The next morning, I went to the bank to open a new account, since Eliana’s previous account was tightly controlled and monitored by the Whitmore family.
I placed a one-hundred-dollar deposit as the starting balance, though my mind kept circling around one worry: if I ever received money from the system, how was I supposed to report it on my taxes?
If I didn’t report the source, I could very well end up in prison for tax evasion.
[You don’t need to worry about that, Host.
Any funds you receive from the system will automatically be marked as legal income, fully compliant with tax regulations in this country.]
I blinked, stunned.
“What?
You’re telling me you’ve already thought about taxes?”
[Of course.
Even a system knows that nothing is scarier than the IRS.]
Once I stepped out of the bank, I couldn’t help but ask again, “Then, where exactly will your funds be recorded as coming from?”
Especially if I transferred a large amount of money into my account, it would definitely raise suspicion with the tax office.
[All funds from the system will be disguised as legitimate sources, Host.
They can appear as royalties, dividends, investment returns, or even trust fund transfers.
Each deposit will be matched with proper documentation so no red flags are raised.]
I narrowed my eyes, whispering, “So you’re basically laundering money for me?”
[Not laundering, Host.
I’m simply optimizing it.]
Alright, so the system was “optimizing” my income.
Honestly, it was pretty useful because I wouldn’t have to hire an accountant just to calculate my taxes anymore.
As I walked past the driver, Mr.
Bubba, who was waiting patiently outside the bank, I motioned to him that I’d stop by a café first.
While walking I sent Sarah a short text informing her I had finally opened my account.
Surprisingly, she quickly replied saying she would have the funds sent by noon.
I texted back a “Thank you” with two huge heart stickers.
The bell above the café door jingled as I stepped inside.
The smell of roasted beans and freshly baked pastries wrapped around me, warm and comforting.
Ah …
what a perfect day.
Nothing could possibly ruin this.
Ding!]
[A Random Quest!]
[Quest: Completely ignore Audrey and her cousin until you leave the café.]
[Reward: 50 Experience Points, 20 System Points, $6,000]
[Time Limit: 30 minutes]
[Note: Do not hold eye contact with them, do not respond to their insults, and act as pitiful as you can.]
What?
WHAT?!
Why the hell did the system suddenly mention Audrey and her cousin?!
“Fuck …” I muttered softly as I spotted Audrey and her cousin—Isabella Whitmore, if I remembered correctly—sitting at the table near the entrance.
[Do not look at them, Host!]
I quickly turned my face away, trying my best to avoid them.
But somehow, Audrey recognized me instantly, as if her bully radar could spot her target in less than a second.
“Eliana!
Is that you?!” she called out, waving her hand with a smile so sweet it dripped poison.
I could practically hear her laughing at me inside her head.
“Oh my …
it’s been such a long time since I last saw you,” Isabella chimed in, smiling just as sweetly.
But her next words were cold enough to freeze the room.
“I thought you were already dead.”
Of course she did, this fucked up bitch was one of the main reasons Eliana got hit by a truck in the first place.
Eliana had gotten hit by a truck after attending this bitches party, and being forced to do all sort of dares.
She had refused just one of them only for Isabella to get mad, drag her by the hair and shove her out towards the road and out of her house.
Unfortunately, there was a truck coming by at that exact moment.
And the worst part?
That bitch didn’t even show the slightest hint of guilt.
She had humiliated Audrey in front of everyone and even made her friends laugh at her misery, but still had the audacity to act innocent!
And why was the system telling me to just stay quiet?!
I wanted to rage!
I wanted to flip the damn table at them and drag them both across the floor by their perfect, overly shiny hair!
I wanted vengeance for Eliana!
How could someone treat such a sweet girl like that?
[The system is here to guide you toward success, Host.
Every quest and mission has a purpose, which means you need to trust the system.]
I bit down on my lips as the system’s last words echoed in my head.
Alright …
fine.
My vengeance could wait for a while.
With a calmness I didn’t actually feel, I walked past Audrey and Isabella without giving them a single glance and headed straight to the counter.
“One iced brown sugar latte and one iced Americano, please,” I said with a smile.
My silence must have stung more than any insult, because I could feel their eyes drilling into my back.
“Excuse me, did you not hear me, Eliana?” Audrey’s voice rose, sharp with irritation.
She even stood up from her seat and walked toward me.
“Or are you just too embarrassed to say hello?
That must be it, right?
After meeting me at that audition, the least you could do is feel some shame.”
I wanted to burst out laughing, it seemed she still didn’t know I had already signed the contract.
Without even glancing at her, I could feel Audrey’s gaze sweep over me from head to toe.
She grabbed a strand of my hair and hissed.
“Ew, you’re so ugly.
I bet your crippled husband covers your face with a pillow when he fucks you—oh wait, I forgot, his dick probably doesn’t even work.”
Audrey burst out laughing, and Isabella quickly joined in, standing right beside me like a shadow.
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood, forcing myself not to react.
The rage in my chest roared hotter with every word, ready to explode like a volcano if I so much as opened my mouth.
How dare they insult my husband like that!
I wanted to snap their legs and make them feel what it’s like to live in a wheelchair!