Free Web NovelChapter 35: The $200,000 Gamble
Claire kissed Liam gently on the lips under the soft orange glow of the streetlights.
An eighteen-year-old young man and a forty-two-year-old woman embraced tightly, Liam had not expected this at all. The moment felt incredibly intense. He had limited experience with kissing, but Claire clearly knew exactly what she was doing.
Under her skillful guidance, he quickly became lost in the sensation, greedily savoring her warmth and softness.
A cool breeze passed by, and Claire suddenly sobered up.
What am I doing? She felt confused.Panic flooded her heart.
She quickly stepped back, turning away as heat rushed to her cheeks.
How could she have lost control like that?
She was forty-two years old, and only recently she had still been considering whether there was any hope of reconciling with her husband.
Yet tonight, in a moment of weakness, she had crossed a line with an eighteen-year-old.A wave of guilt washed over her.
Liam remained silent.
He watched Claire quietly, giving her the space she clearly needed.
After what felt like an eternity, Claire finally turned around.
The haze of alcohol had slightly faded, leaving only embarrassment and regret.
She forced herself to act as though nothing had happened.
"Liam... I’ll take you home. It’s not far."
Liam shook his head.
"No, Claire. I should make sure you get home safely first. Let’s call a driver for you. I’ll head back on my own afterward."
"Okay."
Once they shifted the conversation to ordinary topics, the tension gradually eased.
Neither of them mentioned what had happened beneath the streetlights.
It was as though the kiss had never happened.
Claire was safely dropped off at home. On his way back, the smell of alcohol had completely faded from Liam. He checked his phone.
The iron liver is indeed handy. Let’s see if the system reward has arrived.
A notification immediately appeared.
+$70,000.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
His savings had officially reached $200,000.
"Still another $800,000 before I become a millionaire."
Liam remained calm and calculative. The system tasks had not refreshed yet, but he was in no rush. He continued walking home with a clear mind.
The lights were still on when he opened the front door.As expected, his mother was waiting at the dining table.
"Liam, you’re back, if you are hungry I made dumplings today."
"Mom, I’m hungry!"
He had mostly been drinking earlier and had not eaten much, so he was genuinely hungry. He went to the kitchen, brought the dumplings over, and ate with good appetite.
Elana watched her son and caught the faint scent of alcohol on him.
"Son, have you been drinking?"
Liam naturally denied it. His mother was traditional and strongly opposed to smoking and drinking.
No.There were people drinking around me, so the smell probably rubbed off."
His mother had always been firmly against smoking and drinking.
Elana leaned closer and sniffed again before feeling relieved. However, she soon noticed that There was a slight trace of lipstick near the corner of his mouth.
She looked at her son for a long moment before quietly looking away.
Without realizing it, her son had grown into a young man.
Late that night, Claire lay awake, staring at the ceiling.No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop replaying the events of the evening.
She had been the one who crossed the line first.The guilt weighed heavily on her heart.
Several times, she opened Liam’s contact, intending to delete it.
Each time, her finger hovered over the button before pulling away.Finally, she sighed and sent a message instead.
Claire: Liam, are you alright? Feeling any better?Only a few seconds later, her phone buzzed.
Liam: I’m fine, Claire. Don’t worry about me.
Seeing his reply somehow made her feel even more guilty.
Over the following days, Claire and Liam continued chatting as usual.
Neither of them brought up what had happened that night.
Liam acted as though it had never occurred, maintaining the same calm, respectful attitude as always.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Victoria continued to grow.
Most days, Liam spent his time playing games at the internet café with Ethan Brooks while waiting for the system to issue another mission.
On the fourth day, while chatting with Victoria, the long-awaited notification finally appeared.
[New System Mission]
Victoria’s distant cousin is preparing to sell his internet café for $200,000. Victoria has been asked to help him find a suitable buyer. Purchase the internet café.
Liam carefully read the mission.
The $200,000 he had worked so hard to save was about to disappear.
Then another line appeared.
[Mission Bonus]
After purchasing the internet café, the system will automatically upgrade all equipment and optimize its operations, generating a stable monthly profit of $30,000.
Reward: Enhancement Token ×1.
The token can permanently increase the size of any chosen body part by twenty centimeters, with proportional adjustments.
Liam reread the description several times.There was no mistake.The reward was real.
His eyes lit up.This mission has to be completed.He quickly calmed himself.
With the system managing operations automatically, he could simply hire staff while collecting a steady monthly income.
Thirty thousand dollars every month was an outstanding investment.
Liam stood up.Let’s go.Ethan looked up from his game.
Go where?The internet café that’s for sale.Ethan frowned.The computers there are ancient."
They’re practically museum pieces.Even so, he trusted Liam enough to follow without asking any more questions.
At the internet café, Tyler Kane was venting his frustrations to Victoria.
Cousin, business keeps getting worse.I’ve got more than a hundred computers, but even on a good day only thirty or so are occupied.
"After rent, utilities, and salaries, I’m barely breaking even."
Victoria sighed.If her parents hadn’t specifically asked her to help Tyler, she wouldn’t have gotten involved.
I’ll ask around a little more.Maybe someone will be interested.
Even at the current price, $200,000 was a substantial investment.
Most people would see this struggling café as nothing more than a money pit.just then, Victoria’s phone rang.
An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.She answered.
"Mr. Kane’s internet café... is it still for sale?"
The calm voice on the other end sounded strangely familiar.Victoria blinked.
Liam?Could he really be planning to buy it?
Where would he get $200,000?
Spending that much on a failing internet café seemed like an enormous mistake.
She silently decided she would have to talk him out of it.
