The Heart System

The pilot leaned out of the cockpit, brows knitting together, clearly trying to figure out how the hell I was suddenly here when I hadn't been seconds ago. They never would. Not the four Time Stops, not the credits burned, not the way my chest still felt tight from racing time itself.

Carrie finally found her voice, hands lifting slightly as if she needed to steady herself. "How did you—what did you—how are you here?"

I didn't answer her. I didn't even look at her.

"Kim," I called, my voice cutting clean through the air. "Come here."

The helicopter door slid open. Kim hesitated, eyes flicking from Carrie to Tom, then to me. She stepped down slowly, boots crunching on gravel, each step cautious, like she was afraid the ground might disappear under her feet. When she got close enough, I saw the tension in her shoulders, the fear she was trying to swallow.

I smiled at her, warm and steady, and pulled my car keys from my pocket, placing them into her palm.

"Go to the penthouse," I said, closing her fingers around them. "Wait for me there, trouble."

Her lips parted. "Evan…"

"No," I said, firmer now, my thumb brushing once over her knuckles. "We'll talk about you running off like that later. Not now."

She swallowed. "What about you?"

"I'll find my way back," I said. "You know I always do."

Her grip tightened on the keys. She nodded, small and shaky. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," I said quietly.

"MOTHER!" Tom shouted as he jumped down from the helicopter, rage twisting his face. "HE CAN'T TAKE HER!"

He rushed forward and grabbed Kim's wrist.

The sound my fist made when it connected with his face was sharp and ugly. Tom went down hard, landing on his ass with a grunt, hands scrambling uselessly against the ground.

"Stay there," I snarled, stepping toward him. "You fucking murderer."

"MOTHER!" he screamed again.

"STOP!" Carrie shrieked, finally moving, her voice cracking. "You will regret this!"

"Will I?" I said, turning to her with a thin smile. "Why don't we go inside and talk like civilized people."

"I have nothing to say to you," she snapped. "We're leaving."

"Evan…" Kim whispered behind me.

"Kim," I said without looking back, sharper now. "Go. Now."

"You will not go," Carrie cut in, pointing at her. "Or you and everyone you love will regret it."

I turned fully to Kim then, my voice dropping, steady and calm. "Go. Please."

She hesitated one last second, then nodded and ran to the car. The engine roared to life, tires crunching gravel as she backed away and disappeared down the drive.

Only then did I straighten and face them again.

Now it was just us.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Carrie

==========================

☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 0/3

╰────────────────────╯

Seven boxes. Three chances.

I needed two ticks per success, which meant choosing the riskier options every time. Normally that would be suicide, but Honeyed Words was stacked for moments like this. And if Luck decided to show its face, I might actually walk out of here alive.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"Trust me. You wanna talk to me.

Because I have the dashcam

footage of the accident."

==========================

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 70%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"Trust me," I said evenly. "You want to talk to me. Because I have the dashcam footage of the accident."

"I don't believe you," Carrie replied immediately. "That's impossible."

Tom stiffened beside her. "Mother… I thought you destroyed the footage?"

I looked at him and smiled, slow and ugly. "Like I told you, you fucking cuck. She kept it."

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Carrie

==========================

☑☑☐☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 1/3

╰────────────────────╯

"Mother," Tom pressed, voice cracking. "Why?"

"Let's talk inside," I said. "Come on."

Carrie clenched her fists, jaw tight, then turned and walked into the house. Tom followed. I shut the door behind us and moved straight to the living room, dropping onto the couch like I owned the place. Legs crossed. Back relaxed.

Tom stayed standing. Carrie sat opposite me, arms folded tight across her chest.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"The footage was saved to the

cloud. I tracked down the van owner.

Asked him if he still had it.

He did. Kept it as insurance in

case he ever got dragged into court."

==========================

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 70%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"The footage was saved to the cloud," I said. "I tracked down the van owner. Asked him if he still had it. He did. Kept it as insurance in case he ever got dragged into court."

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Carrie

==========================

☑☑☑☑☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 2/3

╰────────────────────╯

"Mother," Tom whispered. "Why would you hide it?"

"You're lying," Carrie snapped. "It's obvious."

"Your face disagrees," I replied calmly.

She exhaled sharply. "That footage doesn't exist."

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"Sure. Don't believe me. But think

about what happens when the case

reopens and the public gets a look at it."

==========================

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 70%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

"Sure," I said. "Don't believe me. But think about what happens when the case reopens and the public gets a look at it."

"Bullshit," she spat.

Fuck.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Carrie

==========================

☑☑☑☑☒☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 3/3-FAILURE

╰────────────────────╯

How? How the hell did this happen? This was my only shot to get them off our backs, and now it's gone... Damn it. She was going to target Kim again, and this time, Carrie wouldn't hold back. She'd come for us with everything she got. She'll play the sweet, perfect persona—the "charismatic, sunshine smile" act—and turn the media against us. Against the company.

╭────────────────────╮

- SPECIAL EVENT TRIGGERED!

==========================

Another Chance in Persuasion

Luck Skill: 1 → 100 (10s)

╰────────────────────╯

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the UI. Right… I'd completely forgotten about that reward for kissing Delilah a while back. So this was a 'Special Event?' A total lifesaver.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

"Fine. I'm going. See you at the

court this Monday, Carrie."

==========================

Base Chance: 20%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 70%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

Wait… so I had a 100% chance of critical success. Hell yes. Failure wasn't an option now, no matter what choice I made. But I only had ten seconds for this Special Event. My luck wouldn't stay at 100 forever. I had to make it count.

"Fine. I'm going. See you at the court Monday, Carrie."

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Carrie

==========================

☑☑☑☑☒☑☑

==========================

Remaining Chances: 3/3-SUCCESS

╰────────────────────╯

"Fuck," she muttered, shoulders dropping. "I knew it. Damn it."

The clock was still ticking.

╭────────────────────╮

- Gaslighting: Carrie

==========================

Current Orientation: Dom

Available Options:

- Submissive

- Switch

==========================

Selected: Submissive

Success Rate: 5%

Duration: 10 minutes

Cooldown: 2 hours

==========================

▶ Confirm Change? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

Five percent meant nothing with Luck at one hundred.

╭────────────────────╮

- Gaslighting: Carrie

==========================

Change Successful!

New Orientation: Submissive

Duration: 10 minutes remaining

Cooldown: 2 hours

╰────────────────────╯

I leaned forward slightly, voice low and controlled. "Now, Carrie," I said. "If you don't want trouble, you're going to listen to me."

"O-okay…" she replied. Her tone was tense, angry, but underneath it something had shifted. Obedient. Reluctant, but present. "Fuck…"

Carrie rose from the couch, heels clicking sharp on the hardwood as she walked over and stood in front of me, chin high, eyes blazing defiance even through the gaslight haze.

I leaned back, spread my legs a little wider, and looked up at her.

"Kneel."

She hesitated, lips parting like she wanted to spit venom, but the skill held. Slowly, reluctantly, she lowered herself to her knees between my legs, dress riding up her thighs.

Tom shot up from his corner. "Mother—what the hell are you doing? Get up!"

"Stay in your corner, Tom," I said without looking at him, voice flat. "This doesn't concern you."

He froze, mouth opening and closing like a fish.

I turned my attention back to Carrie. "You remember what you called me on that street, don't you?"

She didn't answer, just glared.

I leaned forward slightly. "Dog."

Still nothing.

"Now let's see who the real dog is."

I sat back again.

"Bark."

Carrie's lip curled in a sneer. "What—"

My hand moved fast, backhand cracking across her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, a red mark blooming instantly on that perfect skin.

She turned back slowly, eyes watering, but something behind them had shifted—rage still there, but overlaid with a reluctant, forced obedience.

"Bark," I repeated, voice calm. "Dogs don't talk."

"Mother, don't—" Tom started.

I didn't even glance at him. Carrie swallowed hard, cheeks burning, then let out a low, humiliated "woof."

"Can't hear you," I said. "Turn the volume up, dog."

She bit her lip until it went white, then louder, voice shaking: "Woof!"

"Good girl." I reached out and patted her head like she was exactly what I'd called her. Then I held my palm out in front of her face. "Paw."

Carrie's eyes flicked to my hand. She hesitated, teeth sinking into her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

I raised my hand again. "Come on."

She flinched, then lifted one trembling hand and placed it in my palm.

I backhanded her again—harder this time. Her head rocked, the red mark darkening, a small gasp escaping her.

"Other paw, girl."

Tears welled, but she obeyed instantly, placing her second hand on top of the first.

"Good girl," I murmured, giving her head another condescending pat.

I lowered my hand until it hovered just below her mouth.

"Tongue out. Let your saliva drop. Show me what a messy little bitch you are."

Tom made a strangled sound. "Mother—"

Carrie's lips parted, tongue sliding out slow, reluctant. Nothing came at first—just the tip trembling.

I raised my hand again.

She gulped, eyes squeezing shut, and let a thick strand of drool fall into my waiting palm, warm and slick.

"There it is," I said softly. "There's my dirty girl. Let it all go."

Another strand followed, then another, until my palm was wet and shining.

I brought my hand up and smeared it across her face—slow strokes over her cheeks, her forehead, her chin. Her expensive makeup ran instantly, black mascara streaking down like tears, one fake eyelash peeling loose and fluttering to the floor. Lipstick smeared into a messy red ring around her mouth. She looked utterly ruined, humiliated, and somehow still beautiful.

I rubbed the last of it into her hair for good measure, then sat back and admired my work.

Carrie knelt there, panting, face a wrecked canvas, eyes down, body shaking with rage and something else she couldn't hide anymore.

Perfect.