Sometimes, the job required special sacrifices.

Like tonight.

Gone was your usual uniform, replaced by an elegant, black suit. You stood among the glittering elite at a charity gala, the air thick with the clinking of champagne glasses and polite laughter. The mission was straightforward: locate the individual responsible for embezzling the funds meant for charitable causes.

But you weren’t doing this alone.

Seated beside you at the elegantly set table was none other than Ghost. Though you’d spent countless hours with him on missions, seeing him out of his tactical gear and dressed to the nines in a tailored black suit was disorienting, to say the least. The crisp lines of the suit, the perfectly knotted bow tie—he didn’t just look good; he looked like he belonged here. What really threw you off, though, was the way he kept glancing at you.

“God, it’s beautiful,” you murmured, swirling the wine in your glass as you admired the sleek watch showcased under the spotlight on stage. The intricate design of the polished silver casing and deep midnight-blue dial made it look like a dream.

The auction began, and you watched wistfully as the numbers climbed higher and higher, far beyond anything you could afford. You weren’t really upset—admiring it from afar was enough. But Ghost’s gaze never left you, and you could feel the weight of his attention like a physical thing.

Then, just as you were about to turn away, his voice cut through the room like a blade.

“Fifteen thousand.”

Your head snapped toward him, eyes wide in disbelief. The entire table turned to stare at Ghost, who sat there cool as ever, one hand resting on the table while the other casually held his bidding paddle.

“What are you doing?” you hissed under your breath, your cheeks warming.

He leaned closer, voice low and steady. “You said you liked it.”

You blinked at him, utterly speechless, as the auctioneer’s gavel came down with a resounding thud. Sold. To Ghost.