Chapter 4

I finally spoke up. "Mom, Kristian's here with me."

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Then my mom's anger burned through the phone. "That little bastard showed up at your place again? Don't worry, Emily. I'm coming over right now!"

"Mom, calm down," I said, shooting a glance at Kristian, who looked pale as a ghost. "He just told me a secret."

I repeated Kristian's made-up story about a high-society feud.

When I finished, I asked, "Mom, is any of that true?"

My mom let out an exasperated laugh. "Has he lost his mind? Do you think I don't know my own daughter? I know you inside out, even that heart-shaped birthmark on your butt.

"When you fell into the manhole at three, I pulled you out. That little brat will make up any nonsense just to fool you!"

My mom was on fire, ripping into Kristian from head to toe.

Kristian's face was so pale and twisted that it was beyond description.

I hung up and looked at him. "Did you hear that?"

His lips trembled, but he couldn't get a word out.

"Take your story and get out," I said, pointing at the door.

He walked out in a daze, but when he reached the doorway, he suddenly looked back, his eyes filled with crazed resentment.

He snapped, "Emily, don't get cocky. You really think you're something? Let me tell you. Ethan Fisher, the most notorious guy in our circle, has his eyes on you!

"He made a bet that he'll have you in his bed within a week. Just wait. He'll chew you up and spit you out when he's done."

With that, he flashed a smug grin as if he'd finally scored a win, and dashed out, feeling victorious.

I stood there, trying to process what he'd just said.

Ethan was the ultimate playboy who changed girlfriends faster than he changed his clothes.

The system: [New quest unlocked: Hunter Becomes the Hunted.]

[Quest Objective: Expose Ethan Fisher, the notorious playboy, and ruin his reputation.]

[Quest Reward: Looks improve by 10 points, Charisma improves by 20 points, and 1.5 million cash.]

An icy smile curled at the corner of my lips.

I made up my mind to accept the challenge.

I would be right here, waiting for him.

Ethan's advance hit me faster and harder than I ever imagined.

The next morning, I was still deep in sleep when the commotion downstairs jolted me awake.

I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

In the center of the garden, thousands of red roses had been arranged into a gigantic heart.

Ethan was standing right in the middle of the heart, decked out in a flashy white suit and holding a bouquet of blue roses.

Behind him, a crowd of spoiled heirs was soaking up the chaos, eager for the drama.

"Emily, I like you. Be my girlfriend!" Ethan shouted through a megaphone, his voice booming across the entire neighborhood.

Loads of residents opened their windows to catch the show.

I stared downstairs, expressionless, watching the circus unfold.

Any vain girl would probably be swept off her feet by a stunt like this.

But to me, it was nothing more than a cheap, self-congratulatory performance.

My phone buzzed with a text from Ethan.

Ethan: [Babe, come downstairs. If you don't say yes, I'm not leaving.]

Seeing him so sure of himself, I couldn't help but laugh a little inside.

Instead of heading downstairs, I dialed up the property management office.

I said, "Hi, security? Someone's making a mess with a ton of trash in the garden. It's ruining the place. Mind coming over and taking care of it?"

After hanging up, I just watched the chaos downstairs, cool as a cucumber.

A few minutes later, two security guards showed up, pushing a giant trash cart.

When Ethan saw the security guards, he waved them off dismissively, acting all cocky. "This isn't your business. Get lost."

The guards weren't about to let him boss them around. "Sir, we've received complaints from the residents. There's a ton of trash here that needs to be cleaned up."

With that, they started scooping up the beautiful roses and dumping them into the trash cart, one load at a time.

Ethan looked like he was about to explode. "Stop! Do you even know how much these flowers cost?"

"It doesn't matter how much they cost. They're just garbage now," the guard said, dead serious.

Ethan's friends were struggling to hold back their laughter, their faces flushed bright red.

Ethan, fuming, tried to step in and stop them, but the guard shot him a look that dared him to make a move, and he instantly backed off.

He could only stand there, watching in helpless disbelief as his carefully planned "romantic gesture" was tossed out like garbage.

After clearing out the roses, the guard looked up and pointed at the blue bouquet in Ethan's hand.

He said, "Sir, that one's trash, too. Please toss it yourself."