Chapter 8: The Naked Truth

Lucas stood frozen in the center of the VIP fitting room.

He looked at the locked heavy wooden door and then back at the ruthless real estate millionaire sitting on the velvet sofa. She was sipping her champagne with a predatory smirk on her face. She was not bluffing or making a casual joke.

She fully expected him to strip down to his bare skin just to satisfy her paranoid power trip.

He briefly considered refusing but he remembered the recording she possessed.

A blue window flickered into existence right beside Camilla’s head.

[Acquisition Quest Generated: The Naked Truth.]

[Objective: Comply with the target’s physical inspection while maintaining a dominant or unfazed persona.]

[Reward: 100 AP and a significant increase in target interest.]

Lucas took a deep breath and opened the System interface in his mind.

He had two hundred points sitting in his bank and he needed an edge. Standing naked in front of a wealthy tycoon was a guaranteed way to look foolish if he let his nerves show. He scrolled through the Skill Shop and quickly selected a physical enhancement.

[Somatic Composure (Level 1) - Cost: 100 AP]

[Description: Grants the Host automatic control over involuntary muscle tension, nervous sweating, and breathing rates. Projects a natural aura of relaxed physical confidence.]

The knowledge and physical adjustment washed over him in a warm wave. His racing heartbeat settled into a slow steady rhythm. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The nervous tension in his shoulders melted away and his posture naturally straightened. He felt grounded and in total control of his own body.

He reached for the buttons on his tailored suit jacket. He slipped the jacket off his shoulders and draped it carefully over the back of a nearby velvet chair.

Camilla watched him with unblinking green eyes. She rested her chin on her hand and observed him like a judge at an exclusive livestock auction.

He unbuttoned his crisp white dress shirt and let it fall away. He was not a bodybuilder but years of manual labor and carrying heavy boxes up three flights of stairs had given him a lean and defined physique. He stood bare-chested under the warm boutique lighting.

Thanks to the new System skill his breathing remained calm and his muscles looked relaxed rather than tense with humiliation.

"Keep going," Camilla instructed softly. Her eyes dropped to his waistline.

Lucas undid his belt.

The quiet click of the metal buckle sounded loud in the silent room. He unzipped his trousers and let them drop to the floor before stepping out of his dress shoes. He was left standing in nothing but a pair of cheap black boxer briefs.

He crossed his arms over his chest to salvage a shred of dignity. "Are you satisfied I am not wearing a wire?"

Camilla did not answer immediately. She set her crystal flute down on the glass table and stood up. She walked toward him with a slow deliberate pace.

The crimson fabric of her dress swayed around her hips and the scent of dark cherry and vanilla grew stronger with every step.

She stopped less than an inch away from him. Lucas had to look down slightly to meet her gaze. The power dynamic in the room was suffocating. He was practically naked while she was fully dressed in designer clothing and radiating raw authority.

"Put your arms down," Camilla whispered.

Lucas let his arms fall to his sides. He kept his expression neutral and held eye contact.

Camilla reached out and pressed her palms flat against his bare chest. Her skin was warm and her touch sent a sudden jolt of heat straight down his back.

She slid her hands slowly across his pectorals and down his ribs while pretending to search for hidden recording devices. Her manicured nails lightly scraped against his skin.

Lucas activated his Advanced Body Language Reading skill. The visual overlay illuminated the minor details of her reaction.

He noticed the slight dilation of her pupils and the tiny hitch in her breathing when she dragged her thumbs over his lower ribs. She was trying to act like a cold interrogator but her body betrayed a growing physical attraction.

"You have a very nice build for a financial consultant," Camilla murmured as her hands traced the lines of his stomach. "Do you spend a lot of time at the gym or is this just natural genetics?"

"I do a lot of heavy lifting," Lucas replied smoothly. His voice did not waver.

She stepped even closer until the soft fabric of her dress brushed against his bare thighs. She looked up into his eyes with a knowing smile.

She could feel the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her palms. She was clearly enjoying the physical effect she believed she was having on him.

"I can see that," Camilla purred.

She let her hands drop down to hook her fingers into the elastic waistband of his boxer briefs.

Lucas tensed his core but forced himself not to pull away. He held his ground and waited for her next move.

"You are clean," Camilla announced before suddenly releasing his waistband and stepping back.

She walked over to the rolling rack and pulled out the dark charcoal trousers he had selected earlier. She tossed them onto the sofa.

"Get dressed. The sight of you in those cheap cotton underwear is ruining the aesthetic of my morning."

Lucas quickly grabbed the expensive trousers and pulled them on. The fabric felt like liquid silk against his skin. He fastened the clasp and reached for the matching dress shirt on the rack.

A pleasant chime rang in his head.

[Quest Completed!]

[Reward: 100 AP awarded.]

[Target trust level increased. The target firmly believes she has established dominance over the Host.]

Camilla walked back over to her champagne and took another sip. She watched him button the charcoal shirt and slip into the heavy suit jacket.

He looked at himself in the three-way mirror. The bespoke suit transformed him. He no longer looked like a struggling college dropout dodging eviction notices. He looked like a dangerous wealthy man who belonged on the arm of a millionaire tycoon.

"Much better," Camilla said approvingly. "You look like someone I would actually allow in my presence. Now let us discuss the rules of your new employment."

Lucas turned to face her. "I am listening."

"First rule," Camilla stated while holding up a finger. "You answer my calls on the first ring. I do not care if you are sleeping or eating or pretending to work for Victoria. When I summon you, you drop everything and come to me."

Lucas nodded. "Understood."

"Second rule," she continued with a dark smile. "You do not speak to the press at the charity gala. You smile for the cameras and you keep your hand on my waist the entire night. You are my devoted fiancé. I want everyone in that ballroom to believe you are madly in love with me."

"I can act the part," Lucas assured her.

"Good," Camilla said while picking up her designer purse.

She pressed the button on the wall and the heavy wooden door unlocked with a loud click.

"Because we are going to start practicing right now. The gala is on Saturday but I need my board of directors to see us together before the event to sell the narrative."

Lucas felt a sudden spike of panic. "Practicing?"

"Yes," Camilla replied casually. "Go back to your miserable little apartment and pack a suitcase. You are moving into my penthouse tonight."

Lucas stared at her in shock. "Moving in?"

"Fiancés do not live in separate apartments, you will stay here till our charade is over." Camilla said as she opened the fitting room door. She looked over her shoulder with a wicked gleam in her green eyes.

"Do not be late, Lucas. We have a lot of late night activities to rehearse."