Time for change

"What's that expression? Aren't you happy?"

Listening to him while he read that letter, Diana didn't know for sure. But she still answered.

"Should I be?"

"That's for you to decide," he spun around in his chair.

"Huh, I don't know if happily ever after fits that ending..."

Nero smiled.

'I guess happiness doesn't suit me either.'

"Now you can rest assured about the company. They won't attack, unless they want war, but..."

Diana put the paper down. "But?..."

"Now comes the second part of the plan. My retirement."

"Ha-ahhaah... Retirement... Haha. That's a good one."

Nero laughed too, but the seriousness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

"Can't you be serious? Our Co-CEO has only been with us for what? Six months?"

"Seven." He shrugged. "And what does it matter?"

Diana narrowed her eyes. Her brow furrowed, trying to find reasons to keep him there, but...

"And you're just going to leave like this? Won't you get bored, at home, without work?"

He smiled and said with a confidence she never imagined herself having.

"Boredom is just a feeling like many others. I can deal with it. Or rather, I know how to avoid it."

"Okay..." Diana was thinking about how she would convince this stubborn guy to stay.

Maybe when she got home...

"Here," Nero pulled a sheaf of papers from the pile. When Diana took them, her heart raced. "So, are you really going to give me everything? Just like that? On a platter. Your actions are worth..."

"Diana..." Nero called, with his naturally warm and scattered tone. "I did this for you."

She was speechless.

"Nothing fairer than I give you this back."

Diana had a lot to say. Hours and hours of meaningless talk.

She knew it would be pointless. In front of that confident and determined look, she could only nod.

"Okay."

"Thank you."

She was speechless. She scratched her eyebrows, signed the sheaf of papers and muttered.

"I should be the one thanking you."

"Don't worry, you will," Diana stared at that smile. "At home, tonight."

She shifted in her chair.

'This...'

"You make dinner tonight. I want a feast, please."

Deciding to focus on the papers, she cleared her mind of everything that distracted her.

"Still, why do you want to leave?"

"Why don't you... want to leave? I honestly don't understand anyone who likes to work in something that only offers money."

"Huh. And what did you want to be offered?", she smiled. "Sweets and... secretaries."

"It wouldn't be so bad. More creative, at least. An artist who does what he loves often treats money as a bonus."

"That's why so few people make money, isn't it?"

"And you can be one of those few."

Diana finally understood what he meant.

"Most people use work to survive or as an excuse to live a mediocre life, without facing their problems, flaws and inferiority complex."

"Not everyone is an artist..."

"...But everyone is an art."

He finished his sentence with a smile so soft that Diana lost her voice.

"Everyone has something interesting and unique. They just don't value it because they are used to comparing their qualities with those of others. They dim their shine, so that someone doesn't come along and erase it."

"Not everyone has the chance to meet a vampire or get involved in the supernatural, you know. Most people live a boring life, have a normal family and boring friends."

Nero shook his head.

"That's where you're wrong. Magic is in everyone's eyes. If they can even hope to meet a vampire one day, I think they are already special."

Diana thought about that as she touched her lips with the pen.

At that moment she was signing a sheaf of papers that placed her as the owner of the majority of the company.

At some point in her career she had dreamed of that. She dreamed of owning her own little piece of heaven. Every window in her living room was a part of that dream. More peaceful than being at home, she preferred to enjoy that view.

'But why did I want that, after all? Money, success, recognition...'

"... it's natural for me to want that."

Seeing Nero smile, she noticed her mumbling.

"What's natural?"

Diana thought that if she answered it would be very immature of her. But then she realized.

That was her fiancé, immature and foolish by nature.

"It's normal for us to want more. Those who have more recognition, money, power... those people always seem happy."

"But when you get what they have, you realize you need more, don't you?"

Diana nodded gently.

"Wrong. You don't need more. If you always want more, you'll never appreciate what you've got."

Nero picked up the papers from the table. She hadn't even realized when she finished signing.

'Funny... I just got richer, didn't I?'

Her words came out before she could even think about them.

"So?"

Nero made a confused expression.

Diana didn't like it.

"And what's next? You shouldn't talk about the purpose of life, or say a random quote, sir spiritual sage."

He smiled.

Seeing those lips, Diana felt that it was okay not to have an answer. Something in her chest rejected that idea, but at least for that moment, it was okay.

"I don't have an answer. But I'll think of one in my free time. Thank you very much for the time we spent together, boss."

Nero stood up, heading for the door.

"Haha...", Diana couldn't stand that cheeky look.

"I've always been a little shy, but if I may say so, I've always thought you looked beautiful in that blazer."

"Hahaha..."

When the door closed, Diana realized that the room seemed a little more spacious that day.