282-283

Chapter 282: The Socialite Circle

In New York, Milo only attended two types of parties.

The first type was those he found interesting—or sometimes, simply to kill his boredom.

These were quite random.

Sometimes, it might be a grand soirée hosted by Mayor Giuliani to celebrate his re-election, gathering all the city’s elite.

Other times, it might be a premiere or promotional event for a Paladin Media film in New York.

On occasion, it was just a small vanity fair gathering of entertainment industry figures.

The second type, however, was more predictable:

Parties hosted by those New Yorkers with whom Milo had a good relationship.

Families like the Kemps, the Dolans, or the Morgenthau clan.

Take, for example, the evening of December 23, 1997.

Milo attended a party hosted by Don Kemp, Ivana’s father, to celebrate the engagement of his eldest son, Don Kemp Jr.—Ivana’s older brother.

“...Well, should I say congratulations?” Milo blinked, his tone teasing.

Standing in front of him, looking slightly awkward, was Ivana’s brother, Don Jr.

Milo and Ivana had just arrived.

Thanks to Ivana, Milo was practically family to the Kemps.

Thus, Milo and Ivana skipped any grand entrance or dramatic timing. They simply showed up on time.

They happened to run into Don Jr., the man of the hour, and started chatting.

It didn’t take long for Milo to learn why Don Jr., only twenty years old, was rushing to get engaged this month and married next month, right after the New Year.

Apparently, Don Jr. had gotten someone pregnant.

Ordinarily, given the Kemp family’s resources, such situations were easily resolved.

At most, they’d provide financial support—after all, it wasn’t Don Sr.’s mess to clean up.

But this time, there was a complication.

With Milo and Ivana’s influence, the Kemp family’s status had skyrocketed.

Don Jr.’s social circle had leveled up as well, giving him access to higher-caliber women.

This time, the pregnant girlfriend was the daughter of a wealthy family specializing in port operations in New York, with a fortune nearing a billion dollars.

Though this family wasn’t quite on the Kemp family’s current level, they were about equal to the Kemps before Milo’s involvement—significant enough to avoid unnecessary conflict.

So, despite Don Sr.’s intentions of arranging a more advantageous marriage for his son, they had no choice but to proceed with the engagement and marriage to smooth things over.

Hence Milo’s teasing remark to Don Jr. earlier.

Don Jr. forced a bitter smile. “I didn’t plan on rushing into this. I mean... Dad, Milo’s here.”

At that moment, Don Sr., noticing Milo’s arrival, quickly left his other guests to greet his daughter and her highly valued son-in-law-to-be.

“Hmm.” Don Sr. nodded curtly to his son, his expression neutral, but as he turned toward Milo and Ivana, his signature smile appeared.

“Hey, my dear ones! You’re here. Your presence will surely delight the Bergs!”

The Bergs were the family of Don Jr.’s fiancée.

Though technically based in New Jersey, their operations in Manhattan made them nearly indistinguishable from New Yorkers.

The Berg family ran the city’s largest seafood market, several freight companies, and a few deep-sea fishing enterprises.

Their wealth was comparable to what the Kemp family had before Milo’s arrival.

Recently, Forbes published its 1997 Global Wealth Report—not a ranking, just a report.

It revealed that there were 781 billionaires worldwide, and New York led all cities with 79.

The Kemp family had made the list.

The Berg family hadn’t, as their wealth was split among several individuals, and Forbes only counted those with personal wealth exceeding one billion dollars.

“I believe Don Jr. is already twenty,” Milo said with a smile. “Since his girlfriend is pregnant, it’s about time for marriage and family.”

His comment made Don Sr. nod in agreement with a smile, though Don Jr., standing nearby, seemed less enthused. He even glanced at his sister’s slightly rounded belly but didn’t dare say a word.

Don Sr. then turned to Ivana. “Dear, your mother is here. Also, would you like to meet your future sister-in-law? They’re preparing for their entrance over there. If you’d like, you can go take a look.”

Ivana glanced at Milo, who smiled and nodded.

So Ivana, with her small baby bump, went off to meet her future sister-in-law and her long-divorced mother.

Don Jr. quickly found an excuse to follow her.

“Ah, he’s always like this—he’ll never grow up,” Don Sr. said, watching his son leave with visible disappointment.

Milo thought to himself, At his age, you weren’t much better.  

Weren’t you fully reliant on your father back then? And in terms of helping your son, you’re still far from matching your old man’s capabilities in a parallel timeline!

“Maybe becoming a husband and father will change him,” Milo offered a platitude.

“No one knows my son better than I do,” Don Sr. shook his head, gesturing emphatically. “He won’t change. He’ll always disappoint me.”

Milo noticed the growing number of eyes on them.

He understood why.

First, his presence at an engagement party of the Kemp and Berg families was somewhat unexpected, given the families’ standing.

Second, many of the attendees were there out of respect for the Berg family or Don Sr.—and Don Sr. himself hadn’t been sure if Milo would show up.

So naturally, Don Jr.’s unreliability was under a harsh spotlight tonight.

The entire reception relied on Kimp to hold things together.

Milo, therefore, asked Kimp to attend to the guests while he wandered around at his leisure.

Kimp hesitated, as staying by Milo’s side seemed crucial. However, noticing that Milo truly didn’t need his company and realizing this evening was a great opportunity to expand his own network, Kimp nodded and chose to focus on entertaining the guests.

Left to his own devices, Milo began casually roaming the venue.

Many attendees noticed him and wanted to approach, but his reputation and rumored temper deterred them. As a result, no one dared to initiate a conversation with him.

The occasion was the engagement reception for the Kimp and Berg families—a fairly modest affair by elite standards.

The attendees were leaders of billion-dollar businesses or representatives of even wealthier families, all part of the “Ten-Billion-Dollar Club.”

Although these guests were prestigious, Milo wasn’t particularly impressed by their status.

His interest dwindled as he thought about Ivana making an appearance later. He planned to have her take his place at the event after giving her a few instructions so he could leave early.

After all, he had already shown up and made his presence known—a gesture that was enough to give both Kimp and Ivana face.

As Milo wandered aimlessly for about ten feet, he slowed down, looked around, and approached a long table. He reached for a glass of whiskey placed at the back.

Milo didn’t care for champagne or wine—whiskey was his drink of choice.

At that moment, another hand reached for the same glass from the opposite side, and their hands met.

The other person was a young woman, slightly younger than Ivana, with a slender figure and light blond hair. She exuded elegance. Milo recognized her immediately—Nicky Hilton of the Hilton family.

Nicky was also one of the signed models for Victoria’s Secret.

Thanks to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, the brand, primarily known for lingerie, had become a superstar in the global fashion industry.

With its focus on promoting a healthy aesthetic, it garnered popularity among both men and women.

What’s more, the company belonged to Milo, and he appeared to take a keen interest in it.

There were often rumors about him and the supermodels under contract with Victoria’s Secret, which led some socialites to take notice.

Many of them even inquired if they could join the company, hoping to become part of its glamorous world.

Victoria’s Secret saw this as an unexpected opportunity—a group of wealthy heiresses and socialites wanting to join its ranks could enhance the brand’s prestige.

After consulting with its headquarters, Victoria’s Secret happily welcomed these women, whose intentions were clearly more about status than career aspirations.

Now, alongside internationally renowned supermodels, the company had a special group of “low-pay, high-profile” models, primarily composed of heiresses from America and Europe.

This group included Ivana’s close friends—the Hearst sisters—and the Hilton sisters.

Nicky Hilton and her older sister Paris, in particular, thrived in the fashion world, surpassing the Hearst sisters in this arena. Together, they had become rising stars among New York’s elite social circles.

“Hi, Nicky,” Milo greeted her with a smile, handing her the glass before picking up another one for himself.

Noticing her slightly forced smile, he asked, “Is something wrong? You seem a little upset.”

“Hi, Milo. Good evening,” Nicky responded, looking somewhat surprised but pleased. She nodded and said, “I’m glad to see you here.”

Milo glanced in the direction of her gaze and saw a group of young women not far away, including her sister, Paris Hilton, and the Hearst sisters. They were surrounded by other wealthy heiresses from New York’s elite "Four Hundred" club.

It seemed that Nicky’s conversation with Milo had caught their attention, as their eyes were now focused on the two of them.

Looking at the young woman in front of him—despite being slightly younger than Ivana—she was already quite mature in appearance.

Taking a deep breath, Milo decided that tonight might not be as boring as he initially thought.

With time, he’d become less resistant to socializing with them. Perhaps his Anglo-Saxon lineage was influencing him.

He extended an invitation to Nicky, “It seems like they’re bothering you. Why don’t we head over there to sit and have a drink? There’s a sofa—it’ll be more comfortable to talk.”

Nicky was momentarily taken aback, her bright eyes showing a hint of hesitation. However, it quickly faded, and she put on the classic socialite smile.

“Of course, Mr. Blackburn,” she said graciously.

The two of them walked toward a quieter corner together.

Of course, it wasn’t a quiet affair—everyone saw it.

But almost no one stepped up to intervene, and many women even showed expressions of envy.

Take, for example, Nicky Hilton’s inner circle, which included her sister and the Hearst sisters.

Now, some people were already feeling regret and envy.

One such person was Annie from the Pritzker family.

Earlier, during a game of Truth or Dare, both Annie Pritzker and Nicky Hilton lost.

Annie chose to drink a glass of extremely strong whiskey as her punishment.

Nicky Hilton, on the other hand, opted for Truth or Dare.

Someone dared Nicky Hilton to approach someone and strike up a conversation.

They even chose someone they believed to be the most challenging target—Milo Blackburn, a man who was a legend even within their elite circles.

At first, Nicky Hilton didn’t dare to go. But if she refused, she would have to drink three glasses of whiskey as punishment—much harsher than Annie’s single glass.

In the end, Nicky gritted her teeth and preemptively anticipated Milo’s path.

She "coincidentally" bumped into him at the self-service bar and completed her Truth or Dare task smoothly.

What they hadn’t expected, however, was that things didn’t stop there.

It seemed like Nicky Hilton had found her lucky coin today.

Milo Blackburn appeared to be genuinely interested in her and invited her to a corner for a private chat.

Now, the socialites in her circle were all feeling a bit envious and frustrated.

“Does it look like she succeeded?” Annie Pritzker asked, suppressing her jealousy.

The Pritzker family is the renowned owner of the ultra-luxury Hyatt Hotels.

They’re considered one of America’s old-money families, having started building their fortune as early as the 1980s.

From law firms to real estate investments, their net worth now exceeds billions.

But the family is extensive, and although their roots are in Chicago, its members are scattered across major cities in the U.S.

Annie Pritzker belonged to the New York branch, a bit like a less prominent version of the Mellon family.

“Wasn’t he supposed to be hard to talk to?” another socialite chimed in.

Amanda Hearst remarked, “If he’s that difficult, then why is Ivana already pregnant? The truth is, he’s probably not as unreachable as we thought!”

Her words stirred up the group.

Some men have a “collector’s” hobby, and socialites, in a way, have their own.

However, their standards are much higher than the average woman’s.

There are very few men who catch their attention.

But now, everyone in their little circle knew Ivana.

Ivana used to be a newcomer to their group, sitting at the bottom of their subtle hierarchy.

But now?

Ivana had outgrown their circle.

She was now part of the Rockefeller and Mellon-tier groups.

Everyone understood how Ivana had climbed to the top.

And now, seeing that Nicky Hilton also seemed to have a chance…

Someone turned to Paris Hilton. “Paris, that’s your sister. Don’t you want to go check on what she’s discussing with the world’s richest man?”

Paris hesitated but then noticed Nicky saying something to Milo.

After that, Milo stood up and left.

Paris breathed a sigh of relief. “It looks like their conversation is over. It’s not that easy after all.”

The socialites gave up for the moment, waiting for Nicky Hilton to return.

But after about five minutes, Nicky stood up.

Instead of walking back to them, she glanced in their direction and then headed into the hallway where Milo Blackburn had left.

The socialites exchanged incredulous looks, stunned.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 283: You Bastard*

"Yes, of course, I love the latest LV designs too. I'm even thinking of creating a few new styles based on them."

Amidst a group of young ladies, Paris Hilton, dressed in a pink evening gown, made this remark.

As a member of the Hilton family, attending the wedding of Mr. Donald Kemp's son was perfectly reasonable.

Although the Hilton family was wealthier and wielded more influence in New York than the Kemp family, Paris had a good relationship with Mr. Kemp's daughter, Ivana.

Now, she was here to attend Ivana’s brother’s engagement ceremony—completely justifiable, right?

Certainly not because the Kemp family had recently latched onto a powerful ally and was on the rise.

"Really? What’s your plan? Dye everything pink?" someone teased.

"Of course, as long as it's well-designed, there’ll be people who like it," Paris responded without hesitation. Everyone here knew about her obsession with pink.

It had been half an hour since Nicky Hilton had "disappeared."

Their little socialite group had initially been tightly knit, but by now, it had fragmented into smaller cliques.

Regarding what might have happened with Nicky, they all had their suspicions.

As a result, whether it was Paris or the Hearst sisters, their conversations became increasingly distracted.

After a few more exchanges, Paris took a deep breath and announced she was heading to the restroom.

Leaving the group behind, she walked off in another direction.

However, the moment she turned away, her smile dropped.

Of course, she wasn’t angry about the teasing; she'd heard far too much of it to care.

Her foul mood stemmed from one thing: her sister was missing.

"Damn it. I saw her head this way earlier," Paris muttered. She circled the banquet hall’s corridor before deciding to check the lawn outside.

But as she turned a corner, she collided head-on with someone coming out of a side hallway.

"Nicky? I finally found you! What are you doing here?"

Paris steadied herself against the wall, initially preparing to scold. But upon recognizing the person, her anger shifted to curiosity and relief.

"Sis… Sister?"

Nicky Hilton, equally leaning against the wall, looked startled and flustered.

Dressed in a strapless, knee-length sheath dress, she exuded youthful charm with a hint of sensuality.

However, her outfit was wrinkled, as though she'd been pressed against something.

Her disheveled appearance—with flushed cheeks, a tucked-in hemline, and an undone strap on one high heel—left little to the imagination.

Paris, who had already suspected something, immediately pieced things together.

"Nicky, you didn’t just..." Paris stammered, her voice filled with both shock and anger.

Even Paris herself wasn’t sure why she felt angry, but just the thought of it infuriated her.

Before she could say more, a man’s voice interrupted, "Wait, Nicky, your—Oh... Paris, good evening."

Milo, impeccably dressed, appeared before them.

Despite his polished appearance, a hint of pink fabric peeking from his pocket betrayed him.

Without question, it was Nicky’s underwear.

"You… You… You two…" Paris could barely form a sentence.

"I’ll take my leave now. Milo, um, you can handle that for me," Nicky mumbled before quickly escaping.

Her hurried steps, however, betrayed a slight limp.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Paris crossed her arms and glared at Milo. "Did you… Mlove her?"

"Technically speaking... yes," Milo replied with a smile, casually tucking the pink fabric back into his pocket.

It bore traces of blood, explaining why Nicky had abandoned the Victoria’s Secret silk panties worth at least $95.

“Damn it! Nicky’s younger than me—she’s younger than Ivana too!” Paris snapped, her voice breaking. "What were you even thinking?! Ivana’s already pregnant because of you! And this is her brother’s engagement party!"

"But your sister is adorable," Milo said, blinking innocently. "We chatted for a while, and Nicky seemed happy. Then I mentioned I was feeling tired and came here to rest. Not long after, she followed me in, and then she said..."

"Shut up!"

Paris, clearly upset, either out of concern for her sister or some other reason, seemed to momentarily forget Milo's status. She even dared to raise her voice at him.

Milo, however, didn’t seem to mind and continued smiling.

Paris, despite her fiery reaction, still had an undeniable charm in her pre-scandal days.

"I… Ugh, forget it! I just—You… How could you..."

Watching Paris sputter in frustration, Milo chuckled, "You’re quite adorable yourself, Paris. Since we have a little time, why don’t you join me for a rest?"

Paris’s eyes widened in shock, her expression one of utter disbelief.

Then, as realization dawned, she snapped, "F**k you!"

She fled without looking back.

Milo shrugged, unconcerned, and smiled to himself.

Playing such games every now and then was surprisingly entertaining, especially when the targets were still in their prime.

In a few years, he wouldn’t be able to do these things with them anymore.

Not because they would refuse at that point.

On the contrary, if Milo was willing, 95% of the female guests at the party outside—

even many who were already married or in relationships—

would probably be eager to let him take them aside to a private room for a "chat."

It was Milo himself who thought otherwise.

When it came to these socialites, he felt that it was best to enjoy their company while they were still "pure."

As long as no one died, no one would really care.

After all, no one was losing anything physical—well, perhaps a small part of their youth.

But with precautions, even that wouldn’t be too much of a concern.

As for the women in their late twenties, they were either already married or, in Milo’s eyes, no longer "clean."

Having come to terms with this or raised his own threshold of concern,

Milo no longer held back.

As long as the conditions were right and the mood was appropriate,

he wouldn’t mind indulging himself anymore.

Nicky Hilton was just the beginning.

She was far from the end.

Everyone knew that Milo was engaged to Ariana Rockefeller.

This fact eliminated any unwelcome advances or expectations from others.

That concern was now gone.

Finally, he could relax and enjoy himself.

Moreover, within America’s high society, the Rockefellers were practically royalty.

Ariana could be considered a true American princess.

For these wealthy socialites, whose material needs were abundantly met but whose lives were spiritually unfulfilled,

the idea of tarnishing the crown of a "princess" like Ariana Rockefeller was likely thrilling.

When Milo returned to the party,

Kimp approached him to say,

"Ivanna was looking for you.

But after hearing that you’d gone to rest, she didn’t continue searching.

She stayed with her mother and brother instead."

"Plenty of people saw you go inside together," Kimp added.

"But honestly, that’s completely normal. The truth is, people with charm can do whatever they want.

No one understands this better than I do—it’s the essence of parties!"

"Ha, Don, you’re so right. You really know your stuff," Milo replied.

Half an hour later, Milo left the engagement party with Ivanna.

In the car, Ivanna noticed a scent.

She even remarked,

"LV Pearl perfume. Among us, the one who loves LV fragrances the most is Nicky Hilton. I’m curious why it wasn’t her sister.

Paris has mentioned before that she’s dreamed of you romantically."

"It was just the mood," Milo said. "The moment felt right. Ivanna, are you upset?"

"I don’t have the right to be upset. I’m not Ariana," Ivanna responded calmly.

She added, "Besides, I’m pregnant now. If other women want to help my man relieve himself, I’m more than happy."

Milo couldn’t help but give her a thumbs-up.

That night, he didn’t stay with Ivanna.

Since he couldn’t touch her,

he secretly had Nicky Hilton brought over to a Hilton hotel.

There, he stayed with her until she was completely exhausted.

By the next morning, which was Christmas Eve,

he watched as Paris arrived to pick up her still-sleeping sister.

Milo left for Boston without delay.

The next day, Christmas arrived.

As tradition dictated,

important members of the Blackburn family were expected to visit Harvard University on this day.

This tradition, nearly two centuries old, had survived the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and both World Wars.

Previously, it was Old Blackburn who took Joseph.

Later, Old Blackburn or Joseph would take Paladin.

Starting two years ago,

Old Blackburn began taking Milo.

But this year, both Old Blackburn and Joseph decided Milo could handle it alone.

Now, Milo held a key position on Harvard’s Board of Overseers and Committee of Trustees.

Old Blackburn and Joseph had already passed this role to him.

So Milo decided to bring along his late brother’s widow, Haley Harrison Blackburn.

According to Milo, it was tradition for two people to attend each year.

This had been the custom for over 200 years.

It was, after all, tradition.

Since the two elders were unwilling to come,

he and Hailey decided to go instead.

So, on Christmas Day...

In Harvard Yard, inside the library—

"Look, just look at these bookworms. It's Christmas today, the most wonderful day of the year, and they're spending it here! Truly pathetic."

A young man, seemingly around twenty years old, stepped into the Harvard library. He glanced at the students, who were still buried in their books even on Christmas Day, and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"But William, didn’t you just say that you often come to the library yourself?"

The question came from a tall, stunning blonde woman of about the same age, whose figure exuded sensuality.

"That’s exactly my point," William replied with a wink. "It’s not that you shouldn’t come to the library, but you need to pick the right time. Studying is important, but you shouldn’t spend all your time on it. A little entertainment is necessary, which is why I dislike bookworms. Got it, Anna?"

"Alright, I get it," Anna responded with an amused smile, "but I doubt this is the right time either."

"Of course not," William said with a mischievous grin. "I’m taking you somewhere fun."

He bent his arm in invitation, and Anna, giggling, linked her arm with his as they walked further inside.

All along the way, William kept talking, describing the library to his companion. However, his introduction wasn’t the kind typically given to new students or casual visitors; instead, it was an insider’s take—the perspective of a Harvard fraternity member.

Naturally, he spoke in a low, hushed tone. Even fraternity members had to abide by certain rules at times.

"Alright, here we are. Perfect view, no chance of being seen," William said, stopping in a secluded corner.

"Think about it—on Christmas Day, in the most prestigious school in America, inside its most sacred library."

"Anna, doesn’t it sound thrilling?"

Standing by the last row of bookshelves, William gave her a suggestive look.

"We won’t know until we try," Anna teased, glancing around at the nearby tables and the students seated there. Her cheeks, however, betrayed a faint blush that hinted at her thoughts.

Just as they were about to step behind the tall bookshelf, William suddenly grabbed Anna’s arm, stopping her.

Anna was about to ask what was wrong, but then she noticed William shaking his head and pointing to a spot on the fourth shelf from the bottom, deep inside the stack.

There was a book slightly tilted out of place on the shelf.

“What’s going on?” Anna asked, puzzled.

William didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned closer to examine it and mumbled, “Beccaria’s On Crimes and Punishments?”

Then, he extended a hand and knocked on the bookshelf—four long knocks followed by four short ones.

After a few seconds, there was a response from behind the shelf: five short knocks followed by two long ones.

“Oh, for f***’s sake, damn it!”

William rolled his eyes and resumed knocking.

They exchanged coded messages like this for a moment.

Finally, William turned to his companion and shrugged. “Sorry, babe, we’ll have to come back later.”

“What’s going on?” Anna frowned, clearly annoyed. “I said I’d do it for free!”

“Sorry, it’s just not happening right now.”

Anna’s face immediately darkened.

She was a call girl.

Just the thought of doing something like that in the most sacred library at Harvard was enough to excite her.

And now she couldn’t do it—not even for free.

She was genuinely upset.

“There’s someone in there right now,” William sighed, pulling her along as they walked a few steps away. Then he added, “It’s another member of the fraternity. And he outranks me. If I want to use it, I’ll have to wait until he’s done.”

“Seriously?” Anna rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you say you were one of the highest-ranking members in your Harvard frat? That’s the only reason I agreed to do it for free.”

William scratched his head. “I am. I wasn’t lying. There are fewer than ten people in the entire frat who outrank me. Whoever’s inside right now must be one of them, and trust me, we don’t want to mess with him.”

“Don’t be mad, babe. If we can’t do it in the library, there are other places,” William said with a sly grin, pinching her cheek. “I promise, this time there won’t be any interruptions.”

“Promise?” Anna’s expression softened into a flirtatious smile. “But if it’s somewhere else, I’m not doing it for free.”

“I promise!” William replied, though he winced internally.

Anna was high-end, and not doing it for free meant it would cost him a couple of thousand dollars.

Still, William could afford it. Without hesitation, he led Anna out of the library.

Most people remained engrossed in their studies.

It was as if nothing had changed—not even in the far corner of the library behind that bookshelf.

“I told you we wouldn’t get caught,” Milo chuckled, speaking to the woman he had pinned against the bookshelf.

“P-please... hurry up...”

Haley Blackburn half-closed her eyes, her voice a barely audible whisper. “You bastard...”

(End of chapter)