The road to Hills Estate wound like a ribbon through the night.
Streetlights flickered past the car's windows in slow rhythm, painting lines of gold across the woman's pale face. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, her fingers gripping the edge of her seatbelt, her expression unreadable.
Ethan glanced at her once in a while. The bruises on her arms were faint in the low light but still visible. She hadn't spoken since they'd left the park.
"You're safe now," he said finally. His tone was calm — steady, almost too steady.
She turned her head slightly, studying him. "Where… where are you taking me?"
Ethan's lips curved faintly. "Somewhere they won't find you."
Her brow furrowed, but she didn't ask further. Something in his voice told her she could trust him — or maybe she simply didn't have another choice.
The car climbed higher into the hills until the glowing silhouette of the city disappeared behind them. Finally, the gates of Hills Estate came into view, sleek and silver beneath the moonlight. The security sensors blinked once, recognized Ethan's vehicle, and slid open silently.
The woman's eyes widened. "You… live here?"
"Yeah."
He didn't explain, and she didn't ask again.
The car rolled to a stop in front of a modern villa — glass walls and pale stone, its lights glowing softly against the darkness. The air was different up here — cleaner, colder, quiet enough to hear the rustle of distant trees.
Ethan stepped out first, walking around to her side. When he opened her door, she hesitated.
"You can rest here tonight," he said simply. "No one will bother you."
She looked around, still unsure. "This place… it doesn't look like somewhere normal people live."
Ethan gave a small laugh. "Guess I got lucky."
Inside, the house was warm. Soft yellow light filled the open living room, reflecting off the marble floor. The faint scent of cedar lingered in the air.
Ethan motioned toward the couch. "Sit. I'll get you something to eat."
"You don't have to—"
"—You've been running all night," he interrupted gently. "You need it."
For a moment, she just looked at him — the quiet conviction in his eyes, the calm steadiness that felt almost out of place for someone his age. Then she nodded and sat down.
Ethan moved into the kitchen, setting a pot on the stove. The rhythmic sounds of movement filled the silence — the click of gas ignition, the clatter of plates, the soft hiss of simmering soup.
When he returned a few minutes later, he placed a tray on the table: warm soup, bread, and a glass of water.
"Eat," he said. "We'll figure out the rest tomorrow."
She took the spoon slowly, her hands still trembling slightly. "Thank you," she whispered.
Ethan leaned back on the couch, exhaling quietly. He was tired — his body ached from the fight, but his mind wouldn't stop turning.
The system's glow flickered to life before his eyes.
[Mission Completed – Protect the Target]
Reward:
• 1 Helper Card
• 1 Double Rewards Card
• 10 System Points
• $500,000
• 1 Rare Consumable (Attribute Boost)
Ethan smiled faintly. "About time."
He selected the Double Rewards Card, the familiar hum of the system filling the air.
[Double Rewards Card Activated.]
Reward Multiplied.
Updated Summary:
• $1,000,000 added to balance
• +10 System Points
• 2 Rare Consumables (Attribute Boost)
The holographic text shimmered and merged into the dashboard.
[Money Deck System – Version 1.0]
Host: Ethan Iver
Balance: $7,000,000
System Points: 21
Card Draws Available: 5
Exchange Rate: 1 SP = $100,000
System Cards:
♣ Clubs – Grind for Strength
♦ Diamonds – Earn Real Money
♥ Hearts – Locked
♠ Spades – Locked
Attributes:
Strength – 10
Agility – 10
Endurance – 10
Intelligence – 5
Perception – 4
Active Mission: Club of 6 – Repair Seth's Kitchen
Pending: None
Ethan exhaled, scrolling through the updates. Even after the chaos of the night, seeing those numbers climb triggered a quiet satisfaction.
But what caught his attention was the two rare consumables glowing faintly in his inventory.
He tapped them.
[Use Rare Consumable – Attribute Boost Card ×2?]
Effect: Instantly increases two random attributes by +5 each.
Confirm?
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Confirm."
The cards dissolved into light, energy coursing through him like a deep breath.
[Attributes Updated]
Strength: 10 → 10 (MAX)
Agility: 10 → 10 (MAX)
Endurance: 10 → 10 (MAX)
Intelligence: 5 → 10
Perception: 4 → 8
A quiet hum filled his ears, and he felt the difference immediately. His thoughts sharpened, clarity cutting through the fatigue. His senses expanded — every sound, every shift of air in the house became clearer.
He looked at the glowing notice that followed.
[System Notice – Version Restriction Detected]
New attribute functions locked. Upgrade required.
System Upgrade: Version 2.0 requires 100 System Points.
Current Points: 21.
Ethan sighed, closing the interface. "Always a limit…"
He leaned back on the couch, his gaze drifting toward the woman finishing her meal quietly.
Even if the system hadn't rewarded him, he realized, he would have still done it.
He couldn't walk away from someone being hunted — not anymore.
Maybe that was the real change.
When she finished eating, he stood. "There's a guest room upstairs. First door on the right. You can rest there tonight. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up."
She nodded softly. "Thank you, Ethan."
He smiled faintly. "You're welcome, Miss…?"
She hesitated, then said quietly, "Faye."
Ethan repeated the name in his head. Faye. Simple, elegant — but it fit.
He nodded once. "Goodnight, Faye."
As she turned to go upstairs, he noticed the faint hesitation in her steps — not from injury, but from the kind of fear that comes from being watched too long.
When her door finally closed, Ethan sank into the couch again. The hum of the system faded from his mind, replaced by silence.
Outside, the night was deep. The city's glow shimmered faintly below the hills.
He let out a slow breath and closed his eyes.
For now, at least, she was safe.
Upstairs
Faye stood by the window of the guest room, her reflection faint against the glass. The city looked distant from here, far enough that the noise felt unreal.
She'd showered, bandaged her wrist, and changed into the clothes Ethan had lent her. For the first time that day, her body didn't hurt — but her mind refused to rest.
She touched the edge of the bruise on her face.
"Faye…" she murmured, testing the name he'd given her. It wasn't her real one, but it would do for now.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table.
Her stomach dropped.
The screen showed an unknown number — no caller ID, no region code.
Her pulse quickened.
She picked it up slowly, pressing it to her ear.
The voice that came through was calm. Cold.
"Did you really think you could hide from me, F?"
Her breath caught. "Who—"
The voice chuckled, low and cruel.
"Don't worry. I'll find you. No matter where you run."
The line went dead.
Faye stood frozen, the quiet hum of the room suddenly deafening. Her hand trembled as she lowered the phone.
Outside, the wind whispered against the window — soft, almost comforting, if not for the chill that followed it.
She turned slowly toward the door, where faint light from the hallway slipped through the crack at the bottom.
Somewhere downstairs, she thought she heard footsteps — steady, pacing.
She didn't know if it was Ethan, or something else.
But one thing was certain.
Her past hadn't let her go yet.