The afternoon stretched lazy in Luna's mansion. The sky was partially cloudy, with golden beams of sun escaping through the clouds and bathing the living room with a soft light.
Luna lay on her side on a velvet sofa with a plush star-shaped Super Mario pillow resting on her belly.
Lisa was on the corner pouf, legs crossed, phone in hand and an expression between post-title relief and existential despair of someone who went viral across the entire planet.
"You see this here?" Lisa showed the phone to Luna. "They made a video with Titanic soundtrack and the Koreans leaving the stadium looking funeral-faced. Butt-face! Look at their jungler, looks like he lost his mom and his puppy at the same time."
Luna gave a brief, tired laugh, eyes half-closed. "Internet has no mercy. One moment it crowns you, the next it gives you eternal meme status. But yes… I saw it. And I loved it."
Lisa scrolled down the Instagram and TikTok timeline, and it was pandemonium:
Europe fans celebrating the victory of the "non-Korean" team as if it were the World Cup.
Cosplayers reproducing the Tristana skin used by Lisa in the finals.
Tribal music edited with the best moments of Lisa's play in the game.
And of course, compilations of emotional reactions including an old Frenchman shouting: "Liberté, Égalité, GG!"
While the world exploded in memes and cheers, Luna focused on what really mattered: business.
Luna's phone glimmered with notifications, but what she opened at that moment was the private group called "The Tycoon™ Girls."
She read the latest messages.
@Victória: "Girls, we have green light. The first batch of LUX is being packaged now. The drones of the automated fleet are already at the Phoenix hubs. Delivery in 24 h to the entire empire."
@Lumine: "Finally. I hope no box has been sabotaged. Social media are calling the LUX effect 'The Awakening of the Goddess.' I love it. I already want a trademark on that name."
Luna smiled and typed quickly.
@EarthAfterRainSmell: "Update me on details. Nikoly, how are the servers? I need to know if it will crash and explode or if I can sleep without existential anxiety."
A few seconds later, Nikoly's message arrived.
@Nikoly: "ÆVA has already reinforced all defenses, divided clusters by zone, and programmed packet routes based on weather forecast, urban density indexes and even the collective mood of Phoenix's population. Nothing will crash. Nothing will fall. You can sleep like a vodka‑drunk princess."
Luna laughed, satisfied. "Nikoly is a treasure. If she were an action figure, I'd put her in a dome."
Lisa dropped the phone and turned to Luna with a curious look. "What's that group? Looks like… a CEO coven."
"Basically that." Luna replied casually, pulling a blanket over her legs. "Tycoon has three brilliant and dangerous minds: Lumine, the imperial CEO who looks like she came off a gothic runway; Victória, the marketing strategist who convinces the world it needs luxury even to sleep; and Nikoly, our Japanese genius who probably hacked Einstein's brain herself."
Lisa whistled. "And you?"
"I'm the chaos that unites the three. The invisible force with a black card." Luna said with false modesty.
The hologram above the coffee table blinked with real‑time graphs: an exponential curve showing LUX's rising sales. Each point on the curve looked like a rocket launching.
Lisa leaned in for a better view. "You think this will last?"
Luna stared calmly but firmly. "This isn't just a facial mask. It's a revolution disguised as skincare. The world is craving technology that actually delivers results and, even more, companies that don't treat customers like disposable statistics. LUX is just the opening. Tycoon will still launch products that make this mask look like a primitive prototype."
Lisa fell silent for a moment before letting out an impressed sigh. "Okay, that was sexy."
"I know." Luna winked.
At that moment, Ivy appeared with a projection. "Lady Luna, I updated social media. The tag #LuxTycoon surpassed 200 million mentions today alone. Demand exceeded peak forecasts. Some people are already reselling LUX boxes for absurd prices on black markets."
Luna leaned back deeper on the sofa. "The fever has started. And when the international leak begins… we'll really explode."
Lisa crossed her arms, smiling. "We're going to change the world with skincare and e‑sports. It's so… strange. And so perfect."
"Exactly." Luna responded. "That's the plan."
Hours later, with Luna sprawled on the sofa like a lazy empress, phone in hand and one leg swinging in the air.
The LUX sales hologram still shone beside her.
She quickly typed a message.
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "Lisa, go to the closet in my guest room. There's a LUX package reserved just for you. Let's make that little face even more adorable."
On the other side of the room, Lisa dropped the video game controller as if she had just been summoned by a Pokémon master:
"SERIOUSLY?!" she practically shouted, her eyes sparkling like they'd just announced eternal free chocolate.
"Go before I change my mind." Luna replied with a mischievous smile.
Lisa ran upstairs, excited like a child at a theme park.
Luna watched her disappear down the second-floor hallway and laughed alone.
But as soon as the laughter faded, Luna sighed and opened the group chat. Her mood shifted subtly—from bright eyes to a slight frown.
@SmellOfEarthAfterRain: "Girls… Any of you have news about Matthew?"
The screen went silent for a few seconds.
It almost felt like a battlefield waiting for the first shot.
Then, Victória was the first to respond.
@Victória: "Luna… yes. But…"
Luna sat up on the sofa, the smile already gone.
@Lumine: "After that chaos with the Lancaster Clan trying to sabotage Tycoon, the Phoenix Emperor assigned Matthew as a 'diplomatic bridge.'"
@Nikoly: "Translation: the prince turned into a luxury diplomatic slave. They're hauling the poor guy from plane to plane like he's a noble leather suitcase."
@Victória: "I saw him. A few days ago. At a business party in Valeria. He went as the official representative of the Phoenix Empire."
Luna held her breath and typed without thinking:
@EarthAfterRainSmell: "And how was he?"
The reply came in less than five seconds.
@Victória: "Tired. Worn out. Dark circles like someone who hasn't slept well in weeks. We talked a bit… he said he's been traveling to a different country every two days. Political meetings, economic negotiations, and... trying to contain his own father."
Luna's jaw tightened.
She knew Matthew was dedicated to the empire. She knew he was trying to protect Tycoon and, by extension, protect her, ever since he had directly intervened against the Lancaster Clan.
But knowing he was being dragged around the world like a political piece... bothered her more than she liked to admit.
@Nikoly: "He's strong. But not invulnerable."
@Lumine: "It's the price of being the Emperor's son. He sacrificed himself for us. And now, he's paying the price for our success."
Luna looked at the ceiling.
For a second, she thought about sending a message directly to Matthew.
But she hadn't done it in weeks. Their last conversation had been brief, and he seemed too exhausted to even reply with decent emojis.
The notification of a new message pulled her out of the trance.
@Victória: "If you still feel something for him, maybe it's time to do something. He needs an anchor. And honestly? You're the only one who can make that idiot stop and breathe."
Luna let out a long sigh. The kind of sigh that carries anguish and about 20% passive-aggressive rage.
"Idiot." she muttered.
The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs caught her attention.
Lisa appeared again, her face partially covered by the LUX facial mask, eyes wide and an expression that mixed fascination and shock.
"LUNA… THIS IS WITCHCRAFT."
Luna laughed loudly, finally breaking the tension. "What did you think? Gonna thank me on your knees?"
"I thought it was overhyped marketing, BUT MY SKIN IS LIKE… NEXT LEVEL." Lisa pointed at her face. "It's cold, firm and glowing like a K‑Drama star. I look like an idol who slept in the Fountain of Youth!"
Luna got up with a lighter smile and walked to her friend. "Welcome to the elite of perfect skin."
Lisa blinked once, slowly. "Seriously, you're a rich witch. And I love you."
"Everybody loves the rich witch." Luna shrugged. But thoughts of Matthew still hovered around her like shadows under firelight.
She picked up the phone again, looked at their last conversation, and hesitated for long seconds.
Then, without writing anything, she locked the screen.
"Not yet." she murmured to herself.
At night…
"LISA! Hurry up, we're going to dinner!" shouted Luna from the top of the stairs, while finishing the final touch of her blood-red lipstick, which shimmered under the mirror's warm light.
She had chosen a black satin dress with an elegant neckline and open back, long diamond-encrusted earrings, high heels with shimmering quartz soles, and the exclusive perfume that exuded floral notes and a touch of well-packaged arrogance.
She looked at herself one last time in the mirror. The reflection returned the image of a goddess.
"Perfect as always." she murmured, before spinning on her heels and descending the stairs as if on an intergalactic Versace runway.
Lisa appeared seconds later, breathless, trying to balance in an emerald dress borrowed from Luna herself, adjusted by AI to fall perfectly on her body. Slightly wavy hair, basic makeup, but with the glow of someone who had just come from a celestial spa. The finishing touch was a fine necklace with a star-shaped pendant — an improvised gift from Luna.
"Wow." said Luna, eyeing Lisa from head to toe. "If I didn't know you're ADC, I'd say you're the CEO of something that breaks hearts."
"And you look like you're going to lead a meeting to decide the fate of the world." Lisa replied with a smile, carefully descending the steps. "But seriously… this skin. It's like... baby butt skin!"
Luna laughed, tossing her hair back like a diva born under applause. "I told you. LUX is divine."
"Divine? This is a molecular miracle." Lisa replied, still touching her face like she couldn't believe the softness.
In the garage, Luna's Bugatti awaited, gleaming under the soft lights of the automated ceiling.
"Let's go, madam glowing-skin. Your red carpet awaits." said Luna, opening the door with a gallant gesture.
"You always make everything seem surreal..." murmured Lisa, getting in and settling into the leather seat. "Seriously, it still feels like I'm in a dream. Like... this car, this house... this mansion the size of a small city..."
Luna laughed, starting the vehicle with a touch on her bracelet. "It's just a big backyard. Many hectares of grass, flowers, irrigation system and invisible surveillance drones. Basic stuff."
Lisa looked at her, open-mouthed. "My dream is to have a mansion like this. Or something like it. With a lake view, a flower field... or just a garden with those fancy fountains that throw water in slow motion."
"Hmm..." Luna replied, staring at the private road as the car moved forward. "Then win an international title with our team and I'll give you a mansion. Better yet: I'll give you two. One to live in and one to rent out."
Lisa blinked. "You're serious?"
"Do I look like someone who jokes about mansion promises?" said Luna, serious for two seconds before smiling. "Need motivation? There you go."
Lisa was silent for a moment. But it wasn't hesitation.
It was focus.
"Alright. Deal. We're going to win that world championship. Even if I have to drag the team by myself."
Luna laughed. "That's what intrigues me. You didn't even stop to doubt. Most would say 'no need,' or 'you're joking.' But you… you believed."
Lisa shrugged, looking out the window as the car finally passed through the main gate and entered the avenue toward downtown New York.
"You're Luna Malroth. Billionaire, co-founder of a company that's bringing half the cosmetics market to its knees in less than a week. And besides that… you're my friend. If you say you'll do it... then I believe."
Luna's heart warmed with the naturalness of the response.
Friendships like that weren't easy to find. People who saw beyond the shine, the money and the glamour.
Lisa was one of those rare connections — a talented player, funny, honest, and now… a key piece in the new project Luna was designing behind the scenes.
"You're a gem, Lisa. And gems... we protect."
Lisa smiled.
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