Even from a distance, Laize Mir's gaze had a powerful, piercing intensity. Just a glance from afar made Mila Carlyle feel as if her mask and clothes had been stripped away by his eyes...

The mask.

Yes, she was still wearing a mask, and it was designed meticulously, with a visible protective shield over the eyes to prevent recognition by eye color.

With this, Laize Mir couldn't see her face, and he hadn't heard her speak before, so he wouldn't detect her voice either.

So, he definitely wouldn't recognize her.

As long as she stayed calm and acted convincingly—then found an opportunity to slip away.

With this thought, Mila Carlyle's rapidly beating heart calmed down.

Meanwhile, Cecil Barton was still boasting beside her: "Xiaoyu, what do you think? Isn't this big shot handsome? Let me tell you, it's not easy to get a chance to meet him. I'm really something, huh..."

What do you do when your partner is an idiot?

Of course... for now, you can only choose to forgive him.

In her mind, Mila Carlyle dismembered Cecil Barton into pieces, but on the surface, she responded calmly, "Yes, he's quite handsome. However, I don't want to reveal my real name. Don't tell them my name."

Cecil Barton patted his chest, looking protective, "Don't worry, only I need to know your name."

After all, Xiaoyu was the woman he liked. He wanted to pursue her as his girlfriend and then marry her as his wife!

At this moment, a familiar figure approached—it was Laize Mir's assistant, Boleyn Ricardo:

"Mr. Barton, Miss, the Duke Laize invites you both over."

Even at Cecil Barton's birthday party, the host was using the word "invite," in his usual arrogant manner.

Mila Carlyle and Cecil Barton walked over, and as they got closer, they saw Laize Mir sitting on a blue velvet chair with about a dozen women standing in front of him.

Each woman was in a different costume—some in seductive catwoman outfits, others in cheongsams for a vintage look, and even some in dark, assassin-like styles...

What was this, an emperor's selection?

Each woman's eyes were glued to Laize Mir, their desire for him almost palpable.

They lined up, each taking turns to remove their masks and say, "Duke Laize, I am Haley Sinclair of the Sinclair family in Rong City. I have studied dance and hope to have the honor of being your dance partner tonight..."

Laize Mir lazily lifted his eyelids, his enchanting eyes sweeping over the woman before him, and coldly, disdainfully commented, "Eyes are ugly, not green."

Another woman stepped forward.

"Mole isn't at the corner of the eye? Ugly."

Next one.

"Hair isn't long and black? Ugly."

Another.

"Skin isn't glowing white? Ugly."

"..." Boleyn Ricardo stood by, listening to his master's harsh and picky remarks, and the more he listened, the more familiar it felt. These demands... they all seemed to describe the girl brought back from the forbidden zone, the mermaid girl?

As woman after woman was dismissed, Laize Mir seemed to grow tired, his tone becoming annoyed as he sneered coldly, "None of you are as beautiful as my pet, nor can you seduce a man like she can. Do you even deserve to be called women?"

Mila Carlyle: "?"

Why did this man have to drag her out for a verbal lashing even outside?

When had she ever seduced a man?

One woman, unwilling to give up, boldly said, "Duke Laize, how can your pet compare to a woman? You need both pets and women..."

"It's not comparable," Laize Mir said disdainfully, giving her a cold look, then his tone turned low and sinister, "If my pet dared to dress like this and flaunt herself, I'd strip her naked and spank her until she cried herself blind."

Mila Carlyle: "..."

Not only would he spank her, but he'd strip her first, afraid that the pain wouldn't be enough through clothes?

Cry herself blind... how many pets had he blinded already?

If he ever dared to hit her like that, she'd gouge his eyes out first!

Mila Carlyle lowered her head slightly, already planning her best escape strategy.

Cecil Barton, seeing her lowered head, thought she was embarrassed by the situation and took the initiative, "Duke Laize, I've brought my business partner. Do you have time to talk?"

His words successfully drew Laize Mir's attention over.

"..." Right now, Mila Carlyle just wanted to throw Cecil Barton into a mass grave. This moron!

"Get rid of these things first." Laize Mir glanced disdainfully at the group of women.

Boleyn Ricardo received the order and immediately stepped forward to dismiss them: "Apologies, Duke Laize does not need a dance partner at the moment. If you don't want trouble, you'd better leave quickly..."

Everyone knew that Duke Laize was not one to show mercy. In his view, there was no such thing as pity for women. If they really angered him, they wouldn't just be denied as dance partners—they might be shipped off to Africa as refugees, which would still be a good outcome.

Laize Mir then rose from his blue velvet chair, taking his time to walk over, his powerful presence filling the space as he stood in front of them. His dark eyes swept over Cecil Barton before landing on Mila Carlyle.

Mila Carlyle instinctively tensed, but her special background and experience endowed her with a strong ability to adapt. She responded with a calm, steady gaze.

It's just acting.

She had acted flawlessly for three years in the forbidden zone.

Especially now, with a mask, she could make any expression she wanted.

Laize Mir squinted his dark eyes, studying the woman in the mermaid costume and mask before him.

He stared at her for a full thirty seconds before finally speaking, "You are the investment-savvy partner Cecil Barton mentioned?"

"Very savvy is an overstatement, just know a thing or two," Mila Carlyle replied politely, nodding slightly, "Nice to meet you, my name is Xiaoyu."

"Xiaoyu..." Laize Mir savored the name, his tongue lightly touching his lips. For the first time that night, he smiled, "A mermaid, huh? How coincidental, I also have one at home—a very disobedient one unless she gets a good beating."