NovaTech Studio — Luxury Tech & Gadgets
After the watch hall, they made their way upstairs to the glowing blue interior of NovaTech Studio — the kind of place that smelled like glass, steel, and quiet ambition.Sleek shelves lined the store, each display softly glowing with products floating on magnetic stands — the future itself, wrapped in design.
Edward glanced once around the store, eyes scanning the layout like he already knew what he wanted. Then he walked straight to the counter.
"I need two iPhone 17 Pro Max," he said evenly. "And two MacBook Ultras. One set for me, one for my sister."
The clerk blinked. "O-of course, sir. Any preferred color?"
"No," Edward replied. "Just make sure they're the highest specs."
Lina adjusted her camera slightly, capturing the way he stood — calm, composed, no hesitation in his voice. He didn't look like someone spending money; he looked like someone relocating it.
The total blinked onto the digital screen. $82,400.
Edward nodded once. "Put it on the card."
The clerk tried not to stammer. "Y-yes, sir. Immediately."
[LIVE CHAT:]@Softbyte: He's buying in pairs now?!@TrinityEcho: Imagine being his sister — MacBook and iPhone combo?? I'd cry.@CrownWatcher: This is generational wealth energy.@RealTalks: My guy just spent a year of my salary in thirty seconds.
Lina turned the camera toward herself, grinning. "You know, you're really making it hard for everyone to believe you're human."
Edward's lips curved slightly. "Maybe I'm not."
Her laugh came out softer than she expected. "Don't say things like that when you look this calm about it. People might actually believe you."
Edward tilted his head. "Let them. The more they wonder, the better."
Crescent Hill — Return to Skyview Villa
The drive back was quiet, except for the low hum of the Defender's engine.The backseat looked ridiculous — boxes of tech stacked neatly beside bags of designer clothes and accessories, and two watch cases gleaming faintly under the dim lights.
Lina's phone buzzed nonstop with notifications. "Edward, you just gained over a million followers in one hour."
He didn't respond right away, his eyes steady on the road. "I didn't do this for followers."
She turned her head toward him, curious. "Then why?"
He took a moment before replying, voice calm. "Influence starts when people pay attention. The more they watch, the easier it is to move things… quietly."
Lina looked at him, amused. "You really talk like a strategist, not a shopper."
Edward chuckled. "Maybe I'm both."
The Defender climbed the final stretch of the hill, the city lights reflecting faintly against the car windows. As they reached the villa gates, Edward asked casually, "So, Noona… do you want dinner? I'm a decent cook, you know."
Lina raised an eyebrow. "You? Cook?"
He smirked. "You'll see."
And honestly, she couldn't say no. Even though they'd just met today, Edward didn't feel like a stranger. There was something about him — the stillness in his voice, the quiet dominance in how he carried himself — that made her feel strangely at ease.
"Fine," she said, smiling. "I can't refuse an offer from Mr. Mysterious."
Skyview Villa — Kitchen
Lina placed her bag on the marble counter and sat near the kitchen island, watching Edward roll up his sleeves.He tied an apron around his waist — a simple gesture, but it made her blink. "This guy was like a dream".
For someone who looked so composed, so distant, he moved with surprising ease in the kitchen. His arms flexed slightly as he reached for ingredients; veins stood out against his forearms, his movements steady, almost methodical.
Lina couldn't look away.
"So, Noona," Edward said casually as he chopped vegetables with practiced precision, "what do you like to eat?"
"Hmm… surprise me," she said, still watching him.
Within minutes, the air filled with a blend of aromas — garlic sizzling, butter melting, the faint hiss of grilled chicken. Edward moved like someone who'd done this a hundred times.
He plated everything cleanly — grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes, a side of sautéed vegetables, and a drizzle of sauce that looked straight out of a five-star restaurant.
Lina blinked. "Okay… this isn't decent. This is professional."
Edward poured her a glass of sparkling water, sitting across the counter. "I told you — I'm good."
She took a bite, eyes widening. "You're annoyingly right."
He chuckled softly. "I'll take that as a compliment."
The conversation flowed naturally after that — simple, easy. Lina told him about her time managing social accounts, the chaos of internet fame, and how most people crumble under it. Edward listened, offering few words, but every word he did speak felt deliberate — like he measured each one.
Then, halfway through their meal, her phone lit up again.
"Edward," she said, glancing at the screen, "you peaked at 2.3 million live viewers. You're literally trending worldwide. Hashtags all over TikTok, Reels, and X — #TheSilentBuyer, #SkyviewMysteryMan, #RichButQuiet."
He leaned back, expression unreadable. "The internet works fast."
"Fast?" she laughed, scrolling through the feeds. "It's like they were waiting for someone like you to show up. Every clip's gone viral — people are obsessed. Edits of your hands, your walk, your voice. You didn't even show your face, and they're losing it."
Edward smirked. "So I made noise."
"More like a thunderstorm," she said, shaking her head. "They're guessing who you are — politician, heir, tech genius… even mafia prince."
He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Mafia prince? That's new."
Lina chuckled, scrolling through the comments again.
[NEW CHAT CLIPS TRENDING]"He doesn't talk, he commands."
"Money moves different when silence leads."
"Who is the faceless buyer?"
Edward watched her excitement, smiling faintly. "Well, let's see what kind of storm this brings. My life's been getting a little boring anyway."
Lina leaned back, still laughing softly. "You're dangerous when you sound that calm."
Edward tilted his glass, the light catching his eyes. "Good. Maybe it'll keep people guessing."
Dinner was long done, but neither of them seemed ready to call it a night.Lina leaned on the counter, watching Edward rinse the last plate, his movements as calm as always.
"So…" she said, tilting her head, "does the mysterious millionaire drink, or is that beneath his zen lifestyle?"
Edward chuckled softly. "Depends on the company."
She smirked. "Lucky for you, I brought a bottle."
From her bag, she pulled out a slim black bottle of aged bourbon — the kind you sip slowly, not pour carelessly.
Edward raised an eyebrow. "You came prepared."
Lina grinned. "I always do."
Moments later, the two were sitting in the villa's living room, soft amber lights spilling over marble and glass. The city glowed faintly below them, a sea of quiet stars.
Edward poured two glasses, the rich scent of bourbon rising between them.
"To unexpected partnerships," she said, raising her glass.
He met her gaze. "And louder beginnings."
Their glasses clinked — a clear, low sound that lingered longer than it should have.
They drank slowly, neither speaking much at first. The silence wasn't awkward — just... comfortable.
Lina curled up slightly on the couch, barefoot now, her heels resting neatly by the coffee table.Edward sat across from her, one arm resting along the back of the couch, his expression relaxed but unreadable.
"You know," Lina said after a moment, voice softer, "you're not what I expected."
He glanced at her. "And what did you expect?"
She smiled faintly. "Another arrogant rich boy trying to show off. But you… you don't need to try. It's like you're just naturally built different."
Edward took another slow sip, the glass catching the golden light. "Maybe that's because I stopped trying a long time ago."
Lina studied him for a moment — his posture, his tone, his eyes. There was something about him that felt… heavy. Like he'd lived too many lives in one.
"You talk like someone twice your age," she said.
He chuckled quietly. "Or maybe I just learned faster."
The music from the villa's sound system played low in the background — something slow, jazzy, echoing gently through the glass halls.
For a moment, their eyes met — just long enough to feel the silence stretch between them.