Chapter 344: Chapter 344

I opened the oven, warm air washing over my face, and carefully placed the cake inside. The rack slid in smoothly, the door closing with a soft thump.

“That’s it,” Jasmine said. “Now we wait.”

The oven light glowed softly, the cake just beginning its slow rise. And for the first time all day, everything felt calm. Huh… never thought baking a simple cake would be this… fun.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out and checked the screen—Ivy. Shit. My chest tightened immediately. She was calling again. And this early? It had to be about her mother. About Delilah.

I exhaled slowly and turned the phone so Delilah could see the name. She mirrored my reaction, dragging a hand down her face before pressing her palm to her forehead. Yeah, this sucked. A lot.

“What should I say to her?” I asked quietly.

“Just…” Delilah sighed, eyes drifting away. “Tell her you don’t know anything. If she asks about me. If not—zip it.”

“Alright.” I nodded. “Excuse me.”

“Mm.”

I stepped into the master bedroom and shut the door softly behind me, then answered the call.

The moment I swiped, soft music leaked from the speaker. Ivy must’ve been in her room, computer on, something low and mellow playing. That usually meant she was trying to stay calm.

“Hey,” I said. “What’s up, Ivy?”

“Good,” she replied. “Sorry if I woke you early.”

“Nah, it’s fine.” I leaned against the bed. “What happened?”

“My mom,” she said.

There it was.

“She’s with a man. I know it.” Her voice sharpened. “I called her earlier. You know how she sounded?”

“H-how?”

“Guilty,” Ivy snapped. “Guilty as shit, Evan. I know she’s lying. I know she has someone in her life, and I—” She exhaled hard. “I hate that she’s hiding it from me.”

“Maybe she knows how you’d react and—”

“Fuck yeah I’d react,” Ivy cut in. “That shouldn’t stop her from telling me. I’m her daughter. Daughter, for fuck’s sake. I deserve to know what’s happening in her life.”

“Ivy, she’s a grown-ass woman,” I said carefully. “You shouldn’t—”

“Evan.” Her voice went flat. “Did she tell you something or not. I want the truth.”

The air went heavy. Then the system appeared.

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Ivy

==========================

☐☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 0/3

╰────────────────────╯

I had to convince her. There was no other option. Thank God I had fully invested in Honeyed Words—though I wished my Luck skill was higher, too. That would’ve given me the edge I needed. But wishing wouldn’t help. I had to work with what I had.

Five boxes. Three chances.

I needed to take one risky option to earn two boxes, then follow it up with two safe choices. There was no room for error.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

“Ms. Komb is your mom, Ivy.

Not mine. Why would she tell

me if she has someone in her life?”

==========================

Base Chance: 30%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 80%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

“Ms. Komb is your mom, Ivy,” I said gently. “Not mine. Why would she tell me if she has someone in her life?”

“Just…” she groaned softly. “Ugh, I don’t know.”

I heard a faint creak—she must’ve leaned back in her chair.

“Did you catch her with someone else, maybe? When we met at the shopping mall… you sure there wasn’t any man around her?”

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Ivy

==========================

☑☐☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 1/3

╰────────────────────╯

Nice. One box.

Now one safe. Then one risky.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

“There wasn’t, Ivy. You are being

paranoid, really. Just listen what

you are saying right now.”

==========================

Base Chance: 40%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 90%

Upon Succeeding: ☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

“There wasn’t, Ivy,” I said, rubbing my temple. “You’re being paranoid, really. Just listen to what you’re saying right now.”

“I am listening,” she snapped. “But I’m also listening to my gut.”

Her voice dropped.

“And my gut says she’s lying.”

“Ivy—”

“No Ivy, Evan. No.”

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Ivy

==========================

☑☒☐☐☐

==========================

Remaining Chances: 2/3

╰────────────────────╯

Fuck. Again? The same thing had happened before. I’d had a ninety percent chance this time—up from eighty—and still failed. Losing to that last ten percent was almost impressive.

So, change of plans. I had to take the riskiest option now—not the two-box one. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as a new box appeared in front of me.

╭────────────────────╮

Attempting Persuasion

“Ivy. You’re being ridiculous.

Can’t you see how she is? How

her mood’s been down? She feels

like a burden to you, staying at your

house and all. She didn’t talk to me

about her boyfriend. She talked

about her real feelings.”

==========================

Base Chance: 10%

Honeyed Words: +50%

==========================

Final Chance: 60%

Upon Succeeding: ☑☑☑

▶ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]

╰────────────────────╯

I took a breath and spoke slowly..

“Ivy. You’re being ridiculous. Can’t you see how she is? How her mood’s been down? She feels like a burden to you, staying at your house and all. She didn’t talk to me about her boyfriend. She talked about her real feelings.”

I leaned forward.

“Maybe you should focus on that instead of getting worked up over nothing.”

Silence.

Then—

╭────────────────────╮

Persuasion Attempt: Ivy

==========================

☑☒☑☑☑

==========================

Remaining Chances: 3/3-SUCCESS

╰────────────────────╯

Oh thank fuck.

“I…” Ivy’s voice cracked. “She… she doesn’t need to feel that way.”

I heard movement—pacing.

“You know I like having her around, Evan. Why would she feel like a burden? She’s my fucking mother. She took care of me my whole life and—”

“And now it’s your turn,” I said softly. “You’ve said that before.”

She sniffed.

“But she doesn’t see it that way. So instead of following her around like a crazy stalker—talk to her. Ask if everything’s okay. Ask if she needs something.”

“I’ll…” Ivy exhaled. “Fuck.”

“Sorry if I was blunt,” I said. “But come on.”

Ivy was right—someone was in her life. And that someone was me. Her friend was having sex with her mother nearly every day, but that didn’t neutralize what I’d said… or what the system said, which was exactly what I was thinking. Ivy was fixated on her mother having someone in her life, but that shouldn’t have mattered.

“Fine,” Ivy said. “I’ll talk to her first. Then I’ll ask if she has someone in her life.”

“That’s a start,” I said, rubbing the back of my head.

“Right?”

“Right,” she muttered. “Thanks… I guess.”

“Hey, I have to be better than that psychologist guy you were seeing,” I said. “I should charge you for my time, considering I just had you resolve the issue with your mother.”

“Resolve?” she muttered. “Uh-uh. Dumbass.”

“Yes, Ivy. I’m your best friend.”

“Ugh.” She didn’t answer and just ended the call.

Phew. Fucking phew. That was close. I didn’t think that failing the persuasion attempt would magically make Ivy realize I was the guy Delilah was with. Honeyed Words only made it easier to convince her, helping me say the right things at the right time. Maybe I should’ve dumped that upgrade onto this skill instead…

The door opened quietly, and Delilah stepped inside. She must’ve been listening the whole time because the tension in her shoulders finally eased the moment she saw me. Relief washed over her face, and she crossed the room without saying a word before sitting down next to me on the bed.

“You heard?” I asked, sliding my phone back into my pocket.

“Yeah,” she said, letting out a shaky breath. “I nearly had a heart attack. Oh god.”

“Yeah,” I muttered.

She leaned back against the headboard, then turned her head to look at me. “But… who was that guy you were talking about? The psychologist one.”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “She told me she was interested in him. Didn’t she tell you that?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “No. That little…” She shook her head. “So she hides her own personal stuff and then tries to butt into mine?”

“Yep,” I said. “Look at that, huh?”

Delilah snorted softly. “She’s always been bad at choosing boyfriends. You remember her high school crush?”

I nodded. “Yeah. He was found doing cocaine in the school garden. Idiot.”

“And that guy from Timme’s?” she added.

I winced. “He fucked his cousin.”

“Mm.”

“Damn. Maybe I should check him to see if he is… normal.”

“Do you remember his name?” She asked. “Did she ever tell you?”

I snapped my fingers, thinking. “Uh… Doctor Who? No, wait. House. Yeah. Chase. His name was Chase.”

Delilah raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll look into him,” I said. “See if he’s fucking his cousin or doing cocaine.”

She laughed for real this time, the tension finally leaving her shoulders. “Thank you, Evan.”

“Of course.” I rested my hand gently on her belly and leaned in to kiss her. “You’re my baby’s mother, after all. Anything for you.”

“My, my,” she said with a small smile. “What a gentleman.”

I smiled back and kissed her again, slow and familiar. Then I pulled away and stood up, offering her my hand.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go to the living room. They’re waiting for us.”

She took my hand, and together we headed out of the room.

We stepped back into the living room together.

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