The Peak and Irina Golovin arrived at the Pinnacle Country Club, flanked by a small armada of suited bodyguards who were dutifully handling their luggage.

The receptionist at the front desk immediately smiled warmly at the sight of them.

"Welcome to the Pinnacle, sir. May I please have your membership number?"

The Peak flashed a dazzling, heroic smile.

"1369..."

He reached over to playfully ruffle Irina’s stylish, messy snow-white hair.

"And this little cutie pie right here is my guest."

Irina’s face instantly squeezed into a look of pure irritation at the sudden touch. Her eyes narrowed as she used gravity to push his hand away from her head.

The Peak merely chuckled.

"Hey, no need to get all worked up, kiddo."

He then leaned over the marble desk and whispered to the receptionist.

"Short people are always like that, yunno? Tiny bodies, massive tempers."

Irina raised a sharp brow, glaring up at him.

"You’re 5’10. That’s not even that tall for a guy."

The Peak quickly looked around in panic and pressed a finger to his lips.

"SHHH! Don’t EVER say that out loud! Do you want to ruin my image?!"

Irina rolled her eyes dramatically and crossed her arms under her beautifully endowed chest.

"Whatever. How did you even get into this country club anyway? Isn’t this place like the most exclusive country club in the entire United States?"

The Peak proudly adjusted his shiny blue visor as he puffed out his chest.

"Please. I’m just that rich."

Irina stared up at him with deadpan eyes.

"No, you’re not."

"Well..."

The Peak cleared his throat, trying a different angle.

"I’m beloved in the community! A true pillar of—"

"No, you’re not." (,,⩌ _ ⩌,,)

The Peak let out a defeated sigh.

His broad shoulders slumped.

"Fine... I’m family friends with the Trevors."

Irina let out a small giggle.

"Now that I actually believe."

She headed deeper into the country club. The Peak quickly hurried to follow behind her. As they walked through the corridors, Irina glanced at his bright spandex.

"By the way, why are you even dressed as The Peak to a country club? It’s a holiday."

The Peak instantly pushed his chest out again and struck a dramatic pose.

"Evil never sleeps, Irina! As an S-tier hero, I must sacrifice my life and identity as a civilian if it means always being ready to protect the innocent! I am a symbol!"

Irina didn’t even blink.

"It’s ’cause your real name is Angus, isn’t it?"

The Peak instantly deflated like a popped balloon.

"Yes..." (っ╥﹏╥ς)

Irina reached up and patted his back.

"Yeah. I wouldn’t wanna be known as Angus either."

...

Down by the main tennis court.

Scott and Bella were currently standing near the outdoor food court, which was lavishly stocked with all sorts of fancy, miniature snacks and imported sparkling drinks.

Bella took a delicate sip of her iced tea and her blue eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

"Oh, Scott, I can’t wait for us to play!"

She beamed like an excited lantern.

"Once we win the Trevors Cup, my parents will finally see just how impressive you really are!"

Scott, however, was completely checked out.

He popped a luxury butter biscuit into his mouth and chewed casually.

"You do realize I’m not trying to impress your family, right? I just came here to save my Christmas because my actual girlfriends are all busy with their own families and stuff."

Bella giggled, reaching up to pinch one of his cheeks and pulling on it playfully.

"Aww, you’re so incredibly cute when you lie like that!"

Scott frowned, pulling his face away.

"Uh, I’m not lying."

Bella just laughed harder as she waved her dainty hand dismissively.

"Sure, sure, darling. Whatever makes you happy~"

Scott shook his head, completely baffled by how genuinely delusional this woman could be.

"Uh... huh..."

Deciding it wasn’t worth the argument, he turned around with his teacup to observe the rest of the court, watching how the elite guests were preparing for the upcoming doubles tournament.

"There are a lot of ridiculously big figures here..."

Scott noted, scanning the crowd.

"Is that a governor over there? And a senator?"

Bella nodded enthusiastically, leaning her soft body against his shoulder.

"Big names makes the club richer, so yeah."

Scott just gave a small nod.

"Anyway, enough about them!"

Bella quickly changed the subject. She grabbed Scott’s arm and pulled him tightly against her side until her chest was squished tight against him. She whipped out her phone and raised it high.

"Let’s take a quick selfie!"

Click!

She giggled at the screen, admiring the photo.

"Wow, we look so perfect together!"

Without hesitation, she posted it on her Instaflick.

Within seconds, the notification bells vibrated.

[Instaflick]

@Bella_Trevors_Official: Getting ready for the Trevors Cup with my favorite person! 🎾❤️✨

[Image: Bella smiling radiantly, pressed tightly against a sharp-jawed, mildly annoyed Scott in matching country club casuals]

❤️ 142,839 Likes

[Bro who is that guy and why is he living my dream?? Bella text me back pls 😭]

[Unfollowed. My heart is literally shattered into a million pieces. Who permitted him to touch the goddess? 💔]

[Bro is punching so far above his weight class he’s in low Earth orbit. Teach me your ways, king.]

[You can’t tell me he got enough meat for that bro]

ㄴ[Do you often find yourself thinking about other men’s cocks?]

ㄴ[The meat connoisseur, ladies and gentlemen 🤦]

...

Bella’s eyes practically turning into hearts as she watched the likes and comments skyrocket.

"Darling, look, look!"

She repeatedly poked Scott’s arm with her finger.

"Come see how many people are shipping us!"

Before Scott could even look, a sudden, heavy uproar visited the tennis area.

The low murmurs of the crowd grew intense.

Scott and Bella both paused to turn their heads in the direction of the commotion.

The country club members were all turning around and whispering frantically as they stared at a handsome young man with hair like snow walking alongside a stout, powerful-looking older man.

"My god... is that Thomas Roosevelt?"

"What is the top rival of the Trevors family doing here?"

"I didn’t even know the Roosevelts held a membership at the Pinnacle!"

"Who is the young man next to him? He’s incredibly handsome..."

"That’s James Roosevelt! The second son. I heard he’s been living abroad his entire life, completely kept out of the media eye. He just returned to the States!"

Scott noticed the immediate shift in the mood.

"Hm?"

More importantly, he noticed how Bella’s vibrant face instantly drained of color.

She suddenly looked stiff and anxious.

"Hey... everything okay?"

Bella swallowed hard, trying to maintain her posture.

"Y-, Yes... it’s fine. It’s just... those are the Roosevelts. They’re a multi-generational real estate dynasty. They literally own half the skyline in both New York and London."

Scott raised a brow.

"Okay... but aren’t the Trevors just as rich, if not richer? So what’s the—"

Before he could finish, Chairman Bernard Trevors himself walked out onto the green as he locked eyes with Thomas Roosevelt. The two stout men met in the center of the walkway and made sure to maintain their superficial smiles as they greeted each other.

"Thomas! I didn’t expect to see you invading my club today. I assume your latest commercial project in Manhattan finally collapsed and gave you some free time?"

Thomas Roosevelt let out a booming, hearty laugh and pat his own stomach.

"Collapsed? Oh, Bernard, always the comedian! We actually just closed the acquisition on the entire East Side sector. It brought in a casual $4.2 billion in liquid revenue this quarter alone. I believe that’s nearly double what Trevors Global projected for the entire fiscal year, isn’t it?"

Chairman Trevors’ smile twitched.

"A temporary surge. Real estate is volatile. Our tech and logistics sectors are far more sustainable."

"Sustainable? Is that what you call it?"

Thomas chuckled mockingly.

He then threw a heavy, proud arm over his son James’s shoulders.

"Anyway, look who’s back. You know, Bernard, it’s a shame that the arrangement between your daughter Bella and my eldest, William, didn’t quite kick off. But looking at James here... I’m certain this is the perfect fit. My boy might actually be a bit too good for your daughter, but hey, we like charity."

Chairman Trevors forced a booming laugh to hide his growing anger.

"Oh, Thomas. I think I’ve got you beat in the family department. My daughter is a modern celebrity who’s a household name in the media."

"First time?" (⸝⸝¬`⩊´¬⸝⸝)

Thomas Roosevelt said with a smug face.

The absolute casualness of the counter-brag left Chairman Trevors completely at a loss for words. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. He was utterly defeated in front of his own peers.

Thomas chuckled deeply, patting the frozen Chairman hard on the shoulder.

"Come now, Bernard. Don’t look so sour! Let’s go get a drink at the lounge and catch up before the tournament starts. I fully intend to smoke you in both golf and tennis today, just like my family always does to the Trevors whenever we have the time! Ho-ho-ho!"

The surrounding club members laughed along.

Much to the frustration of the Chairman.

James Roosevelt smiled calmly and turned his eyes toward the food court.

Scott gently took Bella by the wrist.

"Hey. Come on, let’s go do some warmups on the court before the tournament starts."

Bella’s eyes lit up with relief.

"Okay, let’s—"

Suddenly, another hand reached out from the side to firmly grip Bella’s other arm and gently but unyieldingly pulled her back.

"Hm?"

Scott stopped to look back.

James Roosevelt was standing there with his hand clamped tightly around Bella’s wrist.

Bella instantly panicked.

"J-, James...!"

James smiled eerily at her.

He looked so calm yet there was no warmth on his face.

"Why were you teaming up with another man, Bella? If you aren’t completely stupid, you should know that you’re supposed to be playing with me today. Even if your tennis skills aren’t exactly anything impressive."

Bella immediately lowered her head.

"I... I understand."

Watching this, Scott felt disgusted.

There was something profoundly weird about this James fellow. He had just casually insulted Bella to her face with an innocent, unbothered expression... as if belittling people was as natural to him as breathing. Scott couldn’t tell if the guy was just a massive condescending prick, or so severely out of touch with reality that speaking like that felt like nothing to him.

Seeing how silently terrified Bella was, Scott stepped in. He used his strength to pull Bella closer to his side which forced James to loosen his grip slightly.

"Look, man..."

Scott spoke with a cool smile.

"I’m sure a guy like you can afford to share. There are plenty of beautiful women at this country club, so maybe you should go start searching for a new partner."

Hearing his protective words, Bella’s cheeks flushed a sudden red.

James stared emotionlessly at Scott.

"Who are you?"

It was a genuine question. It was as if James hadn’t even realized there was a person standing next to Bella until this exact second. He waved his free hand dismissively, not even waiting for an answer.

"Never mind. Can you let go of my fiancée now so we can go prepare for the tournament?"

James’s eyes suddenly narrowed into icy slits as he stared directly into Scott’s eyes.

"I mean it."

The sudden spike in tension made Bella incredibly uncomfortable.

『James is dangerous... there’s a dark reason the family hid him from the media for so long. I can’t let Scott get hurt because of me.』

Bella gently slipped her wrist out of Scott’s grasp.

"Sorry, Scott..."

She looked up at him with eyes full of sadness.

"You should find another partner."

James’s eerie smile instantly returned.

He gave Scott a kind stare.

"Don’t worry, regular guy. Like you said, there are plenty of beautiful, wealthy older women here. With a face like yours, I’m sure you’ll make a perfectly fitting gigolo to keep them company while the real men play."

Without waiting for a response, James turned and pulled a compliant Bella away into the crowd.

In the next few hours...

Scott realized how brutal high society could be.

He walked around the massive facility, trying to look for a replacement partner so he could still participate in the tournament. But when he approached anyone, he was met with absolute scorn.

"Hey, are you looking for a partner for the doubles—"

"Definitely not."

He walked up to a group of men by the lockers.

"Excuse me, do any of you need a—"

"What’s your net worth, kid?"

Scott blinked. "Uh, I don’t really—"

The group instantly burst into hysterical laughter.

"There are governors, senators, and billionaires playing on these courts, and you honestly think anyone is going to partner up with a model? Kid, you wouldn’t even shag up to an international model! There is absolutely no financial or political money in your occupation! Move along."

To these people, the tournament wasn’t a game; it was a networking event. Everyone desperately wanted to partner with politicians, actors, and tycoons because a single match could lead to a multi-million dollar business merger. A regular guy like Scott was completely useless to them.

Scott let out a tired sigh.

He walked over to a quiet, isolated corner of the spectator area and sat alone on the bench.

At the front of the main court.

Chairman Trevors walked up to a mic at the podium.

"Welcome, everyone, to the annual Trevors Cup! As you know, the winning pair will receive an exclusive, lifetime one-year premium membership to the Pinnacle Country Club. We thank you all for coming, and the tournament will officially begin now!"

The elite crowd erupted into loud, elegant applause.

Scott rolled his eyes at them.

A few nearby club members noticed him sitting alone and began to whisper loudly, making sure he could hear them.

"Look at him... he’s like a lost dog."

"What was a nobody like him even thinking, showing up to a country club like this?"

"He seriously thought he could just blend in with royalty. How pathetic."

Not far away, The Peak watched the scene and shook his head in pity like he actually cared.

"Man, poor guy. But hey, that’s just life. Scott’s an average model with a little bit of internet fame, but he has absolutely no place in a circle like this."

Next to him, Irina was aggressively struggling to yank her blue tennis racket out of a tangled duffel bag.

She suddenly paused, her ears perking up.

"Scott? As in... Scott McQueen?"

The Peak shrugged. "Yeah, that guy."

Irina’s eyes went wide.

She shifted The Peak aside with her gravity powers to get a better look.

"It really is him!"

Her lovely blue eyes and pretty face lit up.

She took a step forward, wanting to hurry over and greet him, but she suddenly stopped herself.

『Wait... what if he’s still mad at me for no reason? Back at the SMPE in Meteor City, things were so weird... I really, really want to talk to him, but I’m just so bad at this kind of stuff. Sigh.』

She frowned deeply, realizing she couldn’t bring herself to just walk over, even though she would absolutely love to be his tennis partner. She turned her head, side-eyeing The Peak, who was currently busy dousing his chest and neck with suffocating amounts of expensive cologne.

Irina gagged slightly.

Meanwhile.

On the opposite side of the VIP viewing deck, Geraldine and Victoria were standing next to the country club’s official media team. The photographers were busy setting up cameras to take pictures for their social media platforms and bi-weekly luxury magazines, which the family used to attract more household names and advertise the Trevors Global brand.

Geraldine let out a heavy sigh.

Victoria turned to her, raising a brow.

"What’s wrong, Geraldine?"

Geraldine crossed her arms.

"I really thought Lady Adira Crowe would finally accept our country club invitation today. We’ve sent millions of invites over the last month alone, and she hasn’t attended even once."

Victoria let out a soft laugh.

"Oh, please. Lady Crowe is perhaps a bigger name than the Trevors and the Roosevelt families combined. She operates on an entirely different echelon of power. Of course it won’t be easy to get her here."

Geraldine sighed again, nodding in agreement.

"I suppose you’re right..."

That’s when Geraldine’s eyes suddenly landed on Scott who was still sitting alone in his corner.

『This is all his fault!』

Geraldine thought viciously to herself.

『The presence of a nobody like him gives our elite country club a bad look! We might actually start losing big names if the media sees a nobody like him participating in our exclusive events!』

Fueled by irrational anger, Geraldine marched right over to Scott’s bench.

"Since you’re so free, go over to the storage unit and get more chairs for our VIPs."

Scott looked up at her with deadpan eyes.

"There are literally dozens of staff members available to do that. Why don’t you ask them?"

Geraldine’s face flushed with anger.

"Because I want YOU to do it!"

"No."

Scott didn’t even hesitate.

Geraldine gasped dramatically.

"No?! You insolent—! You don’t even have a partner for the tournament, so why can’t you actually do some useful work around the club instead of sitting there like a parasite?!"

A deep and charming feminine voice interrupted.

"Who says he doesn’t have a partner?"

From the entrance of the court, a tall, raven-haired woman walked out into the sunlight. She possessed incredibly long, flawlessly toned legs and an impossibly curvaceous, hourglass figure... standing so tall and imposing she could practically be called a giant.

Even before Scott could turn around, he felt the massive shadow of her presence completely blanket him from behind.

Scott and Geraldine both turned their heads.

The exact moment they saw her face, both of their jaws dropped to the floor.

It was Adira Crowe.

The entire country club went dead silent for a fraction of a second before screams erupted. The members panicked, desperately fixing their hair, adjusting their clothes, and checking their makeup in sheer terror because a whale like Adira Crowe was standing right in front of them.

"My god! It’s Lady Crowe!"

"She’s so beautiful... look at those curves..."

"Honestly, I want to be carried in her arms!"

"Screw that, I want her to step on me!"

Within seconds, a massive crowd of CEOs, tech tycoons, and high-ranking politicians completely abandoned what they were doing and hurried over to her like desperate fans.

"Lady Crowe! It is an absolute honor! I am the CEO of Vanguard Logistics, would you do me the grand honor of being my partner for the tennis tournament?"

"Lady Crowe, I am the head of the State Senate Finance Committee! Please, team up with me, I can assure you a flawless victory!"

Adira didn’t even spare them a glance.

Her relaxed, sleepy eyelids remained unchanged as she gracefully walked right past the expensive crowd and totally ignored their pleas.

She stopped right in front of Scott’s bench.

A beautiful, foxy smile kissed her black-painted lips. She reached down, gently placing her elegantly gloved hand directly onto Scott’s head, smoothing down his hair with immense affection.

She looked up at the stunned crowd.

"Sorry, everyone. But I only want this one."

She pat Scott’s head.

The entire crowd turned to stone.

"HUH?!?!"