Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation

Chapter 652 – The Real Him

”Not the whole time,” Lux said, like that made it better. ”I’ll bounce between realms. You know. Business. Pleasure. War. More business. But yes, I’ll have a base here. So I thought... why not buy a few companies to play around with?”

He leaned in, real slow. His voice dropped, darker than the red-gold glint in his eyes. ”I told you before, Ely. I could take this mortal realm if I wanted to.”

Her heart skipped. Just once. It didn’t flutter or panic... it stopped. For a fraction of a second, like her body needed to recalibrate the weight of that statement.

Lux’s smirk deepened. ”So, a few media corporations? Nothing.”

Ely sat back in her chair. The breeze from the nearby window caught the edges of her hair, slipping strands of pale blonde across her cheek. Her fingers tightened around her glass.

She wasn’t afraid.

She was aware.

Of who sat across from her. What he could do. What he was.

It was easy to forget sometimes. Lux Vaelthorn played the part so well. Charming, casually brilliant, always three steps ahead but never cruel about it. He flirted like it was breathing, smiled like it was free, moved through rooms like a man used to being the most watched and never burdened by it.

But deep down?

He was not from here.

And sometimes, just sometimes, it showed.

”Don’t make trouble,” Ely said finally, her voice softer than intended.

Lux smiled. Not his demonic grin. Not his charming one either. Something in between. Something private.

”Okay. I will try.”

The system pinged in his head. Quiet. Smooth. Like a butler gliding into the room with a folder of sins.

[System: Trusted Media Corporations identified.]

[Option 1: EchoNet Broadcasting Group. Market Cap: 412M]

[Option 2: Aurelia Scroll Syndicate. Market Cap: 627M]

[Option 3: NovaView Entertainment. Market Cap: 895M]

[System: Total estimated acquisition cost (majority shares): 1.74B. Processing liquidity... Done.]

[System: Target Vincent Albrecht spotted on guest list for Moonlight Gala, tonight 8 PM.]

[Status: High-profile. Media-attended. Private Auction Scheduled.]

Lux didn’t flinch. Didn’t even blink.

He set his fork down with surgical precision and murmured, ”Corvus.”

A black shimmer burst beside him. No feathers, no flapping. Just smoke and shadow, assembling into the vaguely raven-shaped presence of Corvus, perched on the empty seat like a smug little devil who drank Wi-Fi for breakfast.

It was a blind spot. No one noticed.

Not the waitstaff. Not the noblewomen two tables over. Not even the enchanted server stone humming politely in the corner. The glamor worked perfectly, folding around Corvus like he was part of the chair’s shadow, flickering just enough to seem like a harmless trick of the light.

Corvus, however, was not amused.

He huffed, the sound annoyed. ”Seriously, boss? You called me in this kind of place?”

Lux, without looking away from his wine, said smoothly, ”I have an emergency.”

The way he said it was absolute bullshit.

He didn’t even try to hide it. He just smirked, still swirling the dark liquid in his glass like they were discussing stock options over breakfast.

Corvus clicked his beak-like face, feathers twitching. ”Emergency, huh? Did you run out of vintage steak sauce again? Or was the mortal massage chair too gentle this time?”

”Get me an invitation to the Moonlight Gala tonight,” Lux said, completely unfazed.

”Right,” Corvus muttered, because of course it was.

”Buy all three companies.”

There was a static pause.

”All three?”

”Yes,” Lux said, tone absolute. ”Majority shares. Buy them clean or hostile takeover if necessary. I want to walk in tonight as their biggest investor.”

”You want to flex.”

”I want them to listen.”

”And the CEOs?”

Lux smirked. ”Make sure they get a personal invite to the gala too. Tell them the real Lux Vaelthorn is coming to claim his name.”

Corvus purred. ”My feathers are tingling. This is gonna be delicious.”

Then pop, he was gone. Back into smoke and code and shadow.

Ely stared.

Lux went back to his wine.

”...You’re really doing this.”

”Mmhmm.”

”You’re going to show up at a black-tie event... with three entire empires in your pocket.”

”Probably four. I also have a bank. Eternal Lotus Bank. Corvus bought it by mistake.”

”By mistake?” she repeated. ”You are insane.”

”I’m efficient.”

Ely dragged her hands down her face and groaned. ”You were supposed to be low profile.”

Lux looked at her over the rim of his glass. ”I was low profile.”

She glared.

Lux reached across the table and took her hand. ”No judgment, remember?”

Ely went quiet.

Their fingers twined.

Not because it was cute. But because sometimes, Lux forgot how to not be a little reckless with affection. And Ely... let him.

”You know this could blow up,” she said.

”I know.”

”If Vincent fights dirty—”

”I’ll bury him deeper.”

She let out a breath, slow. ”Don’t underestimate how much people here want to believe you’re fake.”

”I’m counting on it.”

”...Why?”

He leaned in again. And for a moment, Ely swore the air itself leaned with him. Heat rippled at her cheeks. Not because of magic. Not even because of lust. But because when Lux decided to be serious, it was like watching the tide change.

”Because when I stand on that gala floor,” he whispered, ”and every spotlight turns to me... they’ll realize they bet on the wrong king.”

Ely stared at him.

There he was again.

Not the lazy seducer. Not the cheeky incubus. Not the guy who got tied up on the bed and craved for work. Not the guy who watched the stock market plunge like it was a horror movie.

The real him.

The one she knew was still building empires while half the world thought he was on vacation. The one who could raze a stock exchange in a day.

And yeah.

She wanted to punch him.

And kiss him.

And maybe watch the world burn with him.

”Fine,” she muttered, finally pulling her hand back. ”Just be careful.”

He smirked. ”I will try.”

She sighed, shaking her head.

But her smile was real.

Even if it was very, very dangerous.