[MISS LUNESSA, IF I COULD ADVISE YOU ON HOW TO START BEING A GOLD DIGGER…]
"What is it?" Lunessa looked blankly at the hologram.
[CHANGE YOUR APPEARANCE FIRST]
She blinked, "My appearance?"
The hologram flickered once, as if adjusting its focus.
[CORRECT]
[CURRENT APPEARANCE DOES NOT MATCH HIGH-TIER GOLD DIGGER STANDARDS]
She looked down at herself instinctively.
Loose sweater. Simple skirt. Shoes bought on bundle sale years ago. Nothing wrong with them. Nothing special either.
"So I'm… not good enough to stand next to him?" She asked flatly.
[INCORRECT]
[YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE "GOOD ENOUGH"]
[YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE APPROPRIATE]
The word stung more than she expected.
"Appropriate for what?"
[FOR BEING KEPT]
Silence settled in the room.
She let out a breath, slow and steady, and leaned back against the chair.
"Fine," She said. "Then tell me what you want me to change."
The hologram refreshed, lines of light stacking neatly.
[APPEARANCE GUIDELINE INITIALIZATION.]
[OBJECTIVE: ALIGN HOST IMAGE WITH PRIMARY TARGET'S STATUS.]
One by one, words appeared before her eyes.
[WARDROBE: UPGRADE REQUIRED.]
[GROOMING: ENHANCEMENT ADVISED.]
[POSTURE, SPEECH, AND EXPRESSION: RECALIBRATION NECESSARY.]
She stared at the list.
"So you don't want me to look rich," I murmured. "You want me to look… expensive."
The system paused.
[CORRECT]
She closed her eyes for a brief second.
Then she opened them again.
"Alright," she said quietly. "Let's start… but I don't have much money. Is there any side mission that would give me more?"
The hologram refreshed.
[ACCOUNT BALANCE: $15,003.47]
"No," Lunessa muttered, shaking her head. "I'm going to pay for Laura's operation bill. After that, I'll only be left with around three thousand…"
She let out a weak exhale.
That was one of the reasons she had stayed in this penthouse for five whole days, despite the shame, despite the embarrassment. She hadn't had a choice.
Half of her pride had already been buried deep down in the process.
[CHECKING NEW SIDE MISSIONS…]
A thin loading bar flickered into existence.
Lunessa watched it in silence, her fingers resting lightly against her knees.
[SIDE MISSION AVAILABLE]
Lunessa straightened. "What is it?"
[SIDE MISSION: BASIC APPEARANCE ADJUSTMENT]
She blinked.
"That's it?"
The text refreshed.
[OBJECTIVE: PURCHASE APPROPRIATE CLOTHING.]
[REQUIREMENT: MINIMUM OF THREE COMPLETE OUTFITS.]
[LOCATION: ANY COMMERCIAL RETAIL ENVIRONMENT.]
She stared at the words.
"That's all?" she asked suspiciously.
[AFFIRMATIVE]
Her brows furrowed. "No hidden condition? No humiliation? No… social suicide?"
The hologram remained steady.
[NO ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS DETECTED]
A beat passed.
"And the reward?"
The answer appeared instantly.
[REWARD: $10,000 UPON COMPLETION]
Her eyes widened.
"Ten thousand? I go shopping and I've got money?" she repeated.
That was too easy.
Way too easy.
She leaned back slightly, studying the floating hologram as if it might change.
"This feels like a trap," she muttered.
[MISSION PARAMETERS ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD.]
"You're sure?" she pressed.
[AFFIRMATIVE.]
Silence.
Lunessa exhaled slowly, her fingers curling at her side.
Ten thousand dollars.
For shopping.
"Fine," she said at last, still wary. "I'll do it."
The hologram pulsed once.
[SIDE MISSION ACCEPTED]
"I guess I'll leave the house for now and go to the hospital first," Lunessa murmured. "I'm afraid if I'm late, they'll think I don't have the money and push back the operation date…"
She stood up.
The chair scraped softly against the floor, the sound unnervingly loud in the quiet penthouse.
She reached for her bag, checking it twice—phone, wallet, documents and everything she couldn't afford to lose.
She headed straight for the door, only to freeze the moment she opened it.
"Mr. Julian."
Julian stood there with the same cold expression, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers, his gaze fixed on her.
"Leaving?" he asked.
"Ah—hmm. I'm planning to pay the operation bill today—"
"How?" he cut in.
"How?" she echoed, genuinely confused by the question.
His eyes dimmed slightly. "With which money," he clarified.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
"I have savings," she said after a brief pause. "It's enough for the surgery."
Julian studied her in silence, his gaze slow and assessing, as if recalculating something unseen.
"I've already paid for it," he said flatly. "And I moved the operation date forward."
Lunessa's eyes widened. "You did?!"
She blinked hard, realizing her overreaction. "I mean… seriously?"
Julian didn't elaborate.
"Yes," he said simply.
Then his gaze returned to her bag, to the way she was still half-turned toward the door.
"So," he continued, voice even, "you don't need to go out now. Right?"
Lunessa froze. She hadn't expected that.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as the words sank in. Relief came first, followed quickly by something warmer, something she hadn't let herself feel for days.
Her sister.
"I…" she hesitated, then lifted her head. "I still want to go."
Julian's brows drew together slightly.
"The bill is paid," he reminded her. "The date's moved up."
"I know," Lunessa said quickly. "And I'm grateful. Really." She paused, then added more softly, "But I want to see my sister."
The penthouse hallway felt suddenly too quiet.
"I haven't seen my sister since she was admitted," she continued, voice steadier now. "I thought I'd be there to pay the bill myself. I thought I'd at least… stand at the counter and hear them say it was settled."
Her grip on the bag loosened.
"I miss her," she admitted. "That doesn't go away just because the money problem is solved."
Julian watched her in silence.
"Then I'll send you there," he said at last. "And bring you back."
"Sorry?" Lunessa blinked. "Why?"
He turned and walked toward the door, already reaching for it.
"Because," he answered coolly, "I'm not interested in watching you disappear after I've spent quite a lot on you."
The words were clear.
Just ownership, stated plainly.
Lunessa stood there, stunned, the weight of his harsh words settling over her.
He paused at the door and glanced back.
"Get ready," Julian said. "We're leaving."
"Wait…" Her grip tightened around the strap of her bag. "I just want to be clear."
He stopped.
"So who am I to you?" she asked quietly. "Again?"
Julian turned fully this time. He looked at her the way he did when making a final call.
"Right now?" he said.
His gaze flicked to her bag, then back to her face.
"You're an expense I haven't finished accounting for."
The answer landed hard.
"And until I do," he continued evenly, "you go where I say. You leave when I allow it."