Chapter 86: Chapter 86 — Financial Envy and... Disconcerting Mornings
Luna woke up with a luxurious and habitual laziness, embraced by Matthew's warmth like a spoiled cat that refuses to leave the bed on winter days.
The soft morning light slowly invaded the room, as if the universe understood that she deserved to wake up in peace. However, as she slowly stretched on top of him and prepared to get up, her eyes stopped... and froze.
"Ah..." she murmured silently, widening her eyes as she noticed that thing making a clear bulge under his pants, the famous and unsolicited "male morning salute." And salute was a compliment — that was practically a frontal attack.
Luna felt her face burn as if she had been slapped by fire. She froze so much that for a second she considered going back to sleep pretending dementia. But, like every curious woman, she peeked again, murmuring to herself.
"...big... and thick..."
She blinked, shook her head, cursed her own perverted thoughts, and fled the mattress like an embarrassed ninja. She entered the bathroom and closed the door, leaning on the sink while trying to control the blush on her face.
"Damn, Luna... you still act like a virgin teenager when you see your boyfriend lying naked?!"
She took a deep breath. Turned on the shower and stepped in, letting the hot water fall on her shoulders. The bath helped recover her sanity and concentration.
Then, with the towel wrapped, she brushed her teeth while pulling up the floating panel of the Tycoon system to check the "daily login."
"Come on, system... surprise me."
The notification appeared shining, as always:
[Congratulations]
[Login Reward]
—US$ 10,000,000,000 automatically deposited into the account.
—1x Bugatti Spectra 2099 (Lunar Limited Edition)
—1x Ferrari Helix TwinCore
—1x Residential complex with 3 luxury buildings, 1200 units per tower.
Luna whistled impressed. "The system definitely treats me better than many relationships out there..."
With a touch on the panel, she redirected the data to her support team.
"Assistant No.7, take care of the contracts, deeds, and integration of these assets with Tycoon's social departments. I want this complex used for philanthropic housing, and the car brands activated for image events. Thank you." she said with an almost automatic calm.
Leaving the bathroom, Matthew was still sleeping serenely, that place now behaved.
She breathed relieved.
Looked at him, lying there like an Olympian god, and muttered quietly. "Not hard anymore... thanks. But why am I still blushing?" she huffed, not wanting to admit she was obsessed with specific parts of her boyfriend.
She went down the mansion corridor and entered her office, which was strategically next to Matthew's.
Unlike his, hers was pure modern luxury. Holographic screens, smart glass desks, a coffee maker with artificial intelligence that understood her mood, and even a small decorative cyber fox on top of the cabinet, a gift from Nikoly.
Sitting down, Luna typed her password and unlocked Tycoon's main panel. "Let's see how much we made this quarter..."
The data appeared and Luna almost spat out the coffee she hadn't even drunk yet.
> Tycoon's net profit in the last two months: 964 billion dollars.
" ...excuse me?"
She rubbed her eyes. Read again.
"Not even a full trillion? Wow." she joked, laughing alone. But the truth was that, as absurd as the figure was, Luna was already used to the company's financial insanity.
She kept reviewing reports, analyzing sales graphs of products like Celestial Shampoo, LUX facial mask, and the first contracts of Helios Orbital energy. All with two to three-digit growth per quarter.
But what caught attention was the profit forecast for the next four months:
> Forecast: US$ 4.3 trillion
She murmured "my dividends are absurd not counting royalties from companies in which I am the majority shareholder."
" ...Well." she said looking at the screen. "So... if this is not a sign of the apocalypse, I don't know what is."
Luna crossed her legs, relaxed in the chair, opened the communicator, and started writing messages to the girls on the council. "Time for a little informal meeting... or maybe just gossip."
But before that, she pulled up the Tycoon system screen again, smiled with that spoiled CEO face, and murmured. "System... give me a surprise box as a gift? Just because I woke up beautiful today?"
The system blinked. A new notification appeared:
[Special Mood Boost Reward Detected]
—1x Pair of Intelligent Lingerie with nanofibers that adjust body temperature, gentle vibration, and user mood self-recognition.
Luna widened her eyes. "...System, you're a damn perverted accomplice... but thank you."
Moments later, on the holographic call, Luna's image appeared with a steaming coffee in hand, hair still slightly wet from the bath, and a light blush on her face that even she couldn't say if it was from the heat or the embarrassing memory of waking up on top of Matthew and having stared at… well, that. She preferred to keep that memory in confidential archive mode.
On the other side, Lumine appeared with a sour face. "Three countries have already contacted before I even opened my eyes. All asking about the satellites. And more specifically... about possible discounts."
Nikoly, with dark circles and fiercely typing something in five holographic windows at the same time, murmured without taking his eyes off the screens. "Did they find out about the Cryon discount?"
Lumine shook her head, but her tone was tense. "Not yet... but it's only a matter of time if someone keeps giving benefits to kingdoms governed by girlfriends of our employees."
Victoria finally appeared, already with impeccable makeup and the hologram showing she was at Tycoon's headquarters. With a sigh, she said. "My father-in-law called me early today. Said they discovered and beheaded ten spies trying to infiltrate Cryon looking for information about the joint projects of Tycoon and Phoenix Solarius."
The silence that followed was broken only by Luna taking a dramatic sip of coffee. "I think it's time to... counterattack with a controlled lie. What if we create a fake project, with Cryon's collaboration, and release it as the 'real' one? That would divert curious eyes and protect the real project."
Lumine, with a slight conspiratorial smile, nodded. "I'm already developing a fake version with old technology code names, that seems plausible enough to fool any technical analyst. But I will need someone to represent both companies there and personally sign the official papers with Kael and the emperor. Everything has to look legitimate."
Luna smiled slowly, malice in her eyes. "Well... Victoria, Cryon is practically your future home. I mean, marrying the prince already makes you half diplomat, half ice heiress."
Victoria raised an eyebrow but couldn't resist the theater. She sighed with a martyr's air. "Alright. I'll go. I already have winter dresses. And a good reason to warm up there."
Nikoly, finally stopping typing for two seconds, commented with acidic humor. "Victoria has always been our informal ambassador. She's only now receiving the title."
Lumine crossed her arms with a slight nod. "I agree. At least she smiles on camera and knows how to negotiate like a goddess."
Luna laughed and pointed at Victoria. "You are our official ambassador then. Proud of my ice woman!"
Victoria laughed with a slight eye roll. "Careful, Luna, your boyfriend might get jealous with that public love declaration."
Luna shrugged and turned her eyes to the floating finance screen beside her. "Speaking of love... let's love these numbers. Tycoon's gross revenue in the last two months is already nearing a trillion. That's right: one trillion dollars in two months. That's what we call elite marketing, aggressive logistics, and revolutionary products — with glitter."
Lumine widened her eyes. "Glitter?"
Luna blinked. "Metaphorical."
Nikoly whistled. "With that margin, we can sustain ÆVA for many more years with ease."
Victoria, already typing something with the Cryon team, murmured: "And still fund the orbital project and have leftovers to launch the new wearable tech line."
Lumine was already planning the expansion. "With that money, I can triple the research sector budget and boost."
Luna, excited, leaned back in the executive chair with a queen-of-the-world smile. "Tycoon won't dominate the world... it already is the world."
And they all agreed in unison, the holographic screens tinged with the soft morning sunlight.
On the other side, Victoria entered her presidential office with heels echoing on the black marble, sighing deeply while adjusting the reading glasses she rarely used but that, that day, she decided would give the seriousness she needed. Her navy blue blazer from Tycoon's executive collection was perfectly aligned with the white silk sheath dress underneath, and even with the impeccable appearance, the exhaustion of the position was not something makeup could completely hide.
Before she could even sit down, one of the assistants entered too excited for someone at that hour of the morning. "Mrs. Victoria! A project has just been approved and your validation is necessary so that the marketing sector can start the global campaign."
Victoria stared at her for a second, trying to remember her name. "Was it Yasmin? Carolina? No... never mind," she thought, just nodding.
"Show me." Her voice sounded firm, professional, without even a trace of irritation — despite the busy morning.
The assistant approached the presidential desk and activated the holographic projector that floated elegantly.
The content? Two dresses.
The first, a deep emerald gala dress, with details resembling magical gold circuits, molded to the body like flowing water. The other, simpler, in a soft sky blue, had a versatile design for daily use, but with an ethereal and untouchable touch that resembled royalty camouflaged among civilians. Both shimmered as if they were alive, reflecting the hologram's light with iridescent particles.
"The project was sent by Nayara Klemens, ma'am," the assistant informed. "One of Tycoon's new billionaires. She used regenerative fabrics, those produced from cell replication technology and self-regeneration that the biotechnology division finalized last month."
Victoria raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Nayara? That girl from the startup incubator?" she murmured, now truly interested.
The assistant confirmed with a nod and opened the project's technical details: the dresses not only regenerated from small damages, like tears, stains, or superficial burns but also monitored the user's vital signs and released microdoses of nutrients and hydration through skin contact. In summary: they were high fashion dresses with health support nanotechnology. Clothes that treated, that healed... and that sold like diamonds with zippers.
Victoria rested her chin on her hand, enchanted with the concept.
"We have two lines then..." she said. "The luxury one for formal events, and an adapted version for the middle class."
The assistant added. "The proposal is to do global marketing focusing on the campaign 'Beauty is Health. Luxury is Technology.' With simultaneous launch on ten continents, commercials with Tycoon's ambassadors — maybe even the girls from Seraphim.exe, if schedules allow."
Victoria remained silent for a moment, absorbing the project's grandeur. And Nayara... the girl who months ago was sharing instant noodles with other incubator beginners, was now about to become an icon.
"Approve the project, schedule a meeting with the marketing sector, I want to see the physical versions of the dresses for testing," she said without hesitation. "And tell Nayara I want to see her. She has talent."
The assistant widened her eyes and confirmed enthusiastically, leaving the room as if she had just received an autograph from a pop star.
Alone, Victoria crossed her legs, looked at the two dresses once more, and whispered. "Who would have thought... clothes that heal."
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