"Aiden, where did you get all that money?"
Emily Rose's message popped up on his screen. Her curiosity was sharp, a little edged with disbelief.
Aiden smirked, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
"Oh, nothing special. My old building got demolished. I ended up with, what, a dozen condos?"
Emily's reply came quickly.
"I see... but even if that's true, you shouldn't be spending money like this!"
Aiden chuckled dryly. If only she knew the truth.
"For you, Emily," he typed, "I'm willing to do anything."
He hit send and grimaced. The sweetness in his words tasted like acid.
In his eyes, Emily Rose was the perfect example of a green tea princess, innocent in appearance, manipulative in spirit.
If she didn't like him, why lead him on?
If she wanted to end things, why flirt?
Did she just enjoy the thrill of being chased?
You're exhausting, he thought bitterly.
A moment later, another message came through.
"Don't be like that, Aiden. You're making me feel embarrassed..."
He ignored it this time and switched chats.
> Aiden: "Hey, beautiful Ivy. How about dinner tomorrow?"
Ivy Mae: "Tomorrow? Oh no, I've got a nail appointment with my bestie."
Aiden: "Alright, no problem."
Ivy: "Sorry!"
Ivy Mae was actually quite fond of him, her affection level hovered around what Aiden jokingly thought of as eighty-four points.
But she still knew how to play the game.
A girl couldn't seem too eager. Men never valued what came easy.
Besides, she and Aiden hadn't known each other long. Rushing things would just make it awkward.
Aiden didn't mind. It wasn't about dating anyway, it was about spending money.
If Ivy was busy, there were plenty of others to invest in.
Doesn't matter who I spoil, he thought. As long as the cash keeps flowing, I'm good.
Meanwhile, across town in her stylish Manhattan apartment, Emily Rose sat on her bed, her phone glowing faintly in her hand.
She stared at the $50,000 transfer Aiden had sent her on Venmo.
Her mother wasn't sick, that was a lie she made up on the spot.
If she accepted the money, it was basically fraud.
A few small gifts were fine, but $50,000 right after breaking up with him? That made her look desperate.
Just then, her best friend Sophia walked in, holding a glass of wine.
"Emily, who's this generous? Fifty grand? Was it Justin Reed?"
Emily hesitated. "No… it was Aiden. What do you think I should do, Sophia?"
Sophia blinked. "Aiden? The same Aiden who used to scrape by working two jobs? He just sent you that much?"
Emily sighed. "Yeah. We broke up this morning, then I ran into him at Fifth Avenue later. He was shopping with that art student, Ivy Mae. And guess what? Justin refused to buy me the purse I wanted, but Aiden bought it for her. I was so mad!"
Sophia tilted her head. "Sounds like you're not quite over him yet. But come on, Emily, Justin's got better looks and family money. You gave him everything, how could Aiden compare?"
Emily's gaze dropped. "I don't know anymore. Justin's… secretive. He never shows me his phone, never buys me gifts. He's smooth with words, sure, but… last time I asked to see his phone, he got angry and threatened to leave. I was furious and said yes to Aiden's confession out of spite."
She let out a soft laugh. "But now, seeing how he treats me, I realize Aiden was more genuine. He's kind, loyal... and now apparently rich. That demolition deal gave him over a dozen properties."
Sophia's eyes widened. "You're kidding. No wonder he's throwing cash around!"
A flicker of envy crossed her face.
Her own looks weren't far behind Emily's, so why hadn't she met someone like Aiden?
A guy who'd worship her and suddenly become a multimillionaire?
That was the dream.
"Emily," Sophia said after a moment, "don't rush to block him. Keep things open. If he asks for the money back, give it. But maybe be nicer this time. As for Justin… be careful. You're too easy on him, and that's dangerous."
"I know…" Emily murmured, nodding softly.
Later that night, she messaged Justin.
> Emily: "Justin, my mom's sick and in the hospital. Can you lend me some money?"
Justin: "What? Sick? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Emily: "I knew you'd care, baby. You're the best."
Justin: "I've got about $70 on me right now. If that's not enough, I'll borrow more. I'll come with you tomorrow and get some vitamins for her."
His tone was concerned, but his words were cautious. Suspicious, even.
Emily froze, staring at the screen.
Seventy bucks?
Was that what she was worth now?
She had never even let Aiden touch her, yet with one text, he sent her $50,000 without hesitation.
But Justin, the man she'd given everything to, even sacrificed her body for, offered her barely enough for a taxi.
He hadn't even transferred the money.
Just empty promises.
For the first time, Emily Rose began to wonder if she'd made a terrible mistake.
In his dorm room, Aiden James lay awake in the dim light, phone in hand.
Sleep wouldn't come.
He opened the "SharkStream" app and tapped into the live section filled with female streamers.
"I wonder if spending on streamers counts toward the System's quota," he mused, smirking.
He hit the Top Up button. To his surprise, it worked.
Aiden's grin widened.
Spending on girls in real life was too slow. Too much effort.
But online?
He could burn through tens of thousands in an hour and barely blink.
"Ding! System Reminder: Only women with a beauty rating above 7.6 count toward bonus returns. Be careful, ,filters are deceiving. Host must judge in person."
"Got it," Aiden said, scrolling through the profiles.
He checked out a dozen streamers, most were decent, some stunning.
And then he found her: MiaStar, the top dancing streamer on the platform.
A face like an angel.
A body like sin itself.
Aiden leaned back, smiling. "Yeah," he murmured, "definitely worth investing in."