Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women - Chapter 197

Chapter 197: Riley…

Chapter 197: Riley…

The silence in the apartment was deafening.

She groaned into her pillow, frustrated with herself.

Why was she acting like this?

It wasn’t like Ethan owed her anything.

He wasn’t hers.

And yet… She turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling, her heart heavy in her chest.

With a sigh, she reached for her phone, unlocking it out of habit.

Her thumb hovered over her gallery.

She tapped it open.

And there it was.

A picture she had taken during their date.

It wasn’t even a good one – just a candid shot of Ethan when he wasn’t paying attention.

His hoodie was slightly pulled over his face, his face was off to the side.

He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t posing.

But it was him.

And something about it made her chest tighten.

She wanted to send him a message.

Something casual.

Something simple.

[Hey, how was your day?] [Did you eat?] [Are you still busy?] But she didn’t.

Her fingers hovered over the screen before she locked the phone and set it aside, face-down on the mattress.

She let out a slow, frustrated sigh, turning onto her side and pulling her blanket over herself.

Tomorrow.

He said he would be there tomorrow.

She just had to wait.

Riley’s eyes fluttered open, the faint glow of morning light barely seeping through the curtains.

A groggy haze clouded her mind as she shifted beneath the covers, her limbs heavy with sleep.

Something felt…

off.

She frowned, blinking as her surroundings came into focus.

Her sheets were wrinkled, her pillow slightly damp from where her cheek had pressed into it, and – her heart nearly stopped – her phone lay beside her, still unlocked, still displaying the same image of Ethan from last night.

Her stomach twisted.

Then, as if her brain had suddenly kicked into gear, she became painfully aware of the stiffness in her clothes.

‘Oh, no.’ She bolted upright, throwing the blanket off of her and looking down at herself.

She had slept in her work clothes.

Dirt smeared across her sleeves, faint specks of dust clung to her jeans, and – ugh – there was even a faint smell of sweat lingering around her.

Riley groaned, rubbing her hands over her face in frustration.

‘Seriously?’ She hadn’t even realized how exhausted she was when she got home.

She had been so lost in her thoughts, so preoccupied with Ethan not being there, that she had just collapsed onto the bed like an idiot.

And now, here she was, sitting in yesterday’s filth, staring at his face on her phone screen like some lovesick teenager.

A furious blush crawled up her neck as she hurriedly grabbed the device and turned off the screen, shoving it under her pillow as if that would erase the embarrassing truth.

‘Get it together, Riley.

You’re not in high school.’ But, if she was being really honest with herself, she hadn’t felt this kind of anticipation since – well, since the time she had been asked to prom.

And that was years ago.

She didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Leaping off the bed, she rushed to the bathroom, peeling off the dirty clothes as fast as humanly possible.

The warm spray of the shower was a blessing, washing away the sweat and fatigue from yesterday’s work.

She scrubbed with a little more force than necessary, as if trying to scrub away the ridiculous feelings that had taken root in her chest.

Ethan was just a guy.

Her boss that she worked with.

That was all.

Sure they went on a date but there was nothing more than that.

But then why did the thought of seeing him again send a thrill through her veins?

Shaking her head, she turned off the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around herself as she stepped out into the cool air.

She needed to be quick.

There was no way she was going to be late today.

Throwing open her closet, she grabbed a fresh pair of work clothes – clean ones, this time.

The fabric felt crisp against her skin as she slipped into her jeans and pulled on a simple top, tucking her hair behind her ears as she fastened her boots.

A glance at the clock.

Still early.

‘Good.’ Scooping up her phone from under the pillow, she hesitated for only a second before shoving it into her pocket.

No more staring at Ethan’s picture.

That was ridiculous.

Within minutes, she was out the door, practically jogging down the stairs of her apartment building.

The city was just beginning to wake up, the distant hum of traffic growing louder with each passing second.

She stepped onto the sidewalk, raised her hand, and hailed down a taxi.

The car slowed to a stop, and she hopped inside without hesitation.

“Where to?” the driver asked.

“Take me to Cafe shop in West Avenue,” she said, fastening her seatbelt.

The driver nodded, pulling away from the curb.

The ride was a blur.

Her fingers tapped against her knee, her heart beating a little faster than usual.

Would he really be there?

He said he would.

But for some reason, she couldn’t shake the tiny sliver of doubt gnawing at the back of her mind.

The moment the taxi rolled to a stop near the site, she handed the driver some cash, barely waiting for her change before stepping out.

Her boots hit the pavement with purpose.

She crossed the street, dodging a few early-morning pedestrians, and as soon as she reached the entrance of the site – She saw him.

Ethan.

Standing near a stack of construction materials, deep in conversation with the foreman.

For a second, she just stared.

The familiar sight of him, the way he stood with his hands in his pockets, the casual ease in his posture – it made something inside her settle.

Like a missing piece sliding back into place.

She exhaled, the tension in her shoulders melting away as she stepped forward, calling out, “You’re actually here this time.” Ethan turned at the sound of her voice, a lazy grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Did you think I wouldn’t show up?” he asked, raising a brow.

Riley rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

“You did bail on me yesterday.” Ethan chuckled, shrugging.

“Had some stuff to deal with.” She wanted to ask what exactly that stuff was.

But something told her she wouldn’t like the answer.

So instead, she just smirked.

“Well, you’re here now.

That means you’re working today, right?” Ethan gave her a long look, as if considering his options.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he said, “I guess I can get my hands dirty for a bit.” Riley grinned.

‘Good.’