Serene smirked. She moved in closer and whispered in his ear, "Because you are better, Lucas—better than Dominic or Victor. Dominic has a weakness. A leader with a weakness can never truly rule. And Victor."

She snorted mockingly. "He is getting old. How long can he keep control over the gang?"

She cupped his face, eyes gleaming. "But you..."

Her thumb brushed against his jaw. "You are strong, young, and ruthless. Unlike Dominic, you don’t let emotions control you. You are perfect to become a leader."

Lucas stared at her silently for a long moment before speaking flatly. "Aren’t we going inside?"

Serene smiled knowingly. "Already impatient to meet him?"

She slipped her hand into his. "Come on. Let me introduce you properly."

They walked into the private booth.

Inside, two men sat on a luxurious sofa, speaking quietly. Their conversation stopped the moment Serene and Lucas entered.

The middle-aged man immediately grinned when his eyes landed on Serene.

"Miss Serene," he drawled. "You are finally here. Come sit beside me."

He patted the sofa beside him.

Serene flashed a seductive smile and walked over gracefully before sitting close enough to lean against him.

"Mr. Miller, it’s always a pleasure to meet you," she purred, trailing her fingers slowly down his chest.

The man looked utterly captivated by her.

But Lucas’s attention was on the young man beside them. He knew him.

It was Ethan Shaw, Mila’s ex-boyfriend.

’What is he doing here?’ he wondered. ’Is he involved in this world?’

"Mr. Miller," Ethan started carefully, "about this deal—"

Steven raised a hand, cutting him off instantly. "Come to my office tomorrow."

With a dismissive wave, he signaled him to leave.

A trace of disappointment crossed Ethan’s face, but he didn’t dare argue. His gaze briefly flicked toward Serene before he stood up.

"Have fun." With that, he stood up and walked out.

Lucas’s gaze followed him. ’What kind of business does he have with this man?’ he murmured thoughtfully.

"Lucas, what are you doing standing there?" Serene’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Come here."

Lucas stepped toward them, his gaze moving to the middle-aged man.

"Mr. Miller," Serene started, "this is Lucas." She gestured to Lucas. "One of the most capable men in Dominic’s gang. But now, he is joining us."

"Oh?" Steven’s eyes lit up with interest. "That’s excellent news. Welcome to the gang, Lucas."

Serene then gestured to the man beside her. "And this is Steven Miller."

"Hello, Lucas." Steven stretched out his hand lazily. "Pleasure to meet you."

Lucas clasped his hand firmly, his expression unreadable. "Mr. Miller."

Outside the room...

Ethan stood in the hallway, staring down at the file in his hand. Worry clouded his face. "After an entire month, I finally got this meeting," he muttered under his breath. "But the deal still isn’t signed..."

This contract was crucial for the Shaw family. Their company was already struggling financially, and without Steven Miller’s investment, things would only worsen.

Ethan sighed deeply. "I just hope he signs it tomorrow."

Clutching the file tightly, he turned to leave.

"Ethan," a voice from behind stopped him.

He turned and saw a waitress coming over. He frowned as he found her familiar.

"Bianca?" His gaze swept over her uniform in disbelief. "You work here?"

He had never imagined seeing Bianca in a place like this. His expression darkened immediately.

"What’s wrong with you?" he muttered. "Do you even know what kind of place this is? Why are you working here?"

Bianca’s eyes instantly filled with tears. "I had no choice..."

She covered her face and began sobbing softly. "Mila forced me to work here."

"What?" Ethan stared at her in disbelief.

Bianca nodded miserably. "She took over the company, kicked us out of the house, and accused us of embezzling company funds. Can you believe it?"

Ethan’s shock deepened with every word.

"She froze our accounts and took everything from us," Bianca continued tearfully. "Dad is working as a security guard at the company. And she forced me to become a waitress here. This is all to humiliate us."

Carefully, she hid the truth while painting herself as the victim. "Please help us."

Although Ethan had already broken up with Bianca, he still couldn’t ignore the situation completely. He knew exactly how dirty the Blue Lagoon Club was.

’How cruel has Mila become?’ he wondered darkly.

She grabbed Ethan’s hand desperately.

"For the sake of our past relationship, do something." Her voice broke. "We’ll never forget your kindness. I’ll do anything for you."

Ethan looked at her. He saw desperation and helplessness in her eyes. Something cunning crossed his mind.

"Alright," he finally said calmly. "I’ll help you."

Hope instantly filled Bianca’s eyes.

"But," Ethan continued, "you’ll have to do something for me."

Bianca wiped away her tears quickly. "Anything."

"Come with me." He grabbed her wrist gently. "I’ll get you out of here first."

He pulled her along and walked away.

Inside the room...

Serene handed a file to Steven Miller. "Let’s talk about business, Mr. Miller.

"What’s the rush?" Steven chuckled softly before pulling her closer, wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. "Have a drink with me first."

He offered her a glass of expensive alcohol.

Serene accepted it gracefully and took a slow sip.

His gaze roved over her, scanning every inch of her body.

Sitting across from them, Lucas felt disgust twist inside him. Only hours ago, Serene had slept with him. And now she was wrapped around another man, seducing him without hesitation.

What disgusted him the most was that Steven was the same age as her father. Yet there wasn’t even the slightest discomfort in her expression.

’Slut,’ Lucas muttered in his mind, his blood boiling.

Steven leaned down, intending to kiss her, but Serene stopped him with a hand against his chest.

"Let’s sign the deal first, Mr. Miller."

His gaze flickered with something akin to irritation. "Why ruin the mood? First, satisfy me. Then I’ll think of signing the deal."

Serene grinned, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes. She glanced at Lucas, her chest tightening with uneasiness.

"We’re not alone," she said softly, coiling her arms around Steven’s neck. "Why don’t we finish business first and send him away?"

Steven shot Lucas an annoyed glance. Clearly, he disliked the interruption.

"Fine," he muttered impatiently. "Where do I sign?"

Serene immediately opened the file and pointed to the final page. "Right here."

Steven pulled a pen from his pocket and signed the papers carelessly. "Satisfied?"

"Very much." Serene held out the file toward Lucas. "Wait for me in the car. I’ll be back in a while."

Lucas gave her one hard look before taking the file and leaving silently.

The moment the door shut behind him, Steven pushed Serene down against the sofa and captured her lips hungrily.