The Heart System Chapter 535

This Brok dude was either incredibly stubborn or downright idiotic. He actually thought Mark could scrape together two million somehow. Impossible. Mark was a total mess. The cash I'd handed him earlier had vanished into his gambling addiction in a flash.

Or perhaps that missed the mark entirely.

I reclined in my seat, letting out a slow breath while gazing into space. Perhaps Brok never anticipated Mark paying up. Maybe his real target was Eleanor. That idea clenched my jaw. The jerk likely figured he could pull her in and wield the debt as a weapon. As if reality mimicked some trashy fantasy tale. It didn't. And should that be his scheme, he'd live to regret it.

"You look like the crap I flushed days back," Tessa remarked from the sofa, eyeing me. "What's eating you, stud?"

I crushed my cigarette into the ashtray and leaned back further, one hand planted on the table. "Bad news."

"Perfect reply," she chuckled briefly before returning to her phone. "Pining for Nala already?"

"Not you?" I questioned.

She gave a shrug, eyes fixed downward. "Not sure. Glad to still have work, though."

"Can't argue there."

Jasmine lounged on the opposite couch, meticulously applying nail polish. One leg folded beneath her, the other extended, chin propped on her knee as she concentrated. "This gig pays ridiculously well to gripe about," she chimed in. "Straight-up crazy."

"Anyone catch sight of Nala today?" I inquired.

Kim, beside Tessa, shook her head. "Nope. She stayed in her office; we didn't enter. I itched to, but these two blocked me."

Tessa snorted softly, still thumbing her screen. "With reason."

I shoved my chair away, rose, stretched my arms, then strode to the fridge. Snatched an orange juice carton, filled a glass, swigged deeply, and returned to the table.

At that moment, Minne entered from the hall. Her hair remained wet from the shower, wet strands sticking to her neck and shoulders. She padded silently to the kitchen, methodically stacking dishes in the washer, precise and attentive.

Tessa piped up without glancing over. "And you, Maid? Missing Nala?"

Minne paused briefly, slotting a plate into the rack before replying. "A bit. Mrs. Nolin is... a fine lady."

I held off responding immediately. Just sipped my juice again and allowed the quiet to linger. True enough. That wasn't the issue. The real worry was her next move. Imagining her following through on that scheme churned my gut.

I finished the glass, placed it down, and crossed to the living room. Plopped onto the couch beside Jasmine. She looked up, offered a soft smile, then scooted closer, laying her head in my lap. A leg dangled over the armrest, her new polish gleaming.

"Feels weirdly still without her," she murmured, peering upward. "No late-night crews. No sudden vibe spikes."

"Yep," I agreed with a soft exhale. "Too still."

"Yo, Jas," Tessa teased with a smirk. "Need a banana?"

Jasmine ignored her completely. "One more word and you're flying out the window."

"What? Only trying to assist."

"What went down?" Kim pressed, edging forward. "Feels like I'm out of the loop."

Tessa stood, sidled to Kim, and whispered something. Kim's eyes bulged instantly, followed by explosive laughter.

"A banana? Get outta here," Kim gasped amid giggles, smacking her leg. "Wish I'd witnessed it."

"Will you all pipe down?" Jasmine moaned, hiding her face.

"All I'm saying," Kim continued, grin lingering. "Practical."

From the kitchen, Minne released a tiny, subdued chuckle, aiming to stay unnoticed.

A faint smile tugged at my lips from the chatter, then I tilted my head back, eyes drifting to the window. Skies were clear. No precipitation, no flakes. The breeze appeared serene, unusually mild for the season. New Year's approached.

Yet everything rang wrong. No way I'd greet the new year in this state. Not with Nala matters hanging unresolved. Jack Kuinn had to be tracked down.

Just as that resolve hit, my phone buzzed. I fished it out, spotting Carrie's name glowing.

At last.

I carefully raised Jasmine's head, settling it on the cushion, then got to my feet.

"What's up?" she asked, blinking at me.

"Carrie," I replied, picking up the call. "Possibly info on Jack."

"Damn," Tessa exclaimed, perking up. "Carrie's in the game again?"

I pressed the phone to my ear, bracing against the armrest. "Hey, Carrie."

"Evan," she answered. "I located Jack Kuinn. A meeting is arranged for tomorrow night. The usual restaurant."

My complete focus snapped to her words. "Excellent. Truly excellent. Thank you."

"The precise time isn't set yet," she went on. "I'll message you tomorrow once it's locked in."

"Got it," I replied. "I'll be prepared."

This marked the breakthrough. At last, progress surged ahead.

I ended the call, but instantly, my phone vibrated once more. Now, a message from an unfamiliar number popped up. Frowning, I opened it. A fifteen-minute video was attached.

The download took a moment. Right when it completed and I hit play, a woman's piercing scream echoed through the living room.

I went rigid.

It matched the footage Carrie captured of Luna perfectly—the viewpoint, the audio... all of it. I slammed it shut fast, exhaled deeply, and forced a casual demeanor. Now Jasmine, Kim, and Tessa stared over at me. Minne had even stopped what she was doing in the kitchen.

Tessa slapped her hands together once and reclined with a smirk. "Wow. Diving into porn already?"

"What? No way," I fired back at once. "I accidentally tapped a... you know, some random link. Melvin forwarded it."

Kim cocked her head. "Melvin? That 'hopeless romantic' guy?"

"Yep," I confirmed with a nod. "Him."

Jasmine gave a slight smile while shaking her head. "Poor guy. I spotted Iseballa. He's got zero shot."

Tessa burst into a quick chuckle. "Not a single bit."

That wrapped things up neatly. Nobody probed any deeper.