Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

Chapter 18 Demon, Gentlemen & Dangerous Feelings

He just shook his head, finding her enthusiasm contagious despite himself.

During the movie, Tessa was glued to the screen at first, occasionally elbowing Parker to laugh at her favorite scenes or share a whispered comment. But halfway through, exhaustion from their shopping spree caught up with her, and she leaned her head onto Parker's shoulder.

Before long, she was fast asleep.

Parker glanced at her, letting out a quiet chuckle. "She's like a kid," he muttered.

The theater's flickering lights illuminated Tessa's peaceful face, her soft breaths barely audible over the film's sound. For the first time in years, Parker felt something unfamiliar—a sense of warmth.

'Money changes everything,' he thought. A man who had grown up shrouded in coldness and indifference had, for one fleeting moment, created something close to happiness. But it wasn't just the money. It was her—Tessa, with her contagious humor, her hidden layers, and that ability to act tough while being so undeniably sweet beneath it all.

She was intriguing in a way Parker hadn't expected.

"I guess I don't hate people that much after all," he murmured to himself. "Just the wrong kind of people. The right ones, though... they're interesting."

It's just that, his right kind of people had a different definition of right!

It wasn't much of a revelation, but it felt like progress. He smiled faintly, scooping Tessa up in a gentle princess carry as the credits rolled.

Ignoring the curious stares of theatergoers, Parker carried her through the lobby and out to the car. People whispered as they passed, some women sighing dreamily at the sight.

"Bad boys who act soft—it's too much," one woman muttered to her friend.

Parker, unaffected by the attention, carefully placed Tessa in the passenger seat, adjusted her position, and buckled her seatbelt. The Mercedes purred softly as he drove off, taking his time so she wouldn't wake.

Parker parked in the hotel's underground garage, scooped Tessa into his arms again, and headed for the elevator. Inside, the soft murmur of admiration began again, this time from strangers sharing the ride.

"So cool and hot," one whispered, earning a small smirk from Parker.

Growing up around wealth, Tessa thought she was immune to people flashing cash, but Parker? There was something about the way he handled it—calm, indifferent, almost like it was beneath him.

"Damn, that's kind of hot," Parker had heard her as she admitted, while swirling the last of her wine.

Little did Tessa know, Parker wasn't just casually spending. That $100k meal? It wasn't a loss; it was an investment. Thanks to his system, it earned him $1,000,000 back instantly.

The dinner had been a whirlwind of indulgence, leaving Parker's wallet significantly lighter—or at least it should have, but thanks to the system, it was the opposite.

The extravagant meal, which cost a jaw-dropping $100,000, rewarded him with a $1,000,000 rebate.

That little system perk brought his balance up to $2,901,000, climbing from his previous $1,901,000.

Earlier, during their day of endless shopping, Parker had spent $547,800 on Tessa—on clothes, shoes, and whatever else caught her fleeting interest.

It wasn't just about the splurge; it was strategic, feeding into the system's mechanics.

That spending spree earned him a hefty $5,478,000 in return, bumping his total balance to $8,379,000, not forgetting the $1,000 tucked away in his crypto wallet.

Yet, Parker hadn't decided how to handle the multiplier on the mission completion. The system offered to double the rewards, but he wasn't one to jump into decisions without thinking. With Tessa's score at 53 points, he knew cashing in now could triple his rewards. Still, Parker wasn't in a rush.

Apart from the Bad Boy Charm perk he'd already claimed, everything else could wait. But he didn't know what I would change into after cashing in his 3X.

For now, he'd put the rewards—and the system itself—on hold. Tomorrow was another day, and Parker wasn't one to push every button just because he could.

Strategy came first, and he was playing the long game.

*****

Guys is this far enough to ask for reviews or should we wait a bit more? Okay, I get that, writing reviews can wait if that's what you wish but what about power stones?

Okay no pressure! I will wait take your time.