Chapter 14: HELLO TO YOU, TOO

The moment her hand drifted toward her cup, I deliberately reached out at the exact same time, letting my fingers brush firmly against hers over the glass. A sudden, jarring sensation flooded my mind, a heavy wave of raw emotional data bleeding through the contact.

"Oh, sorry," I said smoothly, withdrawing just enough to look polite. "I was going to refill it for you."

"No need," she replied, smiling warmly as a soft blush touched her cheeks. "This’ll be plenty."

But the connection had already done its work. I felt it clearly. She wanted, no, she needed to be seen. It was a profound, aching desire to simply be noticed by someone. Under normal circumstances, she probably wanted that validation from her husband, but fuck that guy. She had me now. If she wanted to be noticed, then paying undivided attention to her was exactly what I’d do.

"I, uh," I mumbled, pulling my hand back and rubbing the nape of my neck to play the vulnerable neighbor. "Thank you, Sarah. To be honest, I really needed a friend tonight. I absolutely hate eating dinner alone, you know?"

"Oh, it’s totally fine. We can definitely do this more often if you want," she offered, her expression softening completely.

"Thank you," I said, looking directly into her eyes with practiced sincerity. "You’re a good person, Sarah. Really. I’m incredibly lucky to know you."

Her blush deepened, creeping down her neck. "Oh... c-come on, now. I’m just doing what anyone else would do. It’s nothing special."

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TARGET: Sarah Angi

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[ RELATIONSHIP ]

> Partner: [Hubert]

> Loyalty: 60%

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[ SYSTEM SYNC ]

> Favor: 41% [▲3%]

> Threat: None

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> GRIEVANCE LOG

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Just as we finished off our respective crusts, a stray piece of tomato from her slice slipped loose, dropping straight down onto her tank top. She gasped softly, quickly snatching the rogue topping and setting it on the cardboard box before attempting to wipe the residue off her chest.

As her fingers frantically rubbed at the fabric, she accidentally pulled the loose neckline of her top a bit lower than intended. The thin material shifted aside, exposing a tantalizing expanse of pale skin and the full, heavy curve of her breast. The sudden view of her soft flesh and the shadow of her nipple nearly made me lose my composure. She was completely oblivious to the fact that I was openly gawking at her, entirely focused on the spreading stain.

"Hold on," I said, pushing myself up from the table before my stare became too obvious. "I’ll get you a tissue."

"Oh..." She shook her head, a sudden wave of anxiety tightening her features. "What if Hubert sees this?"

I grabbed a handful of paper towels from the kitchen counter and hurried back, handing them over. "Why would it matter? You just dropped a piece of food on your clothes. It’s the most normal thing in the world."

"Then he would ask where I got the stain," she exhaled, her voice laced with genuine dread as she dabbed at her chest.

"Can’t you just tell him you got it while eating dinner?"

"I usually wait to eat with him," she admitted quietly, her eyes darting around the room. "Guess I’ll have to wash these immediately and..."

Suddenly, a bright, harsh pair of headlights cut sharply through the open doorway of my bedroom, sweeping across the living room walls. Sarah’s eyes went wide with sheer terror. She bolted upright, tossing the soiled napkin onto the box. I stepped toward the window, watching her panic peak.

"What’s wrong?" I asked, keeping my voice level.

"It’s Hubert... he’s home early... oh, god, oh god."

"Oh... is that really that bad?" I pressed, feigning ignorance.

"I need to go right now..." She swallowed hard, her breathing turning shallow. "I can’t let him see me coming out of here. He would get the absolute wrong idea! What am I going to do?"

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OPPORTUNITY DETECTED

[Target is Distressed]

Activated Perk: The Gentle Protector

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[SUGGESTED ACTION]

Offer her to stay here. You would

lie to Hubert where her wife is.

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COST: 55 Lust

EST. GAIN: High Reward

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"Okay, okay, calm down," I commanded softly, gripping her shoulders for a split second to ground her. "You stay right here. I’ll think of something quick. Shut off your phone so it doesn’t ring."

She nodded frantically, her trust in me spiking. "W-what are you going to do?"

Without giving her an answer, I turned on my heel and stepped out into the dim apartment hallway, letting my door click shut behind me. I leaned against the wall, waiting for the main building door downstairs to open. Within a few seconds, the heavy glass door clicked, and the heavy, dragging footsteps of Hubert echoed up the stairwell.

As he reached my landing, he caught sight of me standing there. His shoulders immediately slumped in disgust.

"Ugh. The first thing I have to see is you?"

I exhaled slowly, putting on a mild, unbothered expression. "Hello to you, too."

"Mm," he grunted, reaching for his keys to unlock his door.

"Oh, by the way," I called out casually, stopping him in his tracks. "Your wife, Sarah, went out to grab some groceries a little while ago. She mentioned her phone was completely dead and asked me to pass along the message if I ran into you."

Hubert didn’t even bother to look back at me, inserting his key with a loud rattle. "Whatever. Fuck off."

"Hmm..." I murmured, watching his back.

He stepped inside his flat and slammed the door shut behind him.

I turned around and quietly re-entered my own place. The moment the lock clicked, I saw Sarah standing just inches away from the entryway. She had clearly been pressed against the wood, listening intently to every single word spoken on the other side.

I wiped a layer of imaginary sweat from my brow, letting out a heavy breath. "Phew. Close one."

"Is he gone? Did he buy it?" she whispered, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I nodded, a smug internal satisfaction settling in. "Yep. He’s inside. Now, come on, let’s go handle that stain before it sets."

"I tried rubbing it," she said, her voice dropping into a dejected, vulnerable sigh as she looked down at her ruined top. "It won’t come off. God..."

"Hey," I said, cutting through her panic and dropping my voice to a calm, steady register. "We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry, okay? It’s not the end of the world. Just take a deep breath."

"Okay... okay, you’re right."

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TARGET: Sarah Angi

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[ RELATIONSHIP ]

> Partner: [Hubert]

> Loyalty: 60%

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[ SYSTEM SYNC ]

> Favor: 52% [▲11%]

> Threat: None

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> GRIEVANCE LOG

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