The Heart System

Chapter 231: Chapter 231

It was just past midnight.

I stopped the car in front of Stingy Ladies and stepped out.. The club was packed to hell, a neon hive of drunk idiots and girls sitting on the sidewalk with their heels off, a couple making out hard against a wall. The bass was so heavy the concrete felt like it was vibrating under my damn shoes.

I ignored the line and walked straight toward security. Normally they’d toss me like a ragdoll for that, but I guess stepping out of an expensive car made them hesitate.

”Hey,” I told the bouncer checking IDs. ”I need to talk to Charlotte.”

”She ain’t working today,” he replied.

”Oh? Right...” I nodded. ”You have her number or something?”

”Sorry, no. You can check again tomorrow.”

”Mm.” I grunted and turned back toward my car.

Shit. I wanted to give her the good news tonight, but this would have to wait. Emilia was safe at TechForge anyway. Nala handled it all with one phone call—doctor, private room, off the record. Girl was in good hands.

As I opened the door, a familiar voice barked out behind me.

Sophia.

She stormed out of the club dragging a drunk dude by the collar. She dumped him onto the snow and wiped her hands like she threw out trash. Her buzzcut glowed pink under the big neon sign, and her tank top left her shoulders bulging with muscle.

”H-hey!” I called out. ”Sophia.”

”Evan,” she said when she noticed me. ”The taxi guy.”

”Yeah. Hey.” I walked back toward her. ”I need Charlotte’s phone number. Do you have it?”

”I do. Why?” she asked, folding her arms. ”She called me that night because you and your friend bothered her.”

”Yes.”

”Then why the hell would I give you her number?” she snapped. ”So you can harass her more?”

I could use Time Stop, take her phone, find the number... but no. Had to save credits.

Honeyed Words then. Even before the UI popped up, I knew this was going to be brutal. Sophia wasn’t just tough—she was allergic to bullshit.

”It’s really important,” I said.

”I’m asking again,” she repeated. Arms still crossed. ”Why?”

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Sophia

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

☐☐☐☐☐

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

Remaining Chances: 0/2

╰────────────────────╯

Five boxes. Two chances. I needed four.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

”I really need to talk to her. It is

really important, Sophia. Really

damn important.”

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

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +30%

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

Final Chance: 50%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

”I really need to talk to her. It’s really important, Sophia. Really damn important.”

She narrowed her eyes. ”I feel like you’re lying, Evan. What’s so important that you had to show up at midnight for it?”

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Sophia

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

☒☐☐☐☐

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

Remaining Chances: 1/2-FAILURE

╰────────────────────╯

Wow. Right off the bat, I failed to persuade her. My Charm skill was low, so the riskiest option was filling three boxes. And... well, three boxes wasn’t enough to convince Sophia. It failed automatically. That was bad.

”Go home, Evan,” Sophia said. ”Before I drag you like I dragged that guy.”

”Sophia, just listen—”

”Go.” She turned and headed back inside. ”I swear... some people.”

”Damn it...” I muttered.

She vanished into the club, and I went back to the jeep. The heater blasted my face the moment I turned the engine on. Charlotte could wait.

I leaned toward the dash and called Nala. Pulled my seatbelt across my chest and reversed out of the parking spot. She picked up on the second ring.

”Hey, Nala,” I said. ”Everything good?”

”Yes,” she replied. ”Maeve said she’ll be okay.”

”Who’s Maeve?”

”The head doctor here. She’s handling everything. Quietly. Off the books.”

”Good.” I exhaled. ”We need to keep her alive. Emilia’s like that because of me. I took that video from her. Guy wanted it back... or—he wanted to just punish her.”

”I know,” Nala said softly. ”You feel responsible.”

”That I am,” I muttered. ”She got attacked because of me.”

”Mm.” She paused. ”I’ll stay the night at TechForge. Don’t wait at the penthouse. I need to look over some things.”

”I’ll come.”

”You don’t have to.”

”Too late,” I said. ”See you when I see you, CEO.”

She let out a tired little laugh. ”Alright.”

I hung up as the light turned red and eased my foot onto the brake.

What a night this was turning into... and the headache wasn’t helping. It felt like my skull was about to split open.

Those blood marks kept replaying in my mind. Not all of it belonged to Emilia. She actually fought off her attacker, or attackers, and ran to her landlord. Tough girl. I thought her dom persona was just for work, but damn, she was strong.

”My head... oh, fuck...”

I stopped at a red light and leaned forward, resting my forehead against the steering wheel. I shut my eyes for a few seconds, just trying to breathe.

I must’ve drifted, because a horn blasted behind me. I jerked my head up and saw the light was green. Great. Exhaustion hitting hard.

I pushed the pedal, and right then, Jasmine’s name popped up on the dashboard.

”Hey,” I said as I answered.

”Evan,” she said, sounding worried. ”Nala told me something, but I didn’t get everything. What’s going on?”

”I’ll tell you tomorrow. Things got... complicated.”

”Well—is everything alright?”

”Yup. For now.”

”Where are you going? Here?”

”Nah. TechForge. I’m spending the night there. Since Nala and I have the cars, just call a taxi in the morning, okay?”

”Yes, okay. Let me know if you need anything.”

”Yup. Night, Jas.”

”Night.”

I hung up through the dashboard and tightened my grip on the wheel. Another red light. Midnight traffic in this city was a joke. Probably because the roads were frozen.

The car beeped and the seatbelt tightened around me. Through the rearview mirror, I saw a car rolling slowly toward me. Before I could react, it bumped my bumper, shaking the whole jeep.

”Oh, for fuck’s sake...”

I blinked the hazard lights and pulled over. The other car followed. Just what I needed.

I stepped out, walked to the back, and checked the damage. Just a scratch. Fine.

I heard the other door open but didn’t look yet.

”Hey, man,” I said while still inspecting the bumper. ”Be careful.”

”Sorry,” a woman answered.

I glanced over.

Her.

Kayla’s snow-stranded disaster. The woman who couldn’t move her car two days ago. Kayla said she rear-ended someone else too. Hannah. Yeah, that was her name. Or was it Hanna?

”You didn’t see me?” I asked. ”Come on...”

”I’m so—”

”Hey!” I cut her off. ”The car—”

”Mm?”

Her car was slowly rolling backward. She’d forgotten the damn handbrake, and the icy street wasn’t helping. Hannah turned around with wide eyes.

I rushed forward. The driver’s window was open, thank god. I leaned in, grabbed the brake, and yanked it up.

The sudden stop made me lose my balance, and I stepped wrong on the curb. My foot slipped, and I smacked the back of my head on a street lamp.

”Ah... fuck me...” I groaned, rubbing it. ”It hurts... agh...”

”You okay?”

”No, I’m not!” I snapped. ”Lady, where did you get your license, a butcher shop?”

”Sorry.”

Her voice was calm. Too calm. Like she didn’t just rear-end me, forget the brake, and cause me to headbutt a damn street lamp. She just stood there, arms crossed, glasses sliding down her nose, her sharp eyes on me, neatly-cut short black hair swaying in the wind... she was just—just staring at me like this was normal.

”Well,” she said, ”for the damage, I can call—”

”You know what?” I cut in. ”It’s fine. Shit happens. Let’s just go.”

”Are you sure?”

”Yeah,” I said, wanting to get away before she caused the ground to collapse or something. ”Have a good night. And when you stop, pull the handbrake next time?”

I walked back to my car, still rubbing my head, got in, dropped the brake, and eased forward. In the side mirror, I saw Hanna standing with her arms crossed, watching me leave.

”Monster... traffic monster...” I muttered.

╭────────────────────╮

REPUTATION SYSTEM (LVL 11)

VILLAIN░░░░░░░██░░░░░░░░ HERO

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

Helping Hannah with her car: +5

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

Current Reputation: Good

- More EXP gain when making your

partner climax.

╰────────────────────╯

Hey, at least I got some points for that.

Checking the mirror again, I saw her getting into her car and turning right. Good. At least we weren’t heading in the same direction. That would’ve been bad... for me and for the poor car. And I took care of this thing better than I took care of myself.

I noticed a missed call, probably came while I was outside, dealing with that woman. I tapped the dashboard and saw it was an unknown number. Weird. Probably a scam.

”This night just keeps getting weirder by the second...”

While I kept driving, I passed a bus stop on the left and spotted someone standing there. That same someone I kept seeing in my dreams. The woman with the umbrella. My chest tightened. I slowed the car and stared harder.

Then she turned.

And ”she” was actually a guy posing while someone took photos of him.

Great. Now I was hallucinating women from my dreams on the street. Paranoid much.