Chapter 67: One - Fifth

Ding!

The elevator doors opened on the top floor. A female secretary was already waiting outside. The moment she saw Erik, she bowed. "Lord Erik, Madam Laviana is waiting for you."

Erik nodded. Elowen was still holding his arm. She had not asked a single question about Vylana since they left the lobby, but Erik only needed to look at her slightly pursed lips and the way she occasionally glanced at him to know that countless thoughts were running through her mind.

He reached over and gently pinched her cheek.

Elowen flinched. "What are you doing?"

"Stop overthinking."

"I’m not."

"You’ve said that far too many times."

Elowen pouted, but her expression clearly softened a little. The secretary opened the door and invited them inside.

Erik stepped through the doorway, then his gaze paused slightly.

Laviana was standing beside the large window. He only needed one glance to know that she had no intention of pretending this was merely an ordinary business meeting.

Laviana’s outfit was still elegant, but it contained far less fabric than a normal suit. Pieces of soft black-and-red material were held together by thin straps running across her shoulders, waist, and back. The front barely covered the necessary places, leaving the fair skin from her collarbones to her waist almost completely exposed.

Her waist was slender, her hips full, and her long legs were covered in sheer black stockings that only faintly revealed the skin beneath. However, the most eye-catching thing remained Laviana’s mature figure.

Vylana possessed a sense of freshness, like a glass of strong wine that had just been poured, its aroma already enough to attract attention.

Laviana, on the other hand, resembled a bottle of aged wine that had just been uncorked. She did not need to do much. Simply standing there was enough for others to feel the allure of a fully mature woman who knew exactly where her strengths lay.

Erik had to admit that she was very beautiful. He looked for two more seconds before suddenly feeling the arm on his right being squeezed tightly.

Erik turned his head.

Elowen was staring at him, her lips pursed and her eyes filled with both grievance and vigilance. She looked exactly like a small puppy who had just noticed its owner paying attention to another one.

Erik: "..."

He raised a hand and stroked her silver hair. "Don’t look at me like that."

"I didn’t say anything."

"Your face is talking again."

Elowen fell silent, then leaned her entire body against him. Laviana watched the scene, the corners of her lips curving upward. "It seems your relationship is becoming better and better."

"We’re husband and wife," Elowen immediately replied.

"I know." Laviana smiled. "I watched the proposal."

The vigilance in Elowen’s eyes immediately turned into happiness. She unconsciously raised her hand, allowing the ring to reflect the light.

Erik saw the movement, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

This girl truly was easy to coax.

Laviana walked closer. "Let’s sit down first."

The office had been arranged differently from the last time. The formal conference table was gone, leaving only a spacious sofa area and a large screen in front of it.

The moment Erik sat down, Elowen immediately claimed the seat on his right. Laviana sat directly on his left, close enough that only a small gap remained between their thighs.

Erik tilted his head slightly. Laviana appeared completely calm, but Elowen immediately sat up straight.

"Mother Laviana."

"Hmm?"

"There are plenty of other seats over there."

"I know."

"Then why...?"

Laviana looked at Erik, then at Elowen. "We’re discussing a project. Wouldn’t sitting close to the person who proposed the idea make communication easier? Besides, Erik hasn’t said that he feels uncomfortable."

Elowen immediately whipped her head toward Erik. Her emerald eyes practically spelled out the words:

You’re uncomfortable, aren’t you?

Erik felt a headache coming on. "Let’s discuss work first."

Elowen pouted but ultimately said nothing more. She merely hugged his arm a little tighter. When Laviana saw that, the smile on her lips deepened.

The large screen in front of them lit up. The words The Angel Succubus appeared in the center, with several preliminary sketches displayed beneath them.

"I had the creative team start working last night," Laviana began.

Erik was slightly surprised. "That quickly?"

"This is only an initial direction, not a script." Laviana switched to the next image. "We’ll retain your original idea. A world without men, inhabited only by Succubi, followed by the appearance of a special team of female heroes."

Several faceless silhouettes appeared on the screen: one wielded a sword, another used a bow, one wore heavy armor, another had wings, and the last resembled a mage.

"Each member will possess her own ability, personality, and image." Laviana looked at Erik. "First, we’ll produce a pilot film. If the response is positive, we’ll expand it into a series."

Erik nodded. "All right."

Vylana had also come upstairs after handling the incident in the lobby. Unlike her earlier appearance, when she had focused solely on emphasizing her curves, she was now genuinely holding a tablet, sitting in a nearby chair and continuously taking notes.

Erik was slightly surprised. It seemed Vylana’s previous words had not been merely an attempt to flatter him.

The discussion lasted nearly two hours. No one went too deeply into the script. Erik merely established several principles regarding the worldbuilding and direction of development, while professional matters such as the production schedule, team, and pilot budget were left to Laviana.

He knew very well that he was not a director, much less a professional producer. What he possessed were ideas. The people here were the ones who could turn those ideas into a finished product.

Halfway through the meeting, the secretary brought in drinks. Vylana stood up to examine several new designs, while Elowen was also drawn to the images on the screen and leaned slightly forward to look at them.

At that moment, Laviana suddenly moved closer.

Erik sensed her before he looked. A faint, sweet fragrance immediately entered his nose, and their shoulders nearly touched. He turned toward her. "What is it?"

Laviana tilted her head slightly. Her red hair slid over her shoulder, and her lips moved close to Erik’s ear. Her voice was so low that it was barely more than a breath.

"I watched last night’s video."

Erik immediately stiffened. He slowly turned his head and saw that Laviana was still looking at him. Her mature eyes, which usually carried a trace of teasing amusement, now contained something far more heated.

"Meira sent it?"

"Yes." Laviana smiled. "I watched it many times."

Erik fell silent.

He suddenly understood why Laviana had chosen this outfit today.

"Laviana, don’t you think you should keep that a little quieter?"

"I’m already speaking very quietly." She leaned even closer, her warm breath gently brushing his ear. "Then what else would you like me to say?"

Before Erik could answer, Laviana slowly continued, "Give me one night."

He immediately turned fully toward her. "What?"

Laviana looked directly into Erik’s eyes. She was not joking or teasing him. Her seriousness only made the situation even more difficult for Erik.

"Just one night," Laviana continued slowly. Her hand rested on her thigh, her fingertips gently tightening around the fabric. "In exchange, I’ll give you one-fifth of my entire business empire."

Erik was genuinely stunned. "One-fifth?"

"Yes."

That was not a house, a shopping center, or a sum of money.

It was one-fifth of everything Laviana owned.

With her current position in the media and entertainment industries, that amount would be enough to drive countless families mad.

Erik looked at her for several seconds. "Do you understand what you’re saying?"

"I’m perfectly clear-headed," Laviana replied. "I spent the entire night considering it."

Erik suddenly felt that this was the greatest problem. If she had said it while out of control, he could have refused easily.

But Laviana had clearly thought about it seriously before offering that amount.

She moved slightly closer again, lowering her voice. "I don’t need a Contract. I don’t need an official position, nor will I ask you to take responsibility. I only want one night."

Erik frowned. "Because of the video?"

"Not only because of that." The smile on Laviana’s face faded slightly. "I’ve lived for a very long time. I have money, status, and countless Succubi who bow their heads before me."

She glanced toward Elowen. The silver-haired girl was still staring intently at the screen, completely unaware of what the two people beside her were discussing.

"But I’ve never been held by a man the way you hold her," Laviana said more quietly. "No one has ever asked whether I was in pain. Nor have I ever heard a man say that he would cook for me for the rest of my life."

Her nails gently dug into her palm. "I know one-fifth of my business empire is a great deal. But money has never been able to buy me something like that."

As Erik listened, the surprise in his expression gradually became complicated. "So you intend to use money to buy it?"

Laviana paused slightly.

The question had clearly struck something inside her. After a while, she gave a bitter smile. "I don’t know what else I can offer."

Before Erik could answer, Elowen suddenly turned toward him.

"Erik?"

He flinched. Elowen looked at him, then at Laviana, who was sitting so close that she was nearly leaning against him. Her emerald eyes slowly narrowed.

"What did she just say to you?"

Erik fell silent. Laviana was much calmer. She leaned back against the sofa as though nothing had happened.

Elowen became even more suspicious. "Erik?"

He looked at her, then at Laviana, before slowly exhaling. "Laviana just made me an offer."

"What kind of offer?"

Laviana did not allow Erik to answer. She spoke herself, her voice still calm but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"I want to buy one night with your husband."

Elowen became completely motionless.

For several seconds, the room was so quiet that they could hear the air conditioner running. Vylana, who was sitting farther away, slowly raised her head, her hand frozen in the middle of taking notes.

Elowen gradually turned toward Laviana, then looked at Erik before turning back to Laviana.

"You..." Her voice was extremely quiet. "What did you just say?"

Laviana rested her chin on one hand, not avoiding Elowen’s gaze. "I’m offering him one-fifth of my business empire."

Elowen: "..."

Vylana: "..."

Erik raised a hand and rubbed his forehead.

’As expected.’

There was no chance today would end easily.