"What should we do next?"
Emily Carter leaned gently against Jack's chest, her voice soft like velvet, her fingers unconsciously drawing circles on his shirt as she looked up at him with those glittering dark eyes.
Jack's lips curled into a warm smile as he lowered his head and met her gaze. "Where do you want to go?"
"I'm tired," Emily whispered, resting her cheek lightly against his chest. "Let's go home. I don't feel like shopping anymore."
It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the luxury—Jack had basically bought out half the luxury mall for her—but rather, the excitement had faded. Every store she liked, he simply waved his hand and said, "I'll take it all." The fun of picking and choosing had been completely erased. It wasn't shopping anymore—it was acquisition.
Jack nodded. "Alright, let's go home."
With his arm around her slender waist, he guided her toward the parking lot. For once, the lot was peaceful—no annoying paparazzi, no nosy onlookers. Just the two of them under the setting sun.
He fired up the sleek Venom sports car, its engine roaring like a wild beast. The custom matte black finish shimmered under the evening sky as they pulled out of the lot and raced down the road, headed straight for Skyview Villa No. 1—Jack's private sanctuary perched on the hilltop.
As soon as they stepped inside the villa, they were greeted by a glorious mess of designer bags, luxury clothing boxes, and sparkling jade jewelry strewn across the living room like it was Christmas morning.
Emily's exhaustion vanished in an instant. She dashed toward the piles with childlike excitement, flipping through the clothes and accessories with sparkling eyes.
Suddenly, something soft and colorful slipped out from one of the bags and landed at Jack's feet.
He bent down and picked it up. "Wait a sec… what's this?"
It was a swimsuit. No, not just a swimsuit—a bikini. A ridiculously small, barely-there bikini.
Jack raised an eyebrow, holding it up by the strap with a smirk. "Was this a bonus gift? Do I get one too?"
Curious, he started rummaging through his own pile of bags. Moments later, he pulled out a pair of flashy blue swim trunks.
"Haha! There really is one!"
Jack burst into laughter, clearly far more thrilled by this little surprise than he'd been about any of the million-dollar watches or diamond-studded cufflinks.
Emily gave him a sideways glance so sharp it could slice steel. "Seriously? All those high-end clothes and jewelry didn't get a reaction out of you, but this cheap little swimsuit does?"
Jack grinned. "It's the little things that matter, right?"
He held up the bikini and beamed. "Emily, let's go for a swim. We can't let this go to waste, right?"
"I said I'm tired," Emily replied flatly, not even looking up from her new designer heels.
"Swimming is the best way to relax. Come on, sweetheart, you know I'm right," Jack teased, sidling closer like a naughty puppy begging for treats.
She gave him a suspicious look. "You're up to something again, aren't you?"
"Me? Never!" Jack put on his most innocent expression, eyes wide and hands raised in mock surrender. "I just want a pure, honest bath. That's all."
Emily's expression softened slightly, but she wasn't convinced. "Really?"
"Truer than gold," he said, placing a hand on his chest like he was pledging allegiance.
She let out a long sigh. "Alright, alright. Let's go. Enough unpacking for now."
Jack grinned victoriously, tossed the clothes aside, and grabbed her hand, leading her upstairs.
Third Floor – Private Indoor Pool
"Hurry up and change!" Jack said, already halfway out of his shirt.
"You're not allowed to peek!" Emily warned, clutching the bikini to her chest and backing into the changing room.
"I won't, I promise." Jack squeezed his eyes shut dramatically and turned away.
Once she was sure he wasn't looking, Emily slowly undressed and slipped into the bikini. But as she adjusted the strings and looked in the mirror, her face turned crimson.
This bikini… was practically illegal.
The top barely covered her, and the bottom was more of a suggestion than actual swimwear. Whoever designed this clearly didn't care about modesty.
Still, she took a deep breath, stepped out, and tapped Jack on the shoulder.
He turned—and froze.
For a second, Jack forgot how to breathe. Emily stood before him, a goddess wrapped in just enough fabric to spark desire and leave everything to the imagination. Her long legs, smooth skin, and the soft curves of her waist had him completely spellbound.
"Stop staring, you creep!" she snapped, blushing furiously.
"You look amazing," Jack murmured, eyes still locked on her.
He reached out, took her hand, and gently led her to the water's edge.
The pool was serene, its surface reflecting the golden light filtering through the glass ceiling. Heated to a perfect 86 degrees, it was like stepping into a dream.
Jack slid in first, the warm water soothing every muscle. "Ah… now this is heaven."
Emily dipped a toe in, then slowly immersed herself. She let out a soft sigh. "Okay, fine. You were right."
"I'm always right," Jack said with a wink. "Want me to give you a massage?"
Before she could answer, he was already behind her, kneading her shoulders gently.
"Mmm… that's actually nice," Emily whispered.
But soon enough, Jack's hands began to wander.
"Hey! Hands above water!" she scolded, splashing him.
"You promised to behave!"
"Define behave," Jack replied with a mischievous grin.
"Ugh! You're impossible!"
They wrestled playfully in the water, laughter echoing through the pool room. The splashing, giggling, teasing—all of it was lighthearted, intimate, and real.
Upstairs, from a distance, if someone like Luke Anderson were watching—someone who once thought Jack was just a loser, someone who had proudly flaunted his own girlfriend and belittled Jack at every turn—this scene would be soul-crushing.
Jack, once mocked and ignored, was now living a dream life with a woman like Emily. Not only that, but she was clearly head over heels for him, playful and affectionate in a way that made Luke's heart twist with bitterness.
An hour later—
"You liar!" Emily huffed, wrapping herself in a towel as she stormed out of the pool room. "I'm never trusting you again!"
Jack lay lazily on a rattan lounge chair, his damp hair tousled, water still glistening on his skin. He looked like a man who had just conquered the world.
"Hehehe…" he chuckled to himself. Emily's angry pout only made her more adorable.
She stomped off downstairs without another word.
Jack sat up and stretched. He felt great—refreshed, content, alive.
Then his eyes fell on the WhaleStream Live app icon on his phone. The smile on his face vanished.
He tapped it reluctantly, sighing. "God, I still can't believe how much I wasted on tipping streamers…"
"System, can I get a refund for what I spent on WhaleStream Live?"
[Ding! Sorry, Host. Those funds cannot be refunded.]
"Damn it. Why didn't I control myself? Why didn't this stupid platform set a tip limit?"
Just then, a crazy idea struck him.
Wait… what if I just bought the platform?
"System, can you help me acquire WhaleStream Live?"
[Sorry, Host. I cannot assist directly with that acquisition.]
Jack groaned. "Useless…"
He opened the system panel. Eight waste-points had accumulated again.
"Alright, system. Let's do an eight-pull draw."
[Ding! Congratulations! Host has received $100 billion.][Ding! Host has received $10 billion.][Ding! Host has unlocked the skill: Master Composer.][Ding! Host has unlocked the skill: Master Lyricist.][Ding! Host has received $10 billion.][Ding! Host has unlocked the skill: Oscar-Level Acting.][Ding! Host has received $10 billion.][Ding! Host has received: Company Acquisition Card.]
Jack blinked.
A Company Acquisition Card?
The exact thing he needed!
"System, can I use the Acquisition Card to buy WhaleStream Live?"
[Yes. Would you like to proceed now, Host?]
Jack's lips curled into a devilish grin.
"Use it."