Torturous

Unfortunately what Vin Baisti wanted could not always go as planned. She vanished for a time, and when he next saw her, she was everywhere—on the news, in magazines, and even on billboards. Then he could only settle as a manager, a man who could only be by her side but never truly have her.

He despised being in this body, hated that he was forced to watch her show affection to the version of him in this timeline. Vin Baisti silently prayed and hoped for the foolish version of that him, to hurry up and trip himself up so he could swoop in and claim the beauty. 

After adjusting himself, Baisti exited the washroom and announced that dinner was served. Then taking his seat Vin Baisti felled his gaze on the woman before him who leaned forward slightly, and lifted the cup. Bringing it to her closer to her lips he saw her look up and almost sacrificed his soul to her. 

Her eyes were deep, and he was bombarded with images of her riding him, her lips brushing the rim of the cup almost causing him cum in his pants. 

Damn it!

Vin Baisti swore inwardly, forcing himself to look away with a straight face. The servers arrived with bowls and plates. "Thank you. That interview was…mm…enjoyable," she said, placing her cup down and running her fingers along its rim, her gaze fixed on the punny man beside her. Baisti wished he could slap him away with a thought. "That's why this location was chosen," Jin Ken said with a smile. Baisti suppressed the urge to lash out, managing a forced smile that was just natural enough to be polite. "Of course, Miss Confessions has a stellar reputation," the woman—who had been all but forgotten—added. The two men glanced at her before looking away. "True, since she started competing, we've seen significant growth in the country's sales," Jin Ken said, focusing his eager gaze on her as she sipped her tea. Baisti felt like he might crush the cup in his hand, gritting his teeth in frustration. Jin Ken continued to idolize her, oblivious to Baisti's turmoil. "Miss Confessions has done a lot of good," he said. His fiancé, a devoted fan of Miss Confessions, had helped him pronounce her name with ease. She— his fiancee—managed a successful cosmetic brand and was also an influencer. After considerable effort and expense, they secured a meeting with Miss Confessions. With degrees in marketing, sales, and law, Baisti had been sent out, brainwashed by his fiancé and accompanied by a small assistant. "Food, cosmetics, and clothing are essentials for consumers," he said seriously but then added flatteringly, "Miss Confessions, I hear you have an upcoming interview with the Lengs, who are opening a new nutritional store." She set her cup down gracefully, half-smiling at him. "Yes, the store will feature many products for professionals and hobbyists, most of which are well-known worldwide, with a few flying in for support," she replied, taking another sip of tea as the server placed her soup, main dish, and a small plate for extras in front of her, along with a dipping sauce bowl, chopsticks, spoons, and napkins. The other server was nearly finished, nodding while keeping her gaze on the food before her.

Jin Kim snapped out of his daze and leaned back to speak. "One of our country's most recognized athletes is in international performance leagues for table tennis, basketball, and football, and is also a well-known Wushu artist." Vin Baisti noticed Storyia's eyes widen and her relaxed posture shift closer to Jin, who seemed oblivious. "Yes, and there are also fitness trainers and competitors," Storyia added with an air of arrogance. Jin straightened up, slapped his leg, and laughed, "Ha, ha, right, right. You first did fitness modeling and then tried Octa-competitive sports." Vin Baisti glanced between the two, suppressing his irritation. Why did he choose a man?

Despite Jin Kim's dedication to his fiancée, his enthusiasm was palpable, especially as Storyia lit up during the conversation. "Sigh, yes, it's extremely competitive. Luckily, I played various sports as a child." Vin Baisti knew this was true and recognized the significance of her lineage as a direct descendant of the Fe family. "Can I please have an autograph? I have the latest fitness magazine," she said. Reaching his limit, Vin Baisti felt the urge to slap Jin aside, but Storyia reached for the magazine instead, accepting it with a smile. "Sure." The once-silent woman then asked softly, "Will you be an influencer as well?" After a moment of silence, Jin replied, "I have rejected it." This didn't surprise Vin Baisti. 

"Oh, then how about the wealth list?" she inquired, leaning closer. "Well, I have interviewed for it," Storyia responded. Jin exclaimed, "Oh! Great!" Finally, Vin Baisti couldn't hold back and interrupted, "Alright, enough! Let's eat before the food gets cold, then we can discuss the contract." "Ah, right. Sorry, Mr. Vin," Jin said softly, taking back the magazine and focusing on his meal.

Vin Baisti watched the dark beauty pick up her chopsticks, take a piece of grilled meat, and eat it. Jealousy surged within him, and images flashed through his mind once again, almost driving him crazy.

Being in her presence is torturous, yet he is slowly becoming accustomed to it after all these years. She is his first wife, and he had been Au Arrogan for over thirty years in his previous life. 

Once the meal ended and the dishes were cleared, the papers were laid out with a large tablet placed in the center. The discussion turned serious as the contract details were explained. It was unsurprising that the contract was fair: Storyia would receive a ten percent share of each sale through advertising over the one-year duration of the contract.

After half an hour, they stood, shook hands, and left the private room. Outside, Vin Baisti went to settle the bill, asking Storyia to wait so he could walk her to her car.