Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women-Chapter 172: To Unwind

The dinner continued in a way neither of them had fully expected.

Ethan had a way of making her laugh. Not in an overly exaggerated way, but naturally — like he wasn't even trying.

His dry remarks, his sarcastic takes on things, and the occasional well-timed eyebrow raise had her giggling more than once. It was strange how comfortable she felt around him.

"So, you're telling me you once fell into a cement mix?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly.

Riley groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "It wasn't that bad…"

"Oh, no, I think it sounds exactly that bad," he teased.

She peeked at him through her fingers. "In my defense, I was distracted."

Ethan leaned back, clearly amused. "By what?"

"…A really cute dog."

There was a short pause before Ethan let out a chuckle. "A dog made you fall into cement?"

"I wasn't looking where I was going, okay?" Riley pouted, crossing her arms. "It was this tiny thing with floppy ears and a wagging tail — I mean, come on, who wouldn't get distracted?"

Ethan shook his head, still smirking. "So, what happened after?"

"I had to shower for an hour to get it all off, and the foreman wouldn't stop calling me 'Statue Girl' for a whole week."

Ethan outright laughed at that, and Riley found herself laughing along.

She felt warm. And not just because of the café's soft lighting or the dinner in front of her. It was because of him.

Though, she probably looked like a mess.

She reached up and ran her fingers through her hair, brushing out a bit of dust that had been left over from earlier.

There was probably some still on her cheeks, too — not that she particularly cared. They hadn't planned for this dinner, after all.

She hadn't gone home to change or clean up. But the thought of it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

Ethan didn't seem to care, either.

And for some reason, that made her chest feel lighter.

By the time they finished eating, Riley sighed in satisfaction, placing her fork down. "That was really good."

Ethan nodded in agreement, wiping his hands on a napkin. "Yeah, not bad."

The waitress soon returned, smiling politely. "Would you like the check?"

"Yes, please," Riley answered, already reaching for her purse.

The check was placed on the table, and before Ethan could even react, Riley pulled out her credit card.

"I got this," she said smoothly, extending the card toward the waitress.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Riley shot him a look. "What?"

He leaned back in his seat, smirking. "You think I'd let you pay?"

She tilted her head, feigning innocence. "And why not?"

Ethan didn't say anything at first. He simply pulled out his own card and handed it over instead. "I invited you out. I'm paying."

Riley frowned, crossing her arms. "I invited you."

"You asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes. That's not the same thing."

"It's exactly the same thing."

The waitress blinked between them, unsure of what to do.

Riley narrowed her eyes, refusing to back down. "Come on, it's just dinner."

"Yeah, my dinner to pay for."

"I literally got my card out first."

Ethan smirked. "You didn't move fast enough."

Riley exhaled through her nose. "You're impossible."

The waitress, looking somewhat amused, hesitated before finally taking Ethan's card and walking away.

Riley groaned, flopping back against the seat. "Fine. You win."

Ethan chuckled. "That's how it should be."

She glared at him playfully. "You're the worst."

"I've been called worse."

Riley shook her head but couldn't stop the small smile creeping up on her lips.

Once the bill was paid and the receipts were signed, they stepped out of the café, the cool night air greeting them.

The streets weren't too busy at this hour, just a few cars passing by and the occasional group of people walking in the distance.

Riley sighed, stretching her arms. "Well, thanks for dinner, boss."

Ethan smirked. "So formal all of a sudden?"

She shrugged, teasingly. "Gotta keep things professional."

He rolled his eyes. "Right."

For a moment, they just stood there. The streetlights flickered softly above them, casting a warm glow against the pavement.

Riley shifted slightly, hesitating. She didn't want to leave just yet. But she also wasn't sure what else to say.

Ethan, as usual, seemed completely at ease.

She finally let out a small breath. "See you tomorrow?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah."

A small, almost shy smile crossed her face before she turned, raising a hand in a casual wave.

"Goodnight, boss."

Ethan watched her walk off, hands in his pockets.

He exhaled as he walked towards his bike, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension built up from the day's work.

His muscles ached — not unbearably so, but just enough to remind him that he'd actually worked today.

Not just overseeing things, but actually lifting, measuring, and moving equipment alongside the workers.

It had been a good day, but a long one.

The night air was crisp as he swung his leg over the bike and kicked it into ignition.

The familiar hum of the engine vibrated beneath him, and without wasting another second, he sped off down the street, weaving through the city like he was slicing through water.

The roads were quieter now, the traffic thinning out as most people had already settled into their homes for the night.

The occasional streetlight flickered as he passed beneath it, the glow bouncing off the polished surface of his bike.

His hoodie flapped slightly in the wind, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere.

Riley.

He hadn't expected to enjoy tonight's dinner as much as he did. At first, it had just been something casual — a way to unwind after the day's work. But Riley had this way of making things feel… easy.

She had laughed at his dry humor, bickered with him over the bill, and somehow made the exhaustion of the day seem lighter than it actually was.

But now that he was alone on the road, the weight of fatigue settled in his bones again.

With a quiet sigh, he took a turn onto the final stretch of road leading home.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Hopefully, Marianne had actually restocked the house this time. He wasn't in the mood to argue about it — he just wanted a drink, something cold to help him unwind.