Villain MMORPG: Almighty Devil Emperor and His Seven Demonic Wives

Villain Ch 1049. Plenty of Fish in The Sea, But I Want That One

Noah shook his head. "It's not just the fighting, though. There's definitely something more going on."

James leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "But why all the secrecy? If they're together, why not just say it? VirtualValkyrie's got a huge following, and Allen's no stranger to attention. It's not like it would be a scandal."

Gil snorted. "Maybe they don't want the drama. Imagine the chaos if people knew they were together. The forums would explode, especially with VirtualValkyrie's fans. They'd probably tear Allen apart just for getting close to her."

Elio nodded in agreement. "That's true. She's got a cult-like following. Any sign of a relationship, and people would go nuts. Maybe they're keeping things quiet to avoid all that noise."

Noah tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Or maybe it's something else entirely. They could be related somehow. Maybe she's just a relative."

Gil raised an eyebrow. "Related? I don't know, man. That sounds like a stretch. Why would they be so secretive about that?"

James shrugged. "People hide all sorts of stuff in this game. Maybe they don't want people making assumptions. If they're seen together, everyone's going to jump to conclusions no matter what the truth is."

Noah chuckled softly. "Well, if they are related, they've got some explaining to do. That hug doesn't sound very cousin-like."

Gil leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You guys are focusing on the wrong thing. Whether they're related or not, the point is, Allen's getting pretty close to someone like VirtualValkyrie. That's huge. She's not just any player—she's one of the best. And she doesn't just team up with people for no reason."

Elio rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Good point. Maybe there's more to their relationship, professional or not. Allen's smart, and if he's aligning with someone like her, it could mean something bigger. Strategic, maybe."

Mila sat quietly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, the conversation swirling around her but feeling distant. The more the others speculated about Allen and VirtualValkyrie, the deeper the pit of sadness in her stomach grew.

She'd learned to play Hell's Gate specifically to connect with him. At first, it had seemed like a fun idea, something that would give her a reason to spend more time with Allen, to be a part of his world. But now, sitting in that room, listening to the others talk about Allen's closeness with a woman who was leagues ahead of her, both in skill and presence, Mila felt small. Unimportant.

'I'm such an idiot…' she thought, her heart heavy. She had hoped that by getting better at the game, by understanding Allen's passion for it, she'd somehow find a way into his life. But now it seemed like she hadn't had a chance from the start. VirtualValkyrie was everything Mila wasn't—cold, skilled, untouchable. She wasn't like Vivian, whose beauty Mila could at least compete with.

This was a different kind of woman, one who didn't need to flaunt her looks to hold someone's attention.

James gave Mila a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Don't be sad, there are plenty of fish in the sea," he said, his voice trying to be comforting, though it had the opposite effect.

Mila, still lost in her own thoughts, snapped out of it and gave James a flat stare. "Plenty of fish in the sea, huh? Well, I want that one," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. She didn't even need to say Allen's name—they all knew who she was referring to.

James blinked, then grinned as if unfazed by her sharp tone. "Alright, fair enough. But hey, do you have any time this afternoon?"

Mila frowned, not sure where he was going with this. "Why?"

"How about you come with me to meet someone?" James asked, his tone suddenly shifting to something lighter, almost casual.

Mila crossed her arms, her frown deepening. "I don't like blind dates. You should know that by now."

James laughed and shook his head. "This isn't a blind date. Trust me. I've got a business meeting after this... Well, it's not exactly my business meeting since I wasn't invited, but I'm just curious."

Mila's confusion only grew. "Curious about what?" she asked, her arms still crossed but her interest piqued just enough to keep the conversation going.

James leaned in, his voice lowering conspiratorially. "You know my family's one of the shareholders of that big hall building in the middle of the city, right? We don't own half of it or anything, but technically, we're still one of the owners."

Mila gave him a slow nod. "Yeah, I know. What about it?"

"So," James said, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief, "I heard that a really rich family is going to hold an important conference there soon. Today, they're sending their representative to finalize the deal. I thought I might check it out."

Mila cringed. "And what's your point? Are you asking me to come with you to… what? Seduce their representative and help you get the deal?" Her voice gave a clear sign of disgust.

James laughed again, shaking his head. "No, no. Nothing like that. The family handling the deal is the Goldborne family. You know, pretty influential, lots of money." He paused for a moment, watching Mila's reaction.

Mila raised an eyebrow. "So? The Goldbornes are rich, yeah, but I don't see why that's interesting to me. You want to set me up with Mr. Goldborne? I heard his wife passed away a long time ago."

James smirked, leaning in a little closer. "No, nothing like that either. But here's the thing—I once saw a photo of Allen with Mr. Goldborne. In a hospital."

That caught Mila's attention, her posture stiffening slightly as she replayed James' words in her head. "Allen?" she repeated, her voice quieter, though it was clear she was hooked now.

James nodded, his grin widening. "Yep. Allen. And who knows, maybe you'll find out something about him if you come along. Maybe some of the staff know more than they're letting on, or maybe Allen's more connected to the Goldbornes than we realize."

Mila's mind raced as she considered the offer. She had been feeling helpless—Allen seemed more distant than ever, and with VirtualValkyrie in the picture, her chances felt almost nonexistent. But this… this could be a way to learn more about Allen, maybe even find a connection that could help her get closer to him.

She had been desperate for an opening, any opening, and now James was handing her one on a silver platter.

"I'm in!" said Mila without hesitation.

"Nice," James grinned in satisfaction. "I will pick you up in an hour."