The Heart System Chapter 545

Layla adjusted her position a bit on the stool, pondering. "Once or twice a week. Sometimes more. He doesn’t always buy a lot, but he comes by often."

"Alone?"

"Most of the time," she replied, then hesitated.

I picked up on it instantly. "Most of the time?"

Her fingers drummed softly on the counter once more. "Sometimes he brings someone."

"Who?"

"I don’t know his name," she confessed swiftly. "He never introduced him or anything."

"That’s fine," I replied. "Describe him."

She drew in a breath, straining to remember. "Taller than Jack. Lean... but not weak. Dark hair, kind of messy, like he doesn’t care much about fixing it. His face was sharper than Jack’s. More serious."

I nodded deliberately. The image of the man formed clearly in my mind.

"And how do they act?" I inquired. "Like business partners? Friends?"

Layla shook her head without delay. "No. Not like that."

"Then what?"

She paused once more, then spoke at last. "Closer."

I leaned forward slightly. "Closer how?"

"They don’t touch much," she clarified, picking her words with care. "Not in an obvious way. But they stay near each other the whole time. Jack talks softer around him. And that guy... he watches everything. Mostly Jack."

"Watches him how?"

"Like he cares," she whispered.

That sealed it.

"So not just a friend," I summed up. "A boyfriend."

Layla appeared uncomfortable, yet she nodded. "That’s what it feels like, yeah."

I allowed the revelation to linger briefly, then dug deeper.

"Then why hide it?" I questioned. "Jack doesn’t seem like the type to be shy about anything."

"It’s not about him," she responded fast. "It’s his family."

I arched a brow. "Explain."

She fidgeted again, then bent forward a touch, dropping her voice despite our solitude. "His parents are big in charity circles," she revealed. "Like, really big. They organize events, donate money, help churches raise funds... that kind of thing. People know them."

"Religious?" I probed.

"Very," she affirmed with a nod. "Strict, too. The kind that talks about morals all the time. Image matters to them. A lot."

I exhaled softly through my nostrils. "And having a son with a boyfriend wouldn’t fit that image."

"Not even a little," Layla stated. "If that got out? It would mess things up for them. The charities, the reputation... everything."

"So he keeps it quiet," I murmured.

"Yeah," she agreed. "They’re careful when they come here. No public displays, no names, nothing that could trace back to him. If you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t even think twice."

I nodded thoughtfully, connecting the dots.

Jack Kuinn. Clean public image via his family. Private life worlds apart. And a secret he desperately wanted buried. That wasn’t merely useful. It was pure leverage.

I glanced back at her. "Anything else? Something small, something odd, anything you remember."

Layla pondered briefly, then shook her head. "No... that’s really it. He comes, buys what he wants, leaves. And when that guy’s with him, they just... stay close."

I observed her a moment longer, then stood tall.

"Alright," I declared.

She eyed me warily, anticipating more. But I simply nodded once.

"Thanks," I appended. "You helped more than you think."

She blinked, caught off guard.

"I... just told you what I saw," she murmured.

"Exactly," I countered. "And that’s enough."

I pulled away from the counter, smoothing my jacket lightly.

"Sorry for pushing earlier," I continued. "Had to make sure you didn’t shut me out."

She released a faint sigh. "Yeah... I figured."

I gave her a final glance. "Take care of yourself, alright? And... be careful around him."

Her hand moved instinctively to her belly again. "I will."

I nodded, spun around, and headed for the door. The bell tinkled gently as I shoved it open and emerged onto the street.

At last, I held real ammunition against Jack.

Something he’d never want exposed.

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

The elevator doors parted, yet I lingered inside. Arms folded, I leaned against the glass rear wall, scrubbing my face. Exhaustion weighed down my eyes, my mind even more so. Tiredness gripped me, no denying it. But quitting wasn’t possible now.

The doors sealed with a gentle whir, lights fading a touch as the car descended.

Jack Kuinn. Devout parents. Smiles for charity. Spotless image. Yet lurking beneath it all, a secret affair he kept buried deep, away from prying eyes. If it leaked, the fallout wouldn’t merely embarrass him—it would shatter the perfect facade his family had so carefully constructed. Exactly the sort of scandal whispered at those galas, the kind that clings like a shadow.

The actual challenge wasn’t awareness anymore. Proving it was.

I breathed out steadily, leaning my head back onto the glass. "How the hell do I snag evidence..." I whispered to myself.

I had no clue where he resided. No way to just show up at his place and request a photo op with his lover. Tail him instead—that could pan out. Needed someone skilled at blending into shadows, unafraid to soil their hands.

Cora popped into my thoughts right away.

"Ugh..." I grumbled, shoving off the glass as the elevator halted once more.

Doors slid open on their own. A strange vibe hit for a moment. Nothing pinpointable, merely a subtle change in the atmosphere, akin to entering a vacant room that abruptly held presence. I creased my brow faintly, then dismissed it. Exhaustion explained it.

I exited, fished out my keycard, and approached the door. One swift scan, a gentle beep, and I nudged it ajar.

Then I halted dead.

Mana.

There she stood directly before me, as if rooted in place forever, not materializing from thin air moments prior. Identical skimpy dress struggling to cover, identical blank look across her features. Serene. Impassive. As though this held zero significance for her.

I closed the door gently behind, fingers clenching the knob briefly before releasing.

"Mana..." I uttered, eyes narrowing a touch. "What are you doing here?"