The Heart System

Chapter 878: Chapter 878

I immediately adjusted my surgical mask and got to my feet. Emma groaned before putting on her own dark green surgical mask and walking toward the door.

When she opened it, Vessa stood in the hallway with her handbag hanging from one shoulder. She seemed to have had the same idea as us because she was wearing a mask too.

”Hey,” she said. ”I’m here for...”

”Yeah.” Emma nodded. ”Come in. I’ll explain the scenario, then we can start in ten.”

”Okay... sounds good.” Vessa looked at me. ”Um, hey.”

”Hey. I’d give you my name, but then the whole mask thing would be for nothing.” I smiled.

She chuckled quietly. ”Yeah.”

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket. When I pulled it out, I realized it was Layla calling. Shit. How was I supposed to answer her now?

”Hey, while you explain everything to her,” I said, looking at Emma, ”I’ll make a short phone call.”

”Okay, but be quick about it, please.” Emma’s eyes were half-lidded, and her voice carried almost no emotion.

”Right. Be right back.”

”Mm.”

I walked into the kitchen and answered the call.

”Hey, Layla.”

”Hey,” she said. ”Just checking if we’re still on today.”

”Yup. Sushi. Lots of it.” I smiled. ”Unless you changed your mind.”

”Nope. Sushi. And cola. I want cola so badly.”

”That’s... a weird combination.” I shrugged. ”But I can grab some cola too.”

”Thank you.” She paused. ”Um, you’re talking quietly. Did I call at the wrong time?”

”No, I, uh... well, you know. I’m with some friends right now.”

”Oh, right, right.” She sounded satisfied with the answer. ”Well, uh... see you later. With sushi, I hope.”

”Yes, ma’am.” I chuckled. ”Goodbye.”

”Byee.”

I hung up and slipped my phone back into my pocket. When I returned to the living room, Vessa had already removed her jacket and was hanging it on the coat rack. Emma had also removed her nightgown, leaving herself completely naked.

Vessa’s reaction told me immediately that she was uncomfortable. She tried not to show it, but her shoulders were a little stiff, and she kept glancing between Emma and the bedroom.

”Hey,” I called out to her. ”Can we talk for a second?”

”Um... sure?”

”I’ll be in the bedroom,” Emma said. ”Hurry up.”

”Yeah.”

Emma walked away, leaving the two of us in the living room.

I waited until she was out of earshot before turning toward Vessa. ”Look, I noticed you seemed a little uncomfortable.”

She hesitated before giving me a small nod. ”A little, yeah.”

”That’s completely fine.”

She looked at me, seemingly surprised by my response.

”I mean it,” I continued. ”You don’t have to pretend you’re comfortable just because you agreed to do this. If something feels wrong, tell me.”

”Okay.”

”This is a job, right? You’re doing it because you need the money, and I’m doing it because she asked me to. There’s no reason for either of us to make this more uncomfortable than it already is.”

Vessa let out a quiet laugh. ”Yeah. It is pretty awkward.”

”Very.” I smiled. ”Honestly, I’m not exactly comfortable either. I’m sitting here wearing a surgical mask because I don’t want you to know my name. That should tell you how weird this situation is.”

She laughed a little more genuinely this time. ”Fair point.”

”And if you change your mind at any point, just tell me. We can stop. If you need a break, we take a break. If you want to leave, you leave. I’m not going to get angry about it.”

Her expression softened. ”Thanks.”

”Of course.”

She adjusted the strap of her handbag before looking toward the bedroom. ”I was just... expecting this to feel different.”

”How so?”

”I don’t know.” She shrugged. ”I’ve done modeling work before, but this is... obviously different. Then I walked in and saw the camera and Emma just immediately started explaining everything.”

”Yeah, Emma isn’t exactly known for easing people into things.”

That earned another small laugh.

”She really isn’t.”

I smiled behind my mask.

”Look, you don’t have to prove anything to me. Just take it at your own pace. If you’re nervous, tell me. If something hurts, tell me. If you suddenly decide this isn’t for you, tell me. I’d rather have an awkward conversation than have you force yourself through something you don’t want to do.”

Vessa nodded slowly. ”I appreciate that.”

”Good.”

She took a breath and seemed noticeably more relaxed than she had been a moment earlier. ”I think I feel a little better now.”

”That’s all I wanted.”

She smiled at me. ”Thank you... uh, mysterious masked guy.”

I chuckled. ”You’re welcome, mysterious masked woman.”

She shook her head with a quiet laugh before glancing toward the bedroom again. ”Alright. I think I’m ready.”

”You sure?”

She nodded. ”Yeah. I’m sure.”

”Okay. Then let’s go.”

We walked toward the bedroom together, and I made sure to stay beside her rather than rushing ahead. Whatever happened next, I wanted her to know she could speak up whenever she needed to.

Emma was already by the camera, carefully wiping the lenses with a microfiber cloth, making sure everything was clean and ready. Even I felt a little embarrassed, and that almost never happened. Vessa was just that shy. The nervous energy coming off her was contagious.

I glanced at her while she stood near the bed. She had a really nice body, soft, full tits that sat high on her chest, a narrow waist, and a firm, rounded ass that looked great even under the simple clothes she was still wearing. The surgical mask covered the lower half of her face, but it couldn’t hide the slightly panicked look in her eyes.

Emma finished with the camera, set the cloth aside, and crossed her arms.

”Guys, what are we waiting for? Get naked.”

”Oh... yeah, yeah,” Vessa mumbled.

She turned her back to both of us and started undressing with small, hesitant movements, first her top, then her bra, then her pants and panties. I did the same, though normally I wouldn’t have felt awkward about it. Because of Vessa’s obvious nervousness, I moved a little slower than usual.