Chapter 64 - Good With Advices

For a moment, there is silence between them. 

George only peers at Winter, still not saying anything. Smiling, she remains composed and waits for his response. She has a feeling that not everyone should know about what she knows, which probably explains his hesitation to answer. Even among his family members, only some of them are aware. This whole social gathering is only a set-up to make it appear like there's nothing going on with a number of them. 

Winter doesn't have anything against George starting a business, though. All she wants here is to have something to do with him - to form a connection by supporting his plans and using her knowledge about the future.

"Of course, there's nothing wrong with you throwing a party for purposes other than a grand opening for a business. But knowing you, Sir George, I doubt that you went all through the trouble of having these many people over just because you wanted to hang out with them or something," she continued when he kept quiet for too long. 

"Sometimes, you talk like you know me more than I think you do..." he trailed off and let out a sigh.

"And then? What else do you know about this business you're referring to?"

"I know that it's not open to the public yet. You're still on some sort of a test run, and at least in the present, you're only taking in elitists, the society's cream of the top. Apart from that, it's located underground, isn't it?" 

George can't help but snort at what he's hearing. Rather than finding those claims preposterous, Winter knows that she has struck a nerve if anything.

If only he trusts that she is not scheming anything against him, he will not be this reluctant in confirming it. This can end up to be a wrong move, after all - he might get wary of her again.

Not that she'll let that happen, though.

"I apologize if I have come out to be invading your privacy. I don't mean anything bad. As a matter of fact, I want to congratulate you on your brand new endeavor," she reassured him with a smile, commendation truthful and sincere.

"Right..." he breathed out, still a little doubtful.

"Like there's anything an ordinary seventeen-year-old can do about it, anyway. That's unless you're no ordinary seventeen-year-old, after all."

"What? Are you gonna bring up my affiliation with the Lexington's again?"

"The Miller's too, I might add."

"Well, did you ever wonder why Sir Lexington had taken an interest in me in the first place?"

Now, that got his curiosity piqued.

Winter noticed how George perked up a little when she hinted that. She really didn't have to ask, though, considering that this had been his number one question since day one. He must've already thought at one point that Marcellus couldn't have fallen in love with her right away - there must be a practical starting line for their relationship.

Now that George is looking quite expectant, Winter believes that it's time to throw out the real catch here after laying out baits after baits. 

"You see, Sir George..." she started slowly, trying to build up some suspense.   

"I'm good at giving advices~!"

"Huh?" he blurted out and blinked incredulously.

"I hope that telling you about everything I know regarding your secret is enough evidence. I didn't really pull them out from thin air. I have my own means of getting the information I need. And the thing is, it doesn't end with simply knowing - I can also predict the outcome of this endeavor of yours."

Again, George snorted.

Winter didn't feel offended, though. She even found it amusing that he thought of this as amusing. Besides, she'll understand if snorting is the only way he can express his disbelief and skepticism. 

"So, you're a business consultant or something?" he asked and regarded her, contemplating.

"I'm not, though I do something similar to that," she answered while she grinned at him.

"Predict the outcome, you say? Then, a business consultant and a fortune teller?"

"Does it matter what I really am? I can't show you an official ID or anything. So, even if I tell you that I am what you think I am, I'll only come out as a fraud."

"Fair point."

"All I ask is that you give me a chance, Sir George. I'll advise you on this business of yours. It's up to you if you'll take it up or ignore it. But in case you did the latter, I'd tell you the consequences. With that, I'll be able to prove myself whether you follow my advice or not."

George thinks that it might be worth a shot. Then again, Winter couldn't have come this far by claiming things that lack credibility - even Marcellus had acknowledged her. That being said, he'll listen to what she has to say, but of course, the last decision will be his to make.

With that in mind, George smirks and nods in agreement, accepting the deal. 

"Well then, show me what you've got, Ms. Winter."

---

"Where in the world did she go?"

Marcellus has been waiting for almost half an hour, but even until now, Winter has not come back yet.

While she is gone, he ends up gathering a crowd around him. It turned out that many of the other guests had been raring to talk with him ever since he showed up there. Entertaining their inquiries and engaging in one conversation after another had managed to distract him for a moment.

But then, Marcellus started to go restless.

Though he knew that Winter was one to get too absorbed in her thoughts that she often lost track of time, there was still the possibility that something bad happened to her. After all, they're in the territory of the Ratri's - a huge clan that has a whole mafia at the core.       

Thinking that George had set them up, Marcellus went ahead and looked for Winter.

"Huh? Ms. Agreste?"

What he didn't expect was that he'd find her taking her sweet time talking with the man himself at one of the halls.

He searched around for several minutes until he found himself in that seemingly secluded part of the mansion. There are only the two of them - no one else is around. From that alone, he began to feel more unsettled. The sight reminded him of their little tea party at his office back then.

It reminded Marcellus of the feeling that Winter was up to something again - something that will have to leave him out. 

'For a while now, I have a feeling that you're a little too obsessed in gathering people on your side, but what for exactly...?' he thought as he hid behind the wall and tried to understand the situation.

'Even to the point of talking with a mafia leader all on your own, saving a suicidal company heiress, and getting yourself involved in troubles that shouldn't have concerned you - what's the reason behind all of these?' 

He trusts that she knows what she's doing, but he doesn't trust everyone she tries to get close with.

For one, Marcellus can't stand how George looks at Winter. It's like he's thoroughly enjoying her company as well as whatever she's saying. He even appears to be amused, which is somewhat rare since he is often seen disengaged or withdrawn. Not to mention, for a brooding guy like him, he sure knows how to pull out such a dazzlingly luscious smile - he actually smiles, after all.

More than any of these, though, what Marcellus can't stand the most is how Winter smiles back at George.

She seems passionate about what she is saying. The radiance in her determined gaze would gleam while the corners of her lips would curve up more. It's a look that he always finds on her whenever she is talking about one of her plans or anything business-related - not much of a rare sight, to his relief. 

"Seriously, though, what are they talking about...?" Marcellus wondered out loud, feeling torn between meddling in and staying hidden.

"She did say that she wanted to discuss something with him-"

Right then, he cut himself off.

He saw Winter turning kind of pale all of the sudden. 

George is the one talking at the moment. Whatever he is saying has earned an unnerved reaction from her - she appears like she has heard some bad news. When she finally recovers from the shock brought by what she learned, she turns to being contemplative and calculating. She seems to be challenged. 

What Marcellus didn't know was that this was more than a challenge for her.

'The Ratri's had already partnered up with the Minerva's?! Since when?! Why couldn't I recall that?! Is this why Bianca's fiance is here at the party?! That does make sense, but still...!' 

Apparently, Winter has learned from George that Jacob has been stepping up his game this early on all along - the Minerva Foundation is actually working together with the Ratri Order.