9 First Step

Milana's small hand entered Ci-ci with confusion still etched in her features. There was something oddly familiar about Ci-ci's rough hands and brown eyes… Even the trim of his beard and the highlights of red and gold in his brown hair gave Milana an inexplicable sense of security and warmth.

However, those thoughts quickly disappeared as she released Ci-ci's hand, suddenly remembering how long he had made them wait and how angry she was. Petrov Technologies had finally gotten an inventor, and it just had to be this guy.

On West Continent, the most prized profession was that of the inventor. It was a special branch of engineers that had governmental leeway to create products unregulated. What this essentially meant was that after being approved as an inventor, much of the bureaucratic hurdles companies had to jump through could be circumvented.

Luckily for Ci-ci, public outrage wasn't enough to suspend his license, or else he would have most likely lost his right to be one. But… There was a reason no one would bother to take away Ci-ci's license.

The main reason why the government allowed to inventors to make products not checked over by them was not only because these inventors passed strict tests, or just because they were among the 99th percentile of engineers, or even because the were grilled again and again for understanding of safety and regulations – but, it was because every inventor had an obligation to attach their name to their product. Which means Ci-ci's license, to many, was useless.

Many at this point would wonder that if Ci-ci could make a fake lawyer persona, why couldn't he do the same as an inventor?...

The truth was that Ci-ci Bell, the identity he was under now, was created by the power his parents used to wield. Power Ci-ci just didn't have now and his parents were obviously unable to use anymore.

This meant that while the Ci-ci Bell was a person that checked out even to the deepest layers of inspection – even if the most powerful men and women in existence were to look into him – Lucius Grant had too many holes in his backstory… Holes that the deep inspection an Inventor had to undergo would see right through.

Luckily for Ci-ci, to West Continent's society, lawyers, and even doctors, weren't seen as anywhere near as important as the Inventors. And by proxy, the technology industry was the most vital.

But, this essentially boiled down to one thing: It didn't matter if Ci-ci had his Inventor's license or not… Not many would choose to by a Ci-ci Bell labeled inventions right now…

"Why are you calling me team leader?" Milana said in displeasure, "Did you not understand that this would now be your role? This is why it's unacceptable that you're so late."

Although Milana was angry, Ci-ci couldn't find it within himself to take her seriously. This was his bubbly and shy Milana, and yet here she was, big framed glasses and all, scolding him. It brought a smile to his face.

"I've already caused you all enough trouble, how could I also take the team leader role?" Ci-ci smiled, "That would only slow our progress. It's best we work as a team under you."

Milana's eye blinked behind her glasses, taken aback. Was this really the arrogant Ci-ci Bell? Didn't he just turn down the most prestigious award in current existence? Why was he acting like this?

But then Milana thought back to the gentleness in Ci-ci's eyes and how his hand lingered for half a second too long during their handshake.

A much more burning and serious anger began to raise in her heart. She had a man she loved! Did this Ci-ci Bell think he could just stroll in and win her over with his pasted-on smile and fake kindness?

Milana had once looked up to Ci-ci. Although her father and Nellie constantly called her their head-inventor, the truth was that she wasn't a true inventor.

She was a year younger than Ci-ci, being twenty-one years old, and although no one would break Ci-ci's record of having become an Inventor as 16, the truth was that Milana had been prepared to take and pass the test even two years ago – something that would have made her among the youngest inventors ever. But, she knew she couldn't.

With the rules and regulations of the Inventors and the rigorous background check, the activities of her father would without a doubt stain her. Whether she could pass or not would be irrelevant. And whether they decided to separate the actions of her and her father was also irrelevant… Milana wasn't willing to see her father go to prison. And for that, she forewent ever becoming an Inventor in this lifetime.

So, when she saw Ci-ci – someone who was lucky enough to not be burdened to the point of being barred from his dreams – squandering away his opportunities with his arrogance and treating a company she put her heart and soul into as place to flirt? She nearly lost control of her temper.

"I'm going to make this very clear to you now, Mr. Bell. I have no interest in you outside of work and I am in a very serious relationship. I don't want to hear any excuses about how you were just being friendly or how you didn't mean it that way. If you didn't, good. But, take this warning nonetheless. Nothing will ever happen between you and I."

The engineers in the room blinked. They had never seen Milana get angry, and even better, they hadn't known she was in a relationship. They couldn't help but forget their anger, instead turning a curious gaze toward Ci-ci. Even the sleeping young man opened an eye, seemingly excited that something interesting was happening for once.

However, the action they were looking for didn't happen. They had assumed that with Ci-ci's personality, disrespecting him like Milana had would set him off. In fact, maybe a bit of why Milana was so pointed was because she wanted him to void the contract himself.

But, Ci-ci only smiled lightly before bowing slightly with his hand to his heart, "I apologize Ms. Petrov. I would be lying if I said I didn't choose Petrov Technologies because of you. In fact, it was almost entirely because of you. However, I was not aware that you were taken. He's a lucky man. I won't overstep my boundaries again." With that, Ci-ci turned to sit on the large table, taking the last seat of five and leaving the stunned Milana to head the table.

In reality, nothing Ci-ci said was a lie. He had come here for Milana. Although, originally, it wasn't to date her, she grew on him while he was interacting with her as Lucius Grant. But, what Ci-ci needed Petrov Technologies for was deeper than that.

The first and most important thing was how far in the greys their CEO often worked. Without this, Ci-ci wouldn't have even been able to join them.

Second was the fact they were small. The massive moguls and companies see Ci-ci as having painted himself into a corner, but what they've put their blinders on to is that the fact the poor and the ghettos could care less about the continent's founding fathers.

The poor might be apprehensive about Ci-ci at first because of how his reputation had tanked, but affordability and practicality were the only things the unfortunate could spare a thought towards. Breaking into lower end markets would be relatively easy. It was pushing their name to the national and international level that would require some maneuvering. After all, that was where those who shunned Ci-ci would truly begin to care.

But, that was where Milana came in. She was Ci-ci's true first step into taking the world of Technology by storm.