Seeing the -10 favorability floating above Emily Rose's head, Aiden James felt a chill spread through his chest.
If someone had chased you for three years, even a stranger would have developed a little warmth toward you.
But Emily… she didn't just feel nothing, she felt disgust.
For three years, she'd used him like a walking ATM, a long-term meal ticket. Not once had she shown genuine affection.
"Hey, Aiden! I've picked out the bag I want. Time to check out!"
Ivy Mae's cheerful voice broke through his thoughts. She walked up holding a sleek Gucci purse, flashing a confident grin.
For a moment, Aiden's lips curved upward. If being generous meant progress in the system, he wasn't about to hesitate.
"Alright," he said easily, pulling out the black card.
The cashier smiled politely. "Sir, your girlfriend has excellent taste. This is the latest Gucci release, it's $32,800."
"No problem," Aiden replied, handing over the card without flinching.
When the transaction went through, the electronic chime echoed softly through the boutique.
Emily froze mid-step.
That was the same bag she'd been begging Justin to buy for her just moments ago.
Even that spoiled rich kid had refused, claiming "financial discipline."
But Aiden, the man she'd once called a loser, had bought it in seconds.
Her brain struggled to process it. When did this guy start throwing money around like that?
Then, as Aiden pocketed his black card, something strange happened before his eyes, the digital favorability meters flickered again.
> Ivy Mae: +20
Ivy Mae: +20
Ivy Mae: +20
Emily Rose: +5
Emily Rose: +5
In an instant, Ivy's favorability shot from –52 to +8. She no longer disliked him, maybe even found him a little interesting.
And Emily's had climbed from -10 to +5.
Just one bag. That was the power of money.
Aiden smiled faintly. "Let's keep going. Whatever else you like, I'll buy it for you today."
Even in casual shorts and a wrinkled T-shirt, he carried himself differently now, his voice steady, his posture confident. The messy hair didn't matter; there was something magnetic about him.
Ivy slipped her arm through his. "Husband, you're so sweet," she said playfully, resting her head against his shoulder.
Aiden blinked. "Husband?"
But Ivy wasn't stupid. She'd noticed the tension between him and Emily the second they'd met eyes, and now she was leaning into it, playing the part of the affectionate girlfriend, making Emily watch.
The effect was instant.
> Ivy Mae: Favorability +10
Aiden could feel her mood warming and when she called him "husband" again, her tone was teasing, but not entirely fake.
Meanwhile, Emily's expression darkened.
She didn't understand why she suddenly felt… uncomfortable.
Aiden had always been her loyal dog, following her around, buying her things, always waiting for her next command.
Now that same man was smiling confidently beside another woman, who was calling him "husband" and clinging to his arm like she owned him.
She told herself she didn't care.
But deep down, it felt like someone had taken away something hers.
Even if she hadn't wanted it anymore, watching someone else treasure it still stung.
"Brother Justin, look..."
"Emily, I've got something to take care of tonight. Let's skip shopping for now."
"But…"
"No buts. Just listen."
Justin Reed pulled Emily Rose out of the Gucci store, his expression sour.
On the surface, Justin looked every bit the young elite, driving a luxury car, wearing Versace, flashing watches worth more than most people's yearly salary. His family gave him "hundreds of thousands" a month in allowance or so he claimed.
But in reality, it was all smoke and mirrors.
His luxury car? Rented.
His designer clothes? Bought on heavy discounts after months of saving.
And when it came to women, he never spent.
His family wasn't poor, but they definitely weren't rich either. At best, they were comfortably middle class.
Every day, he'd post photos of "his" cars and lavish dinners on social media, pretending to live the high life. And yet, the act worked, perfectly.
In a world obsessed with appearances, a man who looked rich could attract almost anyone he wanted.
All Aiden could think when watching him drag Sophie away was: Deep affection never lasts, only clever tricks win hearts these days.
Back inside the boutique, several employees were whispering as they straightened up displays.
> "Lily, I'm getting more and more confused lately," one of them sighed.
"Those so-called rich guys who dress fancy always find excuses not to buy gifts for their girlfriends. But then a man wearing simple clothes can drop tens of thousands of dollars without blinking. Do real rich people like to pretend to be poor now?"
Lily chuckled. "That's exactly what our manager keeps reminding us, don't judge by appearances. Some poor people pretend to be rich, and some rich people pretend to be poor. You never really know."
"Guess I'll have to be careful when I pick a boyfriend," another clerk laughed. "Can't let one of those fake rich second-gens fool me again."
They all giggled, but one person wasn't laughing, Ivy Mae.
She glanced toward Aiden James, thoughtful.
Could he really just be pretending to be ordinary?
He'd treated his classmates to food and drinks like it was nothing, and now he'd bought a Gucci bag worth over thirty grand, with a calm, unbothered look the whole time.
That kind of composure… that wasn't fake.
No, she thought. He must come from money.
Definitely from a wealthy family.
As that thought settled in her mind, something flashed in Aiden's vision:
> Ivy Mae: +10
Ivy Mae: +10
Ivy Mae: +10
Aiden blinked. "Huh?"
He hadn't even done anything this time, just walked out of the store with her, yet her favorability had jumped another 30 points.
Now, Ivy's favorability had reached 48.
At that level, she wasn't just curious about him, she was starting to like him.
Aiden couldn't help but grin. Wait… is the saying true?
"Bags really can cure all problems," he muttered under his breath.
All it took was a branded purse, and she'd gone from suspicious to interested.
Holy crap, this system is insane.
At this rate, Ivy's affection would probably hit 95 in just a few days. But then again, he hadn't even spent that much, not even $15,000 so far.
That wasn't nearly enough.
If he wanted a bigger rebate from the system, he needed to go bigger.
"Come on," Aiden said casually, looping his arm around Ivy's shoulders. "Let's head to Chanel. I think something there will suit you better."
Inside the Chanel boutique, the soft lighting reflected off rows of elegant clothing. Aiden walked straight to a rack and pulled out two outfits.
"These two. We'll take them."
Ivy wrinkled her nose. "But I don't really like those. They look kind of old-fashioned."
Aiden smiled faintly. "I'm saying these two. I'll take everything else."
The clerk blinked in disbelief. "S-sir, are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking? Swipe the card."
"Miss, your boyfriend is so generous!" the saleswoman gushed, her eyes practically sparkling as she took his black card.
Each Chanel outfit cost thousands, and buying the entire rack meant spending well into the six figures.
That wasn't normal generosity, that was extravagance.