Chapter 385

Nathan Blackwood, Evelyn Sinclair, and Isabella Montgomery couldn't stand watching the enormous fish and whales swimming around any longer.

They found a quiet corner to sit and enjoy their coffee.

The aquarium was unusually serene. The staff hovered nearby, anxious that the coffee they served might not meet the expectations of their distinguished guests.

Evelyn glanced around. "No fish in this section?" she asked, relieved.

The aquarist hesitated before answering, "Yes, Ms. Sinclair."

"This is the mantis shrimp exhibit. Since they aren’t particularly rare, fewer visitors come here."

"Would you like to see them?"

Mantis shrimp? Evelyn met the aquarist’s hopeful gaze and nodded.

Though, if she were being honest, she was more interested in eating them than admiring them.

The aquarist dimmed the overhead lights. Immediately, the walls, floor, and ceiling illuminated with a soft blue glow, mimicking the depths of the ocean.

The dim lighting created an illusion of being submerged in the deep sea. Evelyn leaned closer to the tank, spotting dozens of shrimp darting inside.

These weren’t the same mantis shrimp served on plates. The ones in the tank were oddly… cute.

They varied in size and color—some were stark white with black markings, simple yet mesmerizing. Others shimmered in vibrant greens and reds, their tails flickering with iridescent hues.

In the simulated seabed, they burrowed into the gravel, their slender bodies weaving gracefully through the water.

When the lights dimmed completely, Evelyn and Isabella felt as if they had been transported to the ocean floor. The walls vanished, leaving only the illusion of endless water surrounding them.

The corridor they had just walked through now resembled an underwater tunnel.

Above them, strands of seaweed and coral swayed gently. The deep, rhythmic sound of waves filled the space, enhancing the illusion of being submerged.

Isabella gasped. "A mantis shrimp exhibit?"

The aquarist launched into his well-rehearsed explanation. "The mantis shrimp is a predatory species, originating from the Mesozoic Jurassic period—"

Evelyn interrupted, eyes gleaming. "Are they all edible?"

The aquarist’s smile faltered. He glanced between the two eager women and forced a polite nod.

"Yes… if they’re fresh."

Under normal circumstances, he would have thrown out anyone who asked that. But these were VIP guests.

He sighed inwardly. Poor mantis shrimps.

Evelyn and Isabella exchanged a knowing look, grinning. Lunch plans had just been decided.

"By the way," the aquarist added, "you can purchase naming rights for any creature here. Choose one as your pet, and we’ll care for it in the aquarium. You can visit anytime."

Evelyn’s interest piqued. She pointed at a particularly vibrant mantis shrimp, its body sleek and colorful.

"Then I want this little baby."

"Certainly, Ms. Sinclair. This is a rare specimen acquired from the Mariana Trench at considerable expense."

"What would you like to name it?"

Without hesitation, Evelyn declared, "Nathan Blackwood."

The aquarist’s hand jerked, nearly dropping the expensive remote.

Isabella burst into laughter, clapping Evelyn’s shoulder.

"Little baby? You just want to devour him, don’t you?"

"Perfect name," Evelyn agreed smugly.

At the tunnel’s entrance, a tall, imposing figure stood frozen. His sharp features were schooled into calm, but his dark eyes narrowed dangerously.

In their eyes, I’m a mantis shrimp?

Isabella’s laughter abruptly cut off when she spotted him.