"If you come in, you aren't allowed to smile," she blurted.
Great. Her brain had already short-circuited before he'd even entered the lift.
Adrian paused at the threshold. Then, with the solemnity of a man saying his vows, he stepped inside.
"I will refrain," he said.
The doors slid shut.
Why was he here?
If this were one of Jennifer's webnovels, the lift scene would be titillating. Adrian would reveal something earth-shattering; a sharp exchange would follow, sparks flying from tension and proximity. Then perhaps an explosion — either of mouths colliding, or a literal bomb sending them diving from a fifth-floor window into a conveniently parked delivery truck.
Unfortunately, Adrian was from a boy-idol drama webnovel. And he wasn't even the male lead. He was the older side character: responsible, competent, and frequently sacrificed for plot development.
In that context, this scene might have involved some professional alliance with the male lead, strategic positioning, or foreshadowing — significantly less exciting than mouth-smashing or midair window escapes.
And then there was Jennifer. She wasn't a heroine. She was a background prop in human form — and she was performing that role with alarming accuracy.
"I would like to discuss a matter with you," Adrian said.
Of course he would. She nodded stiffly, staring at the illuminated floor numbers as if they were offering life advice.
"What I say should be taken with utmost confidentiality," he continued evenly.
That smile. He said he would refrain.
Her survival instincts kicked in.
"Don't," she warned.
He paused. Then, impossibly, the smile softened further.
Devastating.
That smile was a greater threat to the world than alien portals — well, probably not — but definitely a threat to her cognitive stability.
"I am an Awakener," Adrian said.
He watched her carefully.
Jennifer was still stunned from his smile — and, mortifyingly, smiling back at him.
"Yes?" she replied faintly.
"Fortunately, I am not a combat type." He gave a small shrug.
His awakened ability was Identify. With a glance, he could read certain truths about a person or object.
Earlier, when he had looked at Damien, he'd seen:
Werewolf. Young Alpha Werewolf. Highly charismatic. Strong physicality.
When he had looked at the potion in Quintin's hand:
Class A — Restoration. Pandora Labs. Heals any physical injury with immediate effect.
"What about Quintin?" Jennifer asked.
"That boy?" Adrian shrugged. "Nothing much. Human. Unawakened."
Oh. Adrian could only see what someone was, not what they could become.
Still, with this power, he had been able to identify idols for his agency.
"Nobody knows the future," Adrian said, "but knowing what's in front of you… is more powerful than most people realize."
Then he smiled. "You must be wondering why I'm telling you this."
"Yes?" Jennifer said again — not because she was actually wondering. Wondering would require her brain to function.
Adrian pressed his lips into a straight line, which somehow made him even sexier than when he was smiling. Jennifer would have sighed loudly — except the lift door opened, and she yelped as if a mouse had appeared.
Jennifer cleared her throat and quickly scurried out.
Turns out… she was the mouse.
Adrian followed.
Why was he following her?
"I am curious, Ms. Jen," he said. "You are not an Awakener. You should know nothing of the existence of our world."
He paused, studying her.
Jennifer froze — a mouse caught in a cat's gaze.
Well, actually she was quite sure the world Adrian was talking about didn't exist. In fact, she had just made up this non-existent world and typed out its drafts and notes today.
She hadn't even spell-checked.
But it wasn't like she could tell Adrian that.
"I know you're hiding something," Adrian continued. "You don't have to say it."
"Why don't you ask me what I see when I use Identify on you?"
Jennifer blinked. "Wouldn't it say Human? Maybe Landlady."
"Goddess," Adrian said.
She laughed weakly. "That can't be right."
"I thought so too," he admitted. "But it was clearly written."
Jennifer shook her head. "I'm just the landlady."
"If you say so, Ms. Jen."
They were now standing in front of her door.
"That's it?" Jennifer asked, surprised he was going to let it go so easily.
Adrian smiled, and her head melted all over again.
"I do not intend to antagonize a goddess."
She stared at him. Adrian wasn't religious — but he was extremely good at navigating influence.
"You're overthinking," she muttered.
"That is possible," he agreed, "but wouldn't it be more advantageous for me to have a goddess's favor? Call it divine insurance."
That smile again.
She looked away before her brain became a permanent puddle.
"Do not forget me," he added gently. "I am willing to be useful."
His smile!
Jennifer wasn't sure how to describe the sensation in her stomach. His eyes crinkled and twinkled, his mouth curving at the edges. And the combination was just—
It was like looking at the moon and suddenly realizing the crescent curve was… indecent.
So when he said, "Goodnight, beautiful."
Jennifer answered breathlessly, "Yes."
Her liquefied brain had no ability to help her say:
I am not beautiful. I'm not a goddess either. Your awakened ability is broken. You're not even supposed to be an Awakener. You're in the wrong webnovel.
And technically, I never published that Awakener story, so it shouldn't exist.
Actually, if we're being technical, webnovels shouldn't exist.
You shouldn't exist.
So maybe it was a good thing she hadn't said anything at all.