Friday dawned with the sky tinted in shades of lavender and gold, but Luna...
...remained in laziness mode activated.
Wrapped in sheets as soft as cotton clouds, Luna yawned loudly and pulled the blanket over her head, until...
"Milady, it is 08:07. Your flight to New York departs at 10 sharp." The soft and persuasive voice of Ivy already with the day's schedule projected beside the headboard.
Luna stuck one hand out from under the blanket, messing up her hair, and murmured something completely undecipherable — something like "shgjshnxppff."
Ivy, programmed not to judge morning outbursts, just slightly increased the bedroom light intensity. "Would you like a morning mode bath activated with cervical massage or the quick energetic one with aromatic caffeine?"
"...luxury. Spare me the thinking." Luna grumbled, dragging herself out of bed like a dramatic mermaid leaving a starry nightmare.
Upon entering the bathroom, the water was already flowing at the ideal temperature, surrounded by scented steam and a relaxing playlist including harps and violins intertwined with French synthpop.
After 20 minutes of pure sensory delight, Luna came out refreshed, hair shining like liquid gold and skin gleaming as if a beauty filter had been installed in reality.
She walked to her closet, where digital panels displayed suggestions based on destination, current mood, and local temperature.
She chose a black dress of flowing fabric with an A-line cut, slightly transparent long sleeves, elegant back neckline, and a pair of heels studded with microcrystals.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled with satisfaction. "Diva level diplomatic threat. Check."
Going down the stairs, she went straight to the breakfast room. The aroma of buttery croissants, truffled eggs, and Venetian coffee lingered in the air.
She sat elegantly, served herself blueberry juice and, while chewing a golden toast, opened her phone.
The notification was there. Untouched. Matthew's message, sent days ago.
@Matthew: "Lady Luna, the Phoenix Empire appreciates the philanthropic effort directed at the vulnerable population. If you wish to discuss forms of national investment, I am available for a diplomatic meeting."
Luna pursed her lips with a mix of disdain and disappointment.
"Diplomatic?" she muttered. "I thought he had finally enlightened. But no. The damn sends me a standard UN text."
She mentally spread butter on the words. "And worst of all, he didn't send another message after. Nothing. Zero. Abyssal silence. The idiot thinks he can leave me on read? I'm the one who leaves on read, prince of ghost notifications!"
She squeezed the phone screen as if it were Matthew's neck.
Ivy, projecting the day's headlines in the air, commented softly. "Shall I schedule a formal reply, with a slightly ironic message and encrypted emoji?"
Luna snorted. "No. I want him to suffer in mystery. To wonder if I'm angry, busy, or making billionaire shopping with a sheikh. To be trapped in his own arrogance."
Ivy made a holographic thumbs-up gesture, almost ironic. "Understood. No reply sent. Eloquent silence activated."
Luna took another bite of the toast. "Perfect."
Luna finished breakfast slowly, thinking about how to conquer the world (or just give Matthew a stylish cold shoulder later).
She took a last sip of lychee juice and stood up.
One of her servants was already waiting at the door with the travel suitcase.
In the underground garage, the armored limousine was already ready.
The robot driver greeted her with a programmed "good morning" and opened the door.
Luna slid inside, crossing her legs with millimeter natural elegance.
As the car gained speed heading to the airport, Luna unlocked her phone and opened WhatsApp.
The messages were already rolling without filter:
@Nikoly: "New York will shake with our arrival [on fire]"
@Lumine: "I hope the gala serves something decent, last time it was caviar without the taste of power"
@Victória: "I'm already in NY. Arrived yesterday."
Luna frowned. Typed quickly:
@SmellOfAfterRain: "You arrived BEFORE??"
@Nikoly: "What do you mean?? Vic, you fly without us now?? [angry face]"
@Lumine: "WHAT ELEGANT BETRAYAL IS THIS?"
@Victória: "I arrived early because I needed... to talk to my idiot fiancé. Family dramas, nothing more."
Luna almost rolled her eyes up to the limo's sunroof.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "Oh my Ether... here we go. And how was the talk with the so-called supreme fiancé of universal annoyance?"
Victória took a few seconds. Then:
@Victória: "He is... an arrogant idiot. Full of clichés, bored CEO smirk, and an opinion for everything."
@Nikoly: "[vomit face] I already hate him."
@Lumine: "You deserve better. Like a philosopher with stock market shares and abs of stone."
@SmellOfAfterRain: "You know you don't have to continue this marriage, right?...If your father insists, he can marry the idiot."
There was a moment of digital silence. Then, Victória replied with just:
@Victória: "..."
Luna looked at the screen and sighed.
@Nikoly: "Luna is right. You are powerful, rich, and have three best friends who can destroy this fiancé with viral memes and emotional blackmail."
@Lumine: "Or we plant a fake scandal about him. Like, that he collects sad cat NFTs and says 'good morning' to the mirror."
@SmellOfAfterRain: "Or that he wears shoes with white socks. No one survives that socially."
@Victória: "You are horrible. I love you guys [laughing face]"
Luna smiled.
The limousine smoothly accelerated among the common cars that intelligently moved away from the oppressively luxurious presence of the royal vehicle.
She looked out the window as the buildings faded behind and the clouds danced far away.
The phone vibrated again, and the messages continued, now with Lumine asking if Victória's fiancé was at least handsome enough to deserve 5 minutes of attention.
Luna typed, but stopped. Looked at the open sky outside.
"Arrogant idiot..." she muttered, unwillingly thinking of Matthew. "You are an elite plague with the same ego molds."
She rolled her eyes. "Good thing I only date my banking system."
The phone vibrated again with a new name...
Matthew Solarius.
Luna frowned. "If it's another diplomatic message, I will send a freaking panda gif and block."
She rolled her eyes reflexively, but her finger slid to unlock the message faster than her dignity wanted to admit.
@Matthew: Are you going to the Gala in New York?
Luna hesitated. After all the frustration of his cold last messages, part of her wanted to ignore. But another part, the stubborn part, wanted to reply just to throw ironic charm.
So she typed.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "I will. Because it wouldn't be fun if I didn't go, right?"
His typing bubble appeared almost instantly.
She tried not to smile. Tried.
@Matthew: "True. I think the event would be kind of... boring without you. My week was chaotic. I'm working with my older brother on some governmental matters. He will represent the Empire at the economic summit next week.
Luna frowned, typing slowly:
@SmellOfAfterRain: "But why you? You won't succeed your father. Wasn't your brother the future president?"
For the first time, it took more than 30 seconds for him to reply.
@Matthew: "Yes. But I'm assisting. He trusts my strategic sense. And my father likes when we participate together in these decisions. They gave me the hardest part: doing the diplomatic analysis between trade alliances. I've been studying reports until dawn. A hell. But necessary."
Luna read, bit her lower lip and... Yes, her fingers were faster now.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "You seem a little... too dedicated for someone who should only go to gala parties with a bored prince face. But okay. Points for responsibility. Still... Diplomacy and reports? How boring. You should take a break and have tea with me at sunset."
She blinked reading her own message. Damn. That sounded flirtier than she wanted. She corrected with:
@SmellOfAfterRain: "Just kidding. Tea is old people stuff. Coffee on a billionaire rooftop is more my style."
Matthew replied with something she didn't expect.
@Matthew: "The rooftop is reserved. Tell me the day and I'll pick you up."
Luna froze. Literally. She had to take a deep breath and pretend none of that was happening while her heart was beating like she had run a marathon in Louboutins.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "Hold on, diplomat. I haven't even arrived in New York and you already want to schedule the second date? And you haven't even paid for the cocktail of the first one. [Huff face]"
@Matthew: "Because you threatened the bartender with a kiss if he didn't make an edible glitter version. And I was kidnapped to dance. That doesn't count."
She laughed out loud.
The driver looked in the rearview mirror with a question mark icon above his head.
Luna typed slowly now, like someone wanting to finish but not really wanting to.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "I arrived at the airport. Bye, busy diplomat. Kisses."
She pressed send and quickly locked the screen before she could regret putting "kisses."
Her image still reflected in the limousine window when the vehicle stopped smoothly.
Luna fixed her hair, adjusted her posture… and smiled alone. Still pretending not to care. But the smile… well, it was there.
It didn't take long for the private jet to cross the clouds as if they didn't exist, gliding through the sky at almost a thousand kilometers per hour.
Luna was sunk in the padded armchair, wrapped in a cashmere blanket.
On the screen in front of her, a European romance movie played with automatic subtitles translated by the system.
But… it was impossible to watch those two protagonists arguing and getting closer without projecting herself and Matthew in that story.
"Beautiful idiots," she muttered, sinking further into the armchair.
The heroine of the movie was stubborn and sarcastic. The hero, a mysterious politician with childhood trauma and broad shoulders.
"Soul twins…" sighed Luna, holding a glass of rosé juice.
When the fictional couple almost kissed in the rain, Luna snorted. "Cowards. Even me, shameless, did more than that."
The system, silent until then, emitted a soft "ping," as if laughing. Luna just raised an eyebrow but paid no attention.
Hours later, a golden light lit on the side of the cabin.
The robot pilot informed with a soft voice. "Miss Luna, we are landing in New York."
Luna stretched like a lazy cat, adjusted her hair with her fingertips, and let out a light. "Finally, new city."
As soon as the jet touched the ground, the Tycoon System reappeared with a huge holographic screen before her eyes, as if a game unlocking the next level.
[Tycoon System – Notification]
New Area Unlocked: City of New York.
Region Unlock Rewards:
1. 20,000,000,000 USD added to the account.
2. A Luxurious Mansion
3. 10% shares in global companies: Amazon Tesla Blackstone Netflix Apple Boeing and others...
4. A 90-floor Building: Offices, helipad, triplex penthouse
Registered name: "Luna Tower"
Note: These properties will be automatically managed by assigned Person-Robots.
---
Luna did not even blink. Just muttered with a yawn. "Ah... how cute."
Closed the notification with a snap of fingers and put on the most expensive sunglasses on the planet. Those that came with light sensors, integrated GPS and ability to make private calls with military encryption.
As she descended the jet stairs, a dramatic wind blew and fluttered her golden hair as if a film director shouted "action!"
The exact moment her heels stepped on the disembarkation runway, the airport seemed to go into slow motion.
Crowds of people stopped. Runway workers pulled out phones. Other passengers looked at each other.
And then... it started.
"Is it… is it Luna?" "The one on the secret billionaires list?" "That woman with the global foundation?" "Guys, it's HER!" "She looks like a Nordic goddess version Wall Street!"
Clicks. Flashes. Stories being recorded in twenty languages.
Luna stopped on the runway, looked at the curious… and gave an ironic little smile. "They act like it's the first time they see a walking perfection."
Behind her, the luggage was carried by two robots in Armani suits.
A human driver, dressed like he was guiding royalty, held the door of the customized Rolls Royce.
Luna entered without hurry.
The flashes continued.
A journalist tried to approach but was gently blocked by a security field.
Sitting on the ivory leather seat, Luna grabbed the phone and sent a message to the friends group.
@SmellOfAfterRain: "I arrived in New York. Already treated like Beyoncé at the airport. And you guys?"
While the car glided away from the airport, she watched the imposing urban landscape approach.