Only yours

Usagi Tsukino

I cursed such days, as my good-for-nothing brother's birthday had arrived. Naturally, my father couldn't resist throwing a party – parties were always useful for solidifying business relationships. But for me, it was just an annoying obligation. I had been familiar with the rules and expectations of the business world since childhood, and I knew exactly what was expected of me: perfection.

"Massaru, we still need a gift for tonight," I called to my assistant from the bathroom while shaving. Massaru was much more than just an assistant – he was my loyal companion, chauffeur, and bodyguard who had been by my side for ages.

"We have an appointment with Mr. Sato, the art dealer, at noon to select a gift. Then there's a meeting with the bank, and at 4 PM, you have a meeting with your cousin. The party starts at 8 PM," he recited my schedule as usual. I nodded in agreement, but secretly hoped that Mr. Sato had a full schedule. He was one of those men who loved to hear himself talk, and I didn't want to waste unnecessary time with him.

At exactly noon, I walked through the large door of the art dealer's shop, only to be unexpectedly greeted by an incredibly attractive young woman.

"Hello, you must be Mr. Prince. I'm Ms. Tsukino, and I'll be representing Mr. Sato today, as he's currently out on an appointment," the blonde woman greeted me.

Of course, I was aware of my effect on women, and she was clearly not immune. As soon as I stood before her, a light blush colored her cheeks, prompting me to give her a cheeky grin. Despite her obvious nervousness, she did a relatively good job. I critically eyed the selection of paintings she had prepared and listened attentively to her explanations. "I'll take both, and please make sure to be present when they are delivered this evening." Her bright blue eyes widened in disbelief, and she smiled broadly. "But... But it's a birthday party..." "Your boss is also invited, and I'll inform the host that there will be an additional guest," I replied. "I don't want to cause any trouble."

Her shy demeanor intrigued me. "Believe me, one more guest won't make a difference at this size of event. I look forward to seeing you again this evening," I said, smiling. "Alright, if you say so. See you this evening then."

The party had been in full swing for quite a while. The usual faces, the familiar topics of conversation – I was hardly interested. I sat at the bar, ordered a Scotch, and let my gaze wander through the crowd. Then I saw her – the woman from this afternoon in a short red dress that highlighted her features. She stood next to her boss with a glass of champagne in hand, looking overwhelmed by the atmosphere. My chance.

"Good evening, Mr. Sato, Ms. Tsukino," I greeted them. Of course, I had already found my father and given him a signal to keep Sato from talking my ear off. "Oh, the junior, you already know my assistant."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Junior... How I hated that nickname. Naturally, I was the younger one next to my father, but in my mid-thirties, I was still "the junior" to most of his business partners.

I positioned myself a few steps away from them, purposely looking past her. Three, two, one. I counted down in my head.

"Um... I wanted to thank you for the invitation, Mr. Prince. This is truly wonderful," she said shyly.

Knew it. The corner of my mouth twitched upward; she was interested. Not that I had expected anything else. My rules for dealing with women had been firmly established for years. Women served only for my pleasure; I couldn't handle the emotional baggage they brought. Hence, each woman was allowed a maximum of three encounters, after which Massaru usually ensured that I had my peace again.

I turned to her and took the empty glass from her hand. "Diamond, Mr. Prince is my father. Call me Diamond." The slight blush returned to her cheeks, and she nervously bit her lower lip. "Well then... um... I'm Usagi," she stammered softly. "Shall I show you around, Usagi?"