The knock on Helena's apartment door wasn't soft. It was heavy, deliberate. The kind of knock that didn't ask permission.
Helena froze halfway through pouring wine, the crystal trembling in her hand. Jack looked up from the calendar he was sketching on the kitchen counter, his pen stopping mid-line.
The System pulsed in his head, colder than glass:
[Target Detected: Landlord — Primary NPC Authority Figure]
[Relationship: Husband of Helena Cross]
[Status: Returning from Travel]
Helena's lips parted, color draining from her face. "He—he wasn't supposed to be back until next week."
Jack's smirk cut sharp. "Looks like he missed you."
The knock came again, harder this time. A voice followed — deep, commanding. "Helena. Open the door."
Her grip on the glass faltered. She set it down too fast, the stem clinking against marble.
Jack rose slow, sliding the pen into his pocket. He moved to her, catching her chin between his fingers. "Look at me."
Her breath hitched, eyes wide.
"You'll smile when you open that door," Jack murmured. "And you'll say exactly what I tell you to say."
The System chimed:
[Micro-Quest: Control the First Impression]
Objective: Prevent Husband from suspecting Helena immediately]
Reward: +400 XP | Reputation +10]
Helena nodded shakily. "What do I—"
"Breathe," Jack said. His aura brushed against her, heavy enough to steady her trembling. "And remember: he might think he owns you. But he doesn't. Not anymore."
Another knock thundered. "Helena!"
She forced her lips into a curve, unlatched the lock, and swung the door open.
Her husband filled the doorway — tall, broad-shouldered, the weight of old money in his suit. His presence pressed into the apartment like smoke.
"Darling," Helena said, voice almost steady.
His eyes narrowed. "You look flushed."
Jack leaned against the kitchen counter, arms folded, calm as a cat. He didn't hide. He didn't flinch. He let the landlord see him.
The System pinged bright in Jack's vision:
[Risk Window Active: Rival Marcus Influence Nearby]
[Warning: Marcus may exploit Husband's Authority status]
The landlord's gaze flicked between his wife and the stranger standing in his kitchen. "Who the hell is this?"
Helena hesitated. Jack spoke first, voice smooth. "Tenant. Jack."
The landlord's jaw tightened. "Tenants don't drink wine with my wife."
Jack smirked. "Some do."
Helena's fingers twisted in her robe. "He—he had a maintenance issue. I invited him up while it was being fixed."
The landlord's glare sharpened. "That so?"
Jack didn't blink. "That's so."
The System chimed:
[Micro-Quest Complete: Control the First Impression]
[Reward: +400 XP | Reputation +10]
The husband stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His presence dragged the temperature down.
"Helena, a word. Alone."
Jack's aura flared, pressing into her spine before she could move. Helena inhaled sharp, then shook her head. "We don't need to be alone."
The landlord's eyes went cold. "Excuse me?"
Helena's pulse fluttered in her throat. "He can stay."
The System purred in Jack's ear:
[Bond Strengthened: Helena Cross 72% → 80%]
[Husband Suspicion +10]
The landlord's hand curled into a fist. "What's going on here?"
Jack straightened, slow. "Nothing you can prove."
The husband's eyes narrowed further. "You think I don't see it? The way she's looking at you?"
Helena's cheeks burned, but her gaze stayed locked on Jack. Not her husband. Jack.
The System chimed again:
[Quest Triggered: The Husband's Suspicion]
Objective: Push Husband toward jealousy without triggering violence]
Reward: +600 XP | Rival Suppression (Marcus)]
Across the city, Marcus stood in the glow of a boardroom screen, watching through the husband's HUD feed. His grin was razor-sharp.
"Good," Marcus muttered. "Let him see it. Let him bleed for it."
The System hummed:
[Side Quest Update: Exploit the Husband]
Objective: Manipulate Husband into exposing Jack publicly]
Reward: +1200 XP | Rival Suppression Reversed]
Marcus leaned closer to the screen. "Come on, Jack. Push too hard. Make him crack."
Back in the apartment, the air was electric. The landlord's eyes drilled into Helena.
"You've embarrassed me enough. Go to the bedroom. Now."
Helena's body jolted at the command. Years of habit. Years of obedience.
The System flashed across Jack's vision, urgent:
[Decision Point: Intervene or Release]
Timer: 5… 4…
Jack's aura surged, filling the room with invisible weight. "Stay."
Helena froze.
Her husband's head whipped toward Jack. "What did you just say?"
Jack smiled faintly. "I said she stays."
The System pinged:
[Dominance Aura Activated]
[Effect: Husband's Authority Undermined in Range]
Helena exhaled, trembling, but she didn't move toward the bedroom.
Her husband's face darkened, suspicion boiling over. "Helena…" His voice cracked like a whip.
She swallowed hard. "I'm not going."
The System roared in triumph:
[Quest Complete: The Husband's Suspicion]
[Reward: +600 XP | Rival Suppression +10%]
[Bond Helena Cross: 80% → 88%]
The landlord's breath came sharp, fury controlled only by the presence of a witness. "You'll regret this."
Jack's grin widened. "Maybe. But not tonight."
Marcus slammed his fist into the boardroom wall as the feed glitched with Helena's defiance.
The System mocked him:
[Rival Jack Weaponized Envy Again]
[Control Reduced: 25% → 15%]
Marcus hissed, teeth bared. "Damn you."
The investor beside him shifted uneasily. "You're losing grip."
Marcus turned on him, smile slicing his face. "Not yet. This isn't over. If Jack wants to play with fire, I'll burn the whole building down around him."
The System chimed:
[New Counter-Quest Created: Burn the Ladder]
Objective: Destroy the building and force Assets into exile]
Reward: +3000 XP | Jack's Progress Reset]
Marcus leaned into the screen, Helena's defiance replaying in loops. "She screamed his name once. She'll scream mine next. Even if I have to tear the walls down to hear it."
Back in the apartment, the landlord slammed the door behind him, storming down the hall. Silence stretched heavy in his wake.
Helena collapsed against the wall, trembling. Jack moved to her, tilting her chin up.
"You just chose me over him," Jack said softly.
Her lips parted. "He'll never forgive me."
Jack's smile curved cruel. "Good. Then you're mine completely."
The System purred:
[Asset Helena Cross — Bond Strength 88% → 92%]
[Passive Perk Unlocked: Anchor — Target resists rival influence at 2x strength when bond exceeds 90%]
Jack's laugh was low, dark, filling the apartment.
"Marcus wanted to use your husband as a weapon. Instead, I've turned him into a pawn."
The System glowed cold:
[Quest Progress: Rivalry 70%]
Jack's eyes glittered in the soft light. "War's only getting dirtier."