The Heart System

Chapter 884: Chapter 884

We kept eating. The conversation stayed light and easy, the earlier awkwardness mostly gone. A few minutes later both plates were empty.

"Wow. That was actually nice," I said, leaning back a little.

"Yeah. I think I’m getting warmer to sushi, can’t lie."

"You just said you didn’t like it."

"I also told you not to listen to pregnant women."

"Fair enough." I chuckled and stood up. "Let me get the plates for you."

"You don’t have to."

"It’s fine."

"Oh... thanks."

I gathered the plates and chopsticks, carried them into the small kitchen, rinsed everything under the tap, and loaded them into the dishwasher. Behind me I heard Layla push her chair back with a soft groan.

"Wine?" she asked, one hand resting on her belly as she stood.

"Sure. But I’m okay with beer if you’ve got any."

"Not a wine person?"

"Nope."

"Lucky for you, I have both."

"Sweet. You sit back down, I’ll get the wine for you and a beer for myself."

"Thank you. The wine’s in that cabinet."

I opened the cabinet she pointed to, found a half-full bottle of red, and poured her a modest glass. Then I opened the fridge, grabbed a cold beer for myself, and twisted the cap off. When I walked back into the living room, Layla had already settled onto the couch. I set the glass of wine on the coffee table in front of her and sat down across from her in the armchair.

She picked up the glass, crossed one leg over the other as best she could with the belly, and took a small sip, watching me over the rim.

"Nice place, by the way." I looked around the living room. "Neat."

"Two bedrooms, actually. It used to have two bathrooms too, can you believe that? I renovated the whole thing."

"Yourself? While pregnant?" I took a sip of my beer.

"Before I got pregnant."

Before. Maybe she’d done the renovations with her husband. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want to ruin the easy mood, so I let it go. She’d tell me when the timing felt right. She already knew I was curious about him.

"Hmm." I nodded. "My old place used to be smaller than this entire living room."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"And now?"

"Now..." I leaned back. "Let’s just say I’ve got more space than I know what to do with."

"Oh, I bet." She smiled. "You finally moved up in life, huh?"

"You could say that. Wasn’t exactly easy, though."

"What is easy in this life?" Her eyes drifted to the rug for a moment. "I miss my old job."

"Your old job?"

"I used to teach ice skating."

"Ice skating? Nice." I smiled. "I can barely walk in a straight line. Can’t imagine myself on ice."

"It’s easy once you’re used to it. Just takes practice and a little courage."

"You have any videos of yourself skating?"

"I did... but two years ago a burglar took the camera. I had so many videos on that thing."

A soft chime sounded at the edge of my vision.

══════════════════

MAIN QUEST AVAILABLE

──────────────────

Find Layla’s stolen camera and

Bring her back.

──────────────────

Reward(s): 5500 EXP, 1500c

══════════════════

What? How was I supposed to find a camera that had been stolen two years ago? I didn’t even know if the break-in had happened in this apartment or somewhere else. Still, the rewards were solid. Hard to ignore.

"Where did it happen?" I asked.

"What happen?"

"The camera. Was it stolen from here?"

"Oh. Yeah." She nodded. "I forgot to lock the door, apparently. A lot of my stuff got taken. Including..."

She rubbed the back of her neck, looking a little embarrassed.

"Including?"

"My panties and some other things." She sighed and met my eyes. "Probably a pervert."

I raised both hands. "Wasn’t me."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Then I was wrong. I was about to beat you up and get my camera back. This whole conversation would’ve been for nothing."

"Sorry to disappoint. But hey, you can still skate, right? Not now, obviously... but after the pregnancy?"

"Maybe. Who knows?" She shrugged. "We’ll see. I still have my old pair of ice skates."

"Maybe you could even teach me."

"Big pass." She set her wine glass on the coffee table. "I’ve forgotten almost everything about teaching. I can still skate, sure, but I can’t teach anymore."

We both laughed and took another drink. The quest still sat at the edge of my thoughts. Where was I even supposed to start? I needed a name, a lead, something. The system hadn’t exactly handed me an easy one this time.

"What’s this apartment complex called, by the way?"

"Terraon. With two R’s."

"Got it."

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Just curiosity." The lie came easily. "There used to be a nursing home around here, right?"

"Years ago, yeah. You grew up here?"

"Unfortunately. What about you?"

"I came from Sacramento. Lived in New York before that."

"Hmm. Lovely weather this city has, huh?"

"Oh, don’t get me started." She sighed. "One day it rains, the next it tries to cook you alive. I hate it here. Sucks."

"Yep. Can’t agree more."

A sudden knock sounded at the door.

Layla raised an eyebrow and started to push herself up from the couch, one hand already moving to support her belly. I stood first and gently waved her back down.

"I got it. You sit."

I walked over and opened the door.

Lilac stood on the other side.

It was the same woman I’d seen at that cheap hotel. She was wearing a long black dress that followed the lines of her body without being tight, and her hair, long, straight, and pure black, fell like silk over one shoulder. Her expression was calm, almost unreadable.

"Oh," she said in that same quiet voice. "Hello, you."

"Uh..."

Beside her stood a little girl, maybe six years old. She had dark hair tied in a slightly messy ponytail, big curious eyes, and a small pink backpack hanging off one shoulder. She looked up at me for a second, then quickly hid half her face behind Lilac’s dress.