Chapter 103: Even the Richest Girl Wanted to Learn From Me
Chapter 103: Even the Richest Girl Wanted to Learn From Me
At that moment, most of the guests had scattered throughout the basement entertainment area.
Some were competing in racing games inside the gaming room. Others were gathered in the private theater watching movies, while a few had already taken over the karaoke room.
Laughter and music drifted through the spacious lower level. The lively atmosphere filled every corner of the entertainment area.
No one noticed that Maya had quietly slipped away to the wine cellar. Away from the noise and excitement, she finally found a moment of peace.
She sat alone at the long wooden counter, gently swirling the crimson wine in her glass. The rich liquid reflected the warm lighting above.
The cheerful crowd remained visible through the glass partition. Yet somehow, they felt strangely distant from her.
Her gaze lingered on them, and for a brief moment, she felt an unfamiliar sense of envy. Not long ago, she had been just like them.
Carefree. Unburdened. Able to enjoy life without constantly worrying about the future.
But now, things were different. Maya felt as though she could already see the path laid out in front of her.
A future she had not chosen. An engagement she did not want. Responsibilities she could not escape.
She lowered her eyes and let out a quiet sigh. The pressure from her family had been growing heavier with each passing day.
Her father’s company had been struggling for years. The debt from the failed expansion project still weighed heavily on everyone involved.
And now, the solution they had chosen was simple. A business marriage.
Cold. Practical. The kind of arrangement that made perfect sense on paper. Unfortunately, people were not numbers on a balance sheet.
Maya picked up her glass and took another sip. The rich aroma of the wine filled her mouth, but she barely tasted it.
"Drinking alone, school beauty?"
A warm voice suddenly pulled her out of her thoughts. Maya looked up in surprise.
Lucas had somehow found his way into the wine cellar. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down casually.
"Lucas?"
A hint of surprise flashed across her face. "Aren’t you supposed to be entertaining everyone?"
Lucas glanced at the half empty bottle in front of her and casually slid it a little farther away.
"I’m afraid you’ll secretly finish all my good wine."
His tone was serious. At least for two seconds.
Maya stared at him before realizing he was joking. The corner of her lips lifted slightly.
Of course, Lucas had noticed her mood earlier. Even surrounded by a crowd, Maya had looked strangely distant. As if she were standing in a different world from everyone else.
And as someone who happened to know she was a potential one hundred times rebate target, Lucas had every reason to come over and check on her.
Building rapport never hurt. Maybe her favorability would increase. Maybe he could simply make her smile. Either outcome was worth the effort.
Maya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at him teasingly.
"With all your money, Lucas, do you really care about one or two bottles of wine?"
Lucas nodded without hesitation.
"Of course I do."
He put on an innocent expression.
"Do you know how hard it is to make money these days?"
For a brief moment, Maya simply stared at him. Then she burst into laughter.
A genuine laugh. Bright and effortless.
"I didn’t expect you to be this petty."
"See?" Lucas said with a grin. "Now you owe me a bottle."
The tension in Maya’s heart loosened slightly. The alcohol was beginning to take effect.
A faint blush spread across her fair cheeks, making her already delicate features even more captivating.
"Lucas... can I ask you something?"
Maya gently swirled the wine in her glass, her voice softer than before. The alcohol had given her courage, and she looked directly into his eyes.
"How did you make your money?"
It was the question she had wanted to ask ever since she discovered that this villa belonged to him.
A two hundred and twenty million dollar house. A one of a kind Bugatti delivered without hesitation. The ease with which he spent money simply did not make sense.
He was their age. No powerful family background. No famous last name. Yet he lived a life that many people could only dream about.
If she could understand how he did it, if she could learn from him, maybe her father’s company could be saved.
The thought tightened her grip around the wine glass.
Across from her, Lucas fell silent. How was he supposed to explain this?
Tell her he had a system? That spending money on beautiful women earned him ridiculous rebates?
No one in their right mind would believe that. Maya would probably think he had drunk more than she had.
Noticing his hesitation, Maya immediately waved her hand.
"It’s okay."
She forced a smile.
"I know it’s an inappropriate question."
"It probably involves business secrets."
"Just pretend I never asked."
After all, who would willingly reveal their secret to making money?
Lucas looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"It’s not that serious."
He leaned back in his chair.
"I mainly work in investments."
"Stocks, private equity, market analysis."
"I’ve been lucky enough to spot a few good opportunities."
Investment?
Maya blinked.
That answer made sense. At least on the surface.
If someone had exceptional instincts and a deep understanding of the market, making enormous returns was not impossible.
But almost immediately, another thought crossed her mind.
Investment required capital. A lot of capital.
Even if his returns were incredible, where had he gotten the money to start with?
Lucas bought luxury properties as casually as other people bought coffee. He paid for a one of a kind hypercar without blinking.
The scale was simply too large.
Was he hiding something?
Or...
Was he just that talented?
Maya studied him carefully. The calm expression. The complete lack of arrogance despite everything he owned.
Slowly, the pieces began to fit together in her mind.
A genius.
That had to be it.
Some people were simply born different. While others struggled to keep up with the world, people like Lucas saw opportunities no one else could see.
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. And the more impressed she became.
The admiration in her eyes grew stronger. At some point, her curiosity had evolved into something else.
Respect.
Admiration.
Perhaps even a little envy.
Maya found herself looking at Lucas differently now. Not as the mysterious rich student from Sofia’s class, but as someone extraordinary. Someone she genuinely wanted to understand.
[Ding! Maya’s favorability has increased by 5 points.]
[Current Favorability: 40]
The system notification appeared in Lucas’s vision.
He nearly laughed.
Seriously?
She actually believed him?
Then again, whether she believed him or not did not really matter. The increase in favorability was real. That was enough.
Just as Lucas was about to change the subject, he noticed a familiar figure weaving through the crowd toward them.
Sofia.
Her cheeks were flushed pink from the wine. The birthday girl was clearly tipsy.
But even in her drunken state, her instincts remained surprisingly sharp. From a distance, she had watched the two of them talking alone in the wine cellar.
And she did not like it.
Not one bit.
She could tell from the way Maya looked at Lucas.
That look was not simple curiosity anymore.
It was interest.
Real interest.
Sofia felt a genuine sense of danger.
She tightened her grip on the wine bottle in her hand and walked straight toward them.