I grabbed a glass of champagne and clinked it lightly with Victor's. The glasses made a crisp sound as they touched, and the pale yellow liquid inside bubbled and swayed like tiny waves.
I said, "No biggie. Just cherish her now that you're together. I wish you all the happiness."
"Thanks, same to you and Catherine."
I smiled and said, "We will."
"But hey, as a thank you, I want to give you a gift," he suddenly said.
I raised an eyebrow. "A gift? What kind?"
"Well, my real identity isn't just a bodyguard. I'm actually the founder of a company. When I first met Calista, I fell for her instantly. So, I hid my identity to get closer to her," he said, holding his champagne.
"Thanks to your help, I managed to win her over. But now my company needs a partner. Interested?" he asked seriously.
Being a partner in a company sounded way better than working for someone else.
"But I'm not from your country, and I don't plan on leaving here," I replied.
That was a pretty big deal.
"That's not an issue. My company is planning to open a branch in your country. If you agree, you'll run that branch, while I'll handle the headquarters here," he said after taking a sip of his champagne.
He added, "Calista mentioned you're in the public relations department at your company. My company focuses on electronic information tech and game development. Seems like a perfect fit for your skills. I think we'd make a great team."
Victor made a lot of sense, and I was definitely tempted.
Also, I majored in game development in college but ended up in public relations because of the tough job market.
Not to mention, Catherine and Calista had a working relationship. They had just wrapped up a project, and things were heating up.
Partnering with Victor would definitely strengthen our bond.
"Alright, have you picked a location and arranged staff for the branch?" I agreed and asked.
"No, I've got five million dollars ready to hand over to my partner, which happens to be you. So, you'll be in charge of everything, like the company's location, personnel recruitment, and so on," he said calmly.
"Do you trust me that much?" I raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised.
I knew good things were coming my way, but I didn't expect something this good.
With such a great opportunity suddenly in front of me, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a catch.
Victor glanced at me, chuckled, and said, "Don't get too excited yet. The five million for setting up the branch isn't enough. You'll need to invest at least another two million dollars."
"Two million dollars is nothing to me." I took out my phone. "Let's exchange numbers and discuss the details later."
"Sure, will you still be here tomorrow?" Victor asked as he added me to his contacts.
"Yeah, my flight's at six tomorrow evening."
"Alright, I'll have my assistant drop off the contract at your hotel later. Look it over, and if everything checks out, go ahead and sign it. I've already signed my part."
"Sounds good."
After that, Victor and I clinked glasses again and took a sip, a little early celebration for our new partnership.
Just then, Catherine and Calista finished their chat and walked over to us.
Catherine linked her arm with mine. "What were you guys talking about?"
Calista asked Victor the same thing.
"Just guy stuff," I said, giving Catherine a playful look.
Victor echoed my sentiment to Calista.
Catherine and Calista exchanged a helpless glance.
Suddenly, the sound of a glass shattering echoed from across the room.
"Who the hell is Catherine's man? Step forward!" A guy stormed into the banquet hall, looking furious and ready to cause trouble.
I raised an eyebrow, thinking, 'Is this guy serious?'
I was about to set down my champagne and step forward, but Catherine grabbed my arm. "Don't go, this guy's nuts and unpredictable."
"Don't worry; you know me. He can't do anything to me, and I need to show up as your boyfriend." I leaned down a bit to calm her.
With that, I gently removed her hand and walked towards the commotion.
"I am. What do you want?" I said, loosening my fist and relaxing my fingers, ready for whatever was coming.
"Damn it, she messed up my project. I lost three million dollars because of her. How are you gonna make it right?" The guy stormed up to me, stopping just inches away, glaring up at me.
Given our height difference, he had to look up, while I looked down at him, clearly unimpressed.
I raised an eyebrow, eyes filled with disdain. "Three million dollars? If you lost it, that's on you. What does that have to do with her?"
"Three million dollars! Have you ever seen that much money? Damn it, you bumpkin! That's enough to buy your life!" He grabbed my collar, trying to lift me, but with my size, he only managed to pull me down a bit.
I looked down at him, focusing on my suit collar.
"Let go." My voice turned icy, my eyes cold, radiating a dangerous vibe.
Even the onlookers took a couple of steps back, sensing the tension.
But the guy ignored the warning, still trying to intimidate me.
The next moment, I punched him, sending him to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.
"I told you to let go. You had it coming." I stood over him, brushing off my collar where he had grabbed me, feeling annoyed.
At that moment, Victor walked up and explained why the guy had lost three million dollars because of Catherine.
Turned out, it was his own fault. He tried to pull some shady, fraudulent deals, hoping to scam Catherine. But her team caught on and cut ties with him just in time.