The Heart System

Chapter 566: Chapter 566

Something was definitely wrong.

The woman who worked at the sex shop, Layla, seemed to be getting abused by her husband. But I had run a background check on her through Greg, Tuck’s cop friend. According to Greg’s wife, who had bought toys from Layla multiple times, Layla wasn’t married. She had been once, but the divorce papers were filed months ago.

I didn’t even know why I was getting involved in Layla’s life. It wasn’t my business, and I had promised myself I wouldn’t get dragged into unnecessary drama until the whole mess with Brok and Jack was over. Still... curiosity was getting the better of me, and I hoped it wouldn’t bite me in the ass later.

”Seriously...” Eleanor panted heavily. ”Why the hell are we doing so many squats?”

Tessa smirked, not missing a beat. ”Look at her! She can’t even move that fat ass anymore. Hah-hah!”

I was sprawled lazily on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. The girls had pushed the dinner table aside to make space. Jasmine, Tessa, Minne, Eleanor, and Kim were all following along with a workout video on the phone. And guess who got stuck holding the phone up like a human tripod? Me.

”Don’t move the phone, you useless selfie stick,” Tessa complained, still squatting. ”You’re making me nauseous.”

”Hey,” I shot back, ”why don’t you just put the phone on the table? Balance it against a plate or something?”

Tessa laughed breathlessly while continuing her squats. ”We’re working our asses off to earn money, you jobless bum. You wake up at two in the afternoon, so at least hold the damn phone like a good little boy.”

I let out a long sigh. ”Oh, boy...”

Minne gasped, legs shaking. ”I... I can’t... I’m done...”

”Mik!” Tessa called out dramatically. ”Attack Minne! She’s giving up!”

Minne panicked. ”No, Mik! Don’t! Eek!”

”Who’s Kayla, by the way?” Eleanor asked between heavy breaths.

”Oh, she has the biggest ass known to mankind,” Jasmine replied, wiping sweat from her forehead. ”She told us she uses this app to stay in shape, so... we’re doing the same.”

My phone buzzed on the coffee table. I leaned forward and grabbed it. The receptionist was calling at this hour? ”Hello?”

”Hold the phone steady!” Tessa protested again.

”Hey, Mr. Marlowe. Sorry for calling so late,” the receptionist said. ”Two boxes of cargo just arrived. One for your guest, Eleanor, and one for you.”

”Oh, the pepper sprays,” I muttered. ”Yeah, we’ll pick them up tomorrow.”

”Of course, Mr. Marlowe. Have a good evening.”

”Thanks. Bye.”

”Who was that?” Kim asked, still panting.

”The pepper sprays you girls ordered finally came,” I replied.

”Oh, good,” Jasmine breathed out. ”You should always carry one when you go outside, Eleanor.”

”I... I will...” Eleanor managed, clearly exhausted. ”Oh god... break. Let’s take a break. I’m done.”

”Only two more minutes left, ladies!” the energetic woman on the workout video called out cheerfully. ”Hang in there!”

Those two minutes felt like an eternity. When the video finally ended, I immediately dropped the phone onto the coffee table and rolled my aching shoulder. My arm was killing me after holding it up for ten straight minutes. The girls were clearly taking this workout app way too seriously.

I turned back and glanced at the girls. They were completely pooped from the workout.

Jasmine was slumped in one of the dining chairs, legs spread lazily as she fanned herself with both hands. ”I’m so done... my thighs are burning,” she groaned.

Tessa leaned against the kitchen counter, gulping down water like she’d just run a marathon. ”Holy shit, I’m dying. Why did I suggest this stupid app?” she complained, wiping sweat from her neck.

Minne sat on the floor near the couch, looking utterly exhausted. ”I can’t feel my legs... I’m never doing squats again,” she whined softly, trying to catch her breath.

Eleanor, the curviest of the group, had collapsed onto another dining chair. She was fanning her flushed face with her hand, chest heaving. ”I’m too old for this... my ass is on fire,” she panted with a tired laugh.

Kim stood by the fridge, pouring cold water over her neck and collarbone to cool down. ”I’m pooped. Like, officially dead. Someone carry me to the couch,” she groaned dramatically.

Only Tessa’s outfit was particularly revealing, her tight red micro shorts had ridden up during the workout, creating a very noticeable cameltoe that she didn’t seem to care about at all.

I pushed myself up from the couch and stretched my arms overhead, rolling my stiff shoulders.

Just then, my phone buzzed on the coffee table. I picked it up and opened the message. It was from Esme.

She had sent a photo of the two empty pizza boxes I brought earlier. Below the picture, she had written:

’Hungry.’

I quickly typed back: ’I’ll get you more, don’t worry.’

A thumbs-up emoji came back almost instantly.

I shook my head with a small smile.

”I swear,” I muttered. ”This girl...”

I walked toward the balcony and slid the glass door open, the faint sound of it gliding along the rail cutting through the quiet of the room. Stepping inside, I pulled it shut behind me again. The balcony was sealed off with glass panels from floor to ceiling, so even though I could see the city clearly, none of the cold wind or drizzle outside reached me. It felt like standing in a quiet bubble, separated from everything.

Perfect.

I pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a slow drag, letting the smoke settle in my lungs before exhaling toward the glass. It fogged slightly for a second, then cleared again, revealing the dull gray sky and the wet streets below. People moved like ants down there, umbrellas up, cars passing by with their headlights cutting through the early evening gloom.

With one hand in my pocket, I took out my phone and scrolled for a second before tapping Mendy’s name.

It rang a few times.

Then she answered.