The Heart System

Chapter 154: Chapter 154

Penelope opened the door and our eyes met. She looked drained, dark circles under her eyes, hair pulled into a messy ponytail. More tired than yesterday, but still here, still holding it together for her friend. Kudos to her. Running through that storm that day, just to be at Mendy’s side. I needed someone like that in my corner.

”She good?” I asked, stepping inside.

”Yeah,” Penelope said, closing the door. ”Calmer than I expected. Whatever you said yesterday, it stuck.”

”I’m glad.” I followed her through the house. Couldn’t help it, her tank top clung tight, fake tits bouncing with every step. Damn. Focus, Evan.

She slid open the glass door to the back garden. Small, cozy, fenced in with weathered wood panels, a charcoal grill in one corner, rusted but clean. Flower beds lined the edges, marigolds and petunias drooping under the rain, petals scattered like confetti. A single patio table with four chairs sat under the roof awning, shielded from the downpour. Rain drummed on the metal roof, steady and loud.

Mendy sat there, cigarette between her fingers, staring at the garden like it held answers. Smoke curled up, vanishing into the mist.

”Hey,” I said. ”Mendy. How you holding up?”

She turned, sighed, almost annoyed. ”Penelope. I told you not to call him. He’s tired of us.”

”I’m not,” I said firmly. ”Stop. Tell me what happened.”

She exhaled smoke, shook her head, then flicked the cigarette into the wet grass. It hissed out instantly. She stood, walked inside. Penelope stepped aside. I followed. Her steps were small, reluctant, like she was being dragged.

We ended up in the bathroom. She pointed at the dirty laundry bin, lid closed. Her finger trembled slightly, eyes searching mine for belief.

”I swear, Evan,” she said. ”One of my panties is missing. I’ve been keeping track, everything. Where I put my clothes, jewelry, which underwear goes in the bin.”

”You sure?” I asked. ”Maybe your mom washed it and—”

”No,” she cut in, voice sharp. ”I’m serious. Cops won’t believe me. But you, please.”

”I believe you,” I said. ”But—”

I rubbed my face. Penelope behind me, shaking her head, worry etched deep. Keeping track of everything? That wasn’t normal. Was she losing it? What had I done, pushing her to forgive Richard?

I stepped forward, lifted the lid. Dirty clothes, t-shirts, skirts. Then, green underwear.

My mind flashed, Richard, balls deep in that hooker. Beside the bed, same green pair.

Son of a bitch.

”Mendy,” I said carefully, voice low, stepping close enough that she had to tilt her head up. ”Don’t take this the wrong way, but I need to ask something fucked up.”

”O-okay?” Arms folded tight, knuckles white.

”Can you grab that green pair and show me?” I kept my hands open, visible.

”E-Evan...” Her face flushed; she hugged herself harder, eyes darting to Penelope.

”Just do it. I need to check.”

”As if Richard being a pervert wasn’t enough,” Penelope muttered, arms crossed in the doorway.

”I’m serious,” I said, locking eyes with Mendy. ”Do it.”

She hesitated, breath hitching, then reached in. Fingers trembling, she lifted the lace, holding it between us like a confession. I leaned in. Same cut. Same trim. Same shade.

”The same model,” I whispered. ”Fuck.”

”What same model?” Penelope pushed forward.

”You got more like this?” I asked Mendy.

”I love green,” she said, dropping it back in like it burned. ”Nearly all my panties are. Why?”

”Don’t put it back.” I extended my palm. ”Give it to me.”

”What!” She recoiled. ”No! Why?”

”I’m not that guy. Just... trust me.”

”No, it’s dirty!”

”I need to match it with another pair.”

”Match it?” She blinked.

╭────────────────────╮

- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy

==========================

☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 0/2

╰────────────────────╯

Two boxes to fill. Safe option first.

╭────────────────────╮

- Attempting Persuasion

==========================

”Mendy, I’m not asking because

I’m some creep. I’m asking because

this could prove Richard was here.

Just like you said.”

==========================

Base Chance: 45%

Honeyed Words: +30%

Mendy Star Rating: 4/20 (0%)

==========================

Final Chance: 75%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

I locked eyes with her, voice steady. ”Mendy, I’m not asking because I’m some creep. I’m asking because this could prove Richard was here. Just like you said.”

Her fingers loosened on the lace, but she still held back, eyes searching mine for a lie.

╭────────────────────╮

- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy

==========================

☑☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 1/2

╰────────────────────╯

One box checked. She was wavering. I needed a different angle, something personal.

╭────────────────────╮

- Attempting Persuasion

==========================

”Trust me, Mendy. Please.”

==========================

Base Chance: 50%

Honeyed Words: +30%

Mendy Star Rating: 4/20 (0%)

==========================

Final Chance: 80%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

I leaned in, voice soft. ”Trust me, Mendy. Please.”

Her breath hitched. Tears welled. Slowly, she lifted the lace and placed it in my palm.

╭────────────────────╮

- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy

==========================

☑☑☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 2/2-Success!

╰────────────────────╯

”Girl, give it to him,” Penelope sighed. ”But if you do anything weird, I swear I’ll bite your dick off, Evan.”

I folded it carefully, pocketed it. ”I won’t. Chill.”

”Can you just—” Mendy’s voice cracked, tears spilling. ”TELL ME WHAT’S HAPPENING!”

I turned, headed for the door. Footsteps followed.

”Stop,” Penelope said, grabbing the knob. ”Where?”

”Like I told you, I need to check something.”

”Tell me,” Mendy pleaded, yanking my arm. ”Please.”

”Look,” I said, rubbing my neck. ”I need to be sure first. Then I’ll tell you everything. Not now. I don’t want you to panic for no reason at all.”

”I’m coming,” Penelope said, snatching her jacket. ”We’ll take her Mom’s car.”

”Okay,” I said, relief flooding.

”Please,” Mendy whispered as Penelope opened the door. ”Just tell me.”

I turned, hand on her shoulder. ”This is my fault, Mendy. Making you forgive Richard. Let me fix it.”

╭───────────╮

EVENT

===============

Mendy’s Interest +2

╰───────────╯

She exhaled, fixed her hair, stepped back. Didn’t push.

”Be safe,” she said. ”Call if anything.”

”Hmm.” I nodded. ”I will.”

Penelope and I stepped out into the rain.

”Evan,” she muttered, her voice unsteady. ”What’s happening?”

”I saw this exact underwear in Richard’s room,” I whispered, as if Mendy could somehow hear us. ”I need to be sure I’m not mistaken. I have to match it with the one I saw there.”

”It was green and all?” Penelope asked.

”Yes,” I said, sliding into the passenger seat as she unlocked the car. ”Same shade, everything. But... I need to be sure.”

Penelope hesitated, then sighed. ”Okay. I hope you’re wrong, Evan. Because if you’re not... we’ve got a stalker on the loose.”

Now... the next destination was Richard’s house. I hoped I was wrong, and it was someone else’s underwear.

╭───────────╮

WOMEN - INTERACTIONS

===============

Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60★★

Kayla: Interest: 5 / 20

Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40★★

Kim: Interest: 30 / 40★★

Delilah: Interest: 37 / 40★★

Cora: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Mendy: Interest: 6/20

Nala: Interest: 15/20

Penelope: Interest: 3/20

===============

Progress:

★☆☆☆☆ - 20 Interest: Milestone reward

★★☆☆☆ - 40 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★☆☆ - 60 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★☆ - 80 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★★ -100 Interest: Milestone reward

===============

Select a woman to track progress.

╰───────────╯

❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎

Penelope whipped the car to the curb with a sharp jerk, tires hissing against the slick asphalt as rain pelted the windshield like thrown gravel. The wipers thrashed back and forth, smearing the downpour into blurry streaks. She killed the engine, and we tumbled out into the storm, hoods up, shoulders hunched against the cold needles of water stabbing our faces.

Richard’s address. The place looked like every other anonymous complex in the city, but tonight it felt like a fortress hiding a rat.

We jogged to the call box mounted on a chipped concrete pillar, water dripping off the awning in steady streams. My fingers were already numb as I punched in 0000. The panel beeped once, red light flashing. Access denied.

”Shit,” I muttered, rain dripping from my lashes. Tried again. Same red glare.

I thumbed Richard’s contact on my phone, heart hammering. But he didn’t pick up.

”Code’s changed,” I said under my breath, scanning the directory. Names blurred in the wet. I jabbed a random button—3B.

Static crackled through the speaker, then a groggy voice. ”Who is this?”

”Internet tech,” I lied, wiping rain from my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie. ”Got a complaint about slow speeds in the building. They said the gate code’s four zeros, but it’s not working.”

A long pause. I could hear a TV in the background, some late-night infomercial. ”Oh. Yeah, they changed it yesterday. Try 1212.”

”Thanks.” I punched it in fast, 1-2-1-2. A soft click. The magnetic lock disengaged, and the glass door swung open with a reluctant groan.

We bolted inside, shoes squeaking on the linoleum as we shook off the rain like dogs. The lobby smelled of old pizza and industrial cleaner, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Mailboxes lined one wall, flyers for various deals curling at the edges. We hit the stairs two at a time, breath fogging in the stale air. Second floor. Third. My calves burned, but adrenaline kept me moving.

R.R.R. stenciled on the door in cheap gold letters that were already peeling. Apartment 3C. I pounded—hard, knuckles stinging.

No answer. Just the muffled thump of bass from somewhere down the hall.

Knocked again, louder. Called Richard one more time..

Penelope’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She yanked it out, thumbed speaker, rain still dripping from her hair.

”PENELOPE!” Mendy’s voice exploded through the tinny speaker, raw and terrified. ”HE’S HERE! RICHARD IS HERE! I HEARD HIS PHONE RINGING OUTSIDE THE DOOR! HE’S TRYING TO GET IN!”