They shared a chuckle. I inhaled again and glanced out the window. Snow was falling, slow but heavy. The storm had finally ended, but the damage outside was bad. A street lamp had toppled over and smashed into a storefront window. One of the traffic lights below had short-circuited from the storm, and a motorcycle had skidded right into a tree to avoid hitting someone. People were gathering around it, and an ambulance had just pulled up.

Nala kissed Kim's hair before getting up. She walked behind her desk, opened her laptop, and started typing. I leaned forward and put out my cigarette in the small table's ashtray.

Then Kim reached out.

Before I could react, she pulled me into a tight hug—her whole body leaning against me, her cheek pressed to my shoulder.

"Woah," I murmured. "Where did that come from?"

"I just realized how lucky I am to have met you," she said with a soft smile, burying her face into me.

I smiled back and rubbed her arm. "I'm twice as lucky meeting you."

"Well, I'm triple."

"Quadruple."

"Quintuple."

"Sextuple."

She smacked my arm, laughing. "That's not a thing. You're pulling nonsense out of your ass."

"No?"

Kim looked over. "Nala, is sextuple a thing?"

"No," Nala answered without looking up. "I think he's trying to hint at something. Subliminal message. Sex-tuple."

"Wow." I scoffed. "Surrounded by uneducated peasants. I need to leave."

Nala's smile faded as she finally looked at me.

"Actually," she said quietly, "I needed to talk to you, Evan."

I straightened. "About what?"

"Reid," she said. "I looked into him more. He has a brother."

"And?"

"I want you to go talk to him. Get a read on him. See if he knows something."

"No problem," I said. "He work here?"

"No. He owns a hot-dog stand on Meryl Street." She tilted her head. "You know where that is?"

"Yeah. It's close." I shrugged. "Reid's at TechForge and his brother runs a hot-dog stand? Sounds like family drama. Bet they don't talk."

"I have no idea," she said. "That's why I want you two to go. Maybe his brother knows something we don't."

"Alright," I said, already standing. "I'll check it out."

"Thank you," she said, her tone softer. "Really, Evan. This whole mole situation… it means a lot to me."

╭───────────╮

EVENT

===============

Nala's Interest +5

╰───────────╯

I smiled. "I know. Text you when I'm done."

Nala nodded. "Good."

Kim stood up as well. "Can I come too? I could use some air. And… distraction."

I grinned at Nala. "You're the CEO."

"You don't even have to ask," Nala said. "Go. Both of you."

Kim perked up. "I'll grab my stuff and meet you in the lobby, Evan."

"Yep."

╭───────────╮

WOMEN - INTERACTIONS

===============

Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60★★

Kayla: Interest: 23 / 40★

Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40★

Kim: Interest: 35 / 40★

Delilah: Interest: 75 / 80★★★

Cora: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Mendy: Interest: 6 /20

Nala: Interest: 71 /80★★★

Penelope: Interest: 5 /20

Minne: Interest: 23 /40★

Ivy: Interest: 2/20

===============

Progress:

★☆☆☆☆ - 20 Interest: Milestone reward

★★☆☆☆ - 40 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★☆☆ - 60 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★☆ - 80 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★★ -100 Interest: Milestone reward

===============

Select a woman to track progress.

╰───────────╯

I left the room and headed back to my desk, grabbing my jacket from the coat hanger before walking to the elevator. A few seconds later, the door chimed open, and Amelia stepped out. She gave me a polite smile, but it seemed a bit forced. Or, rather, it seemed waaay too forced. But I didn't mind, I just stepped into the elevator.

"Oh," Amelia said, turning back. "Evan?"

I put a hand to the elevator door to keep it from closing. "Yeah?"

"Is Ms. Nolin busy right now?"

"No, you can go ahead and talk to her." I replied.

"Thanks." She nodded.

I grunted in response.

I let my hand fall away, and the door closed behind me. As it did, I glanced at her backside one last time. Damn. Nearly as big as Kayla's, but not quite. Kayla's… fuck. Her ass had to be from heaven or something. She had to be working out—had to be.

I cleared my throat, looking up as I pressed the ground floor button. That night… Jasmine, Tessa, Kim, Nala, Minnie, Kayla, Delilah… what a night it was.

"Fuck…" I muttered under my breath. "Nah, focus, Evan."

❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎

Kim and I stepped out of the car, breath blooming in the cold morning air. Even though it was almost two in the afternoon, the street felt like a slow, cozy winter morning—the kind where time moved lazily.

Snow drifted down in soft flakes, floating instead of falling. The sidewalks were crowded with people bundled in coats and scarves, hands tucked into pockets, steam rising from paper cups of coffee. Soft chatter, distant car engines, and the crunch of snow under boots… this part of the town was crowded. A row of old brick cafés lined the street, their windows foggy, orange lights glowing behind them.

Kim pulled her coat tighter. "Is it him?" she asked, nodding toward a hot-dog stand by the curb.

I grabbed my phone and checked the photo Nala had sent. Short brown hair. Tall. Broad shoulders. Tattoo of 63 with a teardrop under the left eye.

"Yeah," I said, pocketing my phone. "That's him."

Kim squinted. "He looks… weird."

"Yeah," I muttered. "Let's hope he's not as weird as his brother."

She laughed. "Here's hoping."

We crossed the street carefully, stepping over slushy patches of snow. The closer we got, the worse the hot-dog stand looked. The metal cart was dented, one wheel crooked, the umbrella overhead half-torn. The smell was… questionable at best—burnt meat, onions, and something else that probably shouldn't be legal.

The guy himself wasn't any better. Pale skin, dark circles under his eyes, patchy stubble, skin breaking out, and dirty fingernails that screamed health inspector's nightmare. Honestly, the stand should've had a sign saying you will get diarrhea.

He handed a hot-dog to a customer, then wiped his nose with the back of his hand. Kim and I shared one last "ready?" look before approaching.

"Hey," I said, giving him a small nod. "You're Havalante, right?"

"Yes?" He eyed our clothes—coat, slacks, clean shoes. "You probably ain't here for a hot-dog in those fancy pieces, ay?"

"Nah," I said. "I'm here about your brother. Reid Marson."

His eyes twitched. "Why?"

"To ask some questions," I said. "Are you two close?"

"You a fed?"

"No," I said with a faint smirk. "Just want to talk."

He snorted. "Then fuck off with your girlfriend, mate. Or buy a hot-dog before fucking off."

Kim raised an eyebrow, silently judging his entire existence.

"Did you know your brother is using drugs?" I asked.

"Reid?" He blinked, genuinely surprised. "No fucking way, bro. No way."

"You do drugs?" Kim asked bluntly, tilting her head.

"That doesn't matter, does it?" He waved her off, still laughing. "Reid doing drugs? That a joke?"

"Why's that impossible?" I asked.

He scoffed. "He treats his body like a temple, man. He doesn't eat red meat, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink. He's lactose intolerant, runs five kilometers every damn morning, avoids people because he thinks talking too much gives him Alzheimer's. This guy doing drugs?"

I stared at him, gears turning. Shit… that did not line up. Reid wasn't the type to lock himself in a bathroom and snort coke. So what the hell did we find?

"He told me the coffee tasted bad," I muttered. "Shit, I remember now. But the machine was broken that day. Ali told me."

Kim looked at me. "Mm?"

"He lied," I said. "Again. This guy keeps… just fucking lying. I don't understand."

"What do we do?" she asked quietly.

"Just what the fuck is happening with my brother?" Havalante asked, starting to sound nervous.

"We found cocaine in his pocket," I said. "You know anything about it?"

"Shit… so that's what it was for."

"What?" I asked sharply.

"Nothing," he shrugged quickly, eyes darting away.

Yeah—he was hiding something. Time for Honeyed Words.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Havalante

==========================

☐☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 0/3

╰────────────────────╯

Total of five boxes. Three chances. I could do that. I just needed to be careful.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"Your brother is in serious trouble.

It would be in your best interest to

speak, Hav."

==========================

Base Chance: 30%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 80%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"Your brother is in serious trouble," I said, leaning in slightly. "It would be in your best interest to speak, Hav."

He swallowed. "Trouble? W-what trouble?"

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Havalante

==========================

☑☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 1/3

╰────────────────────╯

He was starting to sweat.

"Wh… just what the fuck happened?" he asked, voice cracking a little.

"You have no idea," Kim said, shaking her head. "No fucking idea."

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"Tell us what you know. And we

will leave your name outside of this."

==========================

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 70%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"Tell us what you know," I said, voice calm but firm. "And we'll leave your name out of this."

He narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. F-fuck off."

"You're not listening," Kim cut in. "Just tell us, Hav. And it'll be over."

"Fuck you! You lying pieces of shits!"

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Havalante

==========================

☑☑☑☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 2/3

╰────────────────────╯

Good. Even though he sounded defiant, he was cracking under the pressure.

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