The Heart System

Chapter 781: Chapter 781

If nothing else, this gave me hope. Nala just had to convince Carrie that Project Phoenix was worth backing. If that happened, this whole disaster might actually turn around.

Anotta had really made a mess of everything. If she’d simply let the project continue instead of trying to take complete control, none of us would’ve been scrambling like this. She just had to sit on her ass and wait... that was it. Wait.

"Are you free today?" Carrie asked.

I hesitated.

Free wasn’t really the word. Between work, the situation with Cora and Esme, and everything else piling up, my schedule was already a disaster. On top of that, spending time alone with Carrie wasn’t exactly helping my reputation with the system.

Still, I couldn’t really refuse after asking her for such a huge favor.

"Sure," I said. "Why?"

She smiled.

"Would you like to go somewhere else? The weather’s nice, even if it’s almost winter."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I have a private beach at my summer house," she replied. "We could drive over there and spend the afternoon together."

I thought about everything waiting for me, then let out a quiet sigh.

The girls could handle things with TechForge for a few hours, and Nala would probably spend that time preparing her presentation anyway.

"Alright," I said. "We’ll take my car. Your driver can head back without you."

"Perfect."

I stood up and picked up my wallet.

"I’ll pay for the coffee. You wait outside."

She smiled and stood as well.

"Sounds good."

As Carrie headed toward the exit, I watched her leave before reaching for the bill.

An afternoon with Carrie, huh? This was definitely going to be an interesting day.

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

I slowed the car and turned onto the dirt road, easing off the accelerator as I looked around. We were far from the city by now. It had probably been three or four hours since we left the coffee shop, maybe even longer. Time always blurred together whenever I was behind the wheel. There were no apartment buildings, no traffic lights, and no packed streets anymore. Just endless rows of trees lining both sides of the road, with the occasional break revealing open fields. It was quiet, and honestly, it felt nice after everything that had happened today.

"That’s the place?" I asked.

"Yep. Just keep going."

As we drove farther in, the scenery began to look familiar. It took me a second to realize why. This was the same general area as Jack Hitch’s summer house.

Not the exact property, but close enough that I recognized the roads. The last time I had been here, I’d arrived from another direction, so it hadn’t clicked immediately. Now it did.

I kept driving until another property came into view.

"Jesus..." I muttered.

The building ahead wasn’t a house.

It was a mansion.

It rose at least five stories high, built with pale stone that reflected the afternoon sunlight. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered nearly the entire front, and tall white columns supported a massive entrance balcony. A fountain sat in the middle of a circular driveway, while trimmed hedges and flower beds lined the approach like something out of a luxury magazine.

"Here it is," Carrie said with a smile.

"I thought your summer house was the one we stayed in with Tom."

"Oh, that one?" She laughed. "That’s the small one. This is my favorite."

"Right..." I said, slowing the car even more.

A pair of black iron gates blocked the entrance. Before I could stop completely, Carrie pulled out her phone and opened an app. She tapped the screen a couple of times.

A soft mechanical hum reached us. The gates slowly swung inward.

"Fancy," I said.

"I got tired of carrying remotes around."

I drove through the entrance, following the curved driveway toward the mansion. The gates closed behind us on their own before I had even parked.

The property was enormous.

Perfectly cut grass stretched across both sides of the driveway. Stone paths wound through flower gardens, and rows of tall pine trees surrounded the estate, forming a natural wall around the entire property. There wasn’t another house in sight. The fences alone had to be at least four meters tall, with security cameras mounted every few sections.

I parked beside several luxury cars already sitting near the entrance and switched off the engine.

"Big place," I said as I stepped out.

Carrie climbed out as well and stretched both arms above her head. "Ah, my back..."

I walked over with a grin, slipped my arm around her shoulders, and gently pulled her against my side. She smiled without saying anything, placed her hand over mine, and intertwined our fingers. Together, we walked toward the mansion.

Up close, it looked even more ridiculous. Wide marble steps led to a pair of oversized wooden double doors fitted with polished brass handles. Massive windows overlooked the front gardens, while balconies wrapped around the upper floors. Every inch of the place screamed money.

"You like it?" Carrie asked.

"Like it?" I laughed. "I love it."

"I’m glad. This place is my favorite."

"Can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t be."

She dug through her keychain until she found the right key, unlocked the doors, and pushed them open.

The inside somehow looked even bigger than the outside. The entrance hall alone was larger than my entire old apartment.

Polished marble flooring stretched across the room, reflecting the warm sunlight pouring through the enormous windows. A sweeping staircase curved toward the second floor before splitting into two separate staircases that disappeared into opposite wings of the mansion.

Straight ahead, the hall opened into a gigantic living room connected directly to an equally massive kitchen.

The ceiling had to be at least two stories high.

A stone fireplace large enough for someone to stand inside dominated one wall, while several leather couches surrounded a glass coffee table in front of it. Above the fireplace hung a television so enormous it honestly looked bigger than my old bathroom.