Nathan reached his apartment after a long walk. His feet hurt. His head felt heavy. His thoughts were still spinning from what just happened.
Aaron's words kept ringing in his ears.
"Toyboy…"
"Bottom feeder…"
He wanted to punch something. Or scream. Or break his busted fan with a chair. But instead, he just tossed his shirt off and crashed on the mattress, still dressed in jeans.
He didn't even change. Just closed his eyes and knocked out.
He didn't dream much. Just fragments of Evelyn's sad eyes and Aaron's stupid smirk. It was weird how both haunted him in different ways.
When morning came, light peeked through his dusty window. Nathan groaned, rubbed his face, and reached for his system panel with one eye half open.
And then—ping!
[System Update Complete – Welcome to Tier II]New Features Unlocked:
- Daily Prediction
- Shop Tier II Access
- Skill Enhancement Module
Nathan sat up, blinking. "Huh?"
He clicked on the new option.
[Daily Prediction – Tap to View Today's Insight]
He tapped.
[Prediction: Invest in ARX MicroTech (Penny Stock)]
Current Price: $1.15
Predicted Price in 3 Days: $10.40
Confidence Level: 100%
Nathan's mouth fell open.
"Wait what—this thing can predict stock prices now?"
He stared at the screen for a full minute.
"That's… insane."
If it worked like that every day, he could actually become rich just trading stocks. No more cold sandwiches or counting coins for coffee. He could afford suits. And rent. And maybe even his own office someday.
But then he noticed the small note under the prediction box.
[Note: Daily Prediction may vary in topic. It can be related to trading, personal events, relationship outcomes, or threats. Use it wisely.]
Nathan exhaled. "Of course it's not that easy."
Still, this stock thing… it felt like a golden chance.
Only one problem.
"I don't even have money to invest, dammit."
He scratched his head. "I got skills, I got brains, I got system… but my wallet's emptier than my fridge."
He walked around his room, counting change out of habit. A total of $100. Two old receipts and one dead mosquito also came out of his drawer.
—
Meanwhile, at Evelyn's penthouse…
Evelyn woke up with a light headache. Her throat dry. Her mouth tasted like red wine and her stomach felt a little heavy.
She sat up slowly.
Blanket over her. She blinked.
"I… don't remember going to bed…"
Then she saw the wine glass on the other side of the bed, rolled over on its side.
And then she remembered.
Nathan.
Her eyes widened a bit. She touched her own cheek.
He carried her here.
And… he didn't take advantage. He just… left.
That alone made something flutter in her chest.
She covered her face with her hands. "Ugh… I was so drunk…"
But a small, quiet smile escaped her lips.
Maybe he wasn't just another smooth talker.
Maybe… he was something else, a different guy.
She looked at the mirror. Her face was flushed. She looked softer than usual. Human. Not like the Ice-Cold CEO from the office.
"Stop blushing like a teen," she mumbled at herself, brushing her fingers through her messy hair.
—
Back at Nathan's place...
Ping!
[Relationship Update – Evelyn Moreau]
Affection: 43% (+6%)
Trust: 34% (+5%)
Evelyn appreciates your care and restraint.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "So she woke up and remembers everything, huh?"
He leaned back, feeling kinda good. Like he earned some hidden achievement.
But the system wasn't done.
Ping!
[New Side Quest – Convince Evelyn to Invest $50,000 in ARX MicroTech]
Reward: Mystery Box (Tier II) & 100 Tycoon PointsTime Limit: 24 Hours
Nathan almost choked. "Are you crazy? How the hell do I convince her for that?!"
He stared at the screen.
"Fifty thousand dollars?? Bro I don't even have thousand dollars and now you give this quest to make my life even more difficult!"
He started pacing around. "She's gonna think I'm some scammer if I ask that. I need to like... make it sound smart. Maybe talk like a Mutual Fund salesman."
The system didn't reply. Of course. Just dropped the bomb and stayed quiet like always.
He pulled open his laptop and checked for ARX MicroTech info. Looked up the company. Checked if the numbers even made sense. It was a real company. Tech stuff. Just not popular yet. Low volume, cheap stock.
He even read three articles and watched a half-dead YouTuber explain penny stocks in a low voice.
Still. $50k was no joke.
"Man… I need to sell this like it's the next Apple product."
Just as he was stressing hard—
Ding!
A message popped up.
[Evelyn Moreau]"Come to the office this afternoon. We need to talk."
Nathan froze.
He stared at the message like it might explode.
"Wait… she wants to see me? Already?"
He started sweating. Not from fear. From nerves. And something else too. Guilt? Hope?
Was she mad? Was she awkward now after last night? Was she going to yell?
Or… was this a good thing?
Nathan checked himself in the mirror. Hair messy. Shirt crumbled.
He sighed. "Great. I look like I rolled out of a dumpster."
Still, he wasn't about to say no.
He looked at the screen again.
[Side Quest Active – Convince Evelyn to Invest]
[Reward: Mystery Box & 100 Tycoon Points]
He had no clue how he was going to do this. He wasn't a stockbroker. He was just… Nathan.
But he knew one thing for sure.
He needed to take the chance.
And now, he was going to find out how bold he could really be.