chapter 36: fate

Miles POV:

I sat in the Man's Nest, going over a few last-minute details before calling it a day. Mika, Bose, and Chapa were all enjoying themselves in Italy, and although they asked if I wanted to come, I couldn't. Someone needed to stay behind for emergencies, and today was no different.

It wasn't long before I received a call about trouble at Hip Hop Purée. Something about a criminal on the premises, but the caller didn't mention who. I figured it was nothing too serious—probably just a local disturbance. I teleported over, half-expecting the situation to be under control, but I didn't expect to see what I saw.

Jeff. Tied to a chair. Again.

I glanced around, looking for the caller, and noticed a woman standing behind me. "I already handled things with him. You or the police can take him now," she said.

I turned around, surprised to see Blaise. Last I heard, she was living in Rivalton, so seeing her here in Swellview was unexpected. "Then who called me and why?" I asked.

"That man over there," she nodded toward an old man, "but I already told him I could handle him myself."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jeff, the infamous idiot criminal of Swellview. "I don't want to ruin your pride, but this is Jeff. The dumbest criminal in the city. Anyone could've taken him down."

Blaise crossed her arms, giving me a look. "Are you bothered by the fact a citizen took him down for you? And a woman at that?"

I sighed, trying to stay professional. "No, that's not what I meant. I'm just saying that next time you see a criminal, you shouldn't take the risk. Jeff may be easy, but others won't be. Don't underestimate criminals just because you got lucky with this one."

She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with my advice. "So, what now? I'm guessing there's more to this?"

I nodded. "I need you to come with me to the police station. They'll need your statement."

"Really?" she groaned. "Can't I just tell you and you relay it to the cops? I need to get back to my little sisters."

"I'm afraid you have to come with me," I replied.

She huffed. "Fine, but don't let it take too long."

I nodded, preparing to teleport us. "First time teleporting will make you dizzy. Just so you know."

"Yeah, whatever," she said, still annoyed.

We teleported to the station, and she seemed fine for a few seconds. She turned to me, smiling as if to prove her point. But then, without warning, she threw up all over me.

I sighed, my patience thinning. "I am so sorry," she muttered before dashing off to the bathroom.

About three minutes later, she returned, looking a little sheepish. "I cleaned up. Here are some paper towels for your suit," she said, handing them over.

I wiped at the mess, trying to stay calm. "You okay now?"

"Uh, yeah. Are you?" she asked, her voice dripping with fake innocence.

I glanced down at my vomit-covered suit. "If I wasn't covered in your puke, I'd be great."

She shrugged, clearly still annoyed about the whole situation. "You told me to come with you, and you knew there was a chance I'd throw up."

I blinked, incredulous. "You serious? Are you blaming this all on me?"

Blaise crossed her arms again, looking defiant. "It's not entirely my fault. I didn't want to go with you in the first place."

I sighed, realizing this wasn't going to end anytime soon. "Why are you hating on me so much? Normally, people love superheroes."

Blaise gave me a hard look. "Because you guys act like you're some kind of holy beings. The only difference between you and us is that you have superpowers, which makes you look special in people's eyes. Just because you fight crime doesn't mean you're good people. Sometimes the bad fight the bad too."

Her words hit harder than I expected. "That's fair," I admitted. "But I promise you, that's not what we're like. At least, not me or the other Danger Force members."

She didn't seem convinced. "We'll see," she replied, turning to leave.

While she gave her statement to the police, I waited in the station, contemplating her words. When she was done, I teleported her back to her house. Before leaving, I decided to ask for her name, just to keep things official.

"Mind telling me your name?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow, a sly smile forming on her lips. "I'll tell you my name once you tell me yours."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "You know I can't do that."

"Then I won't tell you mine," she replied, turning to go inside.

I rolled my eyes. Little did she know, I already knew her name.

Chapa POV:

It was Sunday, our first full day in Italy. Yesterday had been all about arriving, settling in, and having dinner, but today we were out exploring. Since I'm in the art department, I spent most of my day visiting street artists and various art museums around Rome with Olivia, David, and our art department manager. It was incredible to see all the different styles of art, especially the street art that brought so much life to the city.

By the time we wrapped up our activities, it was 5 pm, and we all agreed to meet at the Trevi Fountain. Each department had gone on their own adventures to gather inspiration. Andrew and Mika were with the fashion department, while Bose had spent time with the entertainment and cooking departments—he's pretty talented at both acting and cooking. He also handled some business with partners here in Italy, which made sense, considering how involved he is with his company. Meanwhile, the music department was hitting up jazz clubs and mini concerts. Everyone seemed to be having an amazing time.

When we all met up at the Trevi Fountain, Andrew led the way to a restaurant he had reserved for us. "Bose, can you do the talking?" Andrew asked, as we approached the entrance.

"Sure," Bose replied casually. He switched to fluent Italian as he spoke to the waiter."Abbiamo prenotato un tavolo per 27 persone. A nome di O'Brien."

Everyone around us exchanged looks of surprise. Apparently, none of the students knew Bose could speak Italian. I overheard a couple of them swooning over him, which stirred a bit of jealousy in me, but at this point, I was used to it—at least somewhat. Mika, Andrew, and I were the only ones who knew about Bose's Italian fluency, but it was always fun watching others discover new sides of him.

The waiter led us to a large table, and as we all sat down and began to order, I scanned the menu. My eyes widened at the prices. This place was expensive. I wasn't sitting near Bose, unfortunately, but I was next to Mika and Olivia. Suddenly, Simon, a student sitting near Bose, spoke up.

"Isn't this place a little too expensive? Should we order something small?" he asked, looking worried.

Bose gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. Order whatever you want."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This restaurant was definitely a tourist trap with those prices, but if Bose said it was fine, I trusted him. The company probably covered the cost anyway, so I let it go.

After dinner, we all took the bus back to our hotel. Of course, Bose had paid for everything, including the bus ride. I couldn't shake the curiosity building inside me about how he was managing all these expenses. Later that night, I decided to visit his room. I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Just as I was about to give up, someone tried to sneak up behind me.

"Boo!" Bose said with a big grin.

I turned to face him, unfazed. "And? Did I scare you?"

I gave him a blank stare. "Uhm, sure."

He chuckled, knowing full well I wasn't scared. "I know you're not scared of anything, don't lie just because you feel bad."

I laughed. "Come on," Bose said, opening the door to his hotel room.

Once inside, I decided to finally ask. "So... I've been wondering, how were you able to pay for the bill? And how much even was it?"

He smirked. "None of your business, Cheapie."

I rolled my eyes. "You did not just call me Cheapie."

"It's a funny nickname," he said with a playful grin.

I gave him a "whatever" look. "No, seriously, I won't tell anyone. I promise."

He sighed, clearly not wanting to share but knowing I wouldn't let it go. "I know you won't but fine. The bill was 1566 euros which is 1728 dollars."

My jaw nearly dropped. "So much?"

"Yeah, it was a lot," Bose admitted, shrugging. "But it's fine. We have enough money, and this makes everyone happy, right?"

"True," I nodded in agreement. "But... what are you, some kind of millionaire?" I joked.

"Close," he said slowly. "A billionaire."

I stared at him, trying to process what he just said. "Excuse me, a billionaire? You're messing with me."

Bose shook his head, smiling. "Trust me, I don't like the title either. But it's true."

"I'm scared now," I said, still in disbelief.

Bose laughed. "A billionaire? You're a billionaire? Wait, so you're as rich as George Davis?"

"Actually, my net worth is a bit higher," he said, casually.

"Shut up. Why aren't you famous for being the youngest and richest man in our state?" I asked, completely blown away.

Bose leaned back against the bed. "Because I have another business that has to stay secret. If people knew my exact net worth, they'd start asking questions."

"What kind of secret business?" I asked, still confused.

"My stepfather owns a secret weapons company. Mika's involved too. It's all top-secret government stuff. He's getting too old to run things, so he assigned me to take over, and I asked Mika to handle most of it since she's rather more invested in that, I made her the CEO, and I'm basically the COO but also her boss, sort of. It's complicated." Bose explained.

I blinked, trying to process all of this. "Wait, why didn't you tell me about this before? And does Miles and Andrew know?"

"I didn't want to keep secrets from you, but it's top secret. And yes, Andrew and Miles know. I trust them completely," Bose said.

"I... I need to process all this. It's a lot."

Bose nodded. "Take your time. And don't worry, it's all legal. The government is fully aware of everything."

I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around it. "Got it," I muttered, standing up to leave. "I can't believe I'm dating a billionaire."

Bose smiled softly. "Now you know why I've been able to pay for everything."

As I left his room and made my way back to mine, I couldn't stop thinking about everything I'd just learned. Dating a billionaire? How was this my life?

Miles POV:

Two hours had passed since the incident with Blaise, and I found myself back home, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts of Maddie. We had just broken up, and it was hitting me harder than I expected. Maddie had been kind, innocent, and quiet—maybe too quiet. She never seemed to fully invest in our relationship, which led to our mutual decision to part ways. Three years together, with no arguments or fights, felt like it should have meant more. But it was over, and I had to process that.

Around 7 pm, I decided to go out for dinner, hoping a change of scenery might help me forget the breakup, even if just for a while. I texted my friend Vinnie, but he was already busy. So, I ended up going alone. After ordering my food, I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Miles, what you doing here?" Blaise asked, appearing beside my table.

I looked up, surprised. "Just having dinner alone. My sister and my friends are in Italy or already have plans."

"Well, I'd do the same. Let me join you," she said, and before I could object, she took a seat.

As she sat down, I noticed her scent—a fresh yet warm aroma. She was dressed impeccably in a 90s long dark blue skirt with a floral print, a white top that showed her shoulders, and her braided hair adorned with golden rings. Her accessories were plentiful, adding to her stylish appearance.

"So, what are you doing here? I thought you lived in Rivalton?" I asked.

"Oh no, I live in Swellview. I just work in Rivalton," she explained.

I almost asked her if she felt better after teleporting, but I kept quiet to avoid revealing my superhero identity. I was surprised to see her here, considering she'd mentioned needing to get back to her sisters.

"So... weren't you a full-time big sister?" I asked.

"Yeah, but my dad told me he'd be home early today, so I didn't have to watch them. I decided to give myself some alone time and have dinner here," Blaise explained.

I hesitated, then asked, "And what about your mother? Isn't she able to watch them?"

Blaise's expression shifted. "My mom died in childbirth when I was 11."

"Forget I asked. I'm really sorry," I said, feeling awkward.

Blaise seemed to want to move on from the topic. "Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm fine now. Let's change the subject."

"Oh, I've got this crazy story to tell you. Earlier today, I was at Hip Hop Purée with my little sisters, and suddenly there was this criminal. I used my karate and boxing skills to handle him. Then that annoying superhero, Awol or something, showed up. He didn't even thank me—just seemed jealous. Can you believe that?"

"Why would he be jealous?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"Because I did his job for him. He can't stand that a woman without superpowers took down a criminal," Blaise concluded.

"Trust me, superheroes aren't like that. They wouldn't think poorly of citizens helping out," I said, trying to defend the superhero community. Myself.

Blaise shook her head. "I don't trust superheroes. They use their powers and success to hide their true selves, which could be worse than the criminals they fight."

"Do you have experience with superheroes who have been like that?" I asked.

"No, it's just how I see things," Blaise said, brushing it off. "So, want to order dessert?"

"If I do, I'm probably going to explode," I laughed.

"You could still order something, and I'll eat it up for you," Blaise suggested.

"Is that why you asked me if I wanted dessert?" I teased.

"Okay, you got me," she admitted with a grin.

"What do you want? I'll order it for you," I offered.

"Since you're offering, I'll go with the red velvet cake. It's the best dessert here," Blaise said.

"Hm, no, the best here is the crème brûlée," I countered.

"I've never had that. But I'm sure the red velvet is better," Blaise said confidently.

"Let's order both and see which one is better," I proposed.

"Good idea," Blaise agreed with a smile, clearly excited about trying both desserts.

When the desserts arrived, Blaise tried the red velvet cake first. "This is so good," she said, savoring each bite. Then she took a spoonful of the crème brûlée and simply nodded in approval, not saying much.

"I told you," I said.

"This is really good," she said, finally speaking up.

"Leave a bit for me, please," I said as she continued to eat.

"Weren't you about to explode?" Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, 20 minutes ago. Now I want to try the crème brûlée," I said with a smile.

"Fine," she said, switching back to the red velvet cake.

After we finished dessert—well, Blaise finished hers—I paid the bill and we headed out.

"Come with me," Blaise said, taking my hand.

"I have work tomorrow," I started to protest, but she ignored me and kept walking. She led me to a cozy Japanese bar, where we sat down, and she ordered four fortune cookies—two for each of us.

"Let's see what the future holds," she said with a playful smile.

"Alright, but I'll warn you, only good things are coming my way," I said confidently.

"Then I'll warn you too. Only good things are coming my way," she laughed.

"Fate is on my side," she added in a whisper.

"We'll see. Ladies first," I said, gesturing to the cookies in a bowl.

Blaise picked one and read it aloud. "Success is on the horizon—stay strong in heart and mind, and the best is yet to come."

"Now it's your turn," she said.

I picked a cookie, cracked it open, and read, "You are in good hands—stand strong, and trouble will pass you by."

Blaise grabbed another cookie. "You may feel free and independent, but the love coming your way will shift your perspective. Keep your heart open to it."

"This is weird. I've never had a cookie like this before," She said, surprised.

"Scared of love?" I teased.

"No!" she quickly denied.

I cracked my cookie and read, "Though you may feel lonely after the separation, soon new emotions will renew your spirit, and the past will become a distant memory."

"See, again a positive path for me," I said.

"What does it mean, 'separation'?" Blaise asked, curious.

"Oh, it's about my breakup with my ex. That's probably what the cookie meant," I explained.

"Well then, see this evening as an opportunity to get drunk with a new friend and forget all about it," Blaise suggested.

"Tempting, but since I have to work tomorrow, I can't stay out too late," I said, glancing at the time. It was already 10 pm.

"I should head home. Thanks for hanging out with me," I said.

"You're welcome. Hopefully, your mom pays me for hanging out with you this evening," Blaise teased.

I laughed, said my goodbyes, and teleported back to the Man's Nest. I had a small apartment in Swellview for cover, but I mostly lived at the Man's Nest. Maddie never knew I was Awol, and since she was often studying far away, we rarely saw each other. The relationship had become monotonous and unnecessary. Even so, the breakup still hit me hard.