The Heart System

Chapter 182: Chapter 182

Before I could say more, the food arrived. I leaned back as the waitress set her plates down. Then another appeared, gliding in with a bottle of wine. She poured it with the kind of ceremony reserved for royalty—crystal glass tilted just so, label turned to face Anotta, not a drop wasted.

When they finished, both bowed deeply before walking off. Damn. She had real pull in this city. And I wished she wasn’t such a sadist, the kind who got her kicks watching me crawl out of every mess life threw at me.

“So you won’t help?” I asked, stirring what was left of my lemonade. The last ice cube had already melted.

“No,” she said simply. “But I’ll wish you luck.”

I exhaled, dry laugh escaping me. “Hmm. Thanks. Really.”

Well, if I couldn’t persuade her the normal way… I guess I had to use the system. Though, I could already tell it wasn’t going to end well.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Anotta

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

☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

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

Remaining Chances: 0/3

╰────────────────────╯

Yeah. No shot. No way to persuade her.

Guess I really was alone in this one. I had to take down Sarah and get the dirt she had on this Meridian deal—somehow. But how the hell was I supposed to pull that off? I wasn’t built for this life. I was a guy who used to wipe dust off energy drink fridges at a gas station, not play shadow games with CEOs and corporate assassins. This was bad.

“Was there anything else, Marlowe?” Anotov asked dryly, spearing her salad with a fork. “Or are you going to stand there and watch me eat?”

I sighed, pushing back from the table. “Nah. You can pay for the lemonade, right?”

She didn’t even glance up, just kept eating. I stared at her for a few seconds longer, then exhaled and slid the chair back into place. When I turned to leave, I looked at her one last time—still there, calm as ever, like nothing in the world could bother her. Why did I even meet her again? I thought she’d help me. Guess not. Total waste of time.

But maybe Eleanor wouldn’t be.

Guy had been seeing a high-end escort, according to Minne. An elite one. Nala said her brother never shared his secrets—but I wasn’t about to miss that lead. If anyone knew where Guy’s skeletons were buried, it’d be the woman he’d been paying to keep them company.

Before heading out, I noticed the restaurant’s balcony—an outdoor terrace wrapped in soft golden light from the overhead heaters. The air was cooler out there, with the low murmur of chatter, the clink of glasses, and the faint trail of cigarette smoke curling into the evening. Polished glass railings overlooked the new shopping mall below, where traffic shimmered like a stream of fireflies. Only a handful of tables, maybe ten at most, each with crisp linen, candles, and people pretending their lives were perfect.

I pushed open the glass door, the waiter politely holding it for me. “Thanks,” I muttered, stepping out.

The air hit fresher here. I pulled my phone out and dialed Minne. She picked up after two rings.

“Hey, Minne.”

“Master?” Her voice was soft, cautious.

“Have you talked with Eleanor?” I asked. “Will she come today?”

“Yes, Master,” she replied quickly. “At ten, just like you requested.”

“Good.” I leaned against the railing. “Move the girls downstairs tonight, okay? I need to be alone with her.”

“I–if you’re… if you’re going to do…” she stammered, “n–naughty things, Master, I can buy co—con… condoms for you—”

“What? No, Jesus, Minne.” I rubbed my face. “Where did that even come from? I’m going to talk to her. That’s it.”

“Oh.” She sounded relieved. “Okay, Master.”

“What can you tell me about this ’elite’ woman?” I asked. “Anything I should know before meeting her?”

“She’s thirty-six. That’s all I know, Master. Sorry.”

“Okay.” I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Guess I’ll go in blind, then. You did good, Minne.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“I gotta go now,” I said, glancing over the terrace’s edge as the city lights started flickering on. “Don’t forget—move Jasmine and the others downstairs. I want no one in the penthouse, got it?”

“Yes, Master. You can count on me.”

“Alright. Sweet. Bye, Minne.”

“B-bye, Master.”

The call ended. I slipped the phone back into my pocket, breathing in the night air. Somewhere out there was a woman who might hold the key to everything—and probably another kind of trouble I didn’t need.

Either way, I was walking straight into it.

❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎

It was nine fifty, just ten minutes until Eleanor was supposed to show up. I was sprawled on the couch, phone pressed to my ear, trying Delilah one last time. Straight to voicemail, again. Whatever the girls had talked about while I was gone must have worked, because I’d been sure she was ending everything. Now? Maybe she’d changed her mind.

I shoved the phone in my pocket, lit a cigarette, and kicked my feet up on the coffee table. Three unspent points blinked in the corner of my vision. Dumping them now was the smart play. Charm had already sharpened my looks and made Honeyed Words hit harder, but Pleasure was the real grinder. The more orgasms I gave, the faster the points rolled in.

“Three points to Pleasure,” I muttered.

╭────────────────────╮

– CURRENT STATS

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

– Strength: 3

– Charm : 12

– Manipulative Charm

⤷ Honeyed Words (⏹⏹☐☐☐)

⤷ Gaslight (⏹☐☐☐☐)

– Emotional Charisma

– Seductive Allure

– Libido : 10

– Pleasure: 18

╰────────────────────╯

My phone buzzed. Ivy.

I answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, Evan,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“Good, good,” she said. “I was going to ask you about… well, my mother. Could you check on her? I can’t get to that part of town this late.”

“What?”

“They called from Jeopride. Said she was in some kind of accident and they gave her a room for the night to make up for it.”

Delilah was staying at this hotel? I thought she’d gone home. Accident didn’t sound right, but I didn’t want to freak Ivy out. I forced a smile into my voice. “Y-yeah. Sure. I’ll check on her, no problem.”

“Please call me back,” she said. “I already rang Mom and she said she’s alright, but… just make sure.”

“Alright. Calm down, I will.”

“Thank you, Evan. For always being there when I need you.”

╭───────────╮

EVENT

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

Ivy’s Interest +1

╰───────────╯

“No problem,” I said. “I’ll call you soon as I see her.”

“Thank you again. Bye.”

“Bye.”

╭───────────╮

WOMEN – INTERACTIONS

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

Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60★★

Kayla: Interest: 5 / 20

Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40★

Kim: Interest: 30 / 40★

Delilah: Interest: -60 / 60★★

Cora: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Mendy: Interest: 6 /20

Nala: Interest: 66 /80★★★

Penelope: Interest: 3 /20

Minne: Interest: 11 /20

Ivy: Interest: 2/20

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

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.

╰───────────╯

I hung up, grunted, and pushed off the couch. I poured myself a glass of water in the kitchen, glaring at the tux. I hated the damn thing, but I couldn’t greet a high-class hooker in pajamas. I had to sell the fantasy: new money, new power, zero bullshit.

Knock knock knock.

I straightened my cuffs, put out the cigarette, took a breath, and opened the door.

Holy fuck.

Eleanor was pure MILF perfection. Late thirties, hourglass curves, massive tits fighting the neckline of a tight electric-blue dress that stopped well above her knees. Short blue hair, smoky eyes, crimson lace panties flashing every time she shifted.

“Minne’s new Master,” she smiled, offering a manicured hand. “Evan Marlowe. Thanks for using my services.”

I gave her my warmest smile, took her hand like it was silk, and guided her inside. She handed me her tiny purse; I hung it on the rack by the door.

“She told me good things about you, Eleanor,” I said, leading her to the living room, still holding her soft, warm fingers. “Looks like she wasn’t exaggerating.”

“Why, thank you, darling,” she purred.

I motioned to the couch. She sat, crossed her legs slow and knowingly; the dress rode higher, crimson lace hugging her pussy lips so tight I could see the outline clear as day.

I poured two glasses of wine, tasted like expensive piss, but whatever, handed her one, and sat close enough that our thighs touched.

“So,” Eleanor began. “I’m not going to ask what happened between you and Guy. I really don’t like drama.”

“Good, I don’t like it either,” I replied. “I try to stay as far from it as possible.”

“You say that. But…”

She took a small sip of wine.

“I’m here because you don’t want me. You want dirt on Guy. I think it’s the opposite, my dear. You’re the one calling drama.”

I snapped my head toward her. She just stared back, swaying her glass, the wine swirling with the motion. Damn, she was sharp. Was I that obvious? Shit. I had to steer the conversation back on track or I’d blow the whole thing.

“You’ve got me wrong,” I smiled. “I really do want you.”

“I’m a prostitute, Evan. Not an idiot.” She drained her glass. “You’re looking for dirt on Guy. But why?”

“Maybe I want to take everything he loves,” I said, locking eyes with her. “Including his woman.”

“Loves?” She chuckled. “Oh god, sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. Love and Guy, in the same sentence. Wow.”

“He’s that much of a bastard, huh?”

She zipped her lips. “My lips are sealed.”

She stood, set her glass on the coffee table, and walked to the window. She stared out for a few seconds, neon lights painting her skin pink and red. Then she turned, arms crossed.

“Why am I really here, Evan? Don’t stall me. Please.”

Damn, she was a tough nut to crack. No point in bullshitting her anymore.

“You’re right,” I admitted. “I need dirt on Guy.”

“And you thought he’d spill secrets to me?” She raised an eyebrow. “You thought wrong, darling.”

“There has to be something,” I said, leaning back and lighting a cigarette.

“I have nothing,” she said. “He’d call. We’d fuck. I’d leave.”

“Why you?” I asked. “He always called you, right? Why?”

She smirked, sauntering over. She leaned in, index finger under my chin, tits swaying, areola peeking out. “Because I’m the best, sweetie.”

I held her gaze. She straightened, smoothed her dress, and grabbed her wine again. I took a drag and leaned back. This woman was different. And I knew she was lying.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Eleanor

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

☐☐☐☐

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

Remaining Chances: 0/2

╰────────────────────╯

Three boxes to fill. Two chances. First one safe, second one had to hit two boxes.