"If you don't mind me asking, why has he been doing all that over time? Does he need the money, or is he planning to make a big purchase?"
Her lips curled. "A little bit of both."
"I'll need more than that to guess," I said. "You can't expect me to figure it out just by relying on your pretty smile, can you?"
She covered her mouth, taken aback by my words. I knew it was cheesy, but… it was working.
After regaining her composure, she spoke.
"We're engaged and planning to get married soon, so we need to save money.
"Engaged, huh? So you two are already planning your future together. That's really nice. Can you tell me more?"
Hesitation clouded her eyes for a bit, but a little influence was all I needed to make her open up.
"We're trying to save up for a down payment on a small apartment near the center. But with all the monster activity lately, the cost of real estate has skyrocketed."
Jackpot. This was what I been waiting for.
"How much does an apartment cost these days?"
She answered quickly, already having a price in mind.
"Around 1,500,000 credits, I guess."
"Is that a lot? I don't really know cause I've been living in my parents' house my whole life before coming here."
She stiffened slightly when I mentioned my father.
"Well, your dad's Daniel Mercer, CEO of the Mercer Group of Companies. So it's normal you wouldn't know. But still, 1,500,000 is huge—I only make 90K a year myself."
"Then why buy it? I'm sure there are much cheaper alternatives."
"There are cheaper ones, but most of them are in the outskirts, where the chance of a monster attack is higher. The main reason we want one closer to the center is for the safety of our future family."
She smiled dreamily. I almost expected her to add that she was already pregnant with his child.
Fortunately, she didn't start rubbing her stomach.
"What about him? How much does he make?"
"Around 120K a year."
An apartment near the center costs over 1.5M, so these two were definitely doing well. But then again, I didn't know their full financial situation. They could be supporting their families, which would make saving much harder.
"Are you happy with your life?" I asked, sensing this was the perfect moment to make my move.
Normally, she would've tried to lie her way out of this, but my skill made that impossible.
"I…" She faltered, wrestling with herself before the words slipped out. "Actually… my mother's been ill for a couple of years now. Most of my salary goes toward her treatment."
I felt the weight in her voice—the sadness wasn't just on her face; it shows in her trembling fingers. It was clear she wouldn't have shared something this personal with just anyone.
But her misfortune opened a door of opportunity for me.
"What illness does she have? Is it as incurable as mine?"
She shook her head. "No, it's curable—but the operation will cost at least ten million credits."
"Just ten million? I can help with that," I offered.
She lowered her gaze, fiddling nervously with the hem of her sleeve, trying to hide her emotion.
"Mr. Ace… I don't think I can accept such an amount from you. We barely know each other."
I turned off the Acting Card, deciding it would be better to talk to her with my real personality.
"Why?"
She bit her lower lip, glancing away for a moment before replying. "I… I just don't feel comfortable accepting such a large amount. I don't want to take advantage of you."
I could tell she was genuinely embarrassed by this, so I used my ability again, pairing it with a sound argument.
"Think about it, Claire," I said, keeping my tone calm, "I'm the son of a billionaire, and yet I can't use any of my money because I'm stuck in this place."
I leaned back slightly, watching her reaction. "I want to make it worthwhile. Help people… especially you."
Her eyes met mine, and I let a small, sincere smile cross my lips.
"You might not like me, but you're my first kiss, and I've already grown fond of you."
She looked up, blinking rapidly, trying to process my words.
"But… I still think it's wrong," She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"No, it's not. If there's anyone here who deserves a better life, it's you. Besides… is this really the right time to think about right and wrong?"
I decided to go full blast, and use my Rich Kid Card.
"I could help your mother. I could help you financially, with your career. The apartment, the wedding—I could cover it all. Whatever you need. I might not be able to move, but my wealth certainly can."
Even someone like her couldn't completely resist the temptation. Now, I just need to seal the deal.
"So, what do you say? Pretend to be my girlfriend when we're together… and in return, I'll give you a better life."
Her eyes lit up, my influence slipping past her defenses.
"I… I accept your offer, but promise me that no one can ever find out about it."
"I promise. I'll make it look like a donation, keep it subtle. So… does that mean we're a couple now?"
"Hmm," she nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly as she tried to met my gaze.
Finally, all that acting paid off. Now, I just needed to turn her forced feelings into real ones, and I already knew how.
"Then… can I request my girlfriend to kiss me?"
"Okay." she bit her lip gently to moisten it first.
Slowly, she inched closer, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, giving me a full view of her glossy lips.
Her breaths came a little quicker now, and I could see the faint tremble in her hands.
"Claire, just pretend that I'm your real boyfriend."
She swallowed hard, her eyes flicking to my lips before she finally let go of all hesitation and kissed me.
I felt her tongue slide into my mouth, the sound of our lips and breaths mingling with the intoxicating taste of her.
"Come on, Claire," I mumbled between breaths. "Say it… tell me you like me."
"I like you," she said while nibbling on my lower lip.
"Tell me you love me," I commanded, letting my skill work its magic.
She leaned back, her breath coming in deep, ragged gasps. Her hesitation melted away, replaced by a playful smile that danced across her lips.
Her eyes, now glowing brighter than ever, revealed a tiny pink heart-shaped detail.
"I love you," she whispered, her voice filled with excitement, though tears began to well up in her right eye.