The morning sun filtered through the curtains as Jason stumbled toward the bathroom, still half-asleep. The skincare treatment had already shown promising results. His complexion had cleared up dramatically, but he knew these things took time. Deep-seated imperfections couldn't vanish overnight.
Or so he thought.
The moment he looked into the mirror, Jason froze completely.
What the hell...?
Every single flaw—gone. The subtle asymmetry in his jawline that only he ever noticed, the barely perceptible bags under his eyes from too many late nights gaming, even the minute unevenness of his cheekbones that no one would spot unless they stared for five straight minutes—all perfectly corrected.
It was as if someone had applied a "divine beauty filter" to his entire face in real life.
His skin practically glowed with an inner radiance, smooth as polished marble yet somehow natural. His features had sharpened while maintaining perfect harmony. It was beyond unreal.
Jason leaned closer to the mirror, touching his cheek in disbelief, and couldn't help but laugh.
"Holy shit... this beauty pill is straight-up cheating. I was maybe an eight before, but now? Easy nine, maybe pushing ten. If someone sees me like this..." He paused, grinning at his reflection. "they might actually fall head-over-heels in first glance."
Throwing on his best casual-luxury outfit—a designer polo that hugged his newly perfect physique—Jason made a decision. Classes? Forget it. Right now, chasing those system rewards and the cash they promised was priority number one. College could wait in the background.
The keys to his brand-new Mercedes G-Wagon felt solid in his hand as he headed downtown to the auto show. The convention center's underground garage was already packed with luxury vehicles, setting the tone for what lay above.
The main floor was a spectacle of chrome and spotlights. Sleek supercars sat under blazing displays while professional models posed gracefully beside million-dollar machines. Camera flashes popped constantly as journalists and influencers captured content.
Jason swept his gaze across the models with casual interest. Pretty faces, sure, but his enhanced perception could easily detect the telltale signs of extensive cosmetic work. Beautiful, yes—but artificial in that uncanny valley sort of way.
He wasn't here for the cars or the eye candy. His target was singular: Quinn.
After weaving through clusters of eager attendees and pushy salespeople, he finally spotted his destination.
Quinn and her business partner Alex had managed to secure adjacent corner spots—modest setups that probably cost them a small fortune just to rent. But as Jason approached, he noticed they weren't alone.
A tall, lanky man in an expensive suit loomed over them, his face marred by scattered acne that expensive clothing couldn't hide. His eyes carried that particular brand of arrogance that came with a little power and zero class.
"Alex, Quinn... you actually bought this corner booth?" The man's voice dripped with false sympathy. "Traffic flow here is absolutely terrible. There are much better spots still available. Why not consider upgrading?"
Quinn's brows furrowed dangerously while Alex looked ready to throw punches.
Everyone in the industry knew the auto show's booth pricing was astronomical. Even their corner spot had cost them their entire marketing budget for the year. The prime locations? Completely out of reach unless you had deep pockets and the right connections.
This man—Liam, Operations Manager—knew this perfectly well. He wasn't making innocent conversation; he was here to stir up trouble and flex his authority.
Liam's gaze slithered toward Quinn, his smile shifting into something predatory. "Of course," he continued with oily smoothness, "if Miss Quinn wanted to make a... personal request... I might be able to arrange something special. One word from me, and that premium booth could be yours."
The temperature around Quinn dropped several degrees. "Not interested."
Alex's hands clenched into fists as the implication hit him like a slap. His face flushed red with barely contained rage.
Liam simply shrugged, that smug smirk never wavering. "Hey, no need to get defensive. Just offering a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Jason's eyes narrowed to slits. This piece of trash wasn't even trying to be subtle about it—basically attempting to leverage Quinn in broad daylight.
Before Alex could explode and potentially ruin his family's business, heavy footsteps approached. A middle-aged man with an impressive gut straining against his tailored suit walked over with the confident stride of someone used to being obeyed.
"Liam," the newcomer's voice carried clear authority, "the major exhibitors are arriving shortly. What are you doing wasting time in the cheap seats?"
Alex went pale, recognizing the voice immediately. "Jared Mitchell... Operations Director.
One of the biggest names in the city's automotive industry. The kind of man who could make or break careers with a casual phone call.
Liam recovered quickly, putting on his most innocent expression. "Boss, I wasn't doing anything inappropriate. Just asked this lovely lady if she might want to upgrade her booth location."
Jared's gaze swept over Quinn appreciatively, immediately understanding the subtext. A faint smile played at his lips. "Makes perfect sense. Miss Quinn, Liam here was simply being... considerate. Surely you've thought about upgrading? It could significantly boost your dealership's visibility."
"Thank you, but this location suits our needs just fine," Quinn replied icily.
Her tone remained professional, but Jason could see the disgust flickering in her eyes. Even talking to these men made her feel like she needed a long, hot shower.
"Well, if the lady isn't interested, that's her choice," Jared said with an exaggerated shrug, matching Liam's casual dismissiveness.
"Haha... playing hard to get? How... refreshing," Liam added with deliberate provocation.
Alex's face darkened from the sidelines, but he stayed silent. He couldn't afford to have his family's struggling business crushed because he couldn't keep his mouth shut around someone like Jared Mitchell.
That's when Jason decided he'd heard enough.
Without a single word of warning, he stepped forward and casually pushed both Liam and Jared aside with one fluid motion. Both men stumbled backward, nearly losing their balance completely.
At six feet tall with his lean, athletic build enhanced by the system's improvements, Jason hadn't even appeared to use much effort. But compared to Liam's scrawny frame and Jared's soft corporate physique, the difference in presence was overwhelming.
"Do you have any idea who—" Liam started to snarl, but the words died in his throat when he actually looked at Jason.
The guy was... absolutely stunning.
And not just handsome in a conventional way. His entire presentation screamed wealth and breeding—top-tier designer jacket, perfectly tailored slacks, Italian leather shoes worth more than most people's monthly salary. The Patek Philippe on his wrist? Easily a quarter million. Every detail of his appearance radiated old money.
But it was more than the clothes. His skin was flawless, his bearing confident without arrogance, the kind of natural magnetism that couldn't be bought or faked.
Liam's aggressive words crumbled into silence.
He'd been in this business long enough to recognize when he was outclassed. Auto shows attracted serious players, and picking the wrong fight could end very, very badly.
Jared, being the sharper of the two, immediately took a careful step backward. "Sir... might I ask who you are?"
He had connections, certainly. But connections wouldn't save him if he accidentally insulted the wrong billionaire's son.
Jason didn't even glance at either man. Instead, he turned to Quinn with a warm smile that made her breath catch.
"You know, they always say the professional models at these shows are gorgeous," he said smoothly, "but after walking through this entire convention, I've realized that not a single one of them comes close to you."
Quinn raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile. "Oh really? That suggests you spent quite a lot of time studying them. Especially that one over there in the... strategically minimal outfit."
[System Notification: Quinn's Favorability +5]
But as she looked at Jason again, something felt fundamentally different. She'd found him attractive before, certainly, but now? This was almost ridiculous. The man looked like he'd stepped directly out of a luxury magazine photoshoot.
Jared and Liam exchanged nervous glances. This mysterious young man was clearly close to Quinn, and his obvious wealth made him dangerous to cross. Without another word, they retreated.
Jason chuckled softly. "I was only looking for comparison purposes. Her figure might be decent enough... but nowhere near yours. Though if you dressed like that?" He paused dramatically. "Every man at this show would completely lose his mind."
Quinn shot him a playful glare. "So now you want me in revealing outfits? Keep dreaming, mister. That's never happening."
Despite her words, there was unmistakable warmth in her voice.
Alex watched from nearby, his face burning with jealousy and inadequacy. Jason hadn't even spoken a single word to those two powerful men, yet they'd backed down immediately.
The difference in their social status was absolutely crushing.
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