First thing the next morning, we freshened up, enjoyed a quick breakfast, and checked out of the Skyland Hotel.
Seraphina took the wheel of her new sports car, I drove my Valence & Co. executive SUV, and my private chauffeur followed closely behind in the Aurelius Z3 as we headed toward Grandview Villa No. 1.
Stepping into the estate, the sheer scale of the place was breathtaking. The interior was lavishly decorated with high-end luxury furniture, crystal chandeliers, and curated artwork. Hanging prominently in the grand entrance hall was the centerpiece painting I had specifically instructed them to mount—the final masterpiece of Master Shi, complete with his personal signature and seal. It was the very painting I had bought at the auction while thoroughly humiliating Jason Grant.
Looking around the grand estate, I couldn’t help but reflect. It had only been a month since I awakened the System. Back then, I was broke and struggling; now, my bank balance sat comfortably at over 70 billion Stardollars. Because of the System’s unique mechanics, simply enjoying life, drinking fine tea, or dining with people I liked yielded constant Indulgence rewards.
Combining my points from last night with my previous balance, my Indulgence Points had reached an impressive total of 8,000.
While Seraphina went upstairs to organize our master bedroom, I relaxed on the sofa and opened my System status screen.
[System Status Overview:]
[Host Name: Julian Vance]
[Charm: 40/100]
[Physique: 40/100]
[Skills: Eyes of Insight | World-Class Business Mind | Grandmaster Combat Skill]
[Primary Asset: 100% Ownership of Cosmos Group (Managed by CEO Clara Carter)]
[Liquid Capital: 70,000,000,000 Stardollars]
[Indulgence Points Balance: 8,000 Points]
[Confidante Status:]
[Seraphina Lin: Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)]
[Clara Carter: Active Target (40% Affection / 40% Loyalty)]
8,000 points... I thought to myself. It’s time to upgrade my stats and grab something useful from the Shop.
Accessing the System Shop, three items caught my eye:
Shop Acquisition Stickers (x10) = 3,000 Indulgence PointsPhysique Stat Increase (+20 Points) = 1,000 Indulgence PointsCharm Stat Increase (+20 Points) = 1,000 Indulgence Points
Curious about the stickers, I mentally inquired about their function.
[System Response: Shop Acquisition Stickers can be applied to any newly established commercial property. Once affixed, complete legal ownership of the property is automatically transferred directly under the Host’s name.]
Interesting. I decided to purchase all three options.
[System Notification: Standard daily shop purchase limit is 2 items. Overriding the daily purchase limit to acquire all 3 items requires an additional surcharge. Total Cost: 6,000 Indulgence Points. Do you accept?]
Accept, I confirmed without hesitation.
[System Notification: 6,000 Indulgence Points Deducted! Remaining Balance: 2,000 Points.]
A stack of ten sleek, metallic stickers materialised in my palm. Simultaneously, two warm currents of energy surged through my body as the stat points merged into my system.
[Host Status Updated:]
[Charm: 60/100]
[Physique: 60/100]
I felt an immediate physical transformation. My muscles became sculpted and defined, my stamina surged to a level where I felt like I could run for hours without breaking a sweat, and my body’s core vitality, immunity, and overall physical endurance increased significantly.
At the same time, my visual presence shifted naturally. My skin cleared, my facial structure sharpened, and my natural charisma soared—giving me the effortlessly striking look of an A-list celebrity without a drop of makeup.
Slipping the stickers into my pocket, I walked up to the master bedroom, where Seraphina was neatly arranging our clothes, designer watches, and luxury perfumes.
"Seraphina, my love," I called out softly, stepping behind her and resting my hands on her waist. "I have a quick errand to run. While I’m out, could you prepare the guest list and menu for a housewarming banquet? Since we’ve moved into Grandview Villa, we should host an evening party for Metro City’s elite families."
I smiled, kissing her neck gently. "We’ll host the banquet tomorrow evening—right after the joint development contract between Cosmos Group and Carter Holdings is finalized. That way, we can officially announce the multi-billion-Stardollar project during the party."
"Consider it done, Julian," Seraphina replied with a sweet smile.
Leaving the estate in my Valence & Co. executive SUV, I drove through several commercial districts looking for freshly constructed properties, but most of the commercial spaces I saw were already old or occupied.
Realizing I needed accurate local real estate intelligence, I called the one person who would know best: Clara Carter.
She answered on the very first ring. "Julian?"
"Hey, Clara," I said smoothly.
"Julian, you were right about Plot 1 being the central hub for all the new municipal projects," she said, her voice full of genuine admiration.
"Of course I was," I chuckled warmly.
"But. Thanks, love," I replied naturally.
Silence suddenly fell over the line. I pulled my SUV over to the curb, realizing what I had just said. Clearing my throat, I said hastily, "Ah, I’m so sorry, Clara! Calling Seraphina ’love’ has become such a habit that it just slipped out. I didn’t mean to make things awkward."
On the other end of the line, Clara stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before her soft, musical laugh came through the speaker. "It’s fine, Julian... really. Was there something specific you needed?"
"Do you know of any newly constructed commercial malls opening up for retail space in the city?"
"Actually, yes," Clara replied promptly. "The Grand Galleria Mall just finished construction downtown. They’re opening up retail spaces for lease and purchase today."
"Perfect. Can you send me the address?"
"Sending it to your phone now," she said softly.
As the call ended, a System chime echoed in my mind.
[System Notification: Target Clara Carter’s feelings have deepened!]
[Affection Increased: +10 | Loyalty Increased: +10!]
[Current Status: Affection 50/100 | Loyalty 50/100]
Smiling at the notification, I followed the GPS coordinates Clara sent me, arriving at the Grand Galleria Mall fifteen minutes later.
Walking through the grand, modern complex unobserved, I identified ten prime storefront locations across the main floors and discreetly affixed a Shop Acquisition Sticker to each one.
The moment the last sticker was placed, my phone rang. It was the chief executive of the mall management firm. "Mr. Vance! Good afternoon, sir. Where are you currently located? The complete acquisition contracts for the ten prime commercial store units are fully prepared for your signature!"
"I’m on the main floor near the entrance," I replied.
Within minutes, the mall management team rushed down, respectfully handing over the ownership deeds. I signed the paperwork, took my official corporate copies, and headed back to the SUV.
When I returned to Grandview Villa an hour later, I was amazed by what Seraphina had accomplished in my absence. In just an hour and a half, she had drafted the formal invitation list, curated an exquisite banquet menu, and booked a premier 5-star hotel catering team to handle tomorrow evening’s food and service.
Walking up behind her in the study, I cupped her face gently and pulled her into a warm, lingering kiss.
When we finally separated, I rested my forehead against hers. "My love... without you, I wouldn’t even know how to run this villa, let alone my life. Did you make sure to instruct the household staff on how to manage everything smoothly when you’re away?"
She blinked softly. "When I’m away?"
"Wherever I go, I want you by my side," I said, kissing her nose. "So train the staff to handle the daily operations of this estate with or without your direct supervision."
A radiant smile broke across her face. "I will, Julian."
"Good," I smiled. "Tell the kitchen staff to set the dining table. I’m going to change into some comfortable clothes for dinner."
A few minutes later, dressed in a relaxed lounge silk shirt and trousers, I walked into the grand dining room and took my seat at the head of the table. I noticed Seraphina standing near my chair, waiting attentively.
"Why are you standing there, love? Sit down," I chuckled, pulling out the chair right beside me. "You know I never start eating until you take the first bite from my plate."
Seraphina smiled warmly, taking her seat. She picked up a fork, sampled the first bite from my plate to test it, and then lovingly fed the next bite to me.
As she did, I noticed a few newly hired maids and household staff whispering among themselves near the entrance of the dining room, looking somewhat surprised by our intimacy.
I looked at Seraphina. "Didn’t you tell them?"
"I didn’t think it was necessary to make a grand announcement," she murmured softly.
Setting my fork down, I stood up and motioned for all the villa’s household staff to gather in the dining hall.
"Listen closely, everyone," I spoke clearly, my voice carrying natural authority. "Seraphina is my chief personal butler, but above all else, she is my girlfriend and the sole lady of this house. Keep that in mind, treat her with the exact same respect you give me, and follow her instructions without question."
The staff bowed deeply, their eyes filled with newfound respect. "Understood, Mr. Vance!"
I sat back down, taking Seraphina’s hand under the table and giving it a reassuring squeeze as we enjoyed our dinner together.