Conquering Ladies With My 10x Rebate System

"Try it," Naya said, her voice like a blade drawn in silence. "And see what happens."

Sophia smirked. "Oh, sweetheart… don't tempt me."

Before Caleb could intervene, the system flashed again.

«↑Warning: Escalating conflict detected. Mission failure imminent.↓»

«↑Updated Objective: Resolve dispute + Initiate intimacy with Naya. Immediate action recommended.↓»

'Oh, for fuck's sake,' Caleb thought, feeling a vein throb in his forehead. 'They're going to kill each other before I even make a move!'

He stepped forward quickly, putting himself between them.

"Enough! Both of you!" His voice cracked like a whip, slicing through the tension. "We've got bigger problems than this."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, but she backed up slightly, folding her arms again.

"Fine. I'll leave you two lovebirds to… talk." Her grin widened as she turned to leave, tossing a wink over her shoulder. "Just don't wake the whole house when you make up."

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the kitchen in charged silence.

Naya stared at the counter, her knuckles white against the marble. Caleb took a slow breath and moved closer, his voice soft now.

"Naya… look at me."

She didn't move.

"Naya," he repeated gently, reaching out to touch her hand. She flinched—but didn't pull away. Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly.

"I only left for a few minutes and came back to find you..." She started, but her words hung in her mouth as Caleb moved.

It happened so fast she couldn't even react.

He cupped her face and kissed her.

The mug slipped from her hand, clattering softly on the counter as her fingers curled into his shirt.

Her lips trembled against his, then melted, parting as a soft, shaky breath escaped her throat.

The system pinged in his vision.

«↑Task Progress: 72%... 85%...↓»

Caleb deepened the kiss, his hand sliding to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. Naya let out a quiet whimper, her nails digging into his shoulders like she couldn't get close enough.

When they finally broke apart, her breath was ragged, her cheeks flushed crimson. "Caleb…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

«↑Task Complete: Loyalty Restored – 48% → 72%↓»

«↑Bonus: Emotional Bond Strengthened. Hidden Perk Unlocked.↓»

"I guess that worked, that's the only way to get you to keep quiet," Caleb said with a nervous laugh.

"You—" Naya wanted to retort, but she couldn't find her voice.

Whenever Caleb did things like this, she completely lost her strength.

'This idiot!' Naya thought angrily.

Her face turned red.

Caleb held up her chin, turning her face back to him.

"You have your spot no matter what. Unfortunately, I can't be with only you... Because you said you didn't have any issues with it back in the VIP room in the auction," Caleb said with a teasing smile.

"I didn't..." She wanted to shout back in defense, but she quickly remembered when she had said those same words.

Caleb let out a chuckle... He was glad he always got to see this part of Naya.

'At least Sophia helped me set up the stage.'

Caleb almost sighed in relief—until the system threw another line in blood-red text:

---

{Next Mission Unlocked: Secure Sophia's loyalty within 48 hours. Failure = Double Penalty.}

---

'…You've got to be kidding me. I still don't trust that bitch... And if I'm working with her, there's only one person who can help me,' Caleb was still in his thoughts.

And then—

A soft gasp.

Both Caleb and Naya froze, turning toward the doorway.

Helene stood there.

Her eyes wide. Her towel still clutched in her hand.

And for the second time that night, the world stopped.

For one long second, the kitchen felt frozen in time.

Helene stood by the doorway, clutching her towel like a lifeline, her damp hair trailing over her shoulders. Her wide, ocean-blue eyes darted between Caleb and Naya—still locked in a half-embrace, breaths ragged from the kiss that had just ended.

Her lips parted. "Sorry, sorry!"

She didn't wait another second as she spun on her heel and bolted.

"Helene!" Caleb called, but she was already gone—her footsteps echoing down the hall like gunshots.

"What do you need from her?" Her voice was sharp, trembling with jealousy.

Caleb turned to Naya calmly. "I need to get some information from her... it's about X," Caleb said quickly, his tone firm. "I need to talk to her so I can know the next step ahead."

Naya's eyes brightened as she remembered.

"Oh, that's right! I saw bad news before coming here... Diego is really out for you."

"I saw the news as well. I honestly don't know the next step ahead... And it's going to be tough."

Naya thought for a moment.

"I know someone who can help... The problem is, getting to him will be a bit difficult. He's a very influential figure. I think you might know him as well..." Naya said.

"Who is that?"

"It is..."

---

Meanwhile, Helene's Room

Helene shut the door behind her and pressed her back against it, her breath shaky and shallow as if she'd been running for her life. The towel in her hands felt damp and heavy, clenched so tightly her knuckles ached.

Her heart was a wild drum in her chest. Loud. Relentless. Drowning out every sound except the memory of what she'd just seen.

Caleb. His hands on Naya. His lips on hers.

The image wouldn't leave her head. It burned there like fire.

'This shouldn't matter. It shouldn't matter to me,' she convinced herself, trying to throw the thoughts away from her mind.

But the sharp ache twisting in her chest said otherwise.

'He's not even mine… so why does it feel like this?'

She slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor, curling her knees up and hugging them tight. Tears stung her eyes, but she bit them back, biting her lip so hard she tasted copper.

Her thoughts spun out of control, dragging her backward—to the first time she'd ever heard his name.

---

Flashback —

It was weeks ago. She remembered the way Sophia had sat on the edge of her bed, her phone glowing faintly in the dim light.

"You need to trust me, Helene," her sister had said, voice sharp but oddly excited. "This man… Caleb Monrrow. He's the key. With him, everything changes."

Helene had frowned, unsure, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. "I don't… I don't even know him."

Sophia had smirked, turning the phone so Helene could see.

And that was the first time.

The photo was of Caleb standing beside Julia—Sophia's best friend. They looked like a perfect pair in that picture. His green eyes, his sharp jawline, the easy way he carried himself… Helene remembered feeling something strange then, something she didn't understand.

"You'll meet him soon," Sophia had promised, her tone almost smug. "Just… do what I say."

Helene hadn't replied. She'd only stared at the photo, memorizing his face without meaning to.

And then… she met him for real.

And nothing about that picture prepared her for the way he made her feel.

---

Present —

Helene buried her face against her knees now, her breath coming faster. Every memory came crashing in at once—the way he caught her in the elevator when she nearly fell. How steady his hands were. How his voice, low and calm, had soothed the panic clawing in her chest.

And then the bathroom earlier. That close. That warm. That dangerous.

She could still feel his arms around her, the heat of his body when she slipped. And now this—seeing him kiss someone else, hold someone else like she wished he would hold her—

Her chest felt like it was splitting apart.

'What's wrong with me? Why am I… like this?'

She wasn't supposed to feel this way. She had spent years avoiding men, hiding from them, because of the way they made her feel—nervous, unsafe, trapped.

But Caleb… Caleb was different. With him, she didn't feel fear. She felt something else entirely. Something that scared her more than anything—because it wasn't fear. It was longing.

Her cheeks burned, shame mixing with a storm of other emotions she couldn't name.

'Pathetic,' she told herself bitterly, squeezing her eyes shut as tears slipped down her cheeks. 'I'm pathetic for even thinking… even wanting…'

But no matter how hard she tried to smother it, one truth rose like a flame that wouldn't die:

For the first time in my life, I don't feel afraid of someone… and it had to be him.