Chapter 4: The Dinner That Could Change Everything
Elena stared at her phone as the taxi sped through the city streets.
Dinner tomorrow. 7 PM. I'll send the address. – A
She sighed, pressing her forehead against the glass.
He's impossible.
Impossible, arrogant, infuriating… and, somehow, unavoidable.
Her mind flicked to her brother's hospital bills, stacked like cruel reminders on her kitchen counter. A contract marriage would mean financial security, stability… maybe even peace.
But Adrian Blackwood? Never.
She shook her head. "I will not let him control me."
And yet, a part of her—the practical, calculating part—knew she couldn't afford to ignore the system. It wasn't a threat she could brush aside.
---
The next evening, she arrived at the address Adrian had texted: a small, private rooftop restaurant overlooking the city skyline.
Soft golden lights cast a warm glow over tables dressed in crisp white linen. A lone violinist played in the corner, strings dancing in the cool night air.
Elena folded her arms, scanning the restaurant. Adrian was already there, standing by a table near the railing, his hands clasped behind him. He looked… impossibly calm, impossibly poised.
She hated that she was a little awed.
He didn't greet her with a smile, didn't wave. Instead, he simply inclined his head, eyes dark, measuring.
"Sit," he said, voice smooth as polished marble.
Elena hesitated, then pulled out the chair across from him.
---
The first few moments were tense silence. Neither spoke. The waiter appeared, bowing, and took their order, but even that could not mask the unspoken war brewing at the table.
Finally, Elena broke it.
"Explain this," she demanded, gesturing vaguely at the scene, the system, the absurdity. "This… contract marriage. You humiliate me in public, stalk me, and now you invite me here for dinner?"
Adrian leaned back, fingers steepled. "You forget, Elena. I did not ask for this system. But it is what it is. And I will not fail."
She blinked. "Fail? You mean… failing will bankrupt you? Or failing will ruin me?"
"Both," he admitted, eyes unwavering. "And I will not fail either way."
Elena's lips pressed together. She wanted to argue, to call him insane. But then… he said something that made her pause.
"Look at it this way. You need security. I need a wife. For one year, we help each other. After that, no obligations, no interference. Mutual benefit."
Her heart fluttered reluctantly.
Security. One year. And then freedom.
---
The first course arrived, and neither touched it. Words hung heavy in the air. Then, without warning, the system chimed.
[ Mission Triggered: Compliment Target genuinely during dinner. ]
[ Reward: Bonus funds unlocked. ]
[ Punishment: Target suspicion increases. ]
Adrian's lips curved into a faint smirk. Of course it would.
He looked at Elena, his gaze softening ever so slightly. "Your hair… it's grown since the last time I saw you. Looks… elegant."
Elena blinked. "That's it?"
"Yes. Elegant. Not fragile. Not delicate. Just… elegant."
The system chimed again.
[ Mission Completed: 10% Host funds restored. ]
Elena raised an eyebrow. "I think the system just rewarded your awkward compliment."
Adrian's smirk deepened. "Perhaps it likes honesty more than flattery."
---
Midway through the meal, Ryan's face appeared on her phone screen. A single message:
Elena, I know you're meeting him tonight. Be careful.
Her stomach churned. How did he know? Did he follow her? She couldn't tell if relief or irritation came first.
"Everything alright?" Adrian's eyes flicked to her phone.
Elena hesitated. "It's… someone checking in. Family."
Adrian didn't comment, but his eyes darkened.
[ Rival Progress: Ryan Hale awareness rising. ]
[ Mission Alert: Prevent Rival influence. Time Remaining: 66 Hours ]
---
As the main course arrived, Adrian leaned closer. His presence was overwhelming, impossible to ignore.
"Elena," he said quietly, low enough that the system could detect sincerity, "I'm not asking for love tonight. But I am asking for trust. One dinner. One agreement. Just say yes, and we'll proceed safely. You get your security, I get my mission… and we both leave unharmed."
Elena's fingers tightened around her napkin. Trust? With him? Never. But… he seemed different here. Less arrogant, more measured. Could this… be a chance to finally negotiate her own terms?
"I…" she began, then stopped herself. She couldn't say yes—not yet. But she also couldn't say no.
Adrian's eyes held hers, unblinking. "That's acceptable," he said softly. "All I need is consideration. Time to think."
Her pulse raced, heart hammering.
---
The system chimed once more.
[ Host determination detected. ]
[ Bonus Mission Unlocked: Protect Target from emotional harm for 48 hours. ]
[ Reward: Additional 15% company shares restored. ]
Adrian's lips twitched into a rare, private smile. So it begins.
But Elena wasn't done yet.
"I don't trust you," she said bluntly. "And don't think for a second that your charm—or your system—will make me dependent. I will decide on my own terms."
"Fair enough," he replied, calm as ever. "But remember this: whatever game you're playing, I play harder."
---
Dinner ended with neither fully satisfied nor fully defeated. Elena walked out, heels clicking against the rooftop floor, leaving Adrian alone under the golden lights.
He watched her go, the system alerting him repeatedly:
[ Target emotional susceptibility detected: 27% ]
[ Mission Progress: 45% ]
Adrian clenched his fists.
"She's mine," he whispered. Not for the system, not for the empire. For me.
The night air wrapped around him, the city below sparkling like an ocean of stars. He had a long week ahead. Seven days. One contract. One mission.
And a rival who already had a head start.