As the towering glass doors swung open, a wall of music crashed over Luca like a physical force.

The heavy bass reverberated through the floor beneath his feet, vibrating up through his legs as dazzling beams of blue, violet, and gold swept across the enormous club. Crystal chandeliers hung from the soaring ceiling, scattering light over polished marble floors and mirrored walls. Every few seconds, the moving lights transformed the venue into a completely different world.

Several elevated VIP balconies overlooked the main floor, where hundreds of stylishly dressed guests moved in rhythm beneath the flashing lights.

The atmosphere buzzed with energy.

Laughter blended with music.

Champagne glasses clinked together.

Waitresses dressed in elegant black uniforms weaved effortlessly through the crowd, balancing silver trays filled with premium liquor worth more than many people earned in a month.

Luca took his time looking around.

He had attended his fair share of luxury venues over the years, but even he had to admit Eclipse Club lived up to every bit of its reputation.

’Not bad...’

It was lavish without feeling excessive.

Sophisticated without appearing pretentious.

The designers had clearly invested an incredible amount of thought into every detail.

Near the center of the club, internationally renowned DJs commanded an enormous stage, seamlessly mixing one song into the next while giant LED screens pulsed in perfect synchronization with the music.

Everywhere Luca looked, he recognized familiar faces.

Popular actors.

Professional athletes.

Influential internet celebrities.

Well-known entrepreneurs.

Even a few politicians who undoubtedly hoped nobody would notice them enjoying themselves.

It was less of a nightclub and more of a gathering place for San Fierro’s elite.

Just then...

"Luca!"

A cheerful voice somehow managed to cut through the thunderous music.

He turned toward it.

Near one of the spacious VIP booths, Amelia Grant was enthusiastically waving both hands above her head, a bright smile lighting up her face.

Luca couldn’t help smiling as he walked over.

She looked stunning tonight.

Her long chestnut hair flowed over her shoulders in soft waves, framing a face that seemed almost to glow beneath the club’s shifting lights. A sleek black dress hugged her figure perfectly, elegant without being overly revealing, while a pair of silver heels added just enough height to accentuate her graceful posture.

For a brief moment, several nearby guests glanced in her direction.

It wasn’t difficult to understand why.

She had a naturally vibrant charm that drew attention without even trying.

As Luca approached the booth, Amelia looked him up and down before nodding approvingly.

"You clean up pretty well."

Luca raised an eyebrow.

"I was about to say the same thing."

Her smile widened.

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

She spun lightly in place.

"I spent forever deciding what to wear."

"It was worth the effort."

A faint blush colored her cheeks.

"You’re surprisingly smooth tonight."

"I’ve always been this smooth."

"No."

She laughed.

"You’ve definitely been practicing."

Luca simply smiled.

"So..."

He folded his arms.

"Would you care to explain why my name magically appeared on the guest list before I even arrived?"

Amelia crossed her arms proudly.

"I told you I’d handle everything."

"I noticed."

"You sounded surprised."

"I was."

She giggled mischievously.

"You remember that ridiculously rich second-generation heir I mentioned a while back?"

"The one you somehow became friends with?"

"Exactly."

Luca nodded.

"He practically lives here," Amelia explained. "His family knows the club manager personally. I asked if he could reserve a table for us and quietly add your name to the VIP guest list."

"So that’s what happened."

"Mhm."

Luca tilted his head.

"And the description?"

The moment she heard that, Amelia burst into laughter.

"I had to make sure they recognized you."

"You could’ve shown them a picture."

"Where’s the fun in that?"

Luca sighed dramatically.

"I should’ve known."

She grinned proudly.

"I almost told them to watch for the handsome guy who cries whenever he loses carnival games."

Luca looked at her in disbelief.

"I’ve never cried."

"Not yet."

"I wasn’t even close."

"You looked emotionally vulnerable."

"I was disappointed."

"Same thing."

"It absolutely isn’t."

She laughed so hard she had to steady herself against the table.

"I swear you’re too easy to tease."

"I could say exactly the same about you."

Before Luca could continue the argument, Amelia reached over and gently tugged on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Come on."

She pointed toward the spacious semicircular booth behind her.

"My friends have been waiting all night to meet you."

Luca followed her over.

The group immediately turned toward them.

There were five young women seated around the table, each dressed elegantly for the evening.

Every one of them was accompanied by a well-dressed boyfriend or partner.

Some sat shoulder to shoulder, casually sharing drinks.

Others leaned comfortably against each other while chatting over colorful cocktails.

The atmosphere was warm, lively, and surprisingly relaxed.

Amelia smiled brightly.

"Everyone..."

"This is Luca."

The group greeted him almost immediately.

"So you’re the famous Luca."

"Wow..."

"You’re even more handsome than Amelia described."

"I finally understand why she kept talking about you."

Amelia’s eyes widened.

"I did not!"

The table exploded with laughter.

One of the girls nearly spilled her drink.

"Oh, please."

"You brought him up almost every day."

"Exactly."

"You smiled at your phone every time he texted."

"You even ignored us once because you were too busy arguing with him."

Amelia’s cheeks flushed pink.

"You girls are making things up."

"We’re absolutely not."

Another girl pointed dramatically.

"She’s blushing!"

"I am not!"

"You are."

"I’m just warm."

"The air conditioning is freezing."

"...That’s beside the point."

Everyone laughed again.

Even Luca couldn’t hide his grin.

He folded his arms and looked at Amelia.

"So..."

"You’ve been talking about me behind my back?"

She immediately shook her head.

"I absolutely have not."

"You sounded pretty guilty just now."

"I was ambushed."

"You folded very quickly."

"I was outnumbered."

"Convenient excuse."

She narrowed her eyes.

"I suddenly regret inviting you."

"No, you don’t."

"...Maybe a little."

The laughter around the table only grew louder.

As the conversation continued, Luca quickly realized why Amelia enjoyed spending time with these people.

The atmosphere felt genuine.

There was no obvious competition.

No forced displays of wealth.

No desperate attempts to impress one another.

They simply joked, laughed, and enjoyed the evening.

Over the next half hour, drinks were served, stories were exchanged, and countless embarrassing moments from university days resurfaced, much to Amelia’s horror.

Eventually, the music shifted into a faster rhythm.

One of the men stood and extended his hand toward his girlfriend.

"Dance?"

She smiled immediately.

"I was wondering when you’d ask."

Within moments, the other couples followed.

One after another, they disappeared toward the crowded dance floor beneath the flashing lights.

Before long, the spacious booth felt surprisingly quiet.

Only Luca and Amelia remained.

She watched her friends disappear into the sea of dancers before lifting her cocktail with an amused smile.

"Well..."

"Looks like it’s just the two of us."

Luca picked up the untouched drink waiting in front of him.

"So it does."

She leaned comfortably against the back of the sofa.

"No dancing?"

He took a sip before answering.

"I value my dignity."

She laughed.

"So you’re admitting you’re a terrible dancer?"

"I’m admitting nothing."

"I’ll take that as a yes."

"You’ll take anything as a yes."

"I usually do."

They shared another laugh.

For a while, neither of them felt the need to fill every second with conversation.

They simply watched the lively crowd, occasionally commenting on the music or laughing at particularly enthusiastic dancers.

It was surprisingly comfortable.

Far above them, hidden within the shadows of one of the private VIP balconies...

A pair of weary eyes continued watching in silence.

The broad-shouldered man slowly swirled the whiskey inside his crystal glass before draining the final mouthful.

His gaze lingered on Amelia for several thoughtful seconds.

Then it shifted toward the young man sitting beside her.

This time, he didn’t look away immediately.

Something unreadable flickered across his tired face.

Curiosity.

Recognition.

Or perhaps something else entirely.

Without a word, he poured himself another glass.

And continued watching from the shadows.