James was blissfully unaware that the enemy was fast approaching.
He only knew that his video had gone viral, which he considered a minor inconvenience.
Becoming famous this way meant the whole internet would know he had a girlfriend, which would undoubtedly complicate his dating life.
Now, when he tried to chat up other girls, they'd all assume he was a cheater with a girlfriend.
Not ideal.
Fortunately, the video wasn't very clear, and only his side profile was visible.
Plus, this kind of internet fame usually faded within a week.
As long as he didn't try to capitalize on it, people would probably forget about it soon enough.
He decided to play it cool and hope the hype died down quickly.
He also sent a message to Tailsa, telling her to keep a low profile.
Tailsa, ever the understanding one, simply replied, "Got it."
She figured James's family probably didn't want him attracting too much attention, so she didn't overthink it.
She also stayed silent in the class group chat, neither confirming nor denying anything, just like James.
The classmates, desperate for answers, suggested having a reunion to catch up.
James wasn't keen on the idea.
Class reunions weren't his thing.
He was past the point of needing to show off his wealth. He found the whole thing rather dull.
He had already landed the most beautiful girl in school, and there probably weren't any other 90-point beauties left.
The only thing he could do at the reunion was brag about dating the school belle.
And there was always the awkward possibility of old classmates hitting him up for loans.
He was willing to lend, but it often led to resentment, even when he was just trying to help.
Sometimes, helping people financially just didn't end well.
James wasn't interested in that kind of drama.
But Tailsa really wanted to show off her Porsche and begged James to go with her.
James couldn't resist Tailsa's charms, especially when she threw in the idea of cosplaying as Mai Shiranui.
The image of the fiery Tailsa bouncing around in that revealing outfit... well, it did things to James.
Some cosplays just hit different when the personality matched the character.
In the end, he agreed to Tailsa's request.
The reunion was set for October 1st, two weeks away.
James didn't give it much thought.
He went back to his penthouse apartment, showered, changed into casual clothes, and decided to check out a nearby high-end fitness club.
He was hoping to find a beautiful personal trainerâsomeone above an 8 out of 10 would do. A perfect 10 wasn't necessary.
Having someone that beautiful might affect his "sword-drawing" speed, after all.
James had pretty good self-control around women who weren't perfect 10s.
Even if things went beyond friendship, he could remain detached and move on without a second thought.
He had seen countless 8-out-of-10 beauties throwing themselves at him these past few days.
If he had decided to indulge every one of them, his girlfriend count would probably be in double digits by now.
It was terrifying how powerful money could be.
Just a glimpse of his wealth had these women flocking to him like moths to a flame.
It was a shame that he lacked the energy in the past, and now had too much self-restraint.
James shook his head, feeling a pang of pity for all those beautiful 8-out-of-10 women.
Shaking off those thoughts, he left his apartment and picked up Jay Johnson, who was now sporting a new pair of shoes, and headed to the gym.
On the way, James asked curiously,
"Bro Jay, what do you usually do when you're not working?"
Jay Johnson chuckled.
"Usually, I just chill in the car and read, or if it's hot, I'll go to a convenience store or lottery shop and watch people play."
James had given him a year's salary in advance a couple of days agoâan amount equivalent to winning a lottery jackpot.
This gave Jay an extra sense of superiority when he hung out at the lottery shops.
"I see. Do you go home every night?"
"Sometimes I don't. I just sleep in the car," Jay replied.
"Sleeping in the car is no good. Why don't you move in with me? My place is huge, and I'm not used to living alone," James offered.
Jay Johnson was touched by his boss's concern.
Aside from his own father, no other man had ever cared about where he slept.
But despite his gratitude, he knew he couldn't move in with his boss.
If it were a villa, it might be differentâhe could live on the ground floor without any issues.
But in a penthouse, living together could get awkward.
What if the boss's girlfriend moved in too? Any misunderstanding could cost him his reputation.
Jay Johnson quickly declined.
"No, no, it's fine. Don't worry about it. If you're planning to settle down here, I'll look for a place to rent nearby."
James felt bad that Jay, who worked so hard for him, didn't even have a proper place to live.
"How about this," James said. "Tomorrow, I'll bring my sister over to buy an apartment here for you. Go to the sales office and find that lady named Guan we met last time. Pick out a place you like."
Jay Johnson was thrilled. A boss who provided accommodation was a great boss.
He quickly thanked James.
"Thank you, boss! I'll just pick a small apartment."
"No, don't worry about saving me money. If you want, I'll even buy you the penthouse," James said, revealing his true intentions.
"That 1000-plus square meter place is probably more space than you need anyway. I can put some gym equipment there. And maybe we can bribe the building management to let us build a rooftop pool..."
Jay Johnson was stunned.
He didn't mind his "staff dormitory" doubling as a gymâhe loved working out anyway.
But he had never imagined he'd one day live in the penthouse of a luxury building, literally looking down on all the other wealthy residents!
The thought made Jay Johnson giddy with excitement.
He immediately agreed.
James nodded, satisfied. He squeezed Jay Johnson's bicep.
It was solidâclearly, the guy worked out.
It was a shame he couldn't motivate him like those female trainers, with their encouraging cheers and... other assets.
Otherwise, he'd make Jay his personal trainer.
With a grinning Jay Johnson in tow, James arrived at the high-end fitness club.
As soon as they walked in, a beautiful receptionist greeted them, introducing the club's facilities and programs.
Unlike regular gyms, this club offered a wider range of facilities and a more entertainment-focused experience.
The first floor housed a lounge, a medical room, and private rest areas for personal trainers. The club reportedly had over a hundred certified trainers on staff.
Before workouts, clients could enjoy professional muscle relaxation and massages in dedicated rooms.
The second floor was the gym, with areas for cardio, strength training, and even a "rage room" for stress relief.
It also offered diverse services like boxing, an octagon cage, group fitness classes, yoga, and cycling.
The third floor had a swimming pool and a sauna.
"Most of our members are elites from the community," the receptionist explained.
"Working out here gives you a chance to network with high society."
"How much is the monthly membership?" James asked.
"It's 16,000 for a three-month pass and 60,000 for an annual pass. All members have access to professional trainersâno need to purchase separate personal training sessions," she replied.
James nodded. "Can I choose my trainer?"
The receptionist helped James follow their official social media account, where he could view the profiles of all the trainers.
"You can choose from any available trainer," she said.
"If you want one-on-one, dedicated training, there's an additional fee."
One-on-one was exactly what James was looking for. He didn't ask about the price.
He opened the app and started browsing, scanning each profile.
Then, he spotted a blonde, blue-eyed beauty named Sasha.
"I'm going to make my move now," James thought to himself, a plan already forming in his mind.