Chapter 2
I barely managed to resist the urge to grab Alex and kiss him hard. Sticking to my persona, I gave him a disgusted kick to push him away.
Of course, it was just a gentle kick.
"Get lost. Don't dirty my eyes," I said.
Alex dropped to the floor, head bowed and shoulders shaking, looking as pitiful as anyone could imagine.
Vivian let out a scream and rushed over to help him up. "Alex, are you alright?"
My parents stormed over, pointing at me and shouting even louder, "You bastard! You're nothing but a monster!
"How did we end up with a daughter like you?"
The guests all pointed at me, their sneering gazes sharp as blades.
Go on. The nastier they got, the more it thrilled me.
Every insult they threw at me was just music to my ears, because it meant more cash in my account.
I couldn't care less about these NPCs. Turning on my heel, I strutted away in my heels worth 3 million, leaving their angry voices behind me.
I didn't go home.
Instead, I went straight to the poor place Alex and I shared.
It was a cramped, rundown apartment right in the city center—barely 500 square feet, and not even an elevator.
I'd rented the place specifically to impress the System, just so it looked like I was "mistreating" Alex.
As soon as I stepped inside, I was pulled in hard by a strong hand.
The door slammed shut behind me.
In the next moment, I was pinned against the door, and Alex pressed a scorching, punishing kiss onto my lips.
"Wait... Are you part dog or something?" I hissed.
I pushed him away, rubbing my lips that were still numb from his biting kiss.
Alex chuckled low, pressing his forehead to mine, his voice rough. "You really enjoyed kicking me back at the party, didn't you?"
I avoided his gaze, feeling guilty. "Hey, it was just for the mission."
"Oh?" he said, his tone rising as he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Just one kick and you pocket 3 million. You sure make money easy, Chloe."
Man, he was jealous.
He was totally jealous of me making money way easier than he did.
I cleared my throat, putting on my best confident face. "We're partners, aren't we? My money is your money, right?"
Alex arched his eyebrow. "Oh? That's news to me."
"Now it's not." I rose up on my tiptoes and gave him a firm kiss on the lips. "My hero, you worked hard today. So, tell me, what kind of reward do you want?"
Alex's eyes darkened, and his fingers kneaded my waist—not too hard, not too soft.
"Reward?" He leaned in, his breath hot on my ear. "First, give me the leg you kicked me with."
My cheeks burned.
Damn, I knew he was up to something.
This damn flirt.
An hour later, I was sprawled out on the couch, feeling like my legs weren't even mine anymore.
Alex came out of the bathroom, looking totally refreshed and beaming with my phone in his hand.
"Transfer successful," he said.
He flashed the phone screen at me, showing a transfer of 1.5 million dollars.
My heart was practically bleeding dry.
"Alex, that's too much! We agreed on a seventy-thirty split. Who said you could take half?" I shouted.
He was mine, and I was the one who taught him how to act. I should get most of the money.
Alex walked over, pulled me into his arms, and rested his chin on top of my head.
"I sold my looks and dignity, and all you did was stick out your leg. Splitting it fifty-fifty is more than fair," he said.
"Nonsense. That kick was barely anything!" I shot back.
"But I still got down on one knee," he said. "I've never done that before."
I shut up instantly.
Ugh, he totally played me again.
Back when I first transmigrated into this novel, I ended up saddled with this damn system that would literally kill me if I didn't finish its missions.
The very first mission? Find Alex, who was supposedly homeless and down-and-out in the Carter family's half-finished, abandoned building, and roast him hard.
I showed up, nervous as hell, only to discover this so-called big shot wasn't broke at all.
Turned out, his whole "fallen from grace" act was just a cover to smoke out the traitors in his family and lure the snakes out of their holes.
And he was already fully aware. He knew he was the male lead in this story from the start.
We stared at each other, both realizing we were in on the secret.
With the System breathing down our necks, threatening to erase us for good, we made a pact that actually worked out pretty well for both of us.
I took on the role of the villainess, while Alex played the tragic, downtrodden lead.
As a couple, we joined forces to fleece the System together.
"What are you thinking about?" Alex asked, pinching my cheek.
"Just wondering when we are finally going to get rid of this damn System," I sighed. "Acting all day every day is exhausting, you know?"
Especially when I had to deal with that bunch of crazies in the Stone family.
Alex let out a soft laugh. "Won't take long."
He pulled a tiny USB drive from his pocket and handed it to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Evidence that Jerome's company has been dodging taxes," Alex replied, sounding so casual it was like he was commenting on the weather.
He went on, "As for Vivian... I've got all the records showing she's been siphoning off company money to splurge on luxury stuff these past few years."
My eyes lit up and I shot upright. "Damn! Where did you even get this?"
"Seriously, did you forget who you're dealing with?" Alex teased.
That was when I remembered that before his so-called "bankruptcy", Alex was the top hacker in the capital.
Stuff like this? For him, it was a total piece of cake.
I grabbed the USB drive and kissed it, grinning. "Honey, you're incredible!"
Alex narrowed his eyes, giving me a dangerous look. "You kiss it but not me?"
I instantly leaned in and planted a big, noisy kiss right on his cheek.
I said, "Honey, you're the best. No one compares to you!"
He smiled in satisfaction and pulled me back into his arms.