Chapter 18 Date With Rudy [Part-1]
As I returned to where Rudy, Eric, and Diana sat, a sheepish smile crept onto my face before I could even stop it. The moment Rudy saw me, he jumped up and wrapped me in one of his crushing hugs, laughing into my shoulder as he exclaimed, “This is great!” His voice carried that familiar, infectious excitement, the kind that always made my chest warm no matter how much I pretended to be calm.
Eric stood as well, smoothing down his shirt as he nodded repeatedly. “Boss, congratulations,” he added in that stiff yet loyal tone of his. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh at his formality or pat him on the back for trying so hard to sound composed.
But the moment I glanced at Diana, my smile wavered just a little. There was something else on her lips, curled at the edges, confident, almost victorious. Not a fake smile, not polite, but triumphant. And strangely, in that moment, it pissed me off. I didn’t even know why. Maybe it was the timing, or maybe it was because she looked like she had expected this result all along. But still, good news overshadowed everything else she was doing with her face.
“This turned out great after all,” she said suddenly, leaning back slightly with her arms crossed as if she had been the mastermind behind everything.
I smirked, unable to resist. “Thanks to some bitter people,” I said, savoring the way her smile faltered, only for a heartbeat before she picked it back up again like nothing happened.
“Well,” she replied coolly, “this calls for celebration. You just bagged ten million dollars. That's not pocket change. So what are you going to buy me?”
I scoffed. “What do you mean what am I going to buy you?”
She shrugged. “A drink? A meal? A car? I’m open to options.”
“Relax,” I muttered, though I was still grinning. “But yeah… it really calls for celebration.”
Before Diana could add something sarcastic, Eric suddenly stood, practically jolting out of his seat. “Boss, I’ll head out now. I’m ready for my son’s event.”
“Oh,” I nodded, waving him off. “Yeah, you’re free to go.”
Rudy looked at him with wide eyes, genuinely confused. “You have a child?”
“Yes,” I answered for Eric, shaking my head at Rudy’s shock. “He even has a wife.”
Eric nodded hurriedly. “Yes, sir. Both are true.” Then he bowed awkwardly, twice for some reason before heading out the door.
As soon as he disappeared, Rudy and I started toward the car I brought. Diana, however, remained rooted to her spot, clutching her purse.
“You’re not coming with us?” Rudy asked, gesturing at the door.
She shook her head. “I’ll use my vehicle. I have somewhere to go.”
“Of course you do,” I muttered under my breath.
Rudy and I entered the car, sliding into the backseat while the chauffeur held the door. The moment I buckled my seatbelt, Rudy nudged me with his elbow.
“I hope you didn’t forget we had a date,” he said casually, though his smile hinted he fully expected that I did.
My hand flew to my head and my eyes widened. “I absolutely forgot.”
He burst out laughing. “It’s fine. If I hit a ten-million-dollar bag, I’d forget I had a date too.”
I couldn’t help laughing with him. The chauffeur shut the door and began to drive us toward the luxury restaurant Rudy picked.
The ride wasn’t long, but it was quiet enough for me to think, the city lights passing by like streaks of gold and blue. Even Rudy, who was usually loud, seemed content to relax, humming softly at random intervals. Maybe he was trying to show he wasn’t upset about the forgotten date, and honestly, I appreciated it.
When we finally arrived, my jaw almost dropped. The restaurant wasn’t large, far from it. It was a small triangle-shaped building tucked neatly between two towering structures, but it radiated luxury in a way size couldn’t compete with. Its silver roof glittered under the exterior lights, catching reflections like polished metal under sunlight.
But what truly grabbed my attention were the guards.
Heavily built men stood stationed at every single corner. Their posture was rigid, their expressions blank, and each of them stood nothing less than seven feet tall. They were clearly quirk users, enhanced, powerful, not the type you wanted to test.
As we approached the entrance, one of the guards stepped forward, his palm lifted.
“Pass?”
Rudy reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sleek black card. He held it between two fingers, showing it with a simple flick of his wrist.
The guard’s expression shifted instantly in recognition, respect, even a hint of fear. He stepped back and bowed his head slightly.
“You may enter.”
Rudy winked at me. “Perks of knowing people.”
Stepping inside only amplified my shock. The massive door behind us closed with a quiet, expensive thud, and when Rudy leaned closer, he whispered, “The door and the window sills are made of actual gold.”
I blinked hard. “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie about gold?” he replied, grinning unfairly wide.
But then, inside—I saw it. The chandeliers weren’t just crystal; their stems were plated with shimmering gold. The curtains glistened as though dusted with gold particles. The tiles reflected light in warm golden hues. Even the workers’ uniforms had golden embroidery tracing their edges. The trolleys that carried the meals—golden handles, golden trims, golden wheels.
Everywhere I turned, gold gleamed subtly or boldly, refusing to let my eyes rest.
“This place…” I muttered under my breath, “is insane.”
Rudy nudged me again, proud as if he owned the building. “Only the best, right?”
I shook my head, still taking in the overwhelming richness of the place. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh, cry, or sit down and pretend I wasn’t about to overthink the price of every sip of water they would serve.
But Rudy hooked his arm through mine, guiding me toward one of the private alcoves. “Ten million dollars,” he whispered teasingly. “Tonight, you’re royalty.”