A hint of mockery curves Ava's lips.

She rises from the head of the conference table and walks to the massive window, gazing down at the city she's conquered.


Five years have passed. She's no longer the girl whose head would be turned by a business card or a fat check. She understands that beauty is both her greatest weapon and her most dangerous vulnerability.

"Ava?" Julian's voice carries a note of concern. He's never seen her silent for so long.

Around the table, her executive team holds their collective breath, staring at her back, awaiting her decision. Triple the market rate—a temptation no star or company could reasonably refuse.


After a long moment, Ava turns slowly. Her face shows no emotion—only absolute calm and unshakable resolve.

"Contact the legal team," she announces, her voice clear and firm. "Prepare a counter-proposal."


Everyone freezes.

"Tell Hunter's people," Ava's gaze sweeps the room before settling on Julian, "we'll take the Aether deal. But we don't want cash."

Julian's pupils contract sharply. "No cash? Then what?"

"We want equity," Ava says deliberately. "Calculate my standard endorsement fee. Then convert that amount into equivalent pre-IPO shares in Aether's subsidiary."

Her statement stuns everyone present.

They're floored by her audacity and vision.

"Ava, that's incredibly risky!" the CFO interjects. "Yes, Aether looks promising, but they're pre-IPO. The market is unpredictable. You're trading guaranteed millions for a complete gamble!"

"I can afford the risk," Ava replies simply, powerfully.

Julian studies this composed, determined woman radiating leadership, and for a moment sees flashes of the girl from five years ago struggling with a gas cap. The images overlap, filling him with an unfamiliar pride.

He knows Ava has made her decision. His job now is to clear every obstacle in her path.

"Alright." Julian nods, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'll put our top legal team on it. We want equity and an observer seat on the board."

The negotiation that follows is warfare without bullets.

Elite legal and business teams from both sides battle in conference rooms, fighting over every clause and decimal point through countless rounds of revisions.

Hunter's team proves formidable. They clearly hadn't expected a Hollywood actress to reject their generous offer and counter with such audacious demands.

The negotiations reach an impasse.

Just as Julian considers conceding ground, Hunter's executive assistant calls personally. The message is brief: "Mr. Hunter accepts all your core terms."

In that moment, Julian realizes Ava has won. Hunter wasn't offended by her boldness—rather, with the respect of one strategist for another, he's welcomed her as a worthy opponent.

.

The signing ceremony takes place at Hunter's private club atop a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper, commanding views of the entire metropolis.

No media, no cameras. This is a private meeting between equals.

After weeks of proxy battles, Ava and Hunter finally meet face-to-face.

Their conversation has nothing to do with attraction and everything to do with the future—from clean energy breakthroughs to AI's impact on entertainment to shifting global economics. Ava finds herself impressed by Hunter's encyclopedic knowledge and prescient insights. Hunter, in turn, shows genuine respect for Ava's rare balance of artistic and business acumen.

This is mutual attraction based on intellect and power.

As they sign their names to the contract, Ava hears in her mind the long-absent—and final—system notification.

[Final Task: Take control of your own destiny. Completed.]

[Detected that the host has leveraged beauty into true power. System mission complete.]

[Ultimate Reward: "Eternal Aura" activated, charm value locked at MAX, host's beauty will never fade with time.]

[Wish you good luck, creator.]

As the final words fade, Ava feels the mysterious system that transformed her life detach from her consciousness like a spent rocket booster, disappearing into the void.

She feels neither loss nor fear—only unprecedented freedom and tranquility.

She no longer needs external guidance or validation. From now on, she is her own system, her own goddess.

The story's epilogue unfolds on an ordinary evening months later.

Ava stands before her office window, gazing at the glittering cityscape below. Her company's latest film has just claimed a prestigious international award; Aether's IPO has been a spectacular success, multiplying her equity stake's value twentyfold.

Everything in her life follows a perfect trajectory.

At that moment, her phone screen illuminates with a message from Hunter Shaw.

"Next vacation," the message reads simply, "interested in visiting our island?"

Ava gazes out at Los Angeles's dazzling panorama, the countless lights mirroring her own boundless possibilities.

A faint, confident yet enigmatic smile plays across her lips.

She doesn't reply.

Instead, she calmly locks her phone and sets it aside.

The future stretches long before her. She's in no rush.