Chapter 84: Negotiations

As Paris Hilton's questioning hung in the air, Martin leaned back in his chair, an amused smile tugging at his lips.

"Order first," he said lightly. "I don't like dealing with people on an empty stomach."

"Hmph!" Paris huffed, tossing the menu aside dramatically before snapping her fingers to summon the waiter.

She rattled off her order effortlessly, her tone filled with the confidence of someone who knew the menu by heart. After all, this was her family's hotel, and the restaurants within it were practically her second home.

When Paris finished, Martin added his own order, then gestured for the waiter to uncork a bottle of red wine.

As the wine was poured into their glasses, Martin picked up his, swirling the liquid slowly before lifting his gaze to meet Paris's. His voice was warm, his smile devastatingly charming.

"Miss Hilton, thank you for your support yesterday. So, tell me, what kind of compensation do you have in mind?"

Paris's defenses faltered as she stared at him. For a brief moment, she was completely lost in his piercing eyes and effortless charisma.

Her thoughts spiraled. So handsome… so unbelievably handsome!

"Miss Hilton?" Martin's voice cut through her reverie. "What kind of compensation would you like?"

Paris blinked, regaining her composure, and took a sip of her wine to steady herself. This time, her voice softened, adopting an uncharacteristically delicate tone.

"Martin… I want you to be my boyfriend. Just for me."

The corners of Martin's mouth quirked up. He was caught off guard for only a second before the situation became clear. The natural allure of his succubus nature was growing stronger each day. It seemed that now, all it took was a glance or a smile to disarm someone like Paris—a girl so inexperienced with real challenges that she was drawn to anything that defied her expectations.

He rested his chin on one hand, leaning in slightly with another disarming grin. "That's simple enough," he said casually. "But aren't you worried people will say you're an old cow eating young grass?"

Paris's haughty demeanor snapped back into place. "What do I care what people say?" she retorted, her chin lifting defiantly. But then her eyes narrowed. "Wait—who are you calling an old cow?!"

Martin chuckled, waving her indignation away. "It's just an Asian saying. Don't overthink it."

Paris seemed satisfied with the explanation, though her expression turned cautious. "Are you really willing to be my boyfriend?"

Martin shrugged, his tone nonchalant. "I don't mind. As long as you're okay with the fact that I have other girlfriends."

Her nose wrinkled in displeasure. "Other girlfriends? Are you serious?!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Martin asked, tilting his head innocently.

Paris opened her mouth to argue but found herself staring at his handsome face again. The words caught in her throat, and instead, she forced a faux-generous smile. "Fine. I don't care about your past relationships. But if you want to be with me, you have to break up with them now."

Martin drained the rest of his wine, his expression turning serious. "Miss Paris, that's not going to happen. You only have two choices: become one of my many girlfriends, or change your request."

Paris's composure cracked. "You're asking me—Paris Hilton—to settle for being just one of your girlfriends? Do you know who I am?!"

Martin's face hardened. "Of course, I know who you are. But do you know who I am? I'm not one of those sycophants desperate for your attention, nor do I care about the Hilton fortune. You were the one who proposed this arrangement, so if you want to be with me, you follow my rules."

The fire in Paris's eyes dimmed as Martin's firm tone settled over her. She opened her mouth to respond but found herself speechless, unsure of how to push back.

"Listen," Martin continued, his voice softening, "I'm not forcing you. If being one of my girlfriends doesn't work for you, we can discuss other ways to compensate you. For instance, I can write a script for you."

Paris blinked, caught off guard. "You'd write a script for me? A real one? Not just some throwaway idea?"

"Of course," Martin replied. "I can promise to give it my best effort. But I can't guarantee it'll be a blockbuster. No one can predict the market."

Paris brightened instantly. "Okay! If you're serious, I'll take that deal!"

"Then it's settled."

As the words left her mouth, a flicker of regret passed through Paris's mind. Perhaps being one of his girlfriends wouldn't have been so bad after all. He was so handsome… and talented.

When their meal ended, Paris leaned forward eagerly. "Martin, how about we go shopping? Or better yet, I could show you my room. It's just upstairs, and I have some amazing things to show you!"

Martin raised an eyebrow. "Your room? Paris, I'm only 13. Can you really say something like that?"

Paris's eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you thinking?! I just want to show you my collection! I have a complete set of Transformers from Hasbro!"

Martin pretended to hesitate, his expression thoughtful. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. Let's take a look."

Paris clapped her hands in delight. "Then hurry up and finish your food! You're going to love it!"

As they stood to leave, both wore matching smiles—hers filled with excitement, his with silent amusement. Both thought they were the one in control of the game.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.