The Heart System Chapter 546

She stood perfectly still. Not even a blink escaped her.

"You forced me to burn through a hefty chunk of my power, Evan," she stated, her tone even and restrained. "Yanking you out of that realm took real effort."

My jaw clenched tight.

"Silk," I demanded at once. "Who is she?"

She dismissed my query as though my words never passed my lips.

"You’ve been penalized," she went on. "I came here to inform you. Nothing more."

"Penalized?" I echoed, my brow furrowing. "For what?"

"Goodbye, Henrik."

In a blink, she vanished. No burst of light, no whisper of sound. Present one instant, absent the next. I fixed my gaze on the empty space where she had stood, my thoughts scrambling to keep pace.

"What the fuck?"

Penalized? Precisely for what? Spotting Silk? Edging too near some forbidden truth? The reactions from both her and Dierella earlier... genuine fear gripped them. Not mere annoyance or vexation. Real terror.

That revelation spoke volumes.

Then the system shimmered into sight.

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Evan Marlowe [Level 21]

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EXP: 0 / 31500

[░░░░░░░░░]

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Current Credits: 0

Current SC: 225

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"Ah, you’ve got to be kidding me."

Every bit of my EXP. Wiped clean. Credits vanished too.

With a sharp exhale, I summoned my stats, a ghostly panel materializing before me.

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CURRENT STATS

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◆ Strength: 30

⤷ Crushing Presence (▩▩▩▩▩)

◆ Charm: 20

- Manipulative Charm

⤷ Honeyed Words (▩▩▩▩▩)

⤷ Gaslight (⏹☐☐☐☐)

⤷ Emotional Charisma (☐☐☐☐☐)

⤷ Seductive Allure (☐)

◆ Libido: 20

⤷ Endless Vigor (⏹⏹⏹⏹⏹)

◆ Pleasure: 40 (+50)

⤷ Sensory Overload (☐☐☐☐☐)

⤷ Erogenous Insight (⏹)

⤷ Bliss Multiplier (▣▣▣▣▣)

◆ Luck: 10

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◆ Passive Skill: On a Roll

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0 Unused Ability Points

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"All my points..." I grumbled, dragging a hand through my hair.

This went beyond a mere reprimand. She struck with full force.

Releasing a deep sigh, I headed to the living room and slumped onto the couch. Legs extended forward, feet thudding onto the coffee table, I reclined and stared at the ceiling momentarily.

All this chaos... solely for drawing near Silk.

"Great," I muttered sarcastically.

Outside, the storm had fully dissipated. Darkness cloaked the sky, now serene, embodying the eerie stillness after frenzy. This city remained unpredictable—one heartbeat in turmoil, the next feigning tranquility.

"Master."

I tilted my head as Minne emerged from the hallway, rag clutched in her grip.

"I’m sorry," she apologized hastily. "I was cleaning the windows. I didn’t hear you come in."

"It’s fine," I dismissed with a wave. "Come here. Sit with me."

"Of course, Master."

She approached and settled beside me, tentative initially, then yielding as my arm encircled her shoulder, drawing her in tight. She melted against me without delay, head pillowed on my chest. Her body heat permeated my shirt, her subtle stiffness fading beneath my soothing strokes on her shoulder.

A soft kiss landed on her crown as I sighed, eyes lowering to the floor.

"How was your day, huh?" I asked.

"It was good, Master," she murmured gently. "How was yours?"

"Eh... it was something," I replied. "You mentioned cleaning the windows?"

She nodded into me. "Yes, Master."

"At this hour?" I arched a brow.

A faint, sheepish sigh slipped from her. "It was Mik. Mrs. Tessa gave her wet food, and she stepped right into it, then ran into my room. There were paw prints everywhere."

I huffed a quiet laugh. "Little idiot."

Before Minne could answer, Tessa's voice pierced from the hallway.

"Well, look who’s back," she drawled, peering around the corner with a sluggish smirk. "Man of the house. What’s up, stud?"

"All good," I answered with a casual shrug. "You didn’t sleep?"

She strolled in, stretching languidly en route to the armchair, then flopped onto it sideways, legs swinging off the armrest. "Nah. Had coffee like half an hour ago."

I blinked in disbelief. "You drank coffee... before trying to sleep?"

"I didn’t plan to sleep," she fired back, snatching the remote to power up the TV. "I just wanted coffee. Now I can’t sleep. It happens."

I shook my head, a subtle smile creeping onto my lips amid the turmoil.

"Hope there’s something decent on," she tossed in, surfing through channels.

Minne stirred faintly against me, and briefly, normalcy washed over. Ironic, given the recent upheaval.

We'd been endlessly channel-surfing, boredom consuming us completely. Moments afterward, Jasmine and Kim stepped out from the master bedroom, their faces masked with sheets that lent a spectral glow. Fresh black polish sparkled on their nails. They scarcely noticed me at first, chatting lightly as they wandered into the living room.

"I love this color," Kim whispered, gazing at her hands.

"Right?" Jasmine nodded, cocking her head. "It’s black, but... kinda grayish too. Mysterious."

Kim halted briefly in her stride, then proceeded with a soft chuckle. "Oh. Evan. Didn’t even see you there."

"Hey," I replied softly, flashing a faint smile. "You two look great."

Jasmine flopped onto the double couch, extending along the armrest while tucking her legs snugly. Kim joined her side, legs crossed as she fished out her phone for some aimless scrolling.

"Met up with Jack?" Jasmine inquired, tone casual.

"Hmm." I gave a shrug. "Turns out Jack has a boyfriend. And his parents are super religious."

"Best combo ever," Kim laughed without lifting her eyes from the screen. "Wow."

"I gotta track down that boyfriend."

"Blackmailing the blackmailer," Tessa chimed in from her position, her voice carrying a cunning bite. "An eye for an eye, right?"

"Exactly."

"God, I can’t sleep at all," Jasmine groaned, fidgeting uneasily. "Why did we even drink that coffee?"

"Hey, I offered," Tessa retorted, defensive yet teasing. "You said yes. I didn’t twist your arm."

Tessa let out a sharp breath and switched off the TV—nothing decent on regardless. She then pivoted toward me, her eyes igniting with that intense, ravenous gleam I recognized instantly.

"We might as well burn off this energy," she murmured seductively, her tone deepening. "What do you girls think?"

Quick looks passed between the others—even Minne stirred with interest. Kim offered a deliberate nod. "Yeah. Otherwise we’ll be staring at the ceiling all night."

"So... what’s the plan?" Tessa questioned, standing up with smooth elegance. "Jog outside? Hit the hotel gym?"

"Or..." Jasmine’s eyes drifted to me, holding steady. "We could work it out doing... something else entirely."

I couldn’t suppress a grin. "Wow."

Tessa nibbled her lower lip while approaching me across the room. "I’ve got an idea."

"Something naughty, I hope?" I joked.

"Oh, cowboy..." She halted directly before me, her voice thick and sultry. "Way worse than naughty. Very, very, very worse."