Seraphina read the message, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. The tedious events from the banquet seemed to fade away like a gentle spring breeze. Thomas' assistant, noticing him staring at his phone without responding, couldn't help but remind him again, "Thomas, the director is waiting." Just as the assistant finished speaking, Thomas' phone buzzed. Seraphina: 'Thank you. I'll keep that in mind. Goodnight!' Thomas read the message, and a faint smile curved his lips. He slipped his phone into his pocket and stood up. "Let's go." He opened the car door, and the assistant hurried to follow. The breeze was gentle, and the weekend sunshine felt warm enough to lull anyone into a nap. In a cozy afternoon cafe, a graceful figure sat by the window. Passersby on the street couldn't help but glance at the beautiful young woman seated by the glass. To outsiders, she was a vision to behold, yet to her, they were the scenery. Suddenly, a stumbling figure appeared on the street. He wore a wrinkled plaid shirt, his slightly long hair covering his eyebrows in a disheveled manner. Thick-rimmed glasses obscured most of his face, and he clutched a thick stack of documents in his hands. The young man pushed open the cafe door and hurried inside, heading straight for a booth where a sharply dressed man in an expensive suit sat. The man, the picture of sophistication, raised his wrist to reveal a luxury diamond watch. The sparkling watch caught the attention of several patrons, who couldn't resist sneaking another glance. The young man placed the documents on the table and began apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry. There was traffic, and I got here late." The suited man let out a cold scoff, his tone arrogant and condescending. "I can't stand people who are late. You just wasted two minutes of my time." Seraphina leisurely sipped her coffee, her gaze drifting toward the booth across from her. The young man fidgeted nervously, repeating the same three words over and over. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." The suited man waved him off with a look of disdain. "Enough with the nonsense. Hand over your proposal." The young man immediately complied, carefully and respectfully presenting the documents. Five minutes later, the suited man slammed the file shut and tossed it onto the table. The papers landed awkwardly, knocking over a cup of coffee. The dark liquid spilled across the documents in an instant. Panicking, the young man grabbed the file and frantically dabbed at the coffee stains with napkins. "Trash. What's with the panic?" the suited man sneered, his words cutting. The young man ignored the insult, carefully trying to salvage his proposal. "This kind of trashy proposal isn't even worth showing to anyone. Stop wasting people's time." With that, the suited man stood up and walked away. After he was gone, the young man looked utterly defeated. He packed up the stained documents and rose to leave. Before he could reach the door, a waiter stepped in front of him with a bill in hand. "Sir, please settle the bill." The young man froze. "I didn't order anything," he replied, pushing up his glasses. His voice was soft and gentle. The waiter smiled politely. "Your companion ordered it, but he didn't pay before leaving. Please settle the bill." The young man glanced at the table, noticing the coffee and a few pastries. "How much is it?" "That'll be 480," the waiter replied. "H-How much?" the young man stuttered. Patiently, the waiter repeated, "Sir, the total is 480 dollars."