Nathan woke up with a weird kind of energy. It wasn't just coffee or sleep. It was something more. Like something big was gonna happen today.
He got dressed quick. Shirt tucked in properly for once. Hair fixed. He even used deodorant twice, just in case.
When he reached Evelyn's building, he felt nervous but also kinda excited. He got in the elevator, and as the door closed, he looked at his reflection.
"Okay Nathan… don't do anything dumb today," he muttered.
Ding.
The elevator opened, and he stepped out.
He walked toward her office and pushed the door open.
And then… he froze for a second.
Evelyn was already there. Sitting on her big boss chair. She was checking some files, eyes focused, hand holding a pen near her lips. But it wasn't the paperwork that caught him.
Today… she looked seriously beautiful.
One side of her hair had fallen gently on her cheek. Her lips were glossy. Her eyes sharp but soft too. The kind of look that made your heart skip.
She looked up and saw him.
"Good morning, Nathan," she said with a light smile.
Nathan blinked and tried to act normal. "Morning."
"You want coffee? I'm ordering one for myself."
"Uh—yeah. Sure. One for me too."
She placed the order. Then they both sat down and started talking about the project. They were going over the proposal, discussing some small ideas and details.
It was calm. Comfortable.
But in Nathan's mind, one thing was screaming loud.
It was 9:13.
Just two minutes till the market opened.
He slowly glanced at his phone. The pre-market price of ARX MicroTech was already up. It showed $2.40.
His heart skipped.
"This is a good sign," he whispered.
Evelyn opened her laptop too, just casually.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"So the stock's already rising?" she asked, a bit curious now. "Do you really have some important contacts?"
Nathan just smirked. Didn't answer.
The clock hit 9:15.
Market opened.
Both of them stared at the screen.
ARX MicroTech moved… but slowly.
It bounced between $2.40 to $3.00.
Evelyn sighed. "See? This is how it works. Penny stocks get stuck in their bands. No big jump happens."
Nathan was biting his lip.
But then… something changed.
The number blinked.
$3.50
Then $4.00
$4.50…
Evelyn leaned forward.
$5.00
$5.25
$5.50…
Nathan sat up straight. "Holy—"
$5.75… $6.00
It kept climbing.
$6.50… $6.75… $7.10… $7.50
$7.90…
And then it paused.
Both of them were breathing a little fast now.
Evelyn cleared her throat. "Nathan… I think we should book the profit now. This is already a miracle."
Nathan stared at the screen. "No. Not yet. Let's wait."
"Don't be greedy," she said calmly. "We've already won enough."
But Nathan was serious now. "Just wait."
Evelyn paused. Looked at him and saw how serious he was.
And waited.
Then After 5 minutes the stock started rising again -
$8.10… $8.60… $9.10… $9.50
$9.90… $10.1.....$10.4
"Now!" Nathan yelled. "Book the profit now!"
Evelyn hit Sell.
Nathan sold from his phone too.
They both looked at each other.
And then—Nathan jumped with joy.
"YES! We did it!"
He couldn't help it.
He just…Jumped & hugged her.
It was sudden. Quick. Full of excitement.
But what shocked him most… she didn't push him away.
She stood still. And even smiled a little.
Her arms didn't hug back, but she didn't step away either.
But after a few seconds, she softly coughed.
Nathan blinked and quickly stepped back.
"Uh—sorry. I got too excited…"
Evelyn looked down, fixing her hair. "It's okay."
Nathan smiled awkwardly. "Guess I don't have to work under you forever, huh?"
She smirked. "Maybe not. But I'll keep that offer in my pocket."
Nathan laughed a little. The tension broke.
Then Evelyn said, "Anyway… as the proposal for Hotel Aurora is already done, we should start working on the practical side now. Planning, sites, budget… full process."
Nathan nodded. "Yeah. Let's do it."
Ping!
[New Quest – Complete Project Aurora (Phase 2) & Conquer Evelyn]
Reward: 500 Tycoon Points, Evelyn becomes your business partner, New Storyline Quest Access
Nathan stared at it.
"Conquer Evelyn…? What is this system even trying to say…" he muttered.
But he sighed and shook his head. "Of course it would say something like that."
Their meeting ended soon after.
Before leaving, Nathan turned and asked, "Do you know anyone who's good with transport stuff? Like… has contacts?"
Evelyn blinked. "Huh? That's random."
"Just… for a business thing."
She scribbled a number on paper and handed it to him. "Call this guy. Name's Daniel. He works with transport permits."
"Thanks," Nathan said, taking the paper.
He walked out of the building, feeling ten feet tall.
Then—his phone buzzed.
[Amount Credited: $100,000]
From: Evelyn Moreau
Message: You helped me invest in something i was never good at and then even getting it all right. This is your reward, Nathan. You earned it.
Nathan just stood there.
Smiling like an idiot again.
"Thank you, Evelyn…" he whispered.
He didn't reply. Just kept walking, lost in thoughts.
About business. Transport. Future.
He didn't even see the system message pop up.
[Relationship Update – Evelyn Moreau]
Affection: 55% (+9%)
Trust: 50% (+12%)
He was already lost in dreams of building something big.
Something real.
Something his.
Next chapter: Nathan calls the mysterious Daniel… and a new business move begins.