Waking up the next morning felt like floating on a cloud.
Stepping out of my master bedroom into the suite’s living room, I saw Seraphina talking softly on the phone.
"Who was that, love?" I asked, walking over.
Seraphina hung up, offering a bright smile. "It was the executive secretary from Carter Holdings. They were asking when they could come by to sign the equity transfer agreement and receive your initial investment."
"Tell them to come tomorrow at 3:00 PM sharp," I said smoothly. "We’ll sign the papers here and process the upfront 1.2 billion Stardollar investment."
Seraphina nodded, quickly sending off a text to confirm the appointment. "Understood, Julian."
"So, love," I chuckled, stepping closer, "what’s on the menu for breakfast today?"
Seraphina was completely used to me calling her "love" by now. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as she gestured to the dining table. "Steamed stuffed buns with red pepper sauce, paired with sweet iced milk to balance the heat."
I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "You know my tastes inside out, don’t you?"
"Of course I do," she giggled shyly, her eyes sparkling. "You love spicy food, but you can barely handle the heat. That’s why I paired the spice with sweet milk—and the rest of today’s menu is either mildly seasoned or sweet."
As I sat down to enjoy breakfast, I called up the System in my mind to check the notifications I had set aside from the night before.
[System Milestone Achieved: Host’s total combined net worth has surpassed 5,000,000,000 Stardollars!]
[Premium Feature Unlocked: The System Shop!]
System Shop? How do I earn currency to buy things here? I queried mentally.
[System Response: Host earns ’Indulgence Points’ by living freely, indulging without limit, building confidence, and deepening emotional bonds. The higher the Loyalty and Affection of women bound to the Host, the more Indulgence Points generated!]
[Target Available for Binding: Seraphina Lin]
[Beauty Score: 90/100]
[Affection Level: 75/100 (Unshakable Devotion)]
[Loyalty: 100/100 (Absolute Unshakable)]
[Past Relationships: None]
[Would the Host like to bind this target as a Confidante?]
Bind her! I instructed immediately.
[Binding Successful!]
[Target Seraphina Lin is now officially bound as Host’s Confidante!]
[Reward Granted: +1,750 Indulgence Points!]
[Note: Reaching 100/100 Affection will fully cement the Confidante bond and yield a massive continuous point stream!]
I looked up at Seraphina with a warm smile. My high school crush wasn’t just my first love—she was my ultimate lucky charm.
"After breakfast," I suggested, taking a sip of sweet milk, "let’s head over to the Grand View estate to check on Villa No. 1. I want to see when you can officially move in."
Half an hour later, our chauffeur glided the obsidian-black Aurelius Z3 into the ultra-exclusive Grand View Luxury Estate district, stopping directly outside the massive gates of Villa No. 1.
Inside the oceanfront mansion, a team of elite overseas interior designers were busy placing high-end furnishings.
"How long until the villa is fully ready?" I asked the head designer.
The designer bowed respectfully. "Sir, nearly everything is set! The only remaining items are the grand hall chandelier coming straight from the Golden Empire, and the hand-woven silk carpet being crafted by master artisans in the Tile country. Transport will take one week, and installation will take five days. You can officially move in two weeks from today!"
"Good," I nodded.
Leaving the villa grounds, I turned to Seraphina inside the back seat of the Aurelius. "Love, I haven’t watched a movie in ages. Are there any good releases in theaters right now?"
Seraphina pulled out her phone to check showtimes. Noticing the cracked screen and worn casing of her three-year-old budget phone, I patted her hand softly. "Check the times after we make a quick stop. Driver, take us to the flagship electronics store nearby."
Minutes later, we pulled up outside Metro City’s top flagship mobile boutique.
"A new movie called The Dream of Suburban is playing in 45 minutes," Seraphina reported as we parked.
"Book a private VIP theater room," I told her with a smirk. "I don’t like interruptions when I’m watching a movie with a beautiful girl."
Inside the shop, I walked straight to the glass display counter. "Show me your top-of-the-line flagship folding phone—256GB RAM, 1TB storage, full specs."
"Right away, sir!" the salesman gasped. "That model is 45,000 Stardollars."
"Swipe the card."
Card approved, I took the brand-new luxury folding phone in its sleek box and walked back to the car. Seraphina was just finishing up the private theater reservation on her old device when I set the new phone gently on her lap.
"Here, love. A little gift from me. I saw you were still using an old model, so consider this an upgrade."
Seraphina stared at the sleek luxury phone, her heart fluttering violently as a deep blush spread across her cheeks.
[System Notification: Target Seraphina Lin’s heart fluttered intensely!]
[Affection Increased: +10!]
[Current Affection: 85/100 (Unshakable Devotion)]
[Indulgence Points Earned: +150 Points!]
[Current Indulgence Points Balance: 3,000 Points!]
System, open the shop, I commanded mentally as the car pulled away.
[System Shop Available Inventory:]
Grandmaster-Level Martial Arts Mastery – 500 Points Mind of the World-Class Business Titan – 1,000 Points
[Note: Daily purchase limit at current level: 2 Items.]
Without a second thought, I purchased both items for 1,500 Indulgence Points.
Instantly, a surge of golden energy—invisible to everyone else—coursed through my veins, flooding my brain and body. Decades of muscle memory from elite combat martial arts encoded themselves into my reflexes, while an ocean of strategic corporate knowledge, market manipulation tactics, and financial genius settled into my mind.
In ten seconds, my body had become a deadly weapon, and my mind had transformed into that of a corporate predator.
Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the VIP private cinema entrance. The staff verified our ticket and led us into an exclusive single-screen hall featuring plush leather recliner lounges.
Ordering a cold drink and fresh popcorn, we settled into the wide recliner sofa as the lights dimmed and the movie began.
Midway through the film, my hand brushed against Seraphina’s in the dark as we both reached for popcorn. The soft touch sent a sudden spark through the quiet room.
In the dim blue light of the projector screen, Seraphina turned her face toward me, her breath hitching.
I didn’t hesitate. Reaching out, I placed my hand gently against her soft, warm cheek, pulling her toward me onto my recliner.
Our lips met in a deep, passionate kiss. Seraphina let out a quiet gasp before wrapping her arms around my neck, melting completely into my chest as we shared a long, breathless kiss under the dim lights.
When we finally broke apart, Seraphina’s cheeks were flushed crimson, her eyes glowing with raw emotion.
I looked down at her, stroking her hair softly. "I had a massive crush on you back in high school, Seraphina... but I never had the courage to confess back then. If you’re willing, I want to start over with you right now—not as your boss, but as your man."
Seraphina pulled me down into another deep, passionate kiss, her eyes shining with tears of joy.
"Julian... I liked you back then too," she whispered against my lips, her voice trembling with emotion. "I always thought you kept your distance because you didn’t like me back!"
[System Notification: Target Seraphina Lin’s emotional bond has achieved complete fulfillment!]
[Affection Increased: +15!]
[Target Seraphina Lin’s Affection Level has reached 100/100 (Complete Devotion)!]
[Target Status: Confidante Bond Fully Cemented!]
[Reward Granted: +150 Indulgence Points! Current Indulgence Points Balance: 1,650 Points!]
By the time we stepped out of the private cinema, neither of us could remember a single scene from the actual movie after the opening credits.
Seraphina held my arm tightly, her face glowing with radiant happiness as we walked back out to the Aurelius Z3.
"It’s getting late, love," I smiled, wrapping my arm around her waist. "Let’s head back to the Skyland Hotel and get some rest. Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, new Chapter of my life will began."