"Sister-in-law," Julius said. "I thought you'd be busy accompanying my brother tonight."
"Oh, Jeremy?" she replied, pretending to look around. "He's off talking about quarterly profits or mergers, something incredibly dull, I'm sure. You know how he gets when he starts playing the perfect businessman."
"And so you decided to entertain yourself by bothering me instead?"
She chuckled, stepping closer. "Bother you? I'd never. You just looked lonely standing here all by yourself. I thought I'd do you a favor."
"Some favors I'd rather live without," Julius said, eyes flicking toward the crowd as if searching for an escape. "Shouldn't you be making sure my dear brother doesn't get himself into trouble with investors again?"
"You know, you're even colder than the last time we met. Has the Directorate made you this dull, or are you just pretending?"
"I suppose marriage to my brother must make everything else seem exciting by comparison."
