"It's a spatial artifact," Ozai said quietly. "The money is inside. If... if you ever want to pay me back for the artifact itself... you can do it whenever. I'm not rushing."

Bruce stared at him for a long moment.

Even back on Earth, he'd seen this tactic countless times. When a weaker party wanted protection, or future benefits, they offered useful gifts to tie a connection. Ozai wasn't just buying silence. He was trying to carve out a lifeline to Bruce. A future favor. A relationship.

Smart.

Very smart.

Bruce did, in fact, need a spatial ring.

Ozai had been thoughtful. And giving Bruce something he actually required made it even harder to reject.

Bruce accepted the ring.

"You're smart," he said quietly.

Ozai let out a strained, sheepish breath and scratched the back of his head. "Heh... thanks..."

But inside, he was screaming.

Because whether the Thornes found out or not… nothing about this situation was going to end well for him. He would have to spin lies, build excuses, create stories that might fool outsiders, but the Thorne family wasn't full of fools. Not by a long shot.

His life was about to become hell.

.... And Bruce? Bruce walked beside him looking completely calm… as if he hadn't just ripped sixty million gold coins out of a noble heir's soul.

Then, right after passing Ozai, Bruce turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at Ozai from the corner of his eye.

"I like smart guys like you," Bruce said coldly, his voice low and steady. "If you need my help in the future with anything, you can contact me. As long as it's not something outrageous, I'll help you."

The words were simple.

But coming from Bruce Ackerman... they carried weight.

As he finished speaking, the lobby door in front of him slid open with a clean mechanical hum. Bruce walked through it coolly, his handsome face calm and deep like a perfectly still, crystal-clear pool, no ripples, no hesitation, no worry.

Only strength.

Only confidence.

Ozai was left standing alone in the corridor, Bruce's words echoing repeatedly in his mind… and before he knew it, a small, uncontrollable smile crept across his face.

He clenched his fist.

"Yes..." he breathed, low but overflowing with relief and joy.

Of course he was happy. Bruce had accepted his proposal. Bruce owed him a favor. Bruce, an awakened monster already at S-Rank, was now loosely connected to him.

For Ozai, that was the single best thing that had happened today.

The disaster of the trial... suddenly didn't feel as hopeless.

Knowing this was only the beginning of the long mess he had to clean up, Ozai straightened his clothes, cleared his throat, and continued forward.

He found Sophie next, her presence soft yet intimidating in its own right. Ozai's face twitched in embarrassment. Asking a fellow heir from another Great Ancient Family to help hide his humiliating death was mortifying… but he forced himself to do it.

Sophie listened quietly.

Then she made her demands.

And Ozai had no choice but to accept them.

His face was still burning with shame as she walked away.

Sophie made her way to Bruce's side with graceful, confident steps.

Bruce smiled at her immediately, not even bothering to ask what demands she made.

Sophie's smile turned teasing, warm, beautiful. "It's a surprise, Bruce. My demands are a pleasant surprise for you. I'm sure you'll like it."

Bruce's lips curved slightly. That was enough for him.

Together, the two made their way toward the elevator, leaving Ozai behind to deal with his own problems.

The door slid open and they stepped inside. Sophie tapped several buttons, and the elevator began ascending with a soft, rising hum.

Bruce's gaze drifted to her.

She looked stunning under the warm elevator lighting, her beautiful face, her soft lashes, her red lips glistening faintly as if inviting him closer...

He noticed something else too.

"You've advanced to A-Rank," Bruce said calmly.

He had sensed it earlier, but the lobby wasn't the right place to bring it up.

Sophie's lips curved as she looked back at him. "You noticed..."

Their eyes locked, slowly, gently, deeply. And for a moment, the world outside the elevator ceased to exist.

Bruce let out a low chuckle. "Were you planning on hiding your new rank from your S-Ranked boyfriend?"

He reached out, fingers sliding around her wrist. His grip was firm, confident… possessive.

Then he pulled.

It wasn't harsh.

It was sensual.

Dominant in the kind of way Sophie loved, slow enough to savor, strong enough to make her heart skip.

"Come here," Bruce murmured, voice softer and hotter than before.

Sophie's breath hitched.

She didn't resist. She didn't even think of resisting.

She let herself be pulled into his chest, her hands instinctively wrapping around his shoulders as if her body had always known its place was against him.

Bruce's hands slid around her waist, fingers spreading, gripping, caressing. One hand dipped lower, cupping the perfect curve of her full, round ass, his palm pressing into it with deliberate, sensual confidence.

The air in the elevator changed instantly.

Heavier.

Warmer.

Charged with romance and hunger both.

Sophie's chest pressed softly against his. Their breaths mingled, warm and slow. Her lips parted just slightly, her heart pounding at how effortlessly he could pull her in, how easily he wrapped her body and emotions around his.

Bruce looked down at her, eyes burning quietly.

Sophie looked up at him, eyes soft, heated, loving.

The world seemed to collapse into the tiny space between their lips…

And the elevator kept rising, slow, steady, oblivious to the storm of warmth and desire filling its walls.

"You're bold..." Sophie whispered, locking her gaze with his.

"Am I?" Bruce murmured as he leaned in.

Their breaths touched first. Then their lips.

His mouth pressed softly against hers, firm enough to claim her, gentle enough to melt her entirely. He caught her lower lip between his, sucking on it slowly… sensually… dragging a wave of pleasure up her spine.

Sophie let out a soft, helpless moan that muffled into the kiss.

"Mmmff~"

The sound vibrated between them, echoing faintly in the confined elevator space.

Then Bruce tilted his head, deepening the kiss. His tongue brushed against her lips, slow, teasing, asking.

Sophie responded instantly.

Her lips parted for him, and his tongue slid in, meeting hers in a warm, slow dance. Their kiss grew deeper, wetter, more intimate. Sophie clung tighter to his shoulders, her fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt. Bruce's hand tightened around her waist, pulling her closer, molding her body to his.

Their tongues brushed, retreated, met again, soft, slow strokes that sent warmth rushing through her entire body. The kiss was passionate but unhurried, like they were savoring each second, losing themselves in each other.

Sophie didn't notice the elevator stop.

Bruce didn't either.

They didn't break until their lungs insisted, pulling slightly apart, their foreheads nearly touching, their breaths warm and shaky.

Sophie gasped softly, cheeks flushed a deep rosy pink, lips swollen from the kiss.

"Hah... hah... you're so good," she whispered, breathless. "Hah... you're making me feel hot..."

Bruce brushed a thumb across her cheek, smirking softly.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice low and warm. "I won't keep you waiting for long."

Sophie bit her lip, heart pounding, her entire body humming from the kiss.

And outside the elevator doors, still open, no one had dared step in.

As if the world itself knew not to interrupt them.

***

A/N:

Alright guys, this marks the end of Volume One: Breaking Records!

Volume 2 begins in the next chapter…

Volume Two: World Domination Begins!

I hope you guys are enjoying the ride as much as I am... Many more interesting and spicy scenes coming up in the future chapters...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.