Adrian flinched, then covered it by reaching for his water.
’A gamble with the system?’
From the first night, he’d understood that the system could apply to almost anything. He’d simply assumed there had to be another person on the other side of the wager. A dealer. A friend. A stranger.
He had never considered that the system itself might be an opponent.
[Wager Required.]
[Host, place your stake.]
’Stake?’
Adrian’s fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
’What am I supposed to stake? And what happens if I lose? Does the system pay me cashback on its own bet, or does it take everything?’
His pulse quickened.
’Careful.’
He’d spent the last year learning what happened when he stopped listening to that warning.
Across the table, Chloe glanced up and caught him staring. Their eyes met. She immediately looked down at the tablecloth, her ears turning pink.
’Why is he looking at me like that?’
She wasn’t used to being looked at this way. Somehow, she found that she didn’t mind it.
Adrian looked away first. His mind had already moved to the two grades he’d yet to encounter.
S Grade probably required an exact combination.
But Divine?
He’d always suspected the highest grade wouldn’t be something as simple as rolling the right numbers. It would have to be something that mattered.
Something where the outcome couldn’t be reduced to a handful of dice.
’Something I actually care about.’
His eyes drifted back to Chloe.
Forty viewers.
A shy girl who became confident when nobody was looking.
Every instinct told Adrian this was a terrible idea.
He couldn’t explain it to anyone, least of all Chloe.
Adrian took another sip of water, set the glass down, and spoke silently.
’System. I wager a hundred thousand dollars that Chloe Heartwell will reach one thousand concurrent viewers on a single stream before the end of the month.’
[Ding!]
[Genuine Gamble Made!]
[Divine Grade Gamble Detected!]
Adrian’s hand stopped.
Divine. There it was. The highest grade.
And it wasn’t a bet on cards, dice, or some impossible combination of numbers.
It was a bet on someone’s future.
[Conditions of Victory: The Subject must reach 1,000 concurrent viewers through her own efforts within thirty days.]
[Prohibited: Purchased viewers, automated accounts, or manufactured engagement.]
[Permitted: Honest support by any lawful means.]
[Stake of $100,000 held in escrow.]
[Wagers against the System do not qualify for Cashback.]
[Victory Reward: ???]
Adrian slowly exhaled.
A hundred thousand dollars had vanished into an invisible escrow account.
The thought that he might not get his money back should have bothered him.
Instead, it made his blood run colder.
"Adrian?"
Chloe’s voice pulled him back.
"Are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
He smiled and lifted his glass.
"Just thinking about how good this is going to taste."
Chloe smiled, but before she could say anything, she twisted her napkin between her fingers.
"Before that..."
Adrian looked at her.
"I know this isn’t really my business, but how is Michelle doing?"
The question landed gently, but Adrian felt its weight.
He set his glass down.
"I don’t know. I hope she’s okay."
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"I owed her a lot. For a long time, I wasn’t a good person to be with. I sent her some money this morning to start making things right."
Chloe listened quietly.
"She hasn’t answered. And I guess that’s fine. She doesn’t owe me a response."
For a moment, Chloe didn’t know what to say. She’d expected him to dodge the question, maybe give her some vague answer and change the subject.
Instead, he’d been honest.
The waiter arrived before either of them could say more.
Two plates of Golden Wagyu were placed carefully on the table. The beef was sliced into precise portions and served with truffle jus, roasted vegetables, and a delicate shimmer of edible gold.
A second server followed with their desserts, glossy white-chocolate éclairs infused with yuzu.
Chloe stared at hers.
"It looks incredible."
She picked up her fork, then hesitated.
"I almost regret not doing a mukbang."
Adrian looked at her.
"A what?"
"My viewers suggested I should stream dinner."
She laughed quietly.
"I told them that would be rude."
"I’d watch it."
The answer came without hesitation.
Adrian paused.
He hadn’t meant to say it so quickly.
Chloe smiled.
"I might have to start doing one now."
"You’d have at least one viewer. An expensive one at that, I’m loyal."
She laughed again.
The awkwardness gradually disappeared after that.
They ate, and somewhere between the main course and dessert, Chloe stopped worrying about which fork she was supposed to use. Adrian told her stories about some of the worst dealers he’d encountered in Nevara, leaving out the parts that explained exactly why he’d come home broke.
Chloe laughed so hard at one story that she nearly knocked over her water.
For the first time that evening, she looked completely comfortable.
When the bill arrived, the total came to $2,392.
Adrian paid without even looking twice.
...
The drive home was quieter, but it wasn’t awkward.
Chloe sat with both hands resting on her purse, watching the city lights slide across the window. The Ferrari’s engine hummed beneath them as they made their way back through the evening traffic.
When Adrian pulled into their apartment building, he parked and stepped out.
He walked around the car and opened Chloe’s door.
"Thank you again," she said as she stepped out. "Tonight was amazing."
"I should be thanking you." Adrian stopped. "Oh. Hang on."
He walked back to the car and returned a moment later carrying the handbag he’d bought earlier.
It was still wrapped in its protective cover.
Even through the tissue, Chloe could tell it wasn’t cheap.
Adrian held it out.
"Here. It’s for you."
Her eyes widened.
"Adrian, that costs more than my rent. I can’t accept this."
"Consider it my last thank-you."
"For just meatloaf?"
She stared at him.
"You’ve already spent so much on me tonight."
"Let me be ridiculous once more." He held the bag toward her.
Chloe searched his face.
There was no teasing in his expression this time. He genuinely wanted her to have it.
After a moment, she accepted the bag with both hands, holding it as carefully as though it might break.
"Thank you."
She looked down at it.
"I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you."
"How about another date?"
She froze.
"I..."
She glanced away, then back at him.
"Alright. Yes. I’d like that."
Adrian smiled.
They exchanged Linkchat details before Chloe finally headed upstairs. At the door, she turned around and gave him one small, radiant smile before disappearing inside.
Adrian stood there for a moment, watching her door close.
His watch read 9:45 PM.
’A hundred thousand dollars,’ he thought.
’On a shy girl with forty viewers.’
A quiet laugh escaped him.
’Nobody would believe me if I told them.’
He returned to his apartment and went to bed earlier than usual.
For once, there was nothing waiting for him in the morning that he needed to fear.
He was almost asleep when the familiar sound came again.
[Ding!]