A few days later,
Florence, Italy
A tall East Asian man sat wearing sunglasses at an outdoor café table in a corner of Piazza della Repubblica, famous for the carousel featured in the movie Between Calm and Passion.
It was Seok-won, who had just finished his business in the U.S. and flown to Italy on a private jet to meet Tom Ford.
Dressed in a white shirt under a linen jacket, Seok-won looked just as stylish as the famously well-dressed Italian men, if not more so.
Even with half his face concealed by sunglasses, his striking features and tall stature made him stand out. Women at nearby tables kept stealing glances at him.
"Here is your cappuccino, sir."
A neatly dressed waiter placed a tray carrying a steaming cup of cappuccino in front of Seok-won.
He also served coffee to Baucus, the bodyguard sitting quietly at the adjacent table.
Seok-won picked up the cup and inhaled the aroma—a rich blend of coffee beans and creamy milk.
Taking a sip, he nodded slightly in appreciation of its deep, robust flavour.
"As expected, the taste is on another level. No wonder this place has been in business for over 200 years."
The café had been operating in this square since 1733, a testament to why Florence had been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage city.
Everywhere he looked, the scenery was like a scene from a movie—elegant historic buildings, a carousel spinning in the centre, and a street violinist playing on one side of the square.
While the towering skyscrapers of New York had their appeal, Seok-won preferred this kind of relaxed, romantic atmosphere where he could take things slow.
Enjoying Florence's distinct charm, different from Paris in its way, he allowed himself to unwind for the first time in a long while, savouring the moment as if he were a true tourist.
As he leisurely sipped his cappuccino and watched children riding the carousel and people passing through the square, something suddenly caught his eye.
"...That's—"
Seok-won narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses.
A suspicious duo was loitering near a blonde woman who was holding a camera, seemingly a tourist taking pictures of the square.
One of the men approached her, pretending to ask for directions while holding up a tourist map to distract her.
Meanwhile, the other slipped behind her, a razor blade hidden between his fingers, ready to slice open the backpack she was carrying and steal her wallet.
Seeing this, Seok-won immediately rose from his seat and walked toward her with quick, decisive steps.
"You've been waiting long, haven't you?"
The woman, who had been giving directions in English to the Duomo Cathedral just a few hundred meters away, looked at him in bewilderment.
Before she could react, Seok-won casually draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close as if they were familiar with each other.
"I got us a table over there. Let's go."
"W-What? Excuse me—wait!"
She tried to protest, but before she knew it, she had been swept along by his firm grip.
The pickpockets, just moments away from stealing her wallet, scowled in frustration. However, when Baucus, who had followed closely behind, shot them an intimidating glare, they immediately backed off and disappeared into the crowd.
"Hey! You've got the wrong person!"
Snapping back to her senses, the woman yanked his arm off her shoulder.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Seok-won stopped walking and checked to make sure the pickpockets were gone.
Then, taking off his sunglasses and holding them in one hand, he gestured with his chin and said,
"Check your bag."
"My bag? Why? You don't think I was pickpocketed or something… huh?"
As she unzipped her backpack to check, her eyes widened in shock—the side had been slashed open with a razor blade.
"What… how did this happen?"
"Those guys who asked you for directions did it."
The woman turned to him in astonishment.
"It's a common trick—one distracts you while the other slashes your bag to steal your passport and wallet. European cities are full of pickpockets targeting tourists, so you always have to be careful."
"Oh!"
Realizing that Seok-won had just helped her, she looked at him with an apologetic expression.
"I'm so sorry—I had no idea!"
Now that she was facing him properly, she was undeniably beautiful. Her slim figure was model-like, and her small face was perfectly balanced with delicate, well-defined features. But what stood out the most were her striking sapphire-blue eyes, gleaming like embedded gemstones.
However, Seok-won showed little interest in her appearance and simply asked in an indifferent tone,
"Are all your belongings still there?"
She hurriedly checked inside her bag and let out a sigh of relief upon finding her wallet and passport intact.
"Yes, everything's fine."
"Then that's all that matters."
Seok-won put his sunglasses back on and turned to leave, but the woman quickly called out to him.
"Wait!"
He stopped and turned around.
"What is it?"
"You just saved me from a huge disaster. At least let me buy you a meal as thanks."
"That won't be necessary."
Seok-won rejected the offer without a moment's hesitation.
Without looking back, he resumed walking, and his imposing bodyguard, Baucus, followed closely behind like a shadow as they left the square together.
The woman left standing alone, stared at Seok-won's retreating figure in disbelief before furrowing her brows.
"What the hell? I was just trying to thank him, and he just walked away?"
The way he turned down her offer without even a second of hesitation felt downright cold.
She had rarely experienced such treatment from a man before, and the unexpected rejection made her face flush with embarrassment.
"Ugh, seriously!"
Baucus, glancing back briefly, let out a small cough before speaking to Seok-won.
"Boss, she was quite the beauty. Don't you think it's a bit of a waste?"
"I'm not interested. Besides, I have plans tonight."
"Still, you could've at least gotten her number."
"If it's meant to be, we'll meet again."
Even the normally reserved Baucus had found her attractive enough to comment, and indeed, she was the kind of woman who would naturally turn heads.
But Seok-won had never intended to get anything in return for his help, and with an important meeting ahead, he dismissed the encounter as nothing more than a fleeting moment.
Just then, a Rolls-Royce pulled up, and he got in, heading back to the hotel.
* * *
That evening.
Dressed deliberately in a Gucci suit and matching shoes, Seok-won arrived at Fortuna, a high-end restaurant whose name meant "luck" or "destiny" in Latin, accompanied by Landon.
As they stepped inside, a female staff member at the counter greeted them in Italian.
"Welcome. Do you have a reservation?"
Landon responded in English.
"We're here to see Mr. Alexander Bindmann."
"Ah, please wait a moment."
As if already informed of their arrival, the hostess answered in slightly awkward English before hurrying inside. Moments later, she returned with the restaurant manager, a middle-aged man in a neatly tailored suit, whose graying hair hinted at his age.
Speaking in English with a distinct Italian accent, the manager addressed them politely.
"Mr. Bindmann instructed us to escort you directly to his table as soon as you arrived. Please follow me."
With a welcoming smile, he led them to a table inside.
The restaurant was not particularly large, with only six tables in total. However, the generous spacing between them ensured privacy, allowing guests to dine and converse without intrusion.
"I expected a Michelin three-star restaurant to be bigger, but it's smaller than I thought," Landon murmured under his breath as they walked.
The diners at the half-occupied tables were mostly older, elegantly dressed in expensive attire, sipping fine wine as they enjoyed their meals.
The restaurant's dim lighting cast a subdued atmosphere, with a soft glow illuminating only the tables, and the exquisite tableware further emphasized the exclusivity of the establishment.
Their designated table was in a secluded corner, offering both privacy and a quiet ambience.
As they approached, Alexander Bindmann, who was seated with Tom Ford, immediately recognized Landon from their meeting in Bahrain. He rose to his feet and greeted them in fluent English.
"It's a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure is mine," Landon replied with a handshake and a smile.
"And this gentleman is...?" Bindmann's gaze naturally shifted to the man beside Landon.
"Ah, my apologies for the late introduction. This is Mr. Park Seok-won, the owner of our fund."
Bindmann's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing that the man, who barely looked past his early thirties, was the owner of Eldorado Fund—one of the most prestigious investment firms on Wall Street.
Tom Ford, dressed in his signature black suit accented with a white pocket square, also looked taken aback.
At 33, he was often considered too young to be a key player in the design industry. To learn that Seok-won, who appeared to be around the same age, was the actual owner of a multi-billion-dollar Wall Street fund was nothing short of astonishing.
"Ahem."
Landon cleared his throat to break the silence, snapping Bindmann back to his senses.
"My apologies, that was rather rude of me. I was just surprised—you're much younger than I expected."
"I understand. That's the reaction I usually get."
Seok-won responded calmly and extended a hand.
"I'm Park Seok-won."
"Alexander Bindmann, overseeing Gucci's operations. A pleasure to meet you."
Wind mann then naturally introduced the man beside him.
"This is Tom Ford, our creative director."
Ford, tall and well-proportioned from his past as a model, met Seok-won's gaze directly.
"Tom Ford."
Seok-won smiled and returned the look without averting his eyes.
"I've heard a lot about you. Your recent collection at the spring fashion show was particularly impressive."
Ford's eyes gleamed with interest as he responded with a slightly provocative question.
"Could you tell me specifically what you found impressive?"
It could have come across as a challenge, but Bindmann also watched Seok-won with curiosity, eager to see if the compliment was mere politeness or genuine interest in Gucci.
"Gucci's traditional aristocratic aesthetic, while timeless, can sometimes feel a bit outdated in today's fashion landscape. But this time, there was a refined sensuality woven into the designs, adding a fresh allure to the brand."
Seok-won spoke with composure, unfazed by the question.
Ford was taken aback. Seok-won had pinpointed exactly what he had aimed to bring into the brand, almost as if he had read his mind. The wariness Ford had initially held softened, and an unexpected sense of admiration formed.
Bindmann, too, noted that Seok-won didn't just see Gucci as a financial asset—he genuinely understood and appreciated the brand. He gave a small nod of approval.
With his demeanour noticeably more relaxed than before, he addressed the table.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, shall we take our seats?"
"Let's."
Seok-won agreed, and the four men settled in, facing one another across the table.
"What would you like to order?"
The waiting manager, who had been standing by, handed them the menus.
Seok-won scanned the menu, pausing briefly at the wine list.
"For the first wine, I think the Ferrari Riserva would be a great choice. What do you think?"
It was a well-known spumante from a prestigious Italian winery.
"An excellent choice."
Bindmann spoke with a look of growing interest.
In Italy, sparkling wines with strong bubbles were known as spumante.
It wasn't a choice one could easily make without some knowledge of wine.
"And for the second wine, I think Ornellaia would be a good choice."
Seok-won's ability to select wines that were both reasonably priced and uniquely appealing caught the manager's attention as well. His expression softened with approval.
"As it happens, we have an excellent vintage available. I'll bring that for you."
At that, Bindmann closed his menu and said, "Let's go with a five-course meal."
"Shall we?"
"The pigeon dish here is exceptional—you won't regret it."
"In that case, I'll have everything prepared right away."
The manager collected the menus and left the table.
A short while later, a waiter arrived with an amuse-bouche to stimulate the appetite before the meal.
It was an oyster dish served with raspberries. Seok-won took a bite with a small spoon, nodding in satisfaction.
"This is excellent."
Right on cue, the sommelier brought the Ferrari Riserva and poured a glass for each of them.
"Let's toast to a fruitful partnership," Seok-won said, raising his glass.
The other three followed suit, lightly clinking their glasses together.
Taking a sip, Seok-won enjoyed the sharp fizz and refreshing sweetness, his expression pleased.
As expected from a country renowned for its cuisine, everything from the coffee he had earlier to the food at this restaurant was impressive.
"First of all, thank you for making the long journey to Florence," Ford said, watching Seok-won with interest.
"Since we'll be working together, it's only natural to meet in person and have a conversation."
"That's a good way to see it. I'll speak frankly, then."
"Please do."
Adjusting his posture, Ford's tone turned serious.
"I'd like to hear what your intentions were in acquiring Gucci."