The annual fundraising event only happens once a year and is exclusively for the elites.

Calling it a "fundraising event" might be a stretch, since most of the time, it's just the sons and daughters of these families mingling and getting to know each other. It feels more like a reality dating show, but at the end of the day, however you look at it, all the money raised here goes straight to those in need.

_____
Mim politely smiles as she sends off another gentleman who tried to charm her. They're not so bad, but sadly for them, she plays for the other team.

"Ooh, poor guy." Bonnie placed two glasses of champagne on their table.
"Is this the six guy already? Or five? I've lost count."
Mim rolled her eyes at Bonnie's poking.
"Very funny, Bon. I don't get why they keep coming for me while the girls are nowhere to be found." Mim almost huffed.

Bonnie fights back a laugh but fails miserably.
"Maybe your signal's broken, or maybe theirs are."
She blatantly checks Mim out.
"And honestly, it's hard not to notice you, Mim."
"Wow. To this day, I still can't believe I'm only just finding out that you're a total perv." Mim slaps Bonnie's arm for her to stop drawing attention to them.

It would be different if this weren't a standing-only event. Mim could rest her legs, and the table might at least shield most of her body from prying eyes.

The young CEO has deliberately gone for a simple, classic dark blue halter dress. Most of her back is exposed, and while the slit down the side is a beautiful touch, it isn't helping her case at all. The dress is tailor-made from silk, and under the soft glow of the chandelier, Mim looks magnetic and regal as if she's floating.

"Maybe it's the color."
"What? Is dark blue not dark enough?" Mim does a self-check on herself and sees nothing wrong.
"Hmm, but it is a very attractive color."
Bonnie herself is rocking a fitted black button-up and collarless blazer, giving her a clean, structured look.

"Right, well, black is a little boring."
Bonnie clutched her chest, faking offense.
"Did you just call me boring?"
"Obviously not! Especially when those girls are giving me death glares." Mim nearly shoots a glare back at them herself.
"Jealous much? Also, you don't have to shout like that." Bonnie hastily looks around where they're standing.

"Why are you so jumpy?"
"My girlfriend is here!" Bonnie blurts out.
Mim stares at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Why is your girlfriend here? Did she recently start a business?"

Bonnie knows she's just dropped a bomb she probably shouldn't have. Luckily for her, she spots View and Love arriving from the other side of the room, perfect timing for a diversion.
"It's P'View and P'Love." Bonnie wave excitedly.

View wave back with the same gummy smile on her face, matching Bonnie's hyper energy. Love shake her head at the two while Mim casually nodded at the older girls, raising her glass of champagne as greetings.

"Why don't we call them over?"
"Hold your horses, Bon. This isn't a party, business deals are being signed here." Mim watches as Love immediately gets pulled into a conversation with one of the big names, leaving View looking a little lonely and out of place.

"I know that, but... P'View looks great tonight, yeah?" Bonnie sneaks a peek at Mim.
"Hmm. Isn't she always, though?"

In fact, View looks so astonishing tonight that the CEO can't take her eyes off her. She's hypnotized by the way the dress moves with View's body, and by the elegance in her every movement as she sips her champagne.

"Not to be that type of friend but you are drooling." Bonnie smirks, sipping her glass of champagne slowly.
"Ugh, don't start now Bonnie."
Bonnie laughs until she's wheezing.
"Sorry, but watching you two undress each other with your eyes is not nice for my guts."
"Oh my god, what is it? We can't look at each other without you sexualizing it?" Mim rolls her eyes, dangerously close to being extremely annoyed by Bonnie's presence.
"Welp, I'm only saying what I see." Bonnie says, putting on her best innocent act.
"If I were you. I'd consider switching from eye cleaner to bleach. And stop "seeing" Bon, there's nothing for you to find."
"Okay, okay." Bonnie will switch to ninja mode then, but she just can't quit observing them. Has she mentioned that View is still sending Mim those puppy-love eyes?

View thought she was ready to see Mim outside of work at an event like this, but the gasp that escapes her the moment she spots her says otherwise. She could never be ready enough for Mim's beauty.

Her ex looks like she's walking on water, lethal and ethereal all at once.

View quietly growls under her breath. People are staring too much, and Love has already abandoned her after dragging her here against her will fueling the fire inside her.

_____
"Any tips on letting people down gently or how to fire someone without them praying on your downfall?" Mim squinted, looking hella serious.
"Uh... nope! Cause there's no such thing."
"A little info on who wronged you?"
"... P'View."
Bonnie stops, her glass hovering above her lips before she lets out a heavy sigh.
"We're not doing this again Mim. We've gone over this for weeks."
"All those texts."
"You're not firing P'View just because you two almost kissed. Which, yes, is wild and outrageous I agree but no."

Mim huffs.
"Don't downplay the situation Bon. She almost kissed me!"
Bonnie chuckles at Mim's panic.
"Okay, but didn't we already agree that you leaned in too? Besides, it doesn't freaking matter!"
"No... I was... trapped... It was a trap. A very specific and very calculated trap that P'Love and P'Tu set up."
Mim desperately needs Bonnie to side with her on this one, but it's her fault for admitting the part where she leaned in as well.

Bonnie pinches the bridge of her nose.
"Ha! How funny, if that was a trap set up by those two. Then you bet it's not even a close call anymore."
"You and P'View will full-on make-out already." Her tone is pure mockery.
"... no need to be so graphic." Too many images flash through Mim's head. She glances at View then immediately snaps her eyes back to Bonnie.

"This! This is the example of what happens when you two don't sit down and have a conversation about what happened."
Mim hit her arm.
"Are you crazy!? You think that I can sit down and talk about it?"
"Oh come on, it's not that hard, "Hey P'View about what happened at the mall, it wasn't supposed to happen, we're exes and it's a trap bla bla bla..."
Bonnie tries to imitate Mim's voice.

Instantly earn her a burning glare from the CEO.
"I don't talk like that... firing her is easier."
"No Mim, end of the story." Bonnie put her foot down.
"Why?"
"Because no one gives a shit! Almost kissing your boss is nowhere near a valid reason to be fired."
"P'View is doing a good job." Bonnie exploded to defend View's honor.
"Oh, and even if you two did kiss. I still don't give a shit."

"You're being a terrible friend, Bon." Mim pouts but she's not angry for real since her words are as light as a feather.
"To be clear, flirting or trying to get with your CEO is strictly forbidden."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's in Mimetta's policies." Mim starts regaining her confidence.
"No, it's not! You made it up." Bonnie can swear on it.
She's memorized the whole policy, and there's no way she missed a joke of a rule like that.
"It is. Look it up if you want." Mim shrugs, proud of herself.

"You know what? Okay. If this is how you want to play Mim."
Bonnie pulls out her phone and opens the company policy. She reread it more than three times, nothing.
But then she scrolls to the last page, where the policy she memorized should be now replaced by what Mim said.

Bonnie gazes up at Mim's blank face.
"What in the..?"
"What the hell?" Bonnie whispered, her eyebrows scrunch together.
"Ooh, did you kiss your mom with that mouth Bon?"
"How's the taste? Must be bitter." Mim casually sips her champagne like she won a prize.
"Bitter you say? That must be how you feel when you added this into the policies... THREE days ago?" Bonnie zoomed into the editing date.
"Well, well. It doesn't matter when it was written, its existence is enough."
... "Just accept that you've lost."
Mim smiles, clearly enjoying herself.

Poor Bonnie, it takes her a while to understand.
"Oh hell no, you do all this just to rile me up for nothing?" Bonnie can't believe this is the same woman she used to hold when she cried after bruising her knees.
"The atmosphere is a bit down, and it was a test, now I know where your loyalty stands Bonnie."
"... it feels personal and my parents raised me too well, Mim~"
"You know I still love you most." Bonnie leaned in with her lips jutting out.
"You're such a sweet talker, save them for your girlfriend." Mim laughs.

____
The CEO is planning to sneak out of the event and go home early when there's suddenly a fuss at the entrance. She hears lots of squeals, giggling as the daughters from these wealthy families form a little fangirling circle surrounding the person.

"Who's that?" Mim can't see and honestly couldn't care less but she's still somewhat curious about who could cause such a scene.
"Probably Eve Langton. The infamous youngest of the Langton empire. I heard from a source she's back today." Bonnie boredly says, casually scanning the crowd.

"Eve?" Mim mutters to herself, low enough so Bonnie won't hear. The name sounds familiar. It has to be a coincidence.
"Langton? As in our company's only competitor Langton?"
"Yep."
"Hmm. Now I have to meet her, then." Mim has a deal she wants to seal with them, this might be the perfect opportunity. Even though the name 'Eve' still lingers in the back of her mind, Mim keeps her expression neutral.
"Impressive profile?"
"Oh, very."
"I think you would love her Mim, she's a baddie." Bonnie nudged her arm.

As the girls step aside, the entire room finally gets a clear look at the mysterious daughter of the Langtons.

And when Mim sees her, she's struck all over again by how cruelly precise the universe can be.

"You've got to be kidding me." Mim closes her eyes as everything comes rushing back.
Oceanic blue eyes. Heart-shaped lips mapping every inch of her body. A lean, firm body pressed against hers, and hands tracing her curves relentlessly.

Bonnie almost breaks her neck upon hearing Mim's words.
"What?... you're having that look on your face, you know her?"
The CEO has completely stopped functioning, while Bonnie wants to shake the answers out of her.
"Don't tell me she's one of your exes?" It sounds impossible, but this is Mim and apparently, anything is possible with her.
"No..."
Bonnie exhales, visibly relieved.

"I slept with her." Mim finishes, her voice unsteady.

Bonnie gags, eyes bulging. She swallows the scream rising in her throat.
"What the what? Holy shit! You slept with her?"
"Yep."
"She was your fling?"
"Yep."
"YOU. SLEPT. WITH. EVE?!"
"You've asked that three times already Bon. Doesn't make it any less real." Mim sighs, eyes locked on Eve.

"Sorry, I'm just... can't wrap my head around it."
Bonnie glances back at the woman dressed in the burgundy floor-length dress, charming smile on her face, high straight nose, and slit eyebrows...
Yeah, she gets it now.

"So... do I need to escort you out of here? Hire witches to magically make you disappear?"
Mim burst out laughing, her bestie in panic is her favorite sight.
"That's excessive, and none of that would work."
"Why?"
...
"She sees me."
Bonnie follows her line of sight and there she is.

Eve with her illegally blue eyes locked on Mim, a tinge of playfulness and mischief dancing in them. A small smirk plays at the corner of her lips.

_____

Mim and Bonnie aren't the only ones who notice.

View immediately cuts off a potential business partner mid-sentence just to look at Eve. She's undeniably pleasing to the eyes, and View has been watching Mim all night. Tracking every glance, every shift in her posture.

Jealousy bubbles in her stomach. That girl could easily drown in Mim's expensive attention, and then View sees it. A smirk, tiny and discreet but without a doubt, it's meant for Mim.

"That's Eve Langton, she's the whole package isn't she?"
View jumps at the feeling of Love's hot breath fanning against her ear. She feels invaded.
"Um... what P'Love? Gross, you have a wife." View shakes her head at Love like scolding a child.
"And I love her to death but you can't deny that Eve is a sight for sore eyes."
View bends over, dramatically fake puking.
"She's alright, mid at best."
Love cackles.
"You only say that because she has set her eyes on your little ex-girlfriend."
"I don't ask for that P'Love."
"I'm not worry, she doesn't look like Mim's type."
Love gives View an unreadable expression, but she didn't say anything else.

_____

Before Eve can approach Mim, her family calls her over, showing her off and introducing her to important people.

"Brunette and blue eyes, who would've thought. What a combo." Mim nodded.
"Okay, lots of questions."
"And I have answers."
"Do you have any more famous flings?"
"What is that question?" Mim blushes.
"I'm serious, you don't even remember her name earlier."
"It's not that... I do remember her name just.. not her last name." Mim drinks the rest of her champagne.
"Uh huh, you only slept with her once, right?"

"No, Eve is... the most frequent and stable one."
Bonnie once again left in shock.
"I've never thought I would hear those words coming from you."
Mim shrugs nonchalantly.
"Wait, your first time is with P'View, correct?"
Bonnie nearly bangs her head on the table when Mim shakes her head.
"Damn, you two dated for how long? And haven't done it?"
"The timing was really off. Well, there are times we almost did it but got interrupted." Mim meep, strangely embarrassing.
"... who is your first then?"

"You're looking at her."
That's it, Bonnie will gouge out her eyes.
"No freaking way! Eve Langton took your virginity?"
"Did I stutter Bon?" Mim looks... weirdly smug.
"How? That sounds wrong, I mean how did it start? How did you two meet?"
Bonnie feels like she needs to know every detail of this story, both for quality gossip with her girlfriend, as well as with TuLove.

View should never find out. She wouldn't survive even the first part.

"Long story short, I bumped into her on the first day of college."
"Oh, didn't expect it to be so casual."
Mim's eyebrows touched.
"No idea what answer you're expecting. I was a heartbroken college student in a different country all by myself and Eve is... gorgeous." The CEO sighs, complimenting Eve is easy, and Mim owes her in many ways.

Bonnie blinked, chewing on her bottom lip. Taking a glance at View, the older girl is staring at them intensely, practically burning holes into the side of Mim's face.

There's conflict in her eyes. A war between the urge to march over, to hover protectively at Mim's side, snarling at anyone who dares get too close... and the harsh restraint of knowing her place in Mim's life now.

Whatever happens, it can't be tonight View knows that. She might risk losing Mim again because the younger girl wouldn't take kindly to that.

"Right! Totally makes sense, I always pictured you as the curled up in bed, streaming depressing music going through a breakup type."
Bonnie can't look at Mim the same way anymore, that's why she's been so bold. She got experience.
"Hmm, can't blame you Bon Bon. You weren't there."
"And I wish that I were." Bonnie place a hand on top of Mim's, gently rubbing over her knuckles.

She's bewildered. One day View texted her asking about Mimetta, and the exes have been working well together since. Tonight Bonnie gets to learn about one of Mim's side chicks. A very famous one.

Mim weekly cracks a smile. Bonnie is the closest thing she has to a sister, and she truly treasure their friendship. She's never once felt ashamed or hesitant to tell Bonnie anything, because her best friend has never judged her.

Bonnie's always been the first to stand up for her... maybe after View but still.

"You're my twin flame Bon, that's definite and it'll never change."
"Aww, don't make me cry here, Mim." Bonnie pulled her into a side hug, pressing a kiss to her temple.
"I still need the full story on Eve."
Mim chuckled.
"Of course you do."
"Haizz... do you think they've got anything stronger than sparkling alcohol? Like actual shots?"
Bonnie backed away toward the bar with a mischievous grin.
"Bring me three if they do."
Bonnie saluted.

____
Within a minute of Bonnie's disappearance. Eve elegantly parted the crowd around her and made her way to Mim's table, drawing every curious eye in the room as she did.

"I can't believe we'd meet again so soon, Mim."
"You look marvelous." Eve grins wide, like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Such high praise, you're not bad yourself, Miss Langton."
"But I don't recall we ever met before." Mim emphasizes the last name, teasingly. Her eyes curving into a cat-like smile.
Eve leans in slightly, placing her champagne on the table.
"Even better. I'd love to remind you." She smirks.

Mim laughs it off, feeling her knees buckle just a little.
"Still a sweet talker, like always."
"It works, so why change?" Eve spots the unmistakable blush rising on Mim's cheeks. With a small, knowing smile, she lightly leans back, giving Mim space but enough to create a bubble of just the two of them.

"You knew."
"Yes?"
"Back then, you knew who I was." Mim rolled her eyes teasingly, feeling quickly comfortable with Eve. After all, they've seen each other naked.
"Ah, that." Eve's voice softens, dripping with affection.
"I didn't know at first, but after hearing your last name. I asked my parents immediately, they told me you're the future of Mimetta."

"Huh? Then why don't I remember your last name? How strange."
Eve held her hands up in defense.
"I have properly introduced myself to you, Mim."
"But I'm not surprised. You were too hung up on your ex back then, trying to move on. So it's normal if you missed it."
Mim didn't flinch or show any unusual expression. She nodded slowly, agreeing.
"That's fair."
"Besides, my last name's overrated anyway... I always prefer it when you scream out my name more." Her voice dropped to a lower, sultry tone, irresistibly appealing.

Mim looked away, smiling shyly.
"I still feel like I've slept with a stranger."
Eve threw her head back and laughed.
"No worries, I'm more than happy to introduce myself again to you. Privately, of course."

_____
At Love's table, the two have witnessed everything. From the moment Eve walked over to Mim.

View's seething jealousy mixed with her sharp scent of possessiveness made Love's nose ache.
"You know, you could end your suffering by walking over there, Mim wouldn't cast you away."
View's knuckles whiten as she grips her glass tightly.
"Who does she think she is? How can she be so close to Mim?" View grits her teeth, jaw clenched tight.

Love's worry for View grows. She should call for backup.
"Okay, View, look at me. No more staring in that direction." She gently cups View's cheeks, bringing her to eyes level.
"Before you do anything, just know I've got your back. I will bail you out if needed."
View swats Love's hands away.
"What?"
"Don't look so confused. You scare me View. You look like you're ready for war and about to attempt murder." Love can't believe Eve hasn't dropped dead already from those death glares.

View have think about it, but this is an open space, it would be too exposed.

"You're being ridiculous P'." View shifts her attention to Mim again, anger replaced by sulking. She wants Mim to look her way, to know that she's upset with her.
"Ridiculous my ass."
"Just go over there, or do you want me to hold your hand?"
"What? No P'Love, I'm not crazy! Go over there as what? Mim's friend?"
"Technically, we are, but after the incident at the mall, it's all turned messy." View rake her fingers through her hair.
...
"So you're not gonna do anything?" Love pats her back, trying to ease the tension.
"I can't, no matter how badly I want to P'. I have no right."
"Okay..."
"At least Bonnie's here and she's locked on the target. We both know how fiercely protective she gets when it comes to Mim."

Just then, they see Bonnie marching back toward the table with quick, determined steps.

View gives Love a firm nod.
"Yeah."
"She's second after me, though." View mumbles, Bonnie can handle Eve.

Love hears her but decides it's safer not to push things with View. They both watch the situation unfold quietly.