The girl's response was exactly what Jonas had expected. With things having come this far, there was no longer any room for a reversal.
Once she had agreed to his conditions, Jonas left the detention room, giving Beigong Ling plenty of time to adjust to her new identity and position.
Over the three days or so after the affair ended, Jonas only met Amau Sueko and Beigong Ling once, on the first day. After that, he never sought either of them out.
When Jonas felt the time was right, he paid Miss Amau Sueko another visit... and used Miss Beigong Ling as leverage to force Amau Sueko into making certain unmentionable concessions.
Cold, eerie moonlight pierced the pallid layers of cloud, casting itself over the overlapping, labyrinthine city below. But the towering buildings of the Alt District seemed to disdain that dim moonlight. They had long since draped themselves in neon, proudly casting their dazzling, decadent glow everywhere within sight.
At the top of the tallest and most imposing skyscraper, Jonas swirled wine as crimson as blood in his glass, quietly admiring the intoxicating neon splendor through the vast floor-to-ceiling windows below him, along with the countless people who looked like ants. There was never any shortage of crowds here.
"Mr. Jonas, are you sure you don't need us to escort you today?"
Esnie's cool voice came through the communicator, filled with concern.
"Ahem, don't worry... this is the Alt District, after all."
Jonas cleared his throat twice before speaking. His sharply tailored suit only accentuated his composure.
"I... understand."
Esnie said nothing more. She understood that Mr. Jonas had his own considerations. After she ended the call, Jonas set down his wineglass, took one last, lingering look at the neon below, then opened the door and walked out.
Standing