Nathan stood outside Evelyn's building again, this time less nervous but more… shaky inside. His shirt was slightly better than before. Hair fixed. He even used mouth spray. Twice.
He checked his reflection in the elevator mirror and talked to himself. "Okay, Nathan... be smart. Be bold. Just don't say something stupid."
Ding.
The elevator opened.
He stepped out and walked toward Evelyn's office, trying not to trip over his own thoughts. Each step felt like a countdown. His stomach twisted a little, not from hunger but stress.
When he stepped in, he paused.
Evelyn was already there.
Sitting on her big black chair like always, but her head was tilted back slightly. Eyes closed. Her hands rested gently on the armrest. Her breathing was calm. She looked… peaceful. Not the usual sharp boss lady, but like someone just tired and letting herself rest for once.
She looked soft.
Like a queen waiting for something. Or someone.
Then her eyes opened.
They saw him.
She blinked once. And for a split second—just one—her cheeks turned slightly red. Not fully blushing. But it was definitely something.
Nathan's brain blanked out.
There was a small silence. Not loud. But enough that it echoed in his ears.
"You came early," Evelyn finally said, her voice cool but not cold.
Nathan cleared his throat. "No, not really. I think it's just... me."
There was another pause.
Then she said softly, "Thanks. For last night. For, you know... letting me sleep by carry... carrying me to bed comfortably."
Nathan scratched the back of his head. "No worries. That was my job… kinda."
She nodded once. "Still. Noted."
Nathan smiled. Just a small one. The ice was breaking. Slowly. Carefully.
Then came the work part.
"So, what's the status on Project Aurora?" Evelyn asked, straightening her back like her CEO switch just turned on.
Nathan quickly pulled out the tablet. "Most of it's done. I cleaned up the vendor flow, added flags to suspicious ones, and set up alert triggers for any unusual movement."
Evelyn went through the files, scanning fast with her finger scrolling down. Her brows slightly raised in a rare approving look.
"Hmm. Clean work," she said, tapping one spot. "Modify the wording here. And this part… change the structure. It sounds too casual."
Nathan nodded, already taking mental notes. "Got it. I'll fix it tonight."
They worked in quiet for a few minutes. No jokes, no side talk. Just pure focus.
Until—ping.
[Reminder: Side Quest – Convince Evelyn to Invest $50,000 in ARX MicroTech]
Time Left: 5 Hours
Nathan almost dropped the tablet.
His heart skipped. His palms got sweaty.
Fifty thousand. That number echoed in his head like a slap.
Evelyn noticed the shift. Her eyes flicked up. "You alright?" she asked.
Nathan fumbled. "Yeah… I mean, uh—there's something I wanted to tell you. Actually… ask."
She folded her arms. "Okay?"
He paused. Breathed in. "Do you know about trading?"
Evelyn nodded. "I do it sometimes. Basic stuff. Mutual funds, some short-term plays."
Nathan rubbed his palms on his jeans. "Cool. Um… do you know about insider trading?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "The illegal one? Where someone from inside gives secret info?"
"Exactly."
She tilted her head. "Why are you asking me this?"
Nathan looked down at the floor, then back at her. "I… I want you to invest in a stock."
She raised a brow. "How much?"
He hesitated. "Fifty… thousand dollars."
Her lips tightened. "Excuse me?"
Nathan rushed in before she exploded. "It's a penny stock. I know how it sounds, but just hear me out."
She sighed hard and leaned back in her chair. "You want me to throw 50k into a gamble?"
"It's not a gamble!" Nathan said, voice rising. "I have… contacts. Trusted ones. They said it's gonna 10x in 3 days. I swear."
Evelyn just stared. Her face looked blank but her eyes weren't.
"No," she said flatly.
Nathan panicked. "Evelyn, please. Just give me one chance. If I'm wrong—if this doesn't work—I swear, I'll work under you forever. No salary. Just tasks. I won't complain ever."
Evelyn blinked. Slowly. Like he just said he'd auction his soul for five bucks.
"You're serious?"
Nathan nodded fast. "Dead serious."
She turned to her desk. Then the ceiling. Then back to his dumb face.
"Fine," she sighed like she was signing a deal with the devil. "Which stock?"
Nathan nearly collapsed in relief. "ARX MicroTech. It's $1.15 now. It'll go ten times. Trust me."
She opened her laptop.
He sat beside her. Their shoulders brushed once. Neither of them moved.
She searched the stock. Looked at charts. News. He helped her read graphs even though she probably understood better.
Ten minutes passed.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered.
Then—she clicked Buy.
Nathan stared at the screen, heart pounding.
She turned to him. "You better be right."
"I will be," he replied, trying not to stutter.
As he got up, she added, "Also—finish the Project Aurora proposal in the next 3 days. Fully polished. No excuses."
Nathan nodded. "Yeah. Absolutely."
Then she narrowed her eyes one last time. "And remember. If this stock fails… you're gonna work under me forever."
He gulped. "Noted."
—
As Nathan left the office, the afternoon sun hit his face.
His system blinked again.
[Side Quest COMPLETE – Evelyn Invested $50,000]
+100 Tycoon Points Earned
Reward Unlocked: Tier II Mystery Box – Tap to Open
Nathan stopped walking.
"Mystery box? Seriously?"
He didn't open it yet. Not now. Not in the middle of the street.
He wanted to reach home first. Be alone when he saw what was inside.
His mind was spinning. Between trades, quests, promises, and that half-blush Evelyn gave earlier… today felt like a day he didn't expect.
Even if it all failed tomorrow…At least today, he did something.
Next: Nathan opens the mystery box... and the item inside is....