Chapter 155 - Underhanded Tricks (4)

A n.a.k.e.d woman walked around her house, her phone in her hand as she pondered what to wear. She was full-bodied with striking features. Her arms and legs were tanned and toned, all her muscle a result of years of training. 

Beside her closet hung a military uniform with several stars and badges, marking her accolades and services to Country J. She smirked as she looked at it. 

The glory, prestige and benefits were one thing. But those die one day. What doesn't die, is power. 

General Sayu wanted to keep her power, but it was hard when there weren't any wars brewing. She needed the discord to keep fighting. 

Thankfully for her, there seemed to be others who enjoyed causing problems. And she was going to meet with them tonight. 

There was a text on her phone, from someone she knew had enough power and information to be worth her trouble. They had an interesting proposition for her and had set up a meeting. 

*Tresor, 11:45 pm, tonight. Ask for a Bloody Mary at the bar* 

She smirked as she put her phone away and looked at the dress she had picked out for the occasion. 

***************

~at the entrance of Tresor~ 

Ayu and Lina pulled up at the crowded entrance of Tresor. There was a long line of twenty-something year olds chatting loudly, dressed to the T, looking around, trying to take in their surroundings on their night out. 

The club opening was a high-profile event. Someone powerful owned the place and the press had been invited with cameras going off and the bouncers at the door pushing the large crowd back. 

Lina covered her face with her coat collar and walked towards the bouncer. 

Mana had said she was on the list and did not need to wait in line. As she walked towards the bouncer, he eyed her carefully. 

A lot of people weren't allowed to even enter if they didn't dress appropriately or looked too simple. 

The lady walking towards him first looked quite underdressed. She was wearing pants and a top. Even though she looked elegant, it seemed to understated for the event. 

But the expensive diamonds she had on her wrists, the way she carried herself and the beauty of her face told a completely different story. She held herself like a powerful woman from a rich family. 

The taller beauty behind her with the striking green eyes looked stiff, but her body and the tight, short dress she was in, made her seem like the perfect dish to be served to all the young heirs that would be present at Tresor tonight. So the bouncer smiled as they approached him. 

"Are you ladies on the list?" he asked politely. 

"The name is Lina Mito" Lina gave the bounder her maiden name since she had informed Mana not to put her married name on the list. 

The bouncer looked over at the list and nodded as he unbuckled the velvet barrier to let her enter. 

But he stopped Ayu as she tried to follow. 

"Miss, your name please?" 

But Lina answered for her. 

"She is not on the list, but she is with me. Please let her through." 

The bouncer frowned. He had been given clear instructions not to let anyone who wasn't on the list pass. 

"She can enter with the others by standing in the line. I am only allowed to give priority to those who are on the VIP list, madam." the bouncer said apologetically to Lina. 

But Lina shot him an icy glare sending shivers down his body. 

"Let her through, please" she repeated. 

Even Ayu shivered at the steel in her voice. 

The bouncer realised that this young mistress was accustomed to people doing as she demanded, she was definitely powerful. 

What harm could a stunning woman like that do anyway? All the young masters would thank him for letting a girl like the tall lady in, list or not. 

"Okay then miss, you can pass" he said reluctantly, moving out of the way for Ayu. 

Ayu followed in awkwardly after Lina. She had decided to accompany her boss' wife at the last minute and had nothing of her own to wear. So Lina had given Ayu something out of her own closet. 

Ayu was slim and narrow, just like Lina. But she was much taller. So a simple black dress had become a short, tight, s.e.xy dress on her, showing of her curves and beautiful long legs. 

Lina had asked Housekeeper Tan to quickly sew the hems and sleeves to make it more comfortable for Ayu to wear and then they'd driven off to Tresor. 

Ayu wasn't used to being in crowded spaces or at nightclubs, but being out like this alone with Lina sent butterflies in her stomach from nervousness and excitement. 

It almost felt like…a date. She quickly shook her head and put the preposterous thought away, her cheeks burning red. 

Lina turned to her with a worried look. 

"Ayu! Are you getting sick from all that overworking Shen's been putting you through? You look so red!" she exclaimed, raising her hand up to touch Ayu's face to check her temperature. 

Stunned, Ayu pulled back quickly. Having Lina touch her was dangerous for her heart condition. 

"I'm okay! I really am. Let's just go find your friend, Madam" Ayu said quickly, internally scoffing at Lina's comment about Shen overworking her. 

'Don't you do the same to Meimei, madam?' she asked Lina in her mind, smiling gently at the powerful little lady she was in love with. 

'So gentle to me, so oblivious about Meimei' she thought, but quickly sent the thought away, chastising herself for think about Mei when she was with Lina. She had to focus on the present, this rare opportunity she had alone with Lina. 

Lina grinned at Ayu, being tough as always. 

"Please don't go around calling me madam here, Ayu! Just call me Lina for now" she said as she winked at Ayu. 

They were at a party, they shouldn't be so formal. Besides, she didn't want people to think she had dragged an assistant around on her night out. 

Lina texted Mana that she had arrived and they met up at the bar area. 

Mana had done herself up with heavy makeup, dark eyeshadow and lipstick on her face. She had curled her normally straight and lackl.u.s.tre hair. She almost seemed like a different person. Her dress was very short, sleeveless and low on the neck, and Mana was evidently wearing a push up bra. 

Lina looked confused. She didn't ever remember Mana dressing up like that. Was her recovered memory faulty or was something the matter with her best friend? 

"Lina!!" Mana exclaimed as she glimpsed the woman she had begun to secretly despise. 

She jumped off her seat and rushed over to Lina giving her a tight hug. 

"I'm so glad you made it! Isn't this place great?" she gushed. After all, it was someone her new friend Lila knew that owned this place and she had specially been put on the guest list. Mana was drinking in the feeling of being someone important. 

Lina looked slightly underwhelmed but tried to be as excited for her best friend. 

"Yes it's definitely bustling! I brought a friend by the way, this is Ayu" she said, introducing the tall, beautiful woman at her side. 

Mana gasped. This was the same woman who was at the University the first time she had brought Lina there after he coma. She was there when Shen's bodyguard had been shot and Lina had performed that miracle bullet extraction. 

She was definitely one of her great husband's employees. No doubt she was no ordinary friend. 

Mana's face darkened. 

"Am I that terrible a friend, that you had to bring along a bodyguard assigned by your husband?" she questioned Lina, the rage within her rising. This had thrown a spanner in the works. Lila would be livid. 

Lina remembered that she had encountered Ayu before. She realised why Mana would be offended.

"Don't worry! Ayu is not working for Shen tonight. She needed a night to unwind and I thought she would have a nice time to come along. Let's all just enjoy the evening, okay?" Lina said, trying to smooth the situation. 

Ayu smiled awkwardly behind Lina. She realised what a compromising situation she might have put Lina in and felt a little guilty. 

Mana knew though, that she could now let her cover slip. So she had to play along. 

Under the table, she shot a text to Lila. 

*She brought her husband's assistant along, what do we do?*