Lisa Manoban as Pearl
Bright Chivaree as Peyton
Simon Dominic as Simon

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He stood beneath the chandelier.

The light reflecting from it's glass scatters upon his neatly swept brown hair. The fabric of his tuxedo flexed when he gently presses his hand on the gorgeous blonde he's talking to, laughing at something she said.

When he catches her looking at him from across the venue, he tips his glass of champagne in acknowledgement.

Stupid little Gatsby wannabe.

The woman probably thought it was all a bit of harmless flirting, but Pearl knew better.

Peyton was collecting allies like pokemon cards, believing he could blind side his little sister in a months time at board's meeting.

But just like how business ran deep in his blood, it ran deeper in hers.

Pearl had implanted her own little spies around him, including his so called secret boyfriend.

No one else noticed how every few minutes or so Peyton's eyes would wonder to watch the lean young man, with brown strands dangling above the rim of his glasses and grey suit a little too big for him.

Leo was adorable.

And Pearl had believed he was the perfect pick when she first saw him because of how much he resembled her brother's favourite book character, except he had more oriental features and did not have a lightning scar on his forehead.

He always looked so out of place. Not just at this party full of filthy rich people, but in their world in general.

Leo was too innocent to be getting in this mess, but he needed the money after having gotten a massive debt to graduate with an English literature degree with no job prospects. And as  his new boss, she had plenty of cash to provide, so long he kept up the pretence of being a personal assistant and lover to her brother.

"Gin and tonic," A deep voice said, his lips lingering inches beside her ears. "Have you finally gone sober?"

No matter how many years passed, no other person's voice alone could have such effect on her body as Simon Lee's did. There was something so deep and rough about it, even now as he teased her about her choice of drink.

"What if I have?" Pearl said, turning her face away from her brother's direction so her nose was stroking his sharp shaved jaw.

"Well I may just question if you truly are Pearl Thanawat." Simon said, walking to stand beside her now.

All too suddenly she missed the warmth of his chest over her exposed back. She lifted the silver strings on her lush green dress as her eyes ran over him form.

The heir to the Lee fortune was creeping to his mid-thirties but still looked as desirable as ever, with a mischievous twinkle in his brown eyes, sharp cheekbones and a nicely built body firmly framed under his shirt. It was just too bad he would always regard her as a little sister.

"Your brother sure does know how to throw a party." Simon commented.

"I think I could do better." Her competitive side said.

At this her childhood crush laughed. "Well there are certainly many things you are better at already, such as business."

"You don't think my brother is good at business?"

His swirled the drink he held, face settling into a solemn look before he said his next words. "He's not very subtle with his plans to take over the business. In fact, he's been practically harassing my father for a guaranteed vote in next month's meeting."

Pearl quipped a perfectly drawn brow, and curled her red lips in a snarky smile.

Nothing he said was new to her. Leo had already informed her on this.

The surprising part was that Simon was telling her. It meant he could be on her side.

It meant he could be an ally.

"And so? What does your father think?" She asked finally.

"He thinks you're both quite insufferable." Simon replied. "So the decision is all mine."

When he blew her a full blown grin and clinked his glass against hers, she knew she had him. She smiled back, equally radiant and downed the remainder of her gin and tonic.

It was ten to ten for the Thanawat siblings.

There were five more crucial governors to go, and the rest of the share holders would just fall into place with whoever they trusted the most.

But for now, she wanted to celebrate this small win.

"Care to dance?" She offered her hand to Simon, giving her glass to one of the waiters.

"Sorry love, not tonight." He said.

He was being careful again, keeping her at arms length in case she tried to force her affections on him the way she had in her teenage days. Tonight the rejection doesn't sting so much though, so she shrugs and walks the dance floor.

There isn't a huge crowd but she still bumped into a few shoulders, swaying her hips as she finds a spot she wants to be in.

When she turns a little left she noticed Peyton dancing with the blonde from earlier, his lips whispering to her ears but faced curled into smug look as his brown eyes kept locked with Leo's.
Peyton loved control, and he felt like he had endless amounts of it over his young assistant.

And though Pearl knew Leo did not feel in an inch of jealousy, she hated to see him on the losing side of their little game of cat and mouse.

She hated to see her brother winning.

It took a few moments to gain the boy's attention, but when his eyes met her dark ones she beckoned him forward with one finger. Leo frowned at this, they weren't meant to interact in public. He was simply her brother's assistant in this setting.

Pearl moved her finger again.

Leo hesitantly walked towards on the dance floor.

By the time he reached her, Tablo's voice was booming over them from the speakers.

you ain't missin nobody you're missing a heart

He's about to say something but Pearl grabbed his, placing them gently on her hips as she let her own wrists cross behind his neck. Even with half his face shadowed under the low light, she could see his lingering frown.

She placed a peck on his baby soft cheeks, before shifting towards his ear.

"Your boyfriend doesn't look very happy." Pearl said for only Leo to hear.

To say that would be an understatement. Peyton was glowering at their attention, having stopped listening to the blonde in his arms.

His sister knew how possessive he got over his lovers. She'd seen him get in a fit of rage whenever he came to question their loyalty to him, hurting them until they were beyond fixing.

She knew Leo what was about to experience.