Liam's Pov
"Now, the top five in general news." Eve continued
1) Tony Stark Spotted with Paris Runway Star.
"Anthony 'Tony' Stark—heir to the Stark fortune and current head of Stark Industries' R&D Division—was photographed leaving The Ritz Paris alongside Victoria's Secret sensation Sabrina Vale, the headline star of last year's Paris Fashion Week.
At only 24, Stark's technological innovations have already drawn praise from the scientific community, though critics argue his public lifestyle rivals his father's in excess.
The two were later spotted boarding Stark's personal Gulfstream G700."
HUD image: Tony in a sleek navy suit, sunglasses at night, arm casually around Sabrina as paparazzi cameras explode.
2) Maria Stark & Martha Wayne Seen Together in Metropolis.
"In a rare public meeting, Maria Stark and Martha Wayne were spotted enjoying afternoon tea at the Metropolis Botanical Gardens Café. Insiders suspect this could signal a philanthropic partnership between the Stark and Wayne Foundations."
HUD clip: Both women, poised and smiling, framed by blooming orchids.
3) Celebrity Trainer Under Investigation
"Marcus Hale, once a renowned performance coach who trained Olympic medalist-retired from pro sports and currently focus exclusively on celebrity clients, is under formal investigation after being caught in possession of a small quantity of illicit substances. Authorities have not confirmed intent for distribution, but the case has already stirred heated debate in the fitness and entertainment industries."
HUD clip: Hale in a training facility, stopwatch in hand, shouting encouragement as a celebrity client lifts weights — his expression intense, driven, almost defiant.
4) Deep-Sea Research Unveils Hidden Ecosystem
"A collaboration between MIT and the Atlantis Research Institute has uncovered an untouched deep-ocean ecosystem over 5,000 meters below sea level. The expedition revealed multiple bioluminescent species never before recorded. Early footage has gone viral worldwide."
HUD clip: Ethereal glowing creatures drifting in black waters like living constellations.
5) Mysterious Painting Sets Auction Record.
"An unsigned oil painting known only as 'The Silent City' sold at Sotheby's for $94 million, breaking the record for an anonymous work. Experts remain divided on whether it's a lost 19th-century masterpiece or the most elaborate forgery in decades."
HUD image: A hauntingly empty cobblestone street under a sky painted in violet dusk.
Eve's voice softened. "That concludes the most impactful global headlines as of this morning. All visuals have been displayed to your HUD for reference."
I just sat there, the sun and the stories both washing over me—one warm, one cold
The news reel faded from my HUD, leaving me with the sound of the waves and the soft hum of thought.
"Eve," I said, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. "We've been playing nice so far—time to see what you can really do."
"I am listening," she replied, her tone as crisp as the morning air.
"I want you to make a priority list with Keywords. Anytime these come up in any news source or online, I want an immediate alert and the summarized version of the info."
"Understood. Please specify the keywords."
After saying few specific names that needs to be watched. "Just those for now and I'll keep updating it and make sure you track anything and everything that links these names. Got it?"
"Confirmed," Eve said. "Any mention of those keywords or related info in the Internet will trigger an alert in the corner of your HUD, complete with mentioned source, cross-references with other sites and my summary of the info. If there's a surge in activity, I will flag them for priority review."
I gave a small nod. "Good. Let's make this a habit."
"Done. The Priority keyword list is now active."
A shuffling sound broke the calm—soft footfalls and the faint swish of fabric.
I turned to see Charlie stepping onto the deck, wrapped in a bath robe that looked like it had been stolen from the hotel down the street.
His hair was a disaster, and his hand was glued to his forehead like he was holding his brain in place.
"Morning, sunshine," I called out.
He winced at my voice. "Shhh… lower the volume, Captain Thunder." He squinted at the light, then staggered toward a lounge chair. "God, why is the sun so smug?"
"You look like someone ran you over with with a car," I said, smirking.
"I feel like someone ran me over with my own car," Charlie groaned, collapsing into the seat.
"Except the car was driven by a bottle of twenty-year-old scotch, and the passenger seat was occupied by regret."
"What time is it?" he croaked.
"Just after six," I said.
Charlie's frown deepened, and for a second he just stared into the middle distance like he was trying to solve a murder. "Wait… why the hell am I up?" he muttered. "I usually don't see sunlight until it's practically begging me to."
I smirked. "Guess you're breaking your own habits."
He rubbed his temples. "That's… unsettling. I'm supposed to wake up to brunch, not the damn sunrise."
A beat passed, the ocean breeze filling in the silence.
Then Charlie's smirk returned, faint but dangerous. "Alright, forget me. How was your night with Alicia?"
I turned my head, giving him a flat look. "Nothing happened."
That woke him up faster than caffeine. "Nothing happened? You're telling me a supermodel in a black dress basically delivered herself to your door, and you just… turned her down?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you."
Charlie stared, then let out a disbelieving laugh. "You're insane. Any other guy would've written a thank-you speech to the gods of good fortune."
"She was drunk and wasn't my type. End of story."
Charlie shook his head, grinning despite himself. "You're the only guy I know who can turn down something like that without a shred of regret. Guess it's just… your thing. Looks and brains or nothing, right?"
I smirked. "Something like that."
Charlie leaned back, the ocean breeze ruffling his hair as he smirked. "Figures. Back when I was in high school, I chased after every hot and popular girl I could find, but when you hit high school? Nope. You bring home the captain of the chess club."
I raised a brow. "Claire."
Charlie nodded with a nostalgic grin. "Yeah, Claire. You brought her home for lunch one time and my assessment? Gorgeous and scary smart — the kind who could probably dismantle your entire life with three sentences. She saw right through me for who I was… a player."
He gave a dramatic shiver. "That girl wasn't buying any of my charm. It was like she had a cheat code for ignoring me."
I chuckled. "Guess you weren't her type."
Charlie tilted his head, eyes narrowing in mock seriousness. "And don't even get me started on your other friend… Frost."
That made me grin. "Wait — are you saying you were scared of Emma?"
He just shrugged. "Scared the shit out of me. That cold beauty, the way she carried herself… she had this aura like, 'Come within two feet of me and I'll freeze you solid.'"
I shook my head, half amused, half defensive. "She's actually a really nice person."
"Yeah," Charlie countered, pointing a finger at me, "only to you. To everyone else, she was the Ice Queen. I swear, I thought she was gonna start leaving frostbite as a calling card."
I laughed, shaking my head. "You're being dramatic."
"I'm being honest," Charlie said, smirking again. "Some people are warm and approachable. Emma? She was… snow in human form. Beautiful, but you touch it and you're gonna lose a finger."
I just chuckled.
Charlie sighed, glancing toward the sun. "Still doesn't explain why I'm awake this early… feels wrong. Like the universe tilted while I was sleeping."
"Well, Charlie, it was fun hanging out with you after a long time, but I should probably head out."
Charlie shook his head immediately. "Nope. You're not escaping that easily. Stay for breakfast, Berta will be here soon. She makes bacon that could solve world peace."
I hesitated for a second, then smirked. "Alright. But only because you bribed me with food."
"Works every time," Charlie grinned.
We headed inside toward the kitchen. I went straight to the coffee machine, switched it on, and started grinding beans.
Charlie leaned against the counter, looking half impressed, half lazy.
"You know how to work that thing?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said, pouring water into the reservoir. "Someone in this house has to."
Charlie made a face like I'd just insulted his religion, but didn't argue.
-----END-----
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