The Tigers Den

"You are here to … to be my fiancé for a week."

"Say what? …."

Jay blanked as this is not something he predicted.

"Sigh, I know this sounds weird. I can't tell you the whole situation, but I promise that this is the only thing I want you to do. I need you to play as my fiancé to fend off the unneeded flies for just this one week. And then you take your money and leave."

Lenora said with a wry smile.

"… Mainly for the banquet?"

"The banquet is just one of the upcoming events this week. A lot of things will happen in this week, it's not dangerous, though. So you can rest assured. We will guarantee your safety as long as you listen to us."

Lenora said with determination.

Jay thought for five seconds.

"Miss Lenora, can I ask what is going on? What will happen this week? I don't like to work blindly."

"Mainly, Glory City will have many changes, and my family will be affected."

"And what does that have to do with me being your fiancé?"

"… Mr. Jay, please spare me for now. I will tell you everything when it's important. All I can say is that you can trust us. We have helped you with many things this past couple of days, at least have some faith in me and uncle Craig."

Lenora said with difficulty at first, but then she turned determined. Jay can see the fighting spirit in her eyes.

"…."

Jay was speechless. But he did not continue asking.

"Jay, don't worry. You just need to take care of the lady by being her fiancé for a week. I know that you are really capable of a lot of things. Just have faith in me and the lady. We will never hurt you."

"Uncle, I know that. I just wanted to know the situation, I need to know where I am to choose how I should behave. But fiancé is just … can't I be your boyfriend or something?"

Jay said with a wry smile. It's not like he is afraid, he does not know if anyone can really hurt him in this world if he is fully vigilant. But this is the weirdest job he ever had.

Like being a doctor is not enough, now he is fiancé for rent. FUCK!

"Of course not! Everything must be official. Tonight, we will attend the banquet, and as I said, you will attend as my fiancé. And let me warn you, you will face a lot of questions. And there will be a lot of provocations, as this banquet is not for show."

Lenora warned him. She wanted this to work, if this worked well, things later will be easier for her.

'I hope everything goes as we want. If my brother wins, then ….'

Lenora was thinking worriedly.

"Sigh, ok. I hope you tell me about all of this when you can."

Jay sighed.

"…. I will. For now, you must be tired. Please let Javier show you your room. Take a rest and a shower and be ready at 7 PM."

Lenora said.

Javier is the servant that guided them here.

Jay and Craig left the hall and the servant Javier took Jay to his room.

On the way to his room...

"Oh wow! do you see?? There is a new handsome boy In the house! Do you think he is a new servant?"

"he is clearly heading to the guest room, so he is not a new servant for sure. But he sure is handsome. I mean look at his eyes, it's full of stars. His clothes and ordinary, very ordinary, but he is kind of cool with this uninterested expression of his."

"Shh, get back to your work girls. He is a guest, so if he hears you then you might get in trouble."

"Those rich maniacs. They can get anyone in trouble if they wanted. Servants like us should be careful whenever we go. Its .."

"Shut up you girl. Get back to work."

The female servants were whispering. Of course, Jay heard them. But he was not ashamed or troubled, he just smiled a little. As no one thought of the possibility of him being connected to the lady.

'it seems even the servants think the lady is not the type to get married. Interesting. And SHIT! It seems my acting should be top-notch for this to work.'

Jay cursed in his heart.

The guest section was in the same building and was very luxurious. The room was big and full of furniture.

Jay liked the room very much. This guest room is bigger than his small room-apartment.

His room …

Room …

SHIT!

Jay slapped his face as he forgot about his rented room. He is supposed not to return to the outer ring for a long time.

"How can I forget my things? WTF is wrong with me?! Well, it's not that I have valuables in the first place, but this really depressing. I am still young and healthy, but I forgot something like my own belongings and MY rented room. Oh well, I will figure it out."

Jay looked at the big bed and saw a large black bag. Its shape is like a jacket, it's clearly the outfit he should wear for tonight.

He walked to the bed to check it out, but he walked two steps and stopped.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum!

Jay held his chest, breathing became very hard for him, he felt the pain in his heart-strengthening; it's like his heart threatened to jump out of his chest.

'ha .. ha … no again …'

he was struggling to get the medicine out of his pocket, but his trembling hand made things hard for him.

He took the strangely-shaped medicine again and did the only thing he can do: waiting.

he sat on the floor, his back leaning on the bed, and holding his chest, like preventing his heart from leaving.

Jay looked at the ceiling while resting his head backward.

'... did I use my strength too much for the last two days? … how am I going to kill my way to my goals with these drums?! …'

' … '

Ten minutes later, the pain was gone; Jay stood up, his face was returning to its original color.

'let's take a bath first, I feel like tonight will be interesting.'

Hours later, Jay was ready and already in his suit.

Knock, Knock!

Jay opened the door to see Javier respectfully informing Jay that Lenora and Craig are waiting for him in front of the mansion.

And sure enough, after following Javier, Jay saw both of them waiting for him beside the car.

But for a second, Jay was very surprised; because Lenora in her black elegant and simple dress was very beautiful.

But, Lenora and Craig also were entranced because Jay in his suite was like a superstar; and his temperament added something holly to him, it gave him the feeling of the untouchable, a being from another world.

Even the maids and servants in the mansion were looking at them in awe.

Craig was looking at both of them and thought:

'Wow! They really look like a match made in heaven. A prince and a princess.'

When Jay came for the first time, he was in a very simple outfit, he was handsome, but this dark outfit simply gave him another layer of handsomeness.

So everyone was shocked at the result of just adding an outfit and fixing the hair in a very simple method.

"Good. I think this will work. Can we go now? The party already started."

Lenora said with a smile. She was shocked at first when Jay came out but became more assured about the fiancé thing now.

"Yup, let's go."

They took the black Bentley and vroom to the mansion, but in the car, Jay was hearing 'instructions' that Craig was spouting.

"Ok. Jay, tonight, you will be the target of the world of males as the fiancé of Miss Lenora. You should know that many, many, many young men are willing to pay with half their lives just to go on a date with The Lady."

"… it's not like we got on a date yet."

Craig and Lenora were looking at him lime "it's a metaphor, dug?"

Jay saw the weird looks pointed at him so he awkwardly said.

"… please continue."

"One of these young men that will make it hard for you tonight for sure is the Mayor's son."

"The Mayor's son?"

"Yes, any issue?"

"… I will make sure no mayors exist in the new world …"

Jay was saying in a hushed voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, so the mayor's son. And of course, he is very influential and his father is wholeheartedly backing him, right?"

"well, that is the normal thing, I guess."

Craig said.

"I am sure there is a lot of influential young men in the center here, so why he is so special?"

"Because he already proposed to the Lady and was rejected."

"Oh, bad for him, good for me."

Lenora was silent the whole time but she can see the tranquility Jay was in.

He was even throwing jokes; so she interjected:

"Mr. Jay, I see that you are not afraid."

"mm? why would I?"

"well, you will meet the most powerful people in Glory City. Government personals, celebrities and many sorts of people."

"So?"

"… Nothing."

"Oh right, Uncle Craig, I think you deployed security before going right?"

"mm? I did, but why are you asking?"

"Nothing much. Just be careful and ready for any cases."

"Do you think something will happen?"

"You never know, but events that can affect a family like this family will surely be surprising and fast."

"mmm, good point. I say, kid, you have an eye for these things. How about you work with me?"

"… "

Jay looked at Craig speechlessly.

"Anyway, there is another thing that you should know. Tonight, I will introduce you to my father. My siblings will also be there so they will also make things hard for you, I think."

"Wait, isn't it too early to be introduced to your father?"

"too early? We should be engaged, what do you mean by 'too early'? I told him that I found my 'love' so he will be very eager to see you, but also will see your conduct in the party."

"…"

"What? Are you afraid now?"

"No. but I was thinking, should I impress him? Or make him detest me or something?"

"… nothing, just be yourself and treat me good in front of him."

"Oh, ok."

A while later, the car stopped.

The Driver opened the door for them.

Jay got out of the car and stretched his body. He stared at the building for some time, because it was not even a building. It was another mansion.

"Will you help me here or what?"

Lenora said to him with a hushed tone.

She was speechless, what fiancé is this that leaves the car and do not help his fiancé?

"Oh shoot, my fiancé."

Jay forgot his duty for a second there.

He helped her get out of the car with elegance. He smiled at her and said

"well, shall we enter the den of the tiger?"

"Why do you seem happy?"

Lenora looked at him suspiciously.

"Of course I am happy. I love tigers, you see?"

"…"

"Oh right. Uncle Craig not coming?"

"Of course not, kid."

Craig's sound came from inside the car.

"Oh, ok."

Jay and Lenora headed in. A guide came to guide them.

"May I know how should I introduce both of the respected guests?"

"Oh, My name is Jay. And this is my fiancé, Lenora Bridget."

The guide blanked for a moment, its ok for the "Jay" part, but when she heard "Lenora Bridget", she almost tripped.

"Any problem?"

Jay asked her after seeing her blank face.

"N-No, please follow me in, I hope your stay here tonight will be enjoyable."

"Thanks, and I think it will be."

Jay said with a very broad smile.

Lenora was speechless again at this smile of his.

She felt that he was very eager about this party. Even more than the planners themselves.

"Do you see, Lenora? I love this type of classic party. The .."

"Lenora?" Lenora was surprised as this is the first time he called her by her name.

"What? You want your fiancé to call you "Miss Lenora"? and please let your fiancé finish his words of fascination."

Jay looked at her weirdly and continued.

"You see? The classic parties have that ancient atmosphere, the music and the talking and all that. It's really very amusing, I even think dancing with classic musing will be very enchanting."

A moment later, Jay and Lenora entered the venue. A very big venue that could easily house a thousand.

"Isn't that Miss Lenora?"

"Really? It's really Miss Lenora."

"But wait, who is that with her?"

They just went in, and many already staring and asking all sort of questions