Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women - Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Mirianne’s Cooking
Vanessa trailed behind him, stretching her arms behind her head as she glanced around. “Wow, did someone die while you were gone? The place is spotless.”

Ethan snorted. “Maybe they just missed me.”

One of the younger maids, who had been dusting a nearby vase, turned bright red and quickly scurried away.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I think some really did.”

Ignoring her, Ethan made his way to the kitchen.

He didn’t need to ask where Mirianne was — if she wasn’t managing the house, she was here, ensuring the kitchen remained the heart of the mansion.

And, as expected, the moment he stepped through the doorway, he saw her standing by the counter, rolling out some dough with practiced ease.

The rich aroma of cooking filled the air — freshly baked bread, a simmering pot of stew, and something that smelled suspiciously like roasted chicken.

She didn’t even look up as he approached. “Took you long enough.”

Ethan smirked and, without hesitation, leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Miss me?”

Mirianne huffed, though her lips twitched into a smile. “No, but the pantry did. You weren’t here to eat us out of food for a whole week, and the ingredients started piling up.”

Ethan chuckled, sliding onto one of the stools in the kitchen. “Guess I have some catching up to do, then.”

Vanessa plopped down beside him, resting her elbow on the counter. “What’s for lunch, chef?”

Mirianne finally turned to face them, her hands on her hips. “For him? Whatever I feel like making.”

She narrowed her eyes at Ethan. “And I don’t care if you stuffed yourself with hotel food before this — you are eating some home-cooked food now.”

Ethan raised his hands in surrender. “Wouldn’t dream of saying no.”

“Good,” she said, before turning back to the stove.

A few moments later, a steaming plate was set in front of him.

The meal was simple but rich in flavor — tender roasted chicken with garlic butter, creamy mashed potatoes, and a fresh side of sautéed vegetables.

The warmth of the food spread through his chest as he took the first bite, and he let out a quiet hum of appreciation.

“You’ve outdone yourself, Mirianne.”

She sniffed. “I always do.”

Vanessa, who had been sneaking bites from Ethan’s plate, gave a satisfied nod. “I second that. Honestly, I don’t know why Ethan even eats out when he has this waiting for him at home.”

Ethan smirked. “Because sometimes I like a change of scenery.”

Mirianne rolled her eyes but said nothing, instead refilling his glass with fresh juice.

…

Ethan let out a long sigh as he sank into his bed, the soft mattress molding around his tired body.

He hadn’t realized just how exhausting the trip to Silicon City had been until now. Though the luxury hotel had been comfortable, there was nothing quite like his own bed.

The faint scent of fresh linen lingered in the air, and the distant hum of the mansion’s staff moving around was oddly soothing to his ears.

With a groan, he reached for his phone, unlocking it with a swipe of his thumb. The screen lit up, casting a faint glow in the dimly lit room.

He had a few missed messages — some from business contacts, a couple from Vanessa (probably teasing him about something), and one from Riley.

[Riley: You made it home, right?]

Ethan smiled slightly and typed back a response.

[Ethan: Yeah, got back a little while ago. You?]

The reply came almost instantly.

[Riley: I’m home too. Feels weird without you around though.]

He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.

He could almost hear her voice in the text.

[Ethan: Try not to miss me too much. We have work to do tomorrow.]

She sent back a single emoji — an eye-roll.

He smirked before setting the phone down for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck.

The exhaustion was settling in, but there was still one more person he wanted to talk to before he rested.

He scrolled through his contacts and tapped on Zack’s name. The call rang a few times before a familiar, laid-back voice answered.

“Yo, look who finally remembers I exist.”

Ethan snorted. “It hasn’t been that long.”

Zack laughed. “It’s been a week, man. A whole week. Do you know how much can happen in a week?”

Ethan leaned back against the headboard, adjusting his pillow. “Nothing important, apparently, since the resort hasn’t burned down.”

“Yet,” Zack deadpanned. “But don’t jinx it.”

Ethan smirked. “You would’ve called me if something actually happened.”

“True,” Zack admitted. “But still, a heads-up before you ran off would’ve been nice. I had to deal with everything while you were off doing… whatever the hell it was you were doing.”

Ethan sighed. “Yeah, sorry about that. Things got a little complicated.”

“Oh? Do tell.” Zack’s voice carried a knowing tone. “Don’t tell me you got into trouble?”

Ethan hesitated. “…Sort of.”

Zack groaned. “Of course you did. What happened? You piss off a mafia boss or something?”

Ethan let out a low chuckle. “No, just a spoiled rich girl who thinks the world revolves around her. Apparently, ignoring her was the biggest crime I could’ve committed.”

Zack let out a sharp laugh. “Oh man, you have got to tell me everything when you get back.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ethan said, rubbing his temple. “Speaking of which, I’ll stop by the resort later. Need to check in on things.”

“You better,” Zack said. “The resort’s still standing, but don’t think that means I didn’t almost lose my mind dealing with guests, staff, and everything else.”

Ethan smirked. “I thought you wanted the resort?”

Zack let out an exaggerated sigh. “I did. And don’t get me wrong, I still do. But damn, man, this job isn’t as easy as you make it look.”

Ethan chuckled. “Now you understand my pain.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Zack grumbled. “Anyway, don’t feel too bad about ditching me. It wasn’t that bad. The work isn’t hard — it’s just a lot.”

Ethan nodded to himself.

He had always trusted Zack to handle things in his absence, and it was good to hear that the resort had been in capable hands.

“Well, I appreciate it,” he said sincerely.

“Damn right you do,” Zack replied. “Now, go get some sleep or whatever. You sound like you’re about to pass out.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ethan muttered, already feeling his eyelids growing heavy. “See you tomorrow.”

“Later, boss,” Zack said before hanging up.