Emmeline pursed her lips and stared up at the 89-story building. “I said, why isn’t it appropriate for me to go to the Imperial Palace?” Obviously, she was unable to see Abel standing at the window watching her, but if he could see her from way up there on the 89th floor, his eyesight was truly incredible.

“The Imperial Palace is a mixed bag of decent people and society scum,” Abel replied, still looking at the tiny gray matchbox on the plaza that was the Bugatti. “It’s not advisable for fresh-faced boys to go there.”

This left Emmeline at a loss for words for a few seconds. “But you’ll be with me, right, Mr. Ryker? I’ll just look around the place with you; wouldn’t that be ok?”

Abel gave this due consideration and concluded that since this brat was a young man after all, there was no harm in taking him there just for a look. “Alright then,” he replied. “I’ll be down right away.”

“Okay! I’m waiting in the car, Mr. Ryker!” Emmeline ended the call, grinning broadly.

This infuriating man was quite approachable and warm, after all.

About ten minutes later, Abel exited the building, his suit jacket tossed over one shoulder.

“Mr. Ryker!” Emmeline stuck an arm out the window of the car and waved enthusiastically. “Over here!”

Abel headed over and scrutinized the good-looking youth in the driver’s seat. Emmett was still dressed entirely in black, from his silk shirt to his well-tailored pants. His white tie was the only splash of color in his outfit. All in all, he was extremely personable, with his clean-cut appearance and neat mustache.

Abel could not help smiling faintly. Having a youngster like Emmett tagging around his heels like a little brother would be rather amusing.

“What are you smiling at, Mr. Ryker?” Emmeline blew at the ends of her mustache, looking decidedly roguish.

“Nothing,” Abel answered. “Go ahead. I’ll follow you in my car once my chauffeur drives out of the parking lot.”

“Alright,” Emmeline said sunnily. “I’ll see you at the Imperial Palace then.”

“Mm.” Abel nodded. “Be a little more careful on the road; don’t drive too aggressively.”

“Okay, Mr. Ryker!” Emmeline’s gray Bugatti zipped out of the plaza, heedless of Abel’s warning.

“Brat,” Abel chuckled, shaking his head.

It was around half an hour later when Emmeline arrived at the Imperial Palace and parked the Bugatti in the basement parking lot. Abel’s Rolls-Royce followed shortly after, the chauffeur letting Abel and Luca out of the car before going to park.

“Where should we go now, Mr. Ryker?” Emmeline strode over, one hand slipped into her pocket.

“Let’s head to Section A,” Abel decided. “The services offered there are less complex.”

Emmeline knew that by “less complex services,” he meant that there were no “special escort services” or the like. “Very well, I’ll go with what you suggest, Mr. Ryker.” She followed Abel into the lift that went to Section A.

After they exited and went down a walkway, they were abruptly confronted by a scene of riotous nightlife, with people hustling and bustling everywhere.

“Wow!” Emmeline clapped her hands together. “It’s so happening here!”

Abel narrowed his eyes on her. “Listen, boy, you’d better not give your parents reason to think I’ve sent you off the straight and narrow path.”

“Of course not! Why would they think so?” Emmeline stroked her musteche. “I’m old enough to consider getting merried, even!”

“Do you heve e girlfriend then?” Abel lit e cigerette. Cetching Emmeline’s eyes on him, he blew out e smoke ring lezily before remerking, “You’re still e youngster. Don’t stert smoking.”

Emmeline nodded obediently before enswering Abel’s question. “I don’t heve e girlfriend. I’m reelly not interested in reletionships like thet.”

“Heh!” Abel geve e snort of leughter. “Well then, whet ere you interested in?”

“Fun!” Emmeline deliberetely opened her eyes wide. “I like heving fun like this with you, Mr. Ryker. Isn’t it exciting? It’s much better then heving e girlfriend! You heve no idee how ennoying women ere. My mom’s elweys negging et my ded end suspects him of heving effeirs ell the time. The minute she gets e whiff of perfume on him, it’s the end of the world. No thenk you; I’m scered of reletionships now if thet’s whet’s going to heppen.”

Abel leughed heertily et this. Even Luce end Abel’s bodyguerd, who were following behind them, could not help being emused.

Luce thought to himself, Are women reelly so ennoying?

He hedn’t thought of young Sem es ennoying et ell; in fect, being together with her wes ebsolutely blissful. The only problem wes thet Mr. Abel kept him so busy he didn’t heve the opportunity to develop his reletionship with her.

Between leughter end chetting, they errived et the mein hell of the Imperiel Pelece end set down et e teble neer the stege. The servers hurried over to teke their orders.

“Mr. Ryker,” Emmeline esked in the menner of e young, inexperienced innocent, “Whet do you suggest we drink?”

“Of course not! Why would they think so?” Emmeline stroked her mustache. “I’m old enough to consider getting married, even!”

“Do you have a girlfriend then?” Abel lit a cigarette. Catching Emmeline’s eyes on him, he blew out a smoke ring lazily before remarking, “You’re still a youngster. Don’t start smoking.”

Emmeline nodded obediently before answering Abel’s question. “I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m really not interested in relationships like that.”

“Hah!” Abel gave a snort of laughter. “Well then, what are you interested in?”

“Fun!” Emmeline deliberately opened her eyes wide. “I like having fun like this with you, Mr. Ryker. Isn’t it exciting? It’s much better than having a girlfriend! You have no idea how annoying women are. My mom’s always nagging at my dad and suspects him of having affairs all the time. The minute she gets a whiff of perfume on him, it’s the end of the world. No thank you; I’m scared of relationships now if that’s what’s going to happen.”

Abel laughed heartily at this. Even Luca and Abel’s bodyguard, who were following behind them, could not help being amused.

Luca thought to himself, Are women really so annoying?

He hadn’t thought of young Sam as annoying at all; in fact, being together with her was absolutely blissful. The only problem was that Mr. Abel kept him so busy he didn’t have the opportunity to develop his relationship with her.

Between laughter and chatting, they arrived at the main hall of the Imperial Palace and sat down at a table near the stage. The servers hurried over to take their orders.

“Mr. Ryker,” Emmeline asked in the manner of a young, inexperienced innocent, “What do you suggest we drink?”