Chapter 24: System upgrade?

Ember woke up to someone banging on the door.

What the fuck?

Ember walks to the door swinging it open.

Her bleary eyes take in the person at the door. It’s Valentina.

I thought she left. What is she still doing here?

“What do you want? I’m not in the mood for your shit?” Ember asked flatly.

“I need to talk to you. Privately.” Valentina’s eyes darted around the room, as if she was afraid Aiden would pop up around the corner at any moment.

Ember folded her arms, “Talk. Don’t waste my time.”

“Not here, we need to go outside.” She said grabbing at Ember’s arm.

Ember sidestepped her. “I’m not in the mood for any of your games today lady. Just tell me what you want so I can get back to my nap.”

Valentina lowered her voice, “I can’t say it here. There are cameras in the house.”

Ember raised an eyebrow.

So she knows about the cameras? I wonder who told her? Or does she have someone working for her?

“Then come into my room. Or do you think there are cameras here too?”

Ember motioned for Valentina to enter.

Valentina didn’t move.

“Do you want to come in or not? If you don’t come in then get out.”

Valentina hesitated for a moment before stepping in. She looked around the room. Taking in every inch of the space. She could see it was furnished with care. In tones of black and red.

Ember watched her peering around the room.

“Hurry up and tell me,” Ember said impatiently.

“I know you won’t like what I have to say but I feel like I should say it. The relationship between you and Aiden isn’t healthy. I can understand that you want to please him, but don’t put yourself in this kind of position.”

Ember was speechless hearing what Valentina said. What position did she put herself in? She and Aiden are mutually interested in each other.

“And what position am I putting myself in?” Ember walked towards the sofa in the room, not inviting Valentina to sit down.

Valentina without any invitation sits. It doesn’t really matter to her whether she is welcomed. What matters is driving a wedge between the two. If this doesn’t work, she has other ways to stir things up. And if all else fails, she has her last resort.

Valentina moves closer, “I can see the way he looks at you. You think this is a normal relationship, but it isn’t. It’s an obsession. He isn’t in love with you. He is in love with the idea of you.”

She moves closer her voice almost a whisper. “I don’t know what he has been saying to you to get you to be like this with him. But this is a sickness. He’s using you to live out some kind of twisted, incestuous fantasy.”

The word incestuous hit Ember like a ton of bricks. She wanted to hit Valentina across the face. Tell her to mind her own business. But she didn’t instead, she wanted to see where this would go.

“I know you only go along with it because he’s the only person you have left. You’re afraid that if you let him go, he won’t be there for you anymore. You’re trying to be loyal to him. But you have to know this is a fetish. He’s playing pretend.”

And there it is. She’s trying to drive a wedge between me and Aiden by telling me that this is a game to him. That none of it is real.

“Are you done?” Ember asked a cold smile on her lips.

“I don’t appreciate what you just said. The relationship Aiden and I have is very real. We love each other. Is he obsessed with me? Maybe. And you know what, I don’t give a fuck. I like it.”

Ember got up, “To be honest, I don’t think he’s the only person obsessed. I think you’re obsessed with him. Otherwise where did you get the gall to sit here and tall to me about obsession. My brother had rejected you multiple times but you still keep coming back. Are you a boomerang?”

Valentina got up, looking indignant. “This is what I’m talking about. You just called him brother. You don’t see him in a romantic way. He’s using you and you’re letting him.”

“I don’t mind him using me. If he’s sick then so am I. Because you know what…I love fucking my brother. His cock just fills me up and I beg for more every time. He loves hearing me call him brother when he’s deep inside me. And I love saying it. So if you want to talk about obsession, include me. We’re both obsessed with each other.”

Ember flung the door open, “Next time you come to play mind games, check your facts first.”

Valentina’s concerned face change to one of hatred. This wasn’t the response she expected. She thought Ember was just a naive girl being moved by Aiden’s whims. Now she knows she is a willing participant, her plans need to change.

In a split second decision, Valentina said, “I tried to make it easier on you. But since you don’t want to listen then I’ll tell you.”

Valentina took a deep breath, her eyes darted to the bracelet, “The only reason he’s with you is because of that bracelet.” She point to the bracelet on Ember’s wrist. “It’s special and he know it. You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Ember’s eyes never left Valentina’s, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

As soon as Valentina stepped over the threshold, Ember slammed the door.

She touched the bracelet, her mother’s bracelet.

She didn’t think Valentina mentioned the bracelet as a ploy. There is something she knows about it.

If what Aiden heard them talking about is right, then it means this bracelet has something to do with doomsday. Or at least, it had something to do with Aiden. Because she seems to want both Aiden and the bracelet.

Ember’s fingers stroked the bracelet.

She didn’t know what kind of properties it held. She decided to ask the system.

I’m sure you heard her. What do you think about her mentioning the bracelet?

[I don’t see anything special about it. Put it in the space, I’ll see what I can find]

Ember took the bracelet of her wrist and placed it in the space.

She waited for a moment before calling out to the space.

However there was no response.

Ember’s heart started racing. She kept calling the system in her mind but wouldn’t get a response.

Time ticked on and Ember couldn’t help panicking more and more. She tried her best to ignore the way her body trembled. She closed her eyes and took deep calming breaths.

It didn’t help. Her vision started tunneling. She gripped the edge of the sofa to anchor herself.

She allowed herself to think calmly for a moment. She couldn’t break down now.

The system was just checking something and would be right back. Her cheat code couldn’t disappear like this. There must be an explanation.

Ember remembered the supplies she had collected earlier. Her heart started pounding again.

She checked and saw them all still there.

She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

Since the things are still there, then the system must still be there. Maybe it’s rebooting. Or it found something about the bracelet.

Ember kept repeating affirmations until she calmed down. If she was being honest, it wasn’t the affirmations that helped, it was the fact that she stared at the supplies in the space until her heart calmed down.

When it finally returned to normal she stopped looking.

If the system was busy, then the only thing she could do was wait.

She didn’t go back to bed. She went to find Aiden.

She needed to tell him about the conversation she just had with Valentina. Plus seeing him would make her calm down even more.

Ember made her way to the study. Aiden was dealing with business and getting ready for doomsday. He needed to find trusted subordinates. People who wouldn’t betray them.

He had a lot of thinking to do.

When Ember entered the office, she found him on the phone. He motioned for her to come and sit down.

She wanted to take a seat beside him, instead he drew her onto his lap, giving her lips a quick peck before returning to the phone call.

Ember leaned into him waiting for him to finish his conversation. Her hands roamed his body, touching wantonly.

Hehe, it really does make me feel better. These abs, this chest. Muscles.

Ember pinched his nipples, not noticing that he had gotten off the call.

“Little thing, are you trying to seduce me?”

Aiden’s low baritone sent shivers through her body. He whispered the words against her skin, nipping at her neck slightly as he spoke.

“No…I-”

He didn’t give her a chance to speak. He pulled her into a kiss.

It felt like forever since he had kissed her. She wanted more, but she knew now wasn’t the time. When he paused, she pulled away from him.

“Wait…I have something to tell you,” she sounded breathless.

“Hmm,” he responded, pecking her lips.

Before Ember could respond a screen appeared.

[…Anamoly detected…]

[…Anchor activated…]

[Integration complete.]

[Welcome Architect, to the Covenant Engine]

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