The brokerage firm’s conference room was all gss walls and muted tones, the hum of financial news screens filling the air. Hez sat at the head of the table, fnked by Maya, Lena, and Alicia, as the broker slid the final documents toward them.

  Broker: "100,000 worth of shares for each dy in their respective company. Just need signatures here… and here."

  Maya tapped her pen against the table, skeptical.

  Maya: "Why are you buying us stocks now? First cars, then houses—what’s next, a private isnd?"

  Lena (grinning): "I wouldn’t say no to that."

  Alicia, still adjusting to her sudden inclusion in Hez’s inner circle, remained silent, watching him carefully.

  Hez ignored them, his focus on the system dashboard only he could see:

  [Familiarity]

  - Maya: 80

  - Lena: 81

  - Alicia: 69

  [Current Money: 2,200,000]

  *If the refund works, it’ll jump to 2.5 Million. If not…?He’d lose 300,000.

  A gamble.

  He signed the papers, then transferred the 300,000 total.

  The system’s response was immediate—and brutal.

  ALERT: Investment-Type Expenditure Detected]

  [Shares/Business Purchases: NON-REFUNDABLE]

  [Current Money: 1,900,000]

  Hez’s jaw tightened. Shit.

  Maya, ever observant, caught the shift in his expression.

  Damn it.

  But then, another notification followed—one he hadn’t expected.

  [Familiarity Update]

  - Maya Reynolds: 80 → 83 (Impressed by bold financial move)

  - Lena Cho: 81 → 84 (Amused by his risk-taking)

  - Alicia Voss: 69 → 73 (Intrigued by his influence)

  Hez exhaled slowly, watching as the three women examined their newly acquired stock certificates with varying degrees of satisfaction.

  Maya (raising an eyebrow): "Well, I guess now I literally own a piece of the company."

  Lena (grinning): "If the stock crashes, I’m bming you, Hez."

  Alicia (studying the document, thoughtful): "This is… unexpected. But not unwelcome."

  The loss stung, but the uptick in Familiarity was undeniable. Investments might not refund, but they still worked—just in a different way.

  Hez leaned back, his smirk returning.

  Hez: "Think of it as a long-term gift."

  Maya rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward. Lena ughed, and Alicia’s gaze lingered on him a beat too long.

  The system’s final message pulsed with quiet approval:

  [Alternative Pathway Confirmed]

  [Non-Refundable Expenditures Still Yield Familiarity Gains]

  The game wasn’t just about money anymore. It was about loyalty.

  And Hez was learning how to buy that, too.

  ***

  The bell above the coffee shop door chimed softly as the young woman—Sarah Lim—looked up from wiping the counter. Her tired eyes widened as a familiar face stepped in: Alicia Voss, her childhood friend, dressed sharply in a designer bzer. Behind her, a man in an impeccably tailored suit followed, his gaze assessing the café with calm scrutiny.

  Sarah’s hands stilled. This must be the buyer.

  Alicia smiled warmly, though her eyes held a hint of urgency.

  Alicia: "Sarah, this is Mr. Hezri. He’s… interested in your café."

  Hez nodded politely, his sharp eyes missing nothing—the carefully maintained but outdated and furniture, the sparse mid-afternoon crowd, the faint bruise barely concealed under Sarah’s foundation.

  Hez: "You’ve kept the pce in good shape."

  Sarah swallowed, forcing a smile. "Thank you. It’s been… a struggle tely."

  Alicia squeezed her hand discreetly, a silent promise of support.

  The system flickered in Hez’s vision, scanning Sarah’s biodata:

  [Name: Sarah Lim

  Age: 28

  Height: 168cm

  Weight: 60kg

  Strength: 22

  Stamina: 24

  [Familiarity: 0 (First Contact)]

  [Status: Financially & Emotionally Distressed]

  Hez: "How much do you need to settle things with your husband?"

  Sarah hesitated, then whispered the amount like a shameful secret.

  Hez: "I’ll buy the café for 200,000."

  Sarah’s breath caught. "W-What?"

  Alicia’s eyes widened—she hadn’t expected this either.

  Sarah's hands trembled as she stared at the number Hez had written on the napkin—200,000. Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

  Sarah: "I... I only need 150,000..."

  Hez waved a dismissive hand. "Consider the extra a bonus."

  Alicia, standing beside them, gave Sarah an encouraging nod. "Take it, Sarah. This is your way out."

  Sarah exhaled shakily, then nodded. "Okay. Yes. Thank you."

  Hez pulled out his phone and transferred the money on the spot. The moment the payment cleared, the system alert fshed in his vision:

  [Business Acquisition:

  200,000]????[Status:NON?REFUNDABLE]????[Current Money:1,700,000]

  A small loss—but then, another notification appeared.

  [Sarah Lim - Familiarity: 0 → 58]

  [Status: Profoundly Grateful]

  Interesting. Unlike Alicia, Maya, or Lena, Sarah’s Familiarity had skyrocketed instantly. Was it because she was in real desperation?

  Alicia, now signing the ownership transfer papers, gnced up at Hez. "You’re full of surprises."

  Hez smirked. "You have no idea."

  Sarah wiped her eyes, her voice thick with emotion. "I don’t know how to thank you."

  Hez: "Just keep the coffee good."

  ***

  The Ferrari's engine purred softly as Alicia gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening slightly. The city lights blurred past, but her mind was elsewhere—back in that café, with Sarah’s relieved but still-fragile smile.

  Alicia: "Thank you. Really. What you did for her…" Her voice trailed off, then hardened. "But it’s not enough."

  Hez watched her from the passenger seat, the system’s update glowing in his vision:

  [Alicia Voss - Familiarity: 69 → 83] (Deeply grateful, emotionally invested)

  Higher than Lena. Higher than Maya. Because this wasn’t about luxury—it was about loyalty.

  Alicia: "Even after repaying him, he’ll still treat her like garbage. He’s got other women, and when he’s drunk or angry—" She cut herself off, jaw clenched.

  The system pinged again:

  [Sarah Lim’s Situation: High Risk]

  [Alicia’s Emotional State: Protective Fury]

  Hez exhaled slowly. This was new territory.

  Hez: "What do you want to do?"

  Alicia’s grip tightened on the wheel. "I want him gone."

  Hez leaned back, considering.

  Alicia’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. The raw fury in her eyes was unmistakable, but Hez’s voice cut through her rage like ice.

  Hez: "Think, Alicia. If her husband turns up dead, who do you think the police will suspect first?"

  Alicia opened her mouth to argue, but Hez didn’t let her.

  Hez: "Sarah. That’s who. The abused wife with a motive. Even if she’s innocent, the investigation alone will destroy her. Not to mention the rumors, the shame—everything you’re trying to save her from."

  Alicia’s grip loosened slightly, her anger giving way to frustration.

  Alicia: "So what? She’s just supposed to keep suffering?"

  Hez leaned back, his tone measured.

  Hez: "No. But there are smarter ways."