Chapter 251: Your Friends Are My Friends

Luca believed the first half of Trish’s statement.

The second half, however, was complete nonsense.

He knew Rachel liked him, but she wasn’t the type to burst into tears over a little jealousy.

If seeing Arabella kiss him was enough to make her cry, wouldn’t Rachel have cried herself dry back in San Fierro?

Never mind Vivienne and the others.

There was also her own sister, Sophie.

Luca and Sophie had been caught kissing by Rachel more than once.

And Rachel was usually so quiet whenever she wasn’t playing games.

She moved around almost silently, appearing and disappearing without making a sound.

Every time she caught them together, she would simply blush, look away, and pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

So there was no way Luca would believe Trish’s exaggerated story.

Seeing his completely indifferent expression, Trish realized she wasn’t going to fool him that easily.

She wasn’t ready to give up, though.

"Bro, what do you think about Rachel?"

Luca glanced at her.

"What do you mean?"

He obviously knew what she was getting at.

He simply chose to play dumb.

Rachel was still technically his sister-in-law.

Even if he developed feelings for her, there was still the matter of Sophie.

And then there was Diana.

Rachel and Sophie’s mother.

If Diana ever discovered that Luca had several girlfriends, she would probably explode.

And if she found out that two of those women were her own daughters...

Luca shuddered at the thought.

’If she doesn’t chase me around with a knife, I’ll consider myself lucky.’

"Her appearance, personality, things like that," Trish clarified.

Luca thought for a moment before answering casually.

"She’s great. Cute, well-behaved, and a wonderful little sister."

Trish immediately pouted.

’He really does see her as a little sister...’

If that was the case, then her best friend still had a very long road ahead of her.

...

For the next two days, Arabella was completely occupied with work and preparations for her birthday.

She didn’t have time to visit Luca again.

With nothing urgent to deal with, Luca took Trish and Rachel around Capital City instead.

With Sir Alfred and the driver accompanying them, the three spent the next couple of days exploring the city.

They visited several famous landmarks, wandered through busy commercial districts, and sampled all kinds of local snacks.

By the time they returned home each evening, Trish and Rachel were exhausted but satisfied.

The trip had been surprisingly enjoyable.

The night before Arabella’s birthday, Luca suddenly received a call from Michael.

After listening for a moment, Luca quietly got out of bed and slipped toward the door.

He had barely reached the entrance when the door opened from the other side.

Trish and Rachel were standing there.

Trish crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"Hehe... Bro, where are you going so late at night?"

Luca froze.

Before he could answer, her eyes widened dramatically.

"Wait!"

She pointed at him.

"Brother, you’re not lonely, are you?"

Her expression became increasingly suspicious.

"Are you planning to sneak out and spend money on some woman to keep you company?"

Rachel’s expression immediately became anxious.

She looked at Luca nervously.

"Luca, if... if you really..."

"No, no, no!"

Luca quickly waved both hands.

"I was just going out for some leisure and entertainment. I wasn’t planning to leave you two behind."

"Really?"

Rachel’s cheeks were slightly flushed.

Luca immediately patted his chest.

"Of course. Absolutely."

"Hehe, you should’ve said that earlier."

Trish and Rachel’s expressions relaxed at the same time.

"You had us worried."

The two girls happily followed him toward the car.

Luca only breathed a quiet sigh of relief after they were on the road and he saw the pair sitting together, enthusiastically admiring the brightly lit streets of Capital City through the windows.

’Finally... I’ve managed to calm them down.’

He was only going to get a massage and foot bath anyway.

The staff at a high-end establishment might be beautiful, but everything was strictly professional.

There wouldn’t be any extra services.

Besides, taking Trish and Rachel along would be a good way for them to relax.

What Luca didn’t know was that the two girls had genuinely been worried about him visiting some shady establishment.

In their minds, Luca having several girlfriends was already something they had accepted.

Rachel had even secretly entertained the thought of changing her position from sister-in-law to wife.

But there was one thing neither girl could tolerate.

Luca absolutely couldn’t go looking for random women outside.

Not even if he was only pretending.

That was one of the things Mrs. Hale had specifically warned them about before they left for Capital City.

’Keep an eye on your brother.’

Apparently, their mother knew her son better than anyone.

Less than twenty minutes later, the car stopped outside one of Capital City’s most renowned leisure clubs.

The Elysian Club.

As soon as the three stepped out, a familiar figure waved from the entrance.

"Mr. Hale, you’re finally here!"

Michael had been waiting outside.

He tossed the popsicle stick into a nearby trash can before walking over.

"Just call me brother," Luca said with a smile. "There’s no need to be so formal."

’You’ll be calling me brother-in-law sooner or later anyway.’

Michael nodded.

Luca wasn’t much older than him, and he was also his cousin’s close friend.

The relationship was already familiar enough.

"Alright, Luca."

He then greeted Trish and Rachel, who were standing together nearby.

Luca looked around.

"Are you alone?"

Michael shook his head.

"No. There are three others. They’re friends of my sister."

"They went inside first."

"Then let’s go."

The group entered the club.

As one of the most prestigious leisure establishments in Capital City, The Elysian Club was noticeably more luxurious than anything of its kind in San Fierro.

Not even the Eclipse Club he and Amelia had visited could compare.

Polished marble floors gleamed beneath the warm lights, while the staff, dressed in immaculate uniforms, moved through the halls with quiet, practiced elegance.

Every detail, no matter how small, had clearly been designed with care.

’It is the capital, after all.’

If an establishment couldn’t maintain a certain standard here, wealthy customers simply wouldn’t spend their money there.

Nobody was going to open their wallet just because a place claimed to be luxurious.

Everything had to look the part.

The decorations, service, food, even the fruit displayed at the entrance.

You couldn’t exactly attract wealthy customers by putting bruised, oddly shaped fruit on display.

People came here to relax.

Not to lose their appetite.

Led by Michael, they entered an elevator and headed for the seventh floor.

The moment the doors opened, the atmosphere changed.

Unlike the modern Western-style design on the first floor, the seventh floor had been designed with a far more luxurious and sophisticated aesthetic.

Rich dark wood, polished marble, intricate gold detailing, and elegant decorative panels adorned the spacious interior. Soft ambient lighting cast a warm glow across the floor, while carefully selected artwork and refined ornaments added to its exclusive atmosphere.

Even the waitresses dressed differently.

Instead of the standard uniforms worn on the lower floors, they wore custom-made designer dresses crafted from luxurious fabrics, each outfit tailored perfectly to the wearer.

Their appearance, posture, and graceful movements only added to the sense of exclusivity.

It was clear that nothing on this floor had been chosen without consideration.

’This floor is probably reserved for the truly wealthy.’

Michael led them down the corridor.

They had barely turned a corner when several young men appeared from the opposite direction.

One of them immediately recognized Michael.

"Huh? Michael?"

The man at the front was in his twenties, tall and well-built, with decent features and an unmistakable air of arrogance.

Judging from his clothes alone, however...

He clearly had the background to back it up.

He walked over with a faint smile.

"Why aren’t you playing your games properly?"

His tone was familiar, almost teasing.

"What brings you here?"

Michael’s brows furrowed slightly.

He clearly wasn’t particularly interested in talking to him.

Still, he maintained his manners.

"I came here to relax with some friends."

"Friends?"

The man raised an eyebrow.

His gaze shifted past Michael.

That was when he noticed Luca and the two girls standing behind him.

His eyes immediately lingered on Trish and Rachel.

A smile slowly appeared on his face.

He hadn’t expected Michael to bring two such beautiful girls along.

And both of them looked young, innocent, and completely out of place among the usual crowd.

Jack Denim’s eyes gleamed with interest.

As the second son of Maison Premier, one of the most prestigious families in Capital City, he’d grown up surrounded by beautiful women.

He’d seen plenty of attractive girls.

But even he had to admit...

These two were exceptionally beautiful.

And there was something about their youthful, innocent appearance that made them even more eye-catching.

’What a pair of delicate flowers.’

The thought made his smile widen.

He reached out and casually patted Michael on the shoulder.

"Michael, we’ve known each other for so many years."

He spoke as though they were old friends.

"Your friends are my friends."

"Why don’t you come to our private room? Let’s have some fun together."