The Heart System

Chapter 516: Chapter 516

He didn’t look like anyone’s father. If anything, he looked like the definition of a deadbeat. The kind of guy you’d expect to find under ’what not to become.’

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Attempting Persuasion

”Why lie, man? Just tell me

the truth.”

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Base Chance: 40%

Honeyed Words: +55%

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Final Chance: 95%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

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”Why lie? Just tell me the truth.”

”I am telling you the truth, you idiot!” he snapped. ”I don’t know anything about any cameras. What are you even talking about?”

I frowned. That wasn’t a failure. Which meant he really didn’t know anything about the cameras in Nala’s office. Damn it. I had been sure he was the one behind it. But if not him... then who? I stood there thinking for too long, going over it in my head.

Then the system shut off. Great. So there was a time limit on Honeyed Words. Good to know. Would’ve been nice to learn that before wasting it.

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Persuasion Attempt: Jack

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☑☒☐☐☐

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Remaining Chances: FAILURE

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”You’re her stepfather,” I said. ”Not her real father. Why lie about that?”

”Step or not,” he muttered, ”I’m her father. That shouldn’t matter.” He narrowed his eyes. ”How do you even know that?”

”We’re friends,” I said. ”We talk. Like normal people. And she doesn’t want to see you, Jack. So stop coming here.”

”Then tell her I’m here!” he snapped. ”I couldn’t talk to her last time, but now I can. I just need—”

”How did you even get in here?” I cut in. ”You need to leave. Now. And don’t come back. Next time, I’m calling the cops.”

”Please!”

”No. Go.”

I grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him back a step.

”Get out.”

He glared at me, then pointed a finger like he was trying to threaten me.

”You’re all the same...” he spat. ”You’ll see.”

He turned and stormed off down the stairs.

I watched him go, following him with my eyes as he crossed through the parking garage entrance and disappeared into the street.

I let out a breath and ran a hand through my hair.

”Fucking hell...”

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

I knocked on Maeve’s door, and when she told me to come in, I stepped inside.

I needed more from her, which meant using Hypnotize again. The first time I questioned her, I didn’t have much to go on. Now, though, I had something.

I activated Hypnotize. Her eyes shifted into that faint pink-purple hue.

I walked over to her desk, picked up the A4 sheet with Jack’s photo on it, the one I had printed from the security footage, and held it in front of her. She looked at it with blank eyes, then lifted her gaze back to me without moving from her chair.

”Is he Jack Kuinn?” I asked.

”No,” she replied. ”He is not.”

”Is he the one who set up the cameras?”

”No. He is not.”

”How can I find Jack Kuinn?”

”You cannot find him unless he wants to be found.”

I frowned slightly. ”How old is he?”

”Twenty-five.”

”Where does he work?”

”I don’t know.”

”What’s his problem with Nala?”

”Revenge.”

I narrowed my eyes. ”Revenge? What the hell does that mean?”

I crumpled the paper in my hand, my thoughts running faster now. Something wasn’t adding up.

Just as I was about to ask another question, a system notification popped up.

Right.

Using Hypnotize again had pushed me deeper into the Villain side. I thought I had enough room left before it got worse, but clearly not.

I crumpled the A4 paper and then stared at her for a few seconds. Then, just when I was about to ask the next question, the system notification chimed in. Fuuuuck me. Since I used Hypnotize skill, I dipped even lower than Villain once again. I thought I had enough room for ’bad stuff’ without dipping that low. But I guess I was wrong.

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REPUTATION SYSTEM

MONSTER░░░░░░░████░░░░░ VILLAIN

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Current Reputation: Sadist

- More EXP gain when cheating

- Using degrading words during sex

boosts EXP gain.

- Strength and Pleasure boost.

- Magic Ability (Hypnotize)

- Control your partner’s orgasm.

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Earning good points will result in

various punishments.

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I exhaled quietly. Whatever. I couldn’t stop now. I needed this skill, even if it meant taking the hit.

”What kind of revenge?” I asked.

”Jack Kuinn was Guy’s friend.”

”Guy? Nala’s brother?” I said, trying to piece it together. ”So Jack and Guy... are they working together?”

”I don’t know.”

”Does anyone else know who K is?”

She looked straight at me. ”Nala Nolin.”

I blinked. ”Nala?”

She nodded. That made my stomach tighten.

”Does she know K’s real identity?” I asked carefully. ”Does she know who he actually is?”

”Yes.”

”And she’s hiding that from me?”

”Yes.”

I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a frustrated breath.

Why would she hide something like that from me?

I shook my head and started pacing around the table.

So Nala knew who K was and hid it from me? That didn’t make any sense. If she wasn’t going to tell me on her own, then I would have to use Hypnotize again. I didn’t like relying on that skill, but I wasn’t going to sit around while she kept something like this from me.

I left the room without saying anything and walked straight to the elevators, still trying to figure out why she would do this. I pressed the button, and the elevator arrived almost immediately. I stepped inside, pressed the lower floor, and waited through the short ride down.

When I got out, I looked toward her office. She wasn’t there.

That was odd. It wasn’t her break time, and even if she could take one whenever she wanted, she usually didn’t just disappear.

I walked to my desk, sat down, and called her. The phone rang a few times, but instead of her answering, I heard the ringtone coming from her office. I frowned and ended the call. She had left her phone behind.

A moment later, I saw her walking down the corridor, her hands still slightly damp. She must have been in the restroom. She smiled as she passed by me, but I didn’t react. I just sat there, watching her.

Her smile faded. She slowed down and stopped in front of my desk, looking at me more carefully.

”Evan? What’s wrong?”

”Your office. Now.”

She blinked. ”Wait... what’s going on?”

”Move.”