After carefully reading the document in his hands, Joseph Schlap looked up at his boss and said, "Simon, Lazarenko has clearly crossed a line. Considering our interests in Ukraine, to ensure his faction doesn't set its sights on Rivne Oblast, I think we should have the White House issue a statement of concern. And, of course, leverage media coverage here in the U.S."
"That's exactly why I wanted you to know about this first," Simon replied calmly. "I'll also coordinate with Moscow to express similar concerns. Honestly, this matter has little to do with us—it's just one dog biting another. But we need to make sure that a rabid dog doesn't get so emboldened after killing its rival that it starts thinking about attacking its owner."
That analogy…
Joseph Schlap couldn't help but recall some of Simon's actions from two years ago.
Noticing Schlap's expression, Simon smiled and said, "Joseph, did you know there's an interesting story from the East called 'The Official Can Start Fires While the People Can't Light Lamps'? It's supposed to be satirical, but to me, it reflects the way the world works."
Without the context of the story, Schlap couldn't fully grasp its subtleties, but the meaning Simon was trying to convey was crystal clear.
It was the reality of power. Just like in the rehearsal hall next door: Simon could indulge in openly enjoying the company of numerous women, while his subordinates could only watch. Without sufficient power or status, certain actions were either impossible to take or doomed to backfire.
Two years ago, some of Simon's bolder moves would have led to relentless retaliation if not for the immense power he wielded.
The same principle applied to Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko. His actions, while not directly targeting the Westeros system, had nonetheless violated the rules. If not for the system's growing stakes in Ukraine, this would simply be seen as another internal power struggle. People would watch the drama unfold, issue a few moral condemnations, and then go about their business.
But the stakes were different now.
The Westeros system had made substantial investments in Ukraine. Lazarenko breaking the rules couldn't be ignored, even if it didn't yet directly affect their interests. A politician who grows increasingly bold might eventually turn their sights on Rivne Oblast. That possibility needed to be crushed before it even became a thought.
The U.S. was an expert in this sort of maneuver.
A statement from the White House, coupled with orchestrated media pressure, would be enough to make Kyiv's government tremble. The consequences of defiance were well-known: sanctions, or even military intervention. The U.S. had mastered this playbook.
This time, Simon wouldn't even leave any room for escape. He planned to involve Russia, orchestrating a coordinated show of pressure against Kyiv.
Of course, the campaign would stop at warnings and pressure. As long as Lazarenko backed down, there would be no further action.
Simon wasn't interested in completely eliminating Lazarenko. A divided Kyiv was strategically advantageous. If President Leonid Kuchma ever consolidated total control, even as an ally, there was no guarantee he wouldn't start harboring dangerous thoughts. For instance, he might decide that Rivne Oblast's quasi-colonial status was too "disharmonious" and push for greater control.
After discussing the details of the plan, Simon turned the conversation to Schlap's experiences in Washington over the past few days.
Back in the rehearsal hall…
As soon as Simon and Schlap left, the atmosphere in the room became noticeably more peculiar.
Yet, despite the odd tension, everyone went about their business.
Two instructors took the stage to correct some of the girls' movements during the "The Fox" performance. One girl ordered coffee from a staff member, while others couldn't help but glance at the now-vacant center spot on the sofa where Simon had been sitting, wondering if they could occupy it.
Their curiosity didn't last long.
Wei Cancha, who had been seated to Simon's left, curled up her legs and took up most of the empty space. On the other side, Ouyang Shuli mimicked her, folding herself into a delicate pose with one knee pressing against Wei Cancha's shin, ensuring the entire space was fully occupied.
Everyone rolled their eyes internally but could only mutter silent complaints.
There was little they could do.
The four girls on the sofa were Wei Cancha, Gu Yaotiao, Ouyang Shuli, and Su Fengnian—the last of whom still harbored endless resentment toward her name and would blow up every time Wei Cancha teased her with phrases like "A bountiful harvest comes with good snow."
Today, the four of them shared an unusual sense of camaraderie.
Why? Because Simon had come alone today. And that meant… there might be a chance.
A few months ago, when they first learned who was truly behind the National Style Arts Troupe and saw the team's almost absurdly generous benefits, the girls had begun preparing themselves mentally. After all, Simon Westeros wasn't just the richest man in the world—he had given them so much. It was hard to believe he would expect only dance performances in return.
Of course, there was a minor complication: there were just too many "sisters" in their circle.
But even that wasn't too hard to accept.
Since arriving in the U.S., the more they learned, the clearer it became: their boss enjoyed surrounding himself with many women. His influence over the country—and the world—was something they were beginning to grasp on a deeper level.
Besides, their boss was undeniably attractive. Resisting his charm was becoming increasingly difficult.
That said, reality wasn't matching their expectations.
In the six months since they arrived in the U.S., as far as they knew, only two girls had been "claimed" by Simon: Li Youhu and, more recently, Chen Xingwei. Li Youhu had left the troupe entirely and was now working on a film under a major Hollywood director. It was clear she was destined to become a star. As for Chen Xingwei, even from the outside, her elevated status within the troupe was obvious.
Having secured Simon's spot on the sofa, Wei Cancha glanced at one of the instructors still directing the dancers. Then, she nudged Gu Yaotiao, who was leaning on her shoulder, and said to Ouyang Shuli, "Do you think Xingwei will freak out when she finds out Simon came here?"
With the premiere approaching next month, many of the girls had been rotating between East Hampton and Manhattan to rehearse at the Metropolitan Opera House during its downtime. As a result, only about half of the troupe was currently in East Hampton. Even the primary musical group was in Manhattan, leaving only the secondary ensemble to handle the day's rehearsal.
Ouyang Shuli swayed softly as she spoke. "Of course she'll freak out. She's been so smug lately."
From behind, Su Fengnian chimed in quietly, "Today is the Fifth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. I think Simon will head back to Manhattan this afternoon."
The subtext: We probably won't get our chance.
The scale of the Fifth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was so legendary that even the girls here had heard about it. As a "Super Bowl of fashion" personally orchestrated by Simon—and rumored to be the final one—it was hard to imagine he would miss it.
Leaning against Wei Cancha's shoulder, Gu Yaotiao suddenly spoke up. "Wait… Cancha, why don't you ask Simon if we can go to Manhattan to watch the show? He might agree."
As her words hung in the air, Su Fengnian hesitated. Blushing slightly, she asked, "All four of us?"
The other three girls blushed as well.
Ouyang Shuli, trying to convince herself, said, "Obviously, he'd just take whoever he wants to take."
Su Fengnian, more straightforward by nature, pressed the issue. "But what if he wants to take all four of us?"
"Well, you can always say no," Gu Yaotiao retorted, rolling her eyes. "Simon doesn't like forcing anyone. Remember earlier when he came in and asked who wanted to sit next to him?"
Ouyang Shuli nodded and playfully grabbed Su Fengnian's face, giving her a quick peck. "If it weren't for me dragging you over, you wouldn't have gotten a spot."
Su Fengnian turned redder. "I didn't ask you to drag me."
"Then get up. It's not too late."
"I'm not moving. Why should I?"
Gu Yaotiao interrupted their bickering and subtly pointed toward one of the instructors on stage. "Hey, do you think Simon spent last night at her place?"
Ouyang Shuli raised her eyebrows.
Wei Cancha smirked slightly.
Su Fengnian, still blushing, tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Let's not talk about that. By the way, do you think Simon knows about Caifan dating someone?"
The mood instantly shifted.
Over the past six months, the girls' lives had been nothing short of paradise. Even with the stress of preparing for the year-end performances, they had grown accustomed to the countless perks that came with their job. Every weekend, the troupe's Gulfstream jet was in constant use as the girls took turns jetting off to destinations like Hawaii, Panama, or Mexico.
At the East Hampton estate, they enjoyed a life of relative freedom.
Still, even among a group of spoiled and stunning young women, other thoughts inevitably arose. External attention and internal competition were unavoidable.
A few weeks ago, a girl named Feng
Caifan had met a wealthy young man at a local archery range. He had pursued her relentlessly, sending flowers to the troupe's estate every day until they eventually started dating.
This development caused a ripple of intrigue within the troupe. Most of the girls simply observed from the sidelines, curious to see how things would play out.
Despite their luxurious lives, none of them wanted to remain in a gilded cage forever.
If Feng Caifan could leave the troupe, it might mean they could too.
After all, the initial contracts they signed were for five years at a salary of $100,000 per year. For many, this was enough to build a small fortune back home or even start a new life in North America. But as time passed, some of the girls realized something unsettling: they had grown used to the luxury—servants, fine dining, private jets, designer clothes. It wasn't a lifestyle that $100,000 a year could sustain.
Would they truly be able to return to normalcy when the time came?
The conversation dwindled as they waited. Finally, after about half an hour, the rehearsal hall's door opened again, and Simon returned. As he approached the sofa, Wei Cancha and Ouyang Shuli quickly made room for him in the center.
Once Simon settled in, crossing his legs, Wei Cancha leaned closer and asked, "Simon, what do you want to watch next?"
Simon wrapped an arm around her slender waist, letting his hand roam briefly along her curves. Then he gave her a gentle nudge. "Your 'Jian Jia.' Go perform it for me."
Wei Cancha immediately regretted her enthusiasm.
It wasn't that she didn't want to dance for Simon—it was the thought of leaving her spot on the sofa. What if one of the other girls took it while she was gone? What would she do then?
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.