Chapter 495: Chapter 495

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SHOP [Page 2]

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• Hypnotic Perfume (40c)

• Time Stop (90c)

• 500 Dollars (50c)

• 1 Ability Point (150c)

• 1 Mastery Point (160c)

• Desire Aura (100c)

• Reputation Point +30 (200c)

• Mastery Evolve (1500c)

• Random Skill (2000c)

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Credits: 22489c

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Random Skill... though, I wasn’t going to buy that yet. I still wanted to get some usage of Mastery Evolve, and then get rid of my Villain tag. For now, I just closed out of that screen and watched as the status screen popped up.

"I’m..." Kayla muttered. "Wow."

"Tired..." Mendy said, still panting. "Oh my god... so intense..."

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CURRENT STATS

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◆ Strength: 20

◆ Charm: 20

- Manipulative Charm

⤷ Honeyed Words (▩▩▩▩▩)

⤷ Gaslight (⏹☐☐☐☐)

⤷ Emotional Charisma (☐☐☐☐☐)

⤷ Seductive Allure (☐)

◆ Libido: 20

⤷ Endless Vigor (☐☐☐☐☐)

◆ Pleasure: 30 (+50)

⤷ Sensory Overload (⏹⏹☐☐☐)

⤷ Erogenous Insight (⏹)

⤷ Bliss Multiplier (▣▣▣▣▣)

◆ Luck: 10

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◆ Passive Skill: On a Roll

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14 Unused Ability Points

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Wow, leveling up was now granting me five ability points? Man, Mana was really generous, giving the majority of her power to me like that... I think. I still didn’t know how Goddesses’ stuff worked yet. And, honestly? I didn’t want to find that out. I was okay like this.

I groaned as I turned right, supporting myself on the elbow on the bed, and reached toward the nightstand beside the bed. Not being able to reach my phone there, I tried once again but no, I couldn’t. I was so damn tired.

Mendy turned her head, and then grabbed the phone and gave it to me. I smiled, kissing her stomach, which she chuckled breathlessy, and I sank back into the matress.

"Shit..."

"Mm?" Mendy muttered.

"Oh... nothing."

"Okay... phew. Wow..."

Nah, this was something. A text from Ivy, telling me that she knew her mother was pregnant. Well, not good. I wanted to keep this hidden as long as it would go, but I guess this was the limit.

She also texted me just minutes ago. She was probably out, drinking. Couldn’t blame the girl after that whole shit show with Chase Bellings.

I turned off the screen and put the phone on my chest. No... I couldn’t deal with that right now.

I needed to sleep...

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

After that night, after feeling like I was on top of everything, I was right back where I started. Sitting behind my desk, rearranging Nala’s meeting schedules like nothing had happened. On top of that, there was the small issue of a literal goddess possibly trying to kill me, and the even smaller issue of some guy named K who might be sitting on blackmail material that could ruin all of us.

Yeah. Things were great.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my eyes.

"I need a coffee..."

I got up and walked out into the corridor. The break room looked empty except for one guy standing in front of the machine, waiting for his cup to fill. The balcony door was closed, no one out there either.

Good.

I stepped into the break room and waited behind him, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. After a few seconds, he grabbed his cup and left. I stepped forward, pressed the button for black coffee, and placed a mug under the machine, watching it fill.

Yesterday had been a mess. No work, just staying home, trying to relax. TV, board games, pretending things were normal.

They weren’t.

"Man... I’m tired."

I grabbed the mug and pushed the balcony door open with my shoulder. The air outside was still, no wind, no snow, just heavy clouds hanging low like they were about to burst any second.

I leaned back against the wall, took a slow sip, and looked out over the city.

For a moment, things felt quiet.

"Hello?"

I flinched slightly and turned my head. I hadn’t even heard the door open.

A guy stood there holding a cup of coffee, looking at me like he’d been debating whether to speak or not. He was shorter than me, maybe around 5’7, with short blonde hair and hazel eyes. His white shirt was neat, but the cravat and slightly wrinkled pants made him look... off. Like he tried too hard to look put together.

"Hey," I said, narrowing my eyes a bit. "Do I know you?"

"I’m Melvin," he said quickly, stepping closer and shutting the door behind him. "Evan, right? Nice to meet you."

He extended his hand a little too eagerly. I stared at it for a second before sighing internally and shaking it.

"Yeah. Nice to meet you."

He let go and immediately shifted where he stood, moving to lean against the railing across from me instead of looking at the city. His attention stayed locked on me, which made things a bit uncomfortable.

I took another sip of my coffee.

"So," I said, glancing at him, "you got something to say, Melvin?"

"Oh... um... maybe?" he said, scratching the back of his neck. His eyes darted around for a second before coming back to me. "It’s just... you know..."

"No," I said flatly. "I don’t know."

"I..." He hesitated again, lips parting slightly before closing. "I just want to know about you."

I blinked once and raised my hand halfway between us.

"I don’t swing that way, man," I said. "Not interested."

His eyes widened instantly and he started shaking his head.

"No, no, no, no! God, no!" he said quickly, almost spilling his coffee. "You got it wrong. I’m straight!"

I stared at him for a second, then took another sip.

"Okay," I said slowly. "Then what? You want to get to know me as... friends?"

"S-something like that?" he said, like he wasn’t even sure himself.

I didn’t answer right away. I just stood there, sipping my coffee and seriously considering walking out and pretending this never happened.

Melvin cleared his throat again, set his cup on the railing, and clapped his hands lightly like he was trying to hype himself up. He took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and looked at me with forced determination.

Yeah. I wasn’t going to like this.