Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women - Chapter 206

Chapter 206: Silicon City (I)
Riley stirred awake, her eyes blinking groggily against the morning light filtering through the curtains.

The warmth she had grown accustomed to in the night was gone, replaced by the cool emptiness of the sheets that covered her which she guessed Ethan put there so that she would remain warm.

She groaned softly, rubbing her face as reality settled in.

Ethan wasn’t here.

For a brief, foolish second, she had wished he had stayed the night, that he had held her close like the Main characters in the dark romance novels she secretly devoured.

But this was reality, not some fantasy where the brooding billionaire never left his lover’s side.

Real life wasn’t so indulgent.

She sighed, stretching her limbs before she sat up, her body sluggish from the restless night.

Her eyes were puffy — probably from all the crying. She scoffed at herself.

Ethan must have thought she was pathetic, falling apart like that.

But she couldn’t help it. The thought of her mother sick in a hospital had unraveled her completely.

Just then, the sound of the door unlocking made her head snap up.

Ethan stepped inside, his presence filling the room like he belonged there.

He was dressed casually — black sweatpants and a simple gray hoodie, his hair slightly tousled, as if he had just come from a morning drive.

Their eyes met, and Riley’s stomach flipped.

‘Oh. My. God.’

She must’ve looked terrible, with her messy hair and swollen face.

“Good, you’re awake.” Ethan’s voice was smooth as ever, but there was something warm in the way he looked at her. “Get ready. We’re leaving soon.”

Riley blinked. “You weren’t joking about coming with me?”

Ethan gave her a flat look. “Obviously.”

Her heart squeezed. “You don’t have to.”

“I know.” He shrugged. “I want to.”

Riley swallowed.

Her throat tightened as she realized just how much his presence meant to her right now.

How many times had she dealt with things on her own?

Pushing through because there was no one else to lean on?

But Ethan wasn’t letting her do that. He was here, just like he said he would be.

Before she could embarrass herself by tearing up again, Ethan clapped his hands. “Now, go freshen up. I’ll take care of breakfast.”

Riley nodded quickly, her face heating up. “Okay.”

She darted toward the bathroom, practically fleeing the room in her shame.

In the kitchen, Ethan exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

He had woken up early in the mansion, freshened up and put on some fresh clothes, and returned before she even noticed he was gone.

A part of him had expected her to wake up in a panic, but seeing on the couch, looking so soft and vulnerable, had caught him off guard.

He wasn’t used to seeing Riley like that.

Usually, she was snarky, teasing, always ready with a quip.

But last night had shown him a different side of her — a side that wasn’t as tough as she pretended to be.

He opened her fridge, scanning its contents.

Not much to work with. A couple of eggs, some bread, leftover rice, and some vegetables. He frowned.

‘Guess we’re going with a simple breakfast.’

By the time Riley stepped out of the bathroom, freshly dressed in a simple sweater and jeans, the smell of toast and eggs filled the air.

She followed the scent to the kitchen, where Ethan was standing by the stove, flipping eggs with a practiced ease.

Riley leaned against the doorway, watching him. It was a strangely domestic sight.

Ethan, the guy who owned a whole damn resort, cooking in her tiny kitchen like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Don’t let the eggs burn.” she asked, raising a brow.

Ethan glanced at her. “I know how to make breakfast. Don’t expect me to whip up anything fancy.”

She smirked. “Wow. Resort owner by day, chef by morning.”

He rolled his eyes but didn’t comment, instead focusing on plating the food.

Once he was done, he gestured for her to sit at the small dining table.

She did, and he set down a plate in front of her — scrambled eggs, toast, and a side of sliced fruit.

Her stomach rumbled.

“You didn’t have to,” she said, though she was already reaching for the toast.

Ethan sat across from her, his own plate in hand. “I wasn’t gonna let you go to Silicon City on an empty stomach.”

Riley paused at that.

Silicon City… that was where her parents were.

She had spent years away, burying herself in work, distancing herself from the memories of that place.

Now, she was going back for her parents, and suddenly, it all felt a little too real.

Ethan must have noticed her hesitation because he nudged her foot under the table. “Eat.”

She took a deep breath and did as he said.

#####

Ethan pulled his hood up as they descended the stairs into the subway station.

It wasn’t a particularly cold morning, but the gesture was habitual — one he used whenever he didn’t want attention.

Riley found it amusing how someone who wasn’t a movie star or a famous athlete still managed to draw eyes wherever he went.

Maybe it was the way he carried himself, that effortless confidence, or the fact that he looked like he belonged in a luxury car commercial rather than a dusty construction site.

She sighed, glancing at him as he walked beside her.

He was practically a celebrity in the circles he moved in.

People at the resort certainly knew him, and in the business world, his name carried weight.

Here, in the subway? He was just another commuter, blending in with the crowd.

When they reached the ticket kiosk, Riley moved ahead and purchased two standard tickets to Silicon City.

$45 each. A fair price, considering the distance between the two cities.

She handed Ethan his ticket, but he just looked at her, unimpressed.

“Seriously?” he said, his tone playful but laced with disapproval.

“What?” she asked, stuffing her wallet back into her bag.

“You paid.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. Are you really going to make a scene over $45?”

Ethan sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not about the money.”

“Then what is it about?”

Ethan exhaled through his nose, grabbing his ticket with a smirk. “Fine. But I’m paying for everything else today.”