Crush Overtake Love

To explain the Rosenberg family, which is a pillar of American high society, we must go back to the Weimar Republic era.Around the time when a notorious dictator who denied the Republic emerged, Heinrich Rosenberg, a distant relative of the Grand Duke of Hesse, secretly fled to America with all his possessions. To completely sever ties with the traitors left in Germany, Rosenberg changed his nationality and became an American, thus creating the Rosenberg we know today.Settling in America, Rosenberg naturally blended in with the upper class through marriage. Over time, even as their blue blood diluted and they became Americans to the bone, those bearing the Rosenberg name were treated as nobility wherever they went. People were perhaps more enthusiastic about the fact that they were Americans with European noble blood.And the Rosenbergs did not betray their expectations. Hence, the man born and raised in America, a pure American and a celebrity most loved by Americans, known as ‘Rose’ in high society, was named Maximilian, a German name.“Rose.”Marianne would call her beautiful son, who was as stunning as an Adonis reborn, with a voice dripping with love, ignoring his perfectly fine name.“I’ll plant primroses for your birthday. From here to there.”Living in their vast country house, Marianne traced a huge horizon with her fingertip, one that young Rose’s eyes couldn’t even encompass.Rose was horrified.“Not so many.”“Why? They’re beautiful.”“Even the most beautiful thing isn’t good if there’s too much of it. Isn’t one flower the most beautiful?”“Yes, just like my son.”Young Rose understood the value of rarity. Just as Rose was one even among many people, he instinctively knew that the most beautiful rose in the garden was a single rose.Every year on Maximilian’s birthday, Marianne would add a new rose garden to the mansion. Although it wasn’t just a single rose as Rose had mentioned, the most beautiful and eye-catching thing in the garden was undoubtedly the rose.Starting with primroses, followed by Damascus roses, Houdini sprays, and Mister Lincolns. Thanks to the annual addition of new gardens, the mansion became a treasure trove of countless rose varieties.Since then, the Rosenberg mansion and its vast gardens in Sagaponack lost their original name and became known as the Rose Mansion.After this fact was revealed through Mikhail Rosenberg, Marianne’s husband and Rose’s father, everyone in the world forgot the name Maximilian.He had just been Rose since some time. Not common nicknames like Maxwell or Max. Even Maximilian thought it was natural. So, even at twenty-nine years old, he was still Rose.But some things had changed. Rose, who was accustomed to the conveniences of modern civilization, no longer lived in the grand mansion in Sagaponack. It was beautiful, but everything was inconvenient at the same time. Rose, who became independent as soon as he turned twenty, now lived in a massive penthouse occupying floors 50 to 58 of a skyscraper in the middle of 57th Street, Manhattan.Rose, sprawled on the U-shaped sofa in the living room, was watching a video on a huge screen hanging from the ceiling. His expression was literally rotten from watching something he didn’t want to see.— That ‘Rose’s black knight is Johann Hayward?— Yes, that’s right. It was a bit unexpected that the Porsche painted in that strange purple color was Johann’s, though…The video was a third-rate gossip program, <Celebrity Behind the Curtain>, famous for the lively banter of its two hosts.— It’s truly surprising! That Johann Hayward, a professional motorsport driver, caught all the illegal street racers!— He’s an IndyCar driver, to be precise. It was very unfortunate for them. Right?— Of course. They went to show off their driving skills, not expecting a professional driver to be racing next to them.— Thanks to that, the illegal racers couldn’t cheat to the end. Well, a Porsche is much more expensive than a Starlight. And this time, Johann avoided retiring.— After all, Johann has the most retirements. If there’s a retirement on a regular road…— It must be an accident. Shall we watch?Dangerous racing scenes played on the big screen. Because of its weird color, the wildly speeding Porsche stood out as if it had a solo shot in a movie.“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand. How did they even fly drones?”“About that…”“I’m watching this right now. Explain later.”Brian shut his mouth with a frustrated expression. He had already forgotten that the boss himself was in the unfortunate black sedan surrounded by four Starlights.On the screen, the purple Porsche was showing merciless driving. Sensational drifting, overtaking with beastly instincts. Rose was genuinely glad he could view this situation objectively.The Starlights were maniacs, the Signity R9R was at risk, and the only Porsche was incredibly brave.The most-viewed scene started to play. As the police appeared and hastily set up barricades, Johann, trying to stop a fleeing Starlight, performed a flashy 270-degree turn drift, completely blocking the road.Rose, entranced, pressed the replay button.The Porsche drifted.Replay, drift, replay, drift…“Boss, you’re purposely not watching the next scene.”“No.”“Could it be that you’re falling for Johann’s driving?”Unable to answer yes or no, Rose pressed play again, irritably.The scene where the police arrived and scuffled, as well as the scene where Brian got out of the car, all passed quickly. The paused scene was none other than the point where the door of the Signity opened, and Rose got out.— Look at that, it’s Rose.Rose got out of the car with a very elegant attitude.— Doesn’t Rose look stunning today as well?— Well, you have to give high marks for wearing a suit in a color that not just anyone can pull off.— What about the sunglasses?— It’s a concept, I guess. Anyway, think about it. It’s lucky that Rose showed up at a motor show a few days ago; if it had been a fashion show, he would have been plastered as the best dresser.— Even with the sunglasses?— Alright, let’s exclude that. Look here, to the knight who saved him. Isn’t it too romantic?— If only there was a bouquet, it would look like a proposal. Preferably with roses.— Didn’t everyone expect that? Anyway, the funniest part starts right now.At that moment, a huge burst of laughter erupted from the screen.On the giant screen that filled the ceiling— so large that it was quicker to measure it in meters rather than inches— was the image of Rose with a very dumbfounded expression. Even though he was lying on a huge sofa in his own home, Rose’s expression was not pleasant because of this very scene.Despite the man’s unrealistically beautiful appearance on the screen, his face was blank with his right hand extended into the air, blinking his eyes in confusion.The ridicule of the panelists struck directly into Rose’s ears as he clenched his fists, trembling.— Doesn’t he look like a man who proposed and got rejected?— The great Rose.— Yes, Rose. The fact that it was Rose is what makes it the funniest.— And the one who rejected him is Johann. Johann Hayward clearly prefers cars over beauties? Since he’s a racer obsessed with cars.— That could be it. You know what Johann said here? ‘Contact me, but no need to send flowers. I’m not really into roses.’— Oh my goodness. Johann really… forgot he was in front of Rose?— He didn’t know Rose was a person’s name!Pop!Rose irritably turned off the screen and sat up straight on the sofa. Brian Levin was doing his best not to laugh in front of his boss. Rose, now sitting properly, habitually adjusted his clothes. Although he had been lounging on the sofa for quite some time in his expensive suit, there were no traces left.“It was getting to the best part.”“If you’re going to laugh, laugh, and if not, then don’t. Stop making such weird faces.”Rose grumbled in a very fierce voice.“No, sir. I wasn’t laughing.”No matter where he was or when he appeared, Maximilian Rosenberg, the CEO of Doodle Investments, always drew attention just by being Rose. Seeing him with such a dumbfounded expression in the middle of the road was an extremely rare sight. It was doubtful whether it could be seen again even if reborn.So Brian planned to capture that video in nanoseconds, print it out, and stick it on the wall of his office, right in front of Rose’s dedicated line.“Don’t.”Rose warned as if he had read Brian’s mind.“W-what?”“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it.”“Boss, you’re not usually that petty.”“I decided to be from today.”Rose wasn’t angry, but his expression was emotionless and calm. Brian barely managed to calm down. In fact, he didn’t entirely disagree with Rose’s feelings.The street racing incident in New York itself was quite a newsworthy topic, but the fact that one of the victims was Rose and that he was saved by IndyCar driver Johann Hayward continued to dominate the media. The third-rate gossip programs kept replaying and reproducing the video of Rose and Johann.That damn hot topic.Johann Hayward and Rose were now the hottest people in New York. Or rather, to be precise, Rose had always been that way. It was Johann who had become hot. The scene of Johann drifting was uploaded as a short and achieved staggering views, and similarly, Rose’s dumbfounded face circulated in high-definition screenshots.“What I was about to tell you, boss. According to the police investigation, it seems the participants were gambling. The importance of the result led them to even fly drones. And the type of race… it was a race where the one who retired the most people won. It was reported that even civilians were included.”“Are those guys insane?”“I certainly think so, dear boss. Naturally, the unanimous winner of the race was Johann Hayward.”Rose lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes trembling. Recently, every time Rose closed his eyes, he saw the drift. The scene where Johann’s Porsche made a beautiful trajectory and came to a perfect stop.“Tens of thousands of dollars evaporated, and there was a rumor of a gunfight in Brooklyn yesterday.”“All the cars that participated in the race were Starlights. What’s going on with that?”“Unfortunately, it was purely a coincidence. It was a race originally meant for Starlight owners only. Wellington Industries is in an uproar. Most of the cars that participated in the race were illegally modified vehicles, equipped with custom aero parts.”“Well done. What does that guy have to say?”The ‘that guy’ Rose referred to was Robert Wellington, CEO of Wellington Industries.“He hasn’t made an official statement yet. But it’s such a major incident that he can’t avoid moral responsibility.”“No guesses, certainty.”“He can’t avoid it. Wellington Industries and we, I mean Motorix Primo. We’re clashing over the Citroën acquisition. A car involved in the illegal Starlight racing is the new model unveiled at the Motor Show? And the victim is you, boss. The public isn’t stupid, but overlapping coincidences are easy to spin.”“The frame is good. Proceed that way. Have you contacted the media?”“Yes, we’re already preparing it. …Though I’m not sure if we really need to go this far.”Brian added in a very small voice, and Rose glared at his secretary with a faint smile.That fearsome smile from the boss was what scared Brian the most. When Rose had that expression, it was impossible to predict what he might do next.“Yes, I’ll start immediately.”Putting aside owner risk management, the truth was that Brian was the best protector who generally did everything Rose asked. And for good reason, Rose paid Brian the highest salary in the industry, both as COO and chief secretary.Every time Brian looked at the renewed annual salary contract, the incentives, and the approved expense reports for every excuse he came up with, he reaffirmed his resolve to package even dog poop on the street as diamonds if Rose asked for it.“What about what I asked for?”“Ah, yes. It’s ready. Shall we begin?”Brian picked up Rose’s remote control and turned on the screen. The screen displayed Johann, wearing an ugly cap and holding a trophy, standing on top of a car.Brian and Joseph had babbled nonsense about hiring him as a driver, but Johann Hayward was a famous figure.“Johann Hayward. Of Asian descent, American nationality. As you now know, he’s a professional motorsport driver. Until last year, he was a reserve driver for an F1 team, and now he’s active in the IndyCar series with the Phoenix Racing Team. He’s a genius-type driver with many fans and many haters.”Johann Hayward. As soon as he heard the name Johann Hayward, Rose involuntarily gritted his teeth. Even though he knew he shouldn’t.Rose hadn’t forgotten that name for a moment since that day. To Rose, Johann Hayward was the one who saved him with artistic yet reckless driving in a bizarrely colored Porsche, and at the same time, the one who displayed Rose’s glittering humiliation in the media.This was something Maximilian Rosenberg had never experienced in his not-so-short life.No one dared to ignore Rose. People lined up to have lunch with him and discuss investments. The rumor of Rose attending an official event alone would pack the place with crowds.The celebrity most loved by Americans. In the world Rose had lived in until now, he had no reason to introduce himself or extend his right hand first.“Hello, I’m Rose.”Everyone knew Rose.But Johann Hayward lived in a world different from Rose’s. And for the first time, Rose saw someone from that strange world.“Boss, are you listening?”“What is F1?”Brian calmly replied.“Boss, you have publicly stated that, as a major shareholder of Netflix, you watch almost all the videos to fulfill your role.”“I did?”“It seems you haven’t watched ‘Drive to Survive’…”At Brian’s words, Rose paused to think and then remembered.“Oh, that one. I watched the beginning but stopped because it was boring. Isn’t that Formula One?”“Abbreviate it.”Rose answered lazily, frowning.“F-One.”“…”Brian momentarily fell silent, wondering what to do. Rose, looking annoyed, spoke up.“I know from the context that it’s F1. So, what’s IndyCar? What’s it short for? And what’s a reserve driver?”Brian realized once again that his boss, Maximilian Rosenberg, had little interest in races where the goal was to see who arrived fastest. Actually, it would be fortunate if he was merely uninterested. Brian’s boss was someone who fundamentally didn’t understand why it mattered who arrived fastest in a vehicle.That was also related to one of the most important values Rose held. To Maximilian Rosenberg, one of the most important things was his health.He didn’t just rely on several personal doctors for his health. He was attentive to everything he ate, drank, and even breathed. Consequently, he naturally became an advocate for environmental protection. To him, sports were purely a positive means of physical training and confronting one’s limits.The enormous exhaust emissions, noise pollution beyond measurement, and the vast amount of oil spilled on the ground made motorsports, which seemed to be environmental destruction itself, a baffling activity to Maximilian.“So, IndyCar is car racing.”“What’s different from F1?”“The rules and the tracks are different. Most importantly, F1 is global, but IndyCar is only in the US. The types of cars are different, and the race formats are different. The only thing in common is that they are open-wheel cars with four wheels.”“Which one is greater?”“While it’s hard to compare different leagues, F1, being global, is larger in scale and much more famous. The advertising effect, revenue, investments, and the number of participating companies are incomparable.”“What’s a reserve driver?”“Simply put, a backup driver.”“Oh, a stand-in.”Saying that, Rose suddenly became indignant.A stand-in driver insulted him. Me!“Now that I think about it, it’s ridiculous. That a driver would drive like that.”The image of the Porsche creeping along slowly in a zigzag, as if driven by a drug addict, and the same Porsche executing a spectacular turn, played simultaneously in Rose’s mind.Is he the type with highs and lows?“I don’t know, but there must have been some reason.”“Brian Levin. Who’s your boss?”“Boss, right is right. I just found out, but a reserve driver isn’t someone you can call a stand-in as you said. There are many drivers the team puts effort into training, and there are thousands of people striving to become a reserve driver. Johann was perfect, and I’d never seen such a beautiful drift before.”Brian said in a voice that sounded as if he were lost in a dream.“The one who took down the Starlight blocking your car, who told us to call the police, who saved you, and even caught the fleeing racer was Johann.”“So…!”Rose knew. Rose genuinely wanted to express his gratitude, and it was an action that came from the bottom of his heart…But Johann, barely acknowledging Rose, exchanged a few words with the police, scribbled an autograph in a notebook, and disappeared, leaving behind only the dumbfounded Rose.“Look at this.”Brian, aiming for a dramatic effect, quickly changed the screen. The picture of Johann changed. Johann’s face, smiling brightly, and his suit were covered in a messy, white liquid. Seeing this, Rose’s face twisted in disgust.“What on earth is that?”Johann was in a ragged outfit, adorned with the names of companies Rose had never seen in his life. People around him were cheering, and Johann seemed happy. So, it must be a very official photo.The issue was, of course, the white liquid dripping from his head, which looked extremely suggestive…“That was when he won the Indy 500 a short while ago.”“Indecent.”Brian refuted his boss’s nonsense.“…In what way?”Rose didn’t know the tradition where the winner of the IndyCar Series drinks milk instead of champagne, and people around them splash milk. To Rose, Johann looked like a promiscuous subject in a bizarrely staged photo.“Just take my word for it.”“…Anyway, Johann Hayward won the Indy 500 not long ago. And then he retired in the next race in Nashville. Because of that, his position in the team wasn’t great, but saving you turned him into a superstar, which seems to have put the team in a tough spot.”“He saved me, so why is it tough?”Brian was momentarily at a loss for words at Rose’s confident question.“Well, they can’t fire him even if they want to…?”“Why would they want to fire someone who drives that well?”That was a part Brian was also puzzled by. Precisely, Brian was puzzled not by Johann’s skills but by his external circumstances.He was such a star, full of newsworthiness, so why Johann Hayward had to be in a poor team was a fact that even Brian couldn’t understand and was about to explain when his phone rang loudly.“Oh, looks like they’ve arrived.”The appointed time was exactly 5 o’clock.Without a second’s delay, the guest arriving at Rose’s penthouse was none other than Johann Hayward, who was on the screen.“I’ll bring him up.”As Brian stood up, Rose asked in his characteristic low voice.“Everything’s prepared. Right?”“Yes, everything is perfect.”Despite Johann’s request to contact him, Rose hadn’t reached out to him. This time, if the two were to meet, Johann had to come to Rose. Rose was still not completely over the shock of hearing “I don’t really like roses” in front of so many people.Rose knew as well that the “rose” Johann referred to wasn’t Maximilian. And he understood that there could be people in the world who didn’t know Rose.But somehow, when he thought of Johann Hayward waving and smiling charmingly at him, Rose wanted to stubbornly insist otherwise.“And me?”“As perfect as ever.”“Can I trust you?”“Then maybe you should change your clothes…”Brian thought, who was the person who dressed up and rolled on the sofa?“No way. It’s a suit that Matt carefully chose for me.”Rose was bewildered by this whole situation he was experiencing for the first time in his life. Waiting for Johann, trying to act as if nothing was different while being so nervous he could go crazy. It was a strange feeling that even Rose himself couldn’t understand. Johann was wearing the best clothes he owned. It was a suit he had tailored in advance, anticipating media interviews when he made his F1 debut. He’d never worn it to meet other sponsors, but anyway, Johann was now facing the most important moment in his life.‘Above all, be shameless.’First, Johann held his head high.Recently, he was realizing the saying about waking up as a star. Though Johann was born in the US and grew up as an American, his Korean heritage made him familiar with the proverb, “The more rice ripens, the more it bows its head,” which his father had told him since he was young.But that saying applied to others. Rose had definitely been helped by Johann, so Johann saw no need to be humble in front of Rose.But… Johann couldn’t help but feel intimidated. The person he was about to meet had a name too grand to ignore.In the past few days, countless messages had poured in for Johann, all starting with his name but ending with Rose.“Johann, I heard you did a good deed? How come you were driving on the public road? Ah, right, it was Rose.”“Johann, you look good on camera. Be honest, did you help because you knew it was Rose? It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone. Just tell me.”“Johann, did you really meet Rose? Is he really that good-looking?”The messages from people he was somewhat familiar with weren’t surprising.The staff at Phoenix Racing Team, which Johann was part of, acted like excited maniacs.“Johann, did you meet Rose? What did he say, will he sponsor us? Well, you saved his life!”“Johann, you contacted Rose, right? …What? You need to do it now! Are you crazy?”Everyone’s question was the same.“So, what did Rose say?”Johann couldn’t answer. He hadn’t met Rose yet.He realized very late that the handsome man with heart-shaped sunglasses, whom he thought was a representative of Motorix Primo, was such a famous person.Until a few days ago, Johann didn’t know Rose. In fact, he still doesn’t know him well. All the information Johann had about Rose came from other people.Everything people said about ‘Rose on TV’ was positive. A major shareholder with an enormous stake, a young rich person whose total wealth was hard to estimate, a true practitioner of noblesse oblige who donated an immense amount to animal and environmental protection. A man loved by all Americans and perhaps, the most beautiful man in the world.“Johann, you really didn’t know who Rose was?”Nicholas, who was crouching in a corner, vomiting, and didn’t even recognize Rose, scolded Johann.“What kind of name is that? Who names a man Rose?”“That’s a prejudiced statement. Say that outside and you might get sued.”Johann was someone who could find over a hundred differences between the Signity R9 and the Signity R9R just by looking, but didn’t know whether Iron Man wore a bat mask or a special suit.“And you wouldn’t say that if you’d seen Rose’s face.”Johann replied sullenly.“I saw him. Right in front of me.”“Now that I think about it, you’re really out of your mind, Johann.”“That’s how it is during a race…”In the face of a situation he couldn’t understand, Johann had to offer a rather cowardly excuse to Nicholas.Johann saw him very closely. Although he learned later through photos that the man had blue eyes, thanks to the sunglasses.A man with blonde hair and blue eyes, someone who looked picture-perfect in a dark green suit, driving the custom-made Signity R9R. According to Johann, the man was closer to a sleek and brightly colored Lamborghini than the Signity R9R. He was a very elegant, weighty, yet beautifully flamboyant man.Even Johann thought his name suited him perfectly. Now that he thought about it, any other name would seem inappropriate. However, Rose’s face in the countless paparazzi photos was always expressionless.Johann was suddenly curious. How beautiful would such a man look when he smiled? What kind of face would he have if he fell in passionate love? If he kissed someone he loved…Seeing photos of Rose without sunglasses, Johann entertained some trivial thoughts.Anyway, the incident where Johann saved Rose took an unusual turn. All of New York was abuzz with the story of Rose caught in an illegal race and Johann, who protected him.People who hated street racing, those who loved motorsports, as well as those who enjoyed loud commotions and hot topics, all gathered to praise Johann and consume the video featuring him. The more they did, the more the video of Johann saving Rose stayed at the center of attention, being reproduced constantly.The person who got out of the driver’s seat went to the passenger seat? Then who was driving? The name ‘Johann Hayward’ filled the screen, followed by the highlight of the Porsche racing madly and ending with a perfect drift, which had the highest views.The video was shared incessantly, the number of hearts kept rising, and the comment sections were filled with people collecting hearts. Numerous people tagged and shared the video, linking Johann’s once dormant account.So, Johann couldn’t help but feel elated. He was a professional sports player, so he was naturally grateful for this kind of positive attention. People started talking about Johann’s win at the Indianapolis 500 and how great a driver he was, and soon they learned that Johann once dreamed of becoming an F1 driver.People were enthusiastic about Johann. Many started challenges trying to replicate Johann’s drift that stopped all the Starlights. Videos of cars lined up, leaving skid marks with bizarre trajectories on the road were so impressive that Johann himself liked some of them.So Johann waited. After all, he saved such a famous person, so maybe a call would come soon.Of course, from what Johann saw on the internet, Rose was very close to environmental organizations and very conscious about his carbon footprint. So, he probably wouldn’t care about motorsports, he might even dislike it. Johann himself didn’t know Rose, so he had no expectation that Rose would know him.But things took a strange turn. Because Johann didn’t recognize him, Rose got tangled up in countless internet memes and ridicule. The public, who loved Rose, also took pleasure in mocking him earnestly. Learning about memes and challenges like ‘Failed Proposal Rose’ and ‘The Purple Knight Rose Hates’, Johann felt he was in big trouble.Now, even if he tried to reach out, Rose might be too angry…“Should I apologize?”Five seconds later, Johann spoke again.“But wait, shouldn’t they contact me first? After all, I saved him! Why so quiet?”Ten seconds later, Johann looked distressed.“Now that I think about it, they probably won’t contact me. What should I do, Nicky?”Unable to bear Johann’s antics any longer, Nicholas grumbled.“What do you mean ‘how’? Then you go find him first.”“How can I do that?”“Why can’t you?”“Ugh… It’s not just about that guy; it’s that people keep nagging me. Have you met Rose, what did Rose say… These days people seem to mistake my name for Rose instead of Johann.”Johann clung to Nicholas and complained about his frustrating situation. Nicholas, who couldn’t just watch his brother live in a daze except when it came to motorsports, offered advice.“Either wait or go find him. Try that first. You’re not going to ask him for money or a sponsorship right away, are you?”“If I go find him, it’ll look exactly like that!”“Be shameless, be shameless. Go and ask how he got home that day; he might treat you to a meal. It’s fine to at least get that. Okay?”“Should I? Yeah, he wouldn’t turn me away, right? Then where should I go to find him?”Nicholas, who had spoken without thinking, was momentarily taken aback by Johann’s confidence.“Rose is the CEO of Doodle Investments. Maybe you could go there?”Johann’s eyes lit up.“…Google? He was that important?”“…Doodle.”“Does Google make cars too? Or did they invest in Motorix Primo?”“Johann, get a grip. It’s D, not G. D-O-O-D-L-E. Doodle.”“Right. Who names a company like that…”If anyone other than Nicholas had said that, Johann would have immediately thought Rose was a scammer. Doodle as a company name? What a stupid name for a company.Luckily, the location and contact information of Doodle Investments were publicly available on the internet, and Doodle Investments’ headquarters were in New York. Johann used that information to go meet Rose.From the moment Johann decided to follow Nicholas’s advice to the time he appeared in Doodle’s headquarters lobby took exactly 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 53 seconds.But on the first day, he was turned away.“Thank you so much for that day, Johann. Nice to meet you. I’m Brian Levin, COO of Doodle Investments.”Contrary to Johann’s expectations, he was greeted by someone else. The man named Brian Levin was someone Johann had seen at the scene, but he was the type Johann feared the most. The type who would hold a pen in hand and thrust accounting documents with lots of zeros at Johann, coldly demanding how he would take responsibility.“I was about to contact you soon anyway. Our boss is very grateful to you, Johann.”Speaking as kindly as possible, Brian moved his sweating hand to quickly contact Rose.❮Boss⠇Boss, what should I do? Johann, whom you’ve been waiting for, is here. He wants to meet you.In fact, Rose had been waiting for Johann. His pride wouldn’t let him extend his hand twice, but he wasn’t someone who ignored favors either. While Rose wavered, it was Johann who moved first.But Rose refused immediately.❮Boss⠇I’m doing Pilates right now.I can’t meet someone looking like this.Knowing how strictly Rose adhered to his self-imposed exercise schedule, Brian hoped Johann wouldn’t notice his sweating as he made excuses.A capable secretary must be skilled in elegant rejections.“I’m really sorry, Johann. But Rose has another engagement today and isn’t in New York.”“Oh, really?”Seeing the disappointment on Johann’s face, Brian received another message.❮Boss⠇I’ll be ready by 6 p.m. Make a reservation at a restaurant for 6:45 p.m.EMPHmm, maybe that’s not the best place?Why aren’t you answering?Is there no spot?Did you mention my name?Even if there’s no spot, make one.Oh dear, this is crazy.The barrage of messages kept setting off his phone’s alerts.❮Boss⠇Boss isn’t in New York today.Brian quickly sent a reply, then tried to look as regretful as possible while answering Johann.“Our boss is looking forward to meeting you as well. Can I contact you again soon?”“Of course.”❮Boss⠇What are you talking about? If I’m not in New York, where am I?Feigning to check the schedule, Brian sent Rose a reply saying ‘Anyway, it’s not possible’ while smiling.“What about the day after tomorrow?”Seeing the positive reaction, Johann played hard to get.“The day after tomorrow, I have team commitments, so it’s difficult…”“I see, Johann. You’re a pro athlete, so you must have many official engagements.”“Well, yes! I’m busier than I thought.”❮Boss⠇I said tonight.Looking at his phone, Brian grinned widely.“How about a month from now?”“Uh, a month from now… I might be in another country…”❮Boss⠇Are you ignoring me now? Do whatever it takes to hold him. Set up a meeting.Brian, frustrated, nearly wrote ‘Why did you reject him then?’ but stopped himself and turned to Johann. Johann had been watching Brian frantically type on his phone with a suspicious look.“Sorry, there’s just been a lot of urgent messages today. In that case, what about today….”“Excuse me? Didn’t you say Mr. Rose was elsewhere?”“That’s right, haha.”After some back-and-forth, they finally scheduled the meeting for a week later, which was today.“He really is a busy man.”“Good luck with the meeting.”Nicholas cheered Johann on.“Of course.”Johann was truly prepared and determined. He had never met someone this influential in such a favorable situation before.“Ah, Johann, you’re here?”Brian, who had been waiting at the penthouse, came out to greet Johann himself. Johann smiled brightly and extended his right hand.“Good to see you again, Mr. Levin.”“Please, call me Brian. Was it hard to get here?”Brian couldn’t send a car for Johann. There was no one at Doodle Investments who could drive better than Johann, and he was too embarrassed to send someone who couldn’t.“Not at all. But this place is….”“Oh, it’s our boss’s home. He prefers meeting people in private places. It’s a special invitation for special people.”At that moment, Johann froze. Could it be, could it be, again?“Shall we go?”…No way, it can’t be.Johann’s heart started pounding wildly. Brian, unaware of Johann’s anxiety and nervousness, led him to the penthouse’s private elevator. Johann’s heart, usually as steady as a marathon runner’s, was now racing. He was undoubtedly nervous; his right hand and right foot were moving together.Throughout the journey, Johann kept glancing at Brian. He was scared that Brian might suddenly pull out accounting documents and throw them at him. Brian, with his glasses, believed he looked very intellectual and cold, and it was true. And like most people of his type, Brian was very family-oriented and conservative.Realizing this, Johann felt relieved. Surely, a man like this wouldn’t propose some group sex arrangement…Having encountered too many sponsors with perverse hidden agendas, Johann was naturally suspicious. In the world of motorsports, driven by thrill and dopamine, people’s sexual preferences were far from ordinary.Drivers who traveled the world with their partners like trophies, owners who had a wife at home, a lover at the office, and engaged in romantic escapades with their assistants only to be fired. A certain group’s head who couldn’t get aroused by anyone older than his own son, laughing heartily with a wine glass in hand. The motorhomes and paddocks were filled with all sorts of perverts, and Johann had no choice but to live with constant suspicion.“Mr. Rose must be very busy.”“Yes, indeed. His schedule is usually packed.”Brian knew Rose’s schedule for today included a suit designer meeting and fitting, aesthetic care, Pilates and swimming, and meeting Johann.“As expected.”“But Johann, Mr. Rose made sure to set aside time for you. Please understand, it’s the best he could do.”“It was me who showed up unannounced initially, it’s fine.”Riding the private elevator that required a key, Johann thought for a moment.Mr. Rose said, Make a wish. So Johann answered, I am an IndyCar driver, and as you saw, I am very capable. But these fools keep wrecking my car. If I could just fix my car in time, I could prove my skills. The problem is, it costs too much to fix the car.Mr. Rose laughed. Fine, do you need money? Johann laughed and declined. No, I didn’t mean it that way. What I need is… Mr. Rose offered again. What do you want?Then Johann…“We’re here. Welcome, Johann.”“Wow.”Johann’s jaw dropped at the sight before him.Motorsports is inherently an extremely costly sport, and those who enjoy it are wealthy. Johann knew quite a few rich people and, though he suffered from repair bills due to unlucky accidents, he was far from poor.Yet seeing them, Johann first felt a sense of class disparity. He doubted they were even the same Americans. The food they ate, the sports they watched, the music they listened to, and even the artistic decorations in their homes were different. Capitalism, in its myriad tangible and intangible forms, firmly delineated classes, something Johann had realized from a young age.But still, Johann had never seen anything like this.The penthouse, undoubtedly crafted by a renowned interior designer with numerous portfolios online, spanned from the 50th to the 58th floor, making it impossible to count the levels. The walls were adorned with various art pieces that served as focal points.The house had no empty space. Artworks, accessories, lighting, even the carpet on the floor. Yet, it wasn’t excessive. Everything was meticulously placed. It was so magnificent that one felt hesitant to even step into the space.“The boss is waiting for you in the dining room. This way, Johann.”“Ah, yes.”In a normal house, the dining room for entertaining guests would be nearby, but Johann had to climb two intricately carved spiral staircases.“Boss. Mr. Hayward has arrived.”And there, in the middle of the round table in the dining room, was him.Rose.Johann, facing him, stood with his mouth open in a dazed expression. His light blue eyes blinked gracefully as he read something. Johann, without caring about looking foolish, just gaped.When confronted with something overwhelming, people often can’t speak and just stand there with their mouths open, and that was exactly how Johann felt. Beautiful. Exceptionally, incredibly, fantastically beautiful. That was the only thought in Johann’s mind. He unconsciously wiped his lips with the back of his hand in surprise.Rose, with a noble expression, set aside the tablet he had been reading. The video on the tablet showed Johann covered in white milk and smiling broadly, but there was no need to watch it when the person in question was right in front of him. Even at home, Rose was dressed in a full suit and jacket, and as he stood up, he politely buttoned his jacket.Rose approached Johann and suddenly extended his hand.“Maximilian Rosenberg.”The pronunciation was elegant and refined.“Uh, hello. Rose.”As Johann reached out to shake hands, Rose lightly pulled his hand back.“Rosenberg.”It was a petulant attitude that didn’t match his elegant demeanor and refined pronunciation.“Yes, Mr. Rosenberg…”Only then did Rose coldly smile and take his hand. The grip was incredibly strong.Johann broke out in a cold sweat. Rose had the same incredibly beautiful appearance as he did on that day, and just being near him felt overwhelming.Extremely beautiful people are dangerous. Being close to them makes you keep looking at them, unknowingly acting rudely. But before Johann could compose himself, he found himself defenseless in front of Rose.“I prepared carefully, I hope you like it.”As Rose, the host, offered polite greetings, the waiting chefs nervously entered and set the table.Rose and Brian immediately noticed Johann’s uncomfortable expression. Unlike Rose, who was puzzled, Brian quickly understood and asked.“Sorry, Johann. I should have been more considerate. Are there any foods you can’t eat?”“Ah, it might be quicker to tell you what I can eat…. Chicken and duck are fine, no refined carbs of any kind. Whole wheat pasta and seafood are okay. All vegetables are fine, but portion control is needed. Creams and butters are difficult….”Johann promptly listed his dietary restrictions, and the chefs’ eyes widened. Brian and Rose, who had expected something like allergies, were equally taken aback.They had invited Michelin-starred restaurant chefs to their home specifically to serve a meal, and now what?“Is there anything you can eat?”Seeing Rose’s bewilderment, Johann reflexively shrank back.“It’s a bit picky, I’m sorry. I’m currently managing my diet.”Rose, without being rude, looked Johann up and down.“You don’t seem like you need to lose weight.”In fact, Johann looked lean and perhaps needed to eat more.“It’s not about losing weight. A driver’s weight relates to the car’s setup. During the season, the car’s setup is roughly finished, but if my weight changes, we have to redo the setup from scratch. Gaining or losing weight is both problematic.”Johann’s clear explanation made the chefs reluctantly understand, and Rose nodded.“Will it take long to prepare again?”“No, it should be ready shortly. Please wait about 10 minutes.”The chefs, sweating with nerves, retreated, leaving a silence at the table. Rose didn’t take his eyes off Johann, and Johann did the same.“Why is that?”“I wondered if all the photos taken of you were fake…?”Johann said with a broad smile, but Rose’s face turned harsh at the unfamiliar comment, and Brian quickly intervened.“Our boss looks much better in person, right?”Only then did Johann snap out of it and nod vigorously.“Ah, yes! Of course. The camera quality must be poor! The paparazzi have no sense of ethics. They should carry better lenses.”“Right? Actually, I think so too.”“Hmm.”Rose’s face relaxed slightly, satisfied with Johann’s answer. Johann sighed deeply with relief.This person is difficult…“Did you get home safely that day?”“I had a delicious dinner, thanks to someone.”“Ahaha. I said that so you wouldn’t be too startled.”“Of course. I meant I would help you have a delicious dinner at home. And that’s what happened, Johann. Thanks to you, I had a wonderful dinner with my family.”Thanks to his boss’s talent for making ordinary words sound strange, Brian was skilled at smoothing things over.Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the skilled chefs to prepare a new menu. Since they only had to change Johann’s menu, not anyone else’s. The terrible orders of ‘no refined carbs’ and ‘avoid sauces’ essentially meant no flavor-heavy dishes, so they decided to rely on ingredients.Each person’s menu was different. Johann looked puzzled at Rose’s plate, which had the smallest portion, and once again, Brian explained with a smile.