Nadja Auermann woke to the subtle stirrings beside her. The room was dimly lit, suggesting it was still early. Fragments of the previous night's wildness flashed through her mind, and she resisted the urge to fully awaken.
After a while, a bright beam of light pierced through the room, chasing away any remnants of sleep. Reluctantly, Nadja opened her eyes.
The bedroom was expansive, easily over a hundred square meters, surpassing the size of the Paris apartment she had bought last year. The decor was minimalist with pure white tones, yet every piece of furniture and decoration hinted at opulence and sophistication.
Sitting up, she instinctively glanced beside her.
The reality of last night became undeniable.
On the other side of the bed, Claudia Schiffer and Paulina Porizkova lay entwined, their hair cascading down their bare shoulders, resembling two exquisite lilies. Even as a woman, Nadja felt a twinge of attraction at the sight.
Though it was still winter in Berlin, the bedroom was warm.
Turning away from the sleeping beauties, Nadja found her underwear amidst the scattered garments and slipped it on. She looked at the crumpled dress on the nearby sofa but decided against wearing it. Barefoot, she walked across the thick carpet to the window.
Pulling the curtain aside slightly, she was greeted by the bright morning sun.
It was certainly past nine in the morning.
The sky over Berlin was a flawless blue, reminiscent of a silken fabric. Below, the Spree River flowed quietly, and the stone bridge to her right, along with the red-brick buildings across the river, added a touch of timeless charm to the city.
Originally, she had only intended to peek outside, mindful of the two women still in bed. But the view captivated her, and Nadja couldn't help but push the curtain further aside. This triggered a mechanism, and the curtains slid open automatically with a soft hum, flooding the room with light. A disgruntled murmur came from behind her.
Since the curtains were now open, Nadja paid no further mind to the bed.
She focused on the view outside, marveling at the familiar cityscape from this new vantage point.
Having grown up in Berlin with divorced parents, her mother working in a bank provided a decent but not lavish lifestyle. In her memories, Berlin was a crowded, dull, and uninteresting place.
But now, standing in the luxurious penthouse overlooking the Spree River, with its clear skies and the city's historic architecture below, Nadja felt as though she was seeing Berlin anew. This view stirred a sense of ambition within her.
The feeling was akin to what she experienced when she first boarded that Boeing 767 private jet.
Now, the sensation was even clearer.
She realized that the Berlin of her past was not unworthy; it was simply that her world at the time was too limited.
Now, she stood in a different world.
A noise from behind broke Nadja's reverie.
Before she could turn, Paulina Porizkova approached, wrapping her arms around Nadja's waist from behind and resting her chin on Nadja's shoulder as she gazed outside. "Wow, this place is amazing. Do you think this apartment belongs to Simon?" she asked.
"Of course," another voice chimed in. It was Claudia Schiffer, who had joined them on the other side of Nadja. "I read in a magazine that Simon owns properties in many cities across North America and Europe. He supposedly dislikes staying in hotels."
Paulina, her voice tinged with envy, remarked, "I don't like staying in hotels either."
The other two didn't respond.
If one could own properties in multiple cities, who would prefer hotels?
However, in reality, only someone like Simon Westeros had the means to buy properties wherever he fancied. Most billionaires might afford luxurious homes in a few major cities, but they couldn't match Simon's seemingly whimsical property acquisitions.
Paulina soon asked, "Hey, do you think he's deliberately avoiding us?"
This question brought a complex mix of expressions to the other two women's faces.
They exchanged glances and then quickly looked away.
At the moment, Nadja was the only one wearing underwear, while Paulina and Claudia were wrapped in bed sheets, with nothing underneath.
They couldn't help but recall last night.
Simon had initially invited Nadja Auermann. Paulina Porizkova, half-jokingly, wondered if she lacked appeal, and Claudia Schiffer's own competitive spirit was piqued.
In the end, all three women ended up at Simon's apartment.
This luxurious penthouse in central Berlin was just two kilometers from last night's festival venue and the hotel where the after-party was held—a short distance, leaving little time for second thoughts.
Moreover, among the three, only Nadja Auermann was truly single. Paulina Porizkova had been married for three years, and Claudia Schiffer had a boyfriend.
Had it been anyone else extending the invitation, these women, with their pride and poise, would have likely turned him down.
But this was Simon Westeros.
Even if one set aside his immense wealth and power, his tall, handsome appearance made him an ideal one-night stand.
Furthermore, the allure of his incredible wealth and influence was nearly impossible to resist.
Despite their achievements in their respective fields, standing before Simon Westeros, their accomplishments seemed insignificant. Media reports indicated that his daily wealth increase might surpass what they could earn in a lifetime.
Moreover, with the expansion of Melisandre, the launch of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and the debut of Fashion TV, Simon's influence in the fashion industry had grown exponentially.
In the fashion world, the real power didn't lie with magazines like Vogue or Bazaar, despite their glamorous fronts. It was the fashion brands that held the reins because even the most renowned fashion media depended on these brands' advertising to survive.
Under Simon's ownership, both the luxury giant Melisandre and the mid-range fashion brand LTD, which included Victoria's Secret, wielded significant influence in the industry.
Not only that, Simon controlled media platforms like Fashion TV.
For a man with such immense power to easily shape their careers, it was difficult for the three women to feel any strong resistance.
Thus, what happened last night seemed inevitable.
In hindsight, it was actually a rather delightful evening.
Simon was as formidable in bed as he was in other aspects, and his dominant presence naturally elicited a sense of submission.
Standing by the window, recalling the events of the previous night, each woman's thoughts diverged.
Paulina's remark about Simon deliberately avoiding them was likely just a jest, even in her own mind.
The sound of the bedroom door opening interrupted their reflections.
All three turned to look but saw not Simon, but a young woman in a black pullover and white pants. She was also tall and attractive, yet the three women felt a subtle sense of superiority. Nadja, having seen this woman before on Simon's private jet, remembered she was one of Simon's maids but couldn't recall her name.
The young woman showed no signs of intimidation under their gazes. She continued to open the door wider and greeted them politely, "Good morning, ladies. I'm Allison."
Before Allison could say more, Paulina asked, "Where's Simon?"
Allison replied, "The boss had a breakfast meeting and left early."
Paulina, glancing out the window, said, "It's past breakfast time, isn't it?"
Allison nodded. "The boss also has a movie premiere to attend this morning."
Paulina pressed on, "Will Simon be back for lunch?"
Allison shook her head. "He's having lunch with Chancellor Kohl."
Paulina stuck out her tongue but continued, "What about the afternoon?"
Allison remained patient. "The boss will be attending a film festival panel discussion in the afternoon, and there's a reception with Deutsche Telekom's chairman, Feinmann, in the evening. If there are no other impromptu engagements, he should be back around ten in the evening."
Paulina finally stopped asking questions, and Claudia Schiffer spoke up, "So, what about us?"
Allison's gaze swept over the three women before she replied courteously, "Please wait a moment."
With that, she stepped out of the bedroom. Moments later, Allison and another maid returned, each pushing a rack laden with women's clothing. They then brought in an assortment of lingerie, jewelry, bags, and shoes, transforming the spacious bedroom into what resembled a high-end boutique.
After informing them that breakfast was available downstairs whenever they wished, Allison and the other maid left, leaving the three women slightly stunned.
Being top models in the fashion industry, they were well-acquainted with luxury items.
However, most of the time, they were merely the adornments for these luxury goods, not given the chance to possess them freely.
Now, in the penthouse suite, with those brands and dresses on display, the most eye-catching items were the few sets of jewelry, which their trained eyes quickly assessed as being worth at least tens of thousands of dollars each.
Even with her previous experience, Nadja still found the situation surreal.
Paulina, noting the hesitation in the others' eyes, stepped forward first. She picked a set of ruby jewelry, including earrings, a necklace, and a ring. Turning to the others, she smiled and said, "I think these suit me best. You can choose from the rest."
With that, Paulina took her chosen set and headed to the bathroom, planning to take a relaxing bath and admire herself in what could be a million-dollar set of jewelry.
Women have always found it hard to resist the allure of fine jewelry.
Despite earning millions annually since their rise to fame, neither Nadja Auermann nor Claudia Schiffer had jewelry as expensive as this. Paulina, facing potential suspicion from her husband, still wasn't going to give up on the exquisite ruby set
she had chosen at first sight.
As Paulina moved, the other two reacted.
Compared to the abundant clothing options, there were only three sets of jewelry.
Initially, they had hesitated, wondering if accepting these gifts would make last night seem transactional.
But with Paulina taking the most expensive set, Nadja and Claudia didn't hesitate any longer.
Although they each earned millions yearly, after covering the high costs of maintaining their careers and paying hefty income taxes, their actual savings were relatively modest. Such extravagant jewelry wasn't within their usual reach.
Seeing Paulina about to enter the bathroom, Claudia called out, "Paulina, I think we should discuss this again."
Paulina, undeterred, shrugged and replied, "This set is already mine. If you want something similar, you can ask Simon."
She then disappeared into the bathroom.
Watching Paulina leave, Claudia turned her gaze to Nadja, who was examining the remaining jewelry. Nadja quickly chose a set of jade jewelry, the most valuable compared to the diamond set left behind. Though she didn't particularly favor jade, she knew it was worth more.
Admiring her choice for a moment, Nadja noticed Claudia looking her way and quickly headed to the bathroom.
Paulina hadn't locked the door, so Nadja easily entered.
Inside, Paulina was filling the marble tub with water, having casually placed her jewelry on the vanity. Seeing Nadja, she simply smiled and continued her preparations.
Nadja returned the smile, set her jewelry on the vanity, and started freshening up with the provided toiletries.
Claudia entered last, holding her box of jewelry.
Glancing at the vanity, Claudia's eyes flickered with a thought before quickly dismissing it.
Simon Westeros clearly wouldn't want to see his guests fighting over jewelry in his apartment. Missing the opportunity, Claudia knew she couldn't do anything drastic now.
Soon, the three women, outwardly at least, soaked in the large tub together in seeming harmony.
Enjoying the warmth of the bath, Claudia couldn't help but feel slightly resentful and asked, "Do you think he did it on purpose?"
She gestured toward the jewelry on the vanity.
Choosing three sets of vastly different values for them to pick from seemed quite mischievous.
Paulina, following Claudia's gaze, smiled and agreed, "It's possible."
Nadja, recalling the slightly proud and subtly hostile demeanor of the two maids, suggested, "Simon's very busy. It's likely his staff arranged this."
Reminded of the maids, the other two women nodded in agreement.
It did seem plausible.
However, Claudia soon added, "But even if that's true, Simon must have known. After all, these are... worth millions."
The three women paused.
Indeed, without Simon's approval, his maids couldn't have freely handled items worth millions of dollars.
Adjusting to a more comfortable position in the tub, Paulina shifted the conversation. "Regardless, Simon is very generous."
They all knew this was just a one-night stand.
Given Simon's immense power and influence, he didn't need to give them anything. They couldn't demand or expect anything from him.
Nadja nodded in agreement.
Claudia, however, added, "Just a few million dollars. Last year in Las Vegas, I saw a tycoon lose tens of millions in one night. His net worth was under a billion. Do you know how much Simon is worth now?"
"Sixty-five billion dollars," Nadja replied confidently. "That's what Forbes wrote last year. I can't even imagine what 65 billion looks like."
Claudia shook her head. "That was last year. According to a magazine I read recently, with the stock prices of his companies rising so rapidly, Simon's net worth could reach a hundred billion dollars this year."
Hearing this, Nadja turned slightly, still struggling to grasp what a hundred billion dollars truly meant.
Paulina, equally dazed, muttered, "A hundred billion dollars."
"Yes, a hundred billion dollars," Claudia raised her delicate fingers and gestured in the air. "From last year's 65 billion, Simon's net worth could increase by a billion dollars each day."
Earning a billion dollars a day made it somewhat easier to comprehend.
Nadja's mouth opened slightly in amazement.
Earning a billion dollars in a day.
My God!
That man earns more in a day than she could in multiple lifetimes.
Looking at the jewelry worth millions on the vanity, it didn't seem like much anymore.
One million compared to one billion is like someone earning $100 a day spending a dollar on a newspaper—hardly worth mentioning.
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