr. Kim noticed immediately. He observed her intently and asked. "What happened? Any problem?"
Scarlett Cone smiled and gently swirled the glass in her hand, her fingers thin and pale. "It's nothing." She replied. "I just didn't expect to find such a big tycoon."
She concluded: "Mr. Kim, don't worry. Leave it to me!"
In the dimly lit room, almost everyone was already seated. When Scarlett Cone walked in with Mr. Kim, she saw Richard O'Neil sitting in the center of the couch. He wore a white shirt without a tie, with the top button unbuttoned, revealing some of his fair skin.
"Mr. O'Neil." Scarlett Cone slowly approached and sat down next to him.
Although they were not in Oxford, almost everyone knew Richard O'Neil. Two years ago, he, a medical student, dropped out of school to venture into business. Since then, he has revolutionized the industry, multiplying the value of the O'Neil Group under his leadership. Today, he is one of the most eligible bachelors in the UK.
Upon hearing her voice, Richard O'Neil's gaze slowly turned to her. When their gazes met, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
Scarlett Cone raised her glass and remarked. "Mr. O'Neil, this must be your first time at our club, right? I hope you enjoy the night."
She finished her sentence and, disregarding Richard O'Neil's answer, finished the wine in one fluid motion.
"Mr. O'Neil, this is the famous Miss O'Neil. Hannah from the club." Mr. Kim added with a smile.
Richard O'Neil tilted his head at her with a puzzled look. "Femme Fatale!"
Scarlett Cone kept smiling and replied, "Yes, Mr. O'Neil. Would you like to drink with me?"
Richard O'Neil didn't say much, but whenever Scarlett Cone offered him a cup, he took a sip of it. After a few rounds, Mr. Kim watched with a satisfied smile.
Scarlett Cone had a remarkable resistance to drinks, but after a few drinks, she began to feel the effects. Claiming to need to go to the bathroom, he quickly left the room. As soon as he closed the door, he vomited.
She rinsed her mouth and looked up slowly, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
Scarlett Cone's face was pale, and her makeup had smudged. Calmly, she began to touch up her face. While applying lipstick, the bathroom door burst open. Scarlett Cone was startled, dropping her lipstick on the floor.
She smiled when she saw who was in front of her. She bent down to pick up the lipstick and, still smiling, said. "Mr. O'Neil, you look like you're in a hurry. Why not...?"
She barely had time to finish the sentence before Richard O'Neil stepped forward. His hand wrapped around Scarlett Cone's waist, pulling her close as he kissed her unexpectedly.
Scarlett Cone tried to push him, her hand pressing against his chest, but Richard O'Neil forced her against the wall. Her kiss was authoritative, carrying a faint smell of fresh mint. His hands, impatient, slid directly into the collar of Scarlett's dress.
She quickly held his hand, trying to keep him under control. His eyes were slightly cloudy from the wine, and his lips were slightly swollen. But there was something attractive about that expression.
"Mr. O'Neil, this is the bathroom." She said, keeping her composure.
Richard O'Neil looked at her, calm eyes showing he wasn't drunk. "You look a lot like someone I know."
Scarlett Cone laughed. "Maybe it's because beautiful people... look the same?"
He smiled, loosening the grip on his hand. Without saying anything else, he turned and left.
When he finally dropped out of her sight, Scarlett Cone released a sigh of relief. He leaned against the wall and, little by little, slid down, feeling his body relax. She stood up slowly and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Is it possible?" Thought. "Not at all."
That day, Mr. Kim walked out of the club with a beaming smile. The next day, Scarlett received a bank transfer notification from him. She looked at the numbers on the screen and put the phone away, pulling the blanket to go back to sleep.
Recently, there was a big government tender project in Durham. That was the reason for Richard O'Neil's presence in the city.
Scarlett had just closed her eyes when the phone rang. The number was unknown, but from the sequence of elegant digits, she knew it was no ordinary call.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Miss Cone." The cold voice on the other end of the line continued. "There's a cocktail tonight. Would you like to go with me?"
Scarlett Cone knew without a doubt who was calling. She felt tense, squeezing the blanket tightly. In a cheerful voice, he replied. "Mr. O'Neil, don't you know that my work is at night?"
"You can say whatever price you want."
Scarlett smiled and said, "Since Mr. O'Neil is so kind to invite me, I won't decline. What is the address and time?"
"Give me your address, and I'll pick you up tonight."
After saying that, Richard O'Neil hung up the phone. Scarlett Cone remained motionless, thoughtful. It wasn't until she heard her roommates complaining outside that she sent her address to Richard O'Neil as if in, that moment, she realized what was going on. She saved his number in her contact list with a single name: O'Neil.
When night came, Scarlett Cone braced. She excused herself from the manager and changed her clothes, putting on a long, red dress with a bare-shouldered jacket accentuating her white skin and beautiful collarbone. Her hair cascaded in loose waves, and her makeup was impeccable, highlighting her striking features.
Outside, Richard O'Neil's car pulled up at the entrance. As everyone tried to guess who the wealthy financier was, they saw Scarlett Cone making her descent down the stairs.
"My God, is that her?"
"That man... Is he Mr. O'Neil from last night?"
"This woman managed to hook Mr. O'Neil in just one night!"
Scarlett closed the door behind her, blocking the murmurs. Richard O'Neil was sitting next to her, wearing an elegant black suit. Her hair was neatly tied back, revealing her pretty face. When he looked at her, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
"Miss Cone, you look stunning. He really got up to speed quickly." He commented.
Scarlett Cone leaned back in her seat and replied with a smile. "No matter what, I couldn't let Mr. O'Neil embarrass himself, right?"
Richard smiled back, looking straight ahead. "I don't think so."
The car entered the party site.
