Chapter 86: The Silence of Chloe

Ethan finished showering, quickly toweling off. He dressed in clean, comfortable clothes and stepped out of his room.

As he walked down the hall, he glanced towards the kitchen. He saw Jason and Cassandra laughing together. Cassandra was wearing a robe Jason must have provided and was busy cooking something at the massive, state-of-the-art stove.

Ethan watched them from a distance, a genuine smile spreading across his face. It was a domestic scene, filled with unexpected happiness and ease. It reminded him of Chloe.

He pulled out his cell phone, checking for notifications. He didn’t see any missed calls or texts. "That’s strange," he thought. "She hasn’t messaged me to say she arrived yet."

Ethan walked toward the expansive living room, his mind still slightly troubled by the lack of communication from Chloe. He pulled out his phone again and scrolled to her contact.

He tried calling her. The line rang several times, then went to voicemail.

"No answer," Ethan muttered to himself.

This is unlike her. She always messages me right away.

He typed out a few quick messages:

"How are you?"

"Did you arrive safely?"

"How are your parents? Did they like the gifts?"

"When you get back, I’ll show you some things I bought that I hope you like."

He waited a few seconds. No response. The messages remained unread. Ethan felt a knot of confusion and unease tighten in his stomach. He tried calling one last time, but again, only the voicemail answered.

"Damn it, what’s going on?" he thought aloud, pacing slightly.

[She is probably busy with her parents, Champion. Stop being a nervous boyfriend. You have a mansion and an eager MILF. Focus on the available rewards!] The System chided him.

Before Ethan could respond mentally, Cassandra’s voice cut through the air from the kitchen.

"Ethan, are you going to come eat? I made some breakfast," she called out.

"I’ll be there in a moment!" he replied, his voice normal but his gaze still fixed on his phone.

He held up the phone, showing the screen with the unreturned calls and unread messages. Cassandra, seeing the display of his concern even from the distance of the kitchen entrance, paused. She held his gaze for a long moment, then simply turned and returned to the kitchen, leaving him to his private anxiety.

Ethan sighed, pocketing the phone. He knew worrying wouldn’t help. He had two major problems to handle immediately.

Ethan shook off his worry for Chloe and walked into the massive, professional-grade kitchen. The air was thick with savory aromas. In the thirty minutes Ethan had been showering, Cassandra had conjured a feast, utilizing the mansion’s lavish pantry. On the marble island sat a hearty spread: steaming bowls of eggs, thick slices of crisped bacon, a plate of fresh waffles, and a vibrant bowl of fruit.

Ethan took a seat at the island. Jason, who had been organizing the rifle in a discreet cabinet, made a move toward the back exit.

"Jason, stop," Cassandra commanded gently, holding out a plate heaped with food. "Eat. I made this for you too."

Jason looked at the food, then at Ethan, subtly seeking approval. Ethan nodded, smiling. "Come on, man. I told you to drop the ’just a guard’ act. You’re family, after all."

Jason smiled, a rare and genuine expression, and took a seat opposite Ethan.

The meal was rich and lively. Cassandra, clearly relieved to be in a safe, productive environment, looked radiant as she poured coffee.

"So, you two," Ethan began, taking a bite of bacon. "Tell Cassandra how you both know me. Since we’re going to be sharing a house—and soon a lot of problems—we might as well start with the truth."

Cassandra chuckled softly. "I already told him that I was the Landlord’s ex-wife and that I often helped the poor, skinny boy when he had no money and looked like a bag of bones."

Ethan winced internally but laughed, recognizing the truth. He knew that trying to hide his impoverished past was futile, especially from those closest to him. Knowing their past was easy, and since they were the people he trusted the most, there was no point in lying just to hide it.

"He’s being modest," Jason interjected. "I was a friend of his father before the man’s death. We lost touch, but we reconnected recently when I heard he was making a move back to the city."

As they talked, Cassandra turned to Ethan, her expression now genuinely curious. "I still don’t understand, Ethan. You were always late on the rent—always short on cash. How did you get the money for this?"

Jason looked up from his plate, his confusion mirroring hers. They both fell silent, waiting for Ethan’s explanation.

Ethan sighed, knowing he couldn’t hide it. "Well, if anyone should know, it should be you two." He recounted the same plausible half-truth he had told Sarah. "I joined an organization that runs high-stakes bets and challenges. If you succeed, you advance levels, and they give you more and more money. That’s how I got the capital I have now. But yes, I’ve had to do some complicated things."

[Complicated? What a hardship it must be to fuck beautiful women and have others see your cock in public! You really know how to suffer... Damn rich people problems, lovers of exhibitionism!] The System scoffed, its digital sarcasm thick and loud in Ethan’s mind.

Ethan successfully concealed his reaction, focusing instead on the Huevos Rancheros, accepting the burden of his extravagant, complex, and highly profitable new life.

Cassandra looked at him, her brow furrowed with honest concern. "Isn’t that dangerous, and perhaps illegal?"

Ethan laughed softly at her sincere worry, then met her gaze, his expression turning serious but calm.

"Perhaps it isn’t very legal," Ethan admitted. "But I think it’s the least illegal and dangerous thing we actually do."

Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "Of everything we want to do, yes, that’s the least dangerous and illegal thing." He tallied the morning’s activities on his fingers. "We just assaulted a construction company, committed aggravated battery, used military-grade weapons in public without a license, heh. The list is actually very long."

Ethan laughed, finding the truth in Jason’s summary undeniable. Meanwhile, Cassandra slightly lowered her head, realizing that she was the direct reason for half of Ethan’s felonies that day.