6 - A complicated meeting

The new place was far better than Adam's former living area which didn't say much considering the price he paid for it.

It had a wide living area. The floor was tiled edge-to-edge, each piece evenly laid without cracks or uneven lines. The walls were clean and uniformly painted white.

A wooden staircase rose along one side, finished with a simple railing, leading to the upper floor. Beneath it, space was left open, not boxed in or repurposed.

The kitchen sat just off the living room, separated by a short counter. Cabinets lined the walls in straight rows, all matching, all aligned. The sink and fittings were fixed firmly, no looseness, no visible repairs.

Upstairs, two bedrooms faced opposite sides of a narrow corridor. The rooms were evenly shaped, with flat ceilings and windows set properly into the walls.

Outside, through the windows, the estate stretched in neat rows into identical houses, paved roads, trimmed edges, and no visible clutter.

It made Adam feel like he had been reborn. He hadn't actually grasped fully the power of the system but standing on this balcony, he felt a faint sense of validation.

Standing behind him, Melissa watched this young man who dressed like a poverty striken youth but able to afford an expensive place and she felt the contrast overwhelming.

'He probably won the lottery' that was the only conclusion she could come to.

Her mind racing, she felt that if the man before her was actually new money, she could help him spend his money effectively.

"Do you need any other service?" she asked after watching Adam bask for some time in the setting sun like the lion king.

"Ah! Sorry about that," walking back into the room, Adam said, "I don't need anything. You may leave."

"What?"

"I don't need anything else."

Stunned at how the person who was supposed to be a nouveau riche disregarded her, she could only switch lanes. "Shouldn't we celebrate your new place?"

A glint of suspicion flashed in Adam's eye.

He might not know what she was thinking fully but he knew she either wanted to get close to him due to his display of wealth or scam him of the wealth.

Probably thought he was a sucker who just gained wealth overnight... Which wasn't exactly wrong.

Adam let out a sigh at the thought.

He wasn't wrong to be cautious.

If he wanted to grow his influence, and actually achieve great things with the system, he couldn't keep acting like someone trying to protect every dollar.

He needed to start looking like someone who didn't think twice about spending.

There was a difference between controlled spending and being used. Adam wasn't going to let himself be someone's cash cow after all he had experienced in the past 21 years.

Adam studied Melissa for a moment.

She stood there, with her posture straight and a composed expression. Adam remembered that she didn't ditch him when the manager had come to embarrass him.

"A quick one, then," Adam said finally.

Melissa's eyes lit up slightly. "Of course."

"Nothing extravagant."

"Understood."

Adam grabbed his phone and wallet, then headed for the door without another word. Melissa followed closely behind, already pulling up something on her tablet.

"There's a place about ten minutes from here," she said as they stepped outside. "Good food, decent crowd."

Adam nodded. "That works."

*****

The restaurant was different from what he was used to; which once again, didn't say much since he couldn't afford even average ones.

It wasn't overly flashy, but everything about it felt deliberate. The lighting was soft, the tables spaced just enough, and the quiet hum of conversations filled the air.

It was elegant. That was the only word Adam could use to describe it.

Melissa led the way to a table near the center.

Adam noticed that it had good exposure and visibility. Too good infact.

Of course she picked this spot. He glanced at his partner who tried acting like she didn't notice the look.

They sat.

A waiter approached almost immediately, placing a menu in front of them.

Adam didn't open his right away. Instead, he leaned back slightly, taking in the environment.

Of course people dressed well. He looked like a smudge in a perfect painting but he didn't care.

____

[Perception Opportunity Detected]

[Audience: Medium Value]

_____

Adam exhaled slowly.

The message he was waiting for showed up. It seemed like the system wasn't consistent in its actions. He could only wonder who created it and why.

"Order whatever you like," he said, sliding the menu slightly toward Melissa without looking at it.

Melissa paused for a fraction of a second, then smiled. "Alright."

She placed her order smoothly, clearly familiar with the setting.

Adam followed after, choosing something simple but not cheap. Nobody yet had caused a scene to make him look for the most expensive dish available.

The waiter nodded and left.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Do you usually make decisions like that?" Melissa asked.

"Like what?"

"Spending without asking the price first."

Adam shrugged slightly. "If I have to ask, I probably shouldn't be here."

Melissa held his gaze for a second longer than necessary.

She was trying to read him, he noticed.

Adam didn't give her anything.

***

A few minutes passed.

Conversations flowed around them.

Glasses clinked.

Soft laughter here and there.

Then Adam's eyes unintentionally shifted across the room.

He saw a familiar face. Someone who shouldn't be able to afford a place like this.

Olivia.

She sat at a table near the far side, dressed simply but neatly, her posture relaxed.

And across from her—

A well-dressed guy.

He seemed comfortable; was even leaning slightly forward and Adam could see Olivia laughing at something he said.

Adam's gaze lingered a second too long.

Olivia looked up.

Their eyes met and the recognition hit instantly. Her expression changed.

Surprise first.

Then confusion.

Then something else she quickly masked.

"Adam?"

Melissa followed his line of sight, then glanced back at him.

"You know her?"

Adam didn't answer immediately. Across the room, Olivia was already standing after muttering something to her partner.

The guy with her looked between them before standing as well.

They walked over.

Adam straightened slightly in his seat feeling suddenly conscious of how he was dressed.

Melissa could only lean back to observe what was playing out.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Olivia said as she approached.

Her eyes flicked briefly to Melissa, then back to Adam.

"You too," Adam replied.

A short pause.

Then the guy beside her spoke.

"Friend of yours?" he asked, glancing at Adam.

Olivia nodded. "Yeah. We… know each other."

There was a slight hesitation in her tone and Adam understood why. While Olivia didn't expressly declare her feelings for him, she didn't exactly hide it.

Giving him personal discounts at Benji's was one of the few things she had done for him.

The only thing that blocked the relationship from growing was Adam. If he couldn't even afford to eat well why would he go get a girlfriend.

He felt she understood his plight, so their relationship was friendly but not that friendly.

The guy extended a hand. "Daniel."

Adam shook it. "Adam."

"He is like a brother to me," Olivia added quickly. "Before you start assuming things."

Daniel smirked faintly. "That hurts. She says that like people don't always assume worse."

Olivia gave him a look.

Adam didn't react much but the tension had shifted slightly.

"And you?" Olivia asked, her gaze returning to Melissa.

Melissa smiled politely. "Melissa."

He could feel Melissa looking at him, an unspoken question in the air.

No title and no explanation. It seemed she wanted to test the waters to determine if Olivia was an ex or something.

But she was making things more complicated.

Olivia's eyes flicked between them again.

Then back to Adam.

"So," Olivia said, folding her arms lightly. "Didn't expect you to be… here."

Adam met her gaze. "I could say the same for you."

Neither of them said more because neither of them could.

Behind his calm expression the system pulsed faintly.

And for the first time since sitting down, Adam realized that the situation wasn't simple anymore.