The Heart System-Chapter 455

I stepped out of the elevator and sat in the waiting area outside Chase’s office. The chairs were stiff leather, cold against my back. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, staring at the floor. A few patients sat scattered around—middle-aged woman flipping through a magazine, older guy checking his watch, young guy scrolling his phone. None of them looked up when I sat down.

A few minutes later, Chase’s door opened. The next patients stood up, smoothing their clothes, ready to go in.

I stood up slowly. No one paid attention to me. I walked to the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. The patient behind me started to protest, "Hey, that’s my—" but I shut the door firmly in his face, turning the lock with a soft click.

Chase was already back at his desk, sitting down, looking up at me with mild confusion. "Mr. Marlowe? What’s going on?"

I didn’t say a word.

I triggered Time Stop.

The world froze. Chase’s hand hovered over his keyboard, mid-reach. The patients outside were locked in place—mouths half-open, expressions frozen in irritation. The clock on the wall stopped ticking.

I exhaled hard, breath fogging in the suddenly too-quiet room.

Chase fucking Bellings... using his position to do fucked-up shit whenever he pleased. Masturbating to those suicide videos, even creating a folder with Ivy’s name... he’d chosen her as the next victim. And now, he was going to pay. Behind bars where he belonged. Hopefully with as messed-up guys as him. I could only hope.

I walked to his desk and grabbed his laptop, opening the lid. The screen was still on—same folder structure I’d seen before. The three patients who’d killed themselves. Ivy’s name.

And now... mine. All caps. EVAN MARLOWE.

What the fuck?

I clicked on it. Empty. Just like Ivy’s. Nothing there. Yet.

A hand clamped around my wrist—hard.

I jerked my head up.

Chase wasn’t frozen.

He was staring at me, eyes empty of any real emotion, a creepy smile slowly spreading across his face. "So Mana was right."

My stomach dropped. "W-what..."

I yanked my hand free and stumbled back a step. Chase stood up slowly, calmly, like he had all the time in the world. He walked around the desk, closed the laptop lid with a soft click, and met my eyes.

"These powers, Mr. Marlowe," he said, voice smooth, almost pleasant. "So wonderful, isn’t it? Just yesterday, I fucked my patient. A hot blonde chick. She was here to tell me about her problems... then snap.

He snapped his fingers once—sharp, mocking—then shook his head with that same small smile.

"Suddenly, my dick in her mouth. POP. POP. POP."

This fucking cunt... he was in full villain mode now. Mana. It had to be her. Seeing that she couldn’t get me on her side to win whatever this twisted game was, she’d made Chase her subject instead. The most fucked-up individual I’d known besides Nala’s brother, Guy Nolin.

Chase turned back to his desk, leaned over the backside where he’d been sitting, and opened a drawer. He pulled out a bottle of whisky and took a small sip straight from it. Grimaced slightly, then set the bottle down next to the laptop and exhaled.

"So," he said, turning to face me fully. "What’s it going to be, Mr. Marlowe?"

"I’m going to the police," I said, voice steady despite the adrenaline spiking through me. "Telling them what you’ve been doing."

"Try it." He shrugged, casual. "Got evidence?"

"Do I need one?"

He chuckled—low, dark—then pushed himself off the desk and walked toward me. I held my ground, waiting until he was close. We were an arm’s reach apart now, staring each other down.

He tensed suddenly. His hand darted back to his pocket. I took a quick step back and saw something shiny flash in the air, a knife. Swiss Army, small but sharp. In its reflection, for a split second, I saw myself—eyes wide, jaw tight, sweat on my forehead.

My back hit the window with a soft thud. He swung again—fast. I ducked sideways. The blade whistled past my ear, close enough I felt the air move.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" I shouted, voice cracking as I rushed toward the door.

"COME HERE!"

He lunged. Grabbed the hem of my coat and yanked. I stumbled backward, feet tangling, and hit the floor hard. The impact knocked the breath out of me. Chase lost his balance too, falling forward, but he recovered fast—scrambled over me, one knee on my chest, pinning me. With his other hand he raised the knife, aiming at my face with a loud, animal roar.

"Shit!"

Thanks to the points I’d been dumping into Strength, I managed to wrench my shoulder free and clamp both hands around his wrist. The knife hovered inches from my nose, the tip scratching a thin line across the skin. This motherfucker was strong—stronger than he looked. Sleeper build, I guess. All lean muscle hidden under that calm doctor facade.

I twisted his wrist hard to the right. The knife clattered to the floor again, skidding under his desk. My grip stayed locked on his arm. He tried to yank it back up, but I guided it left this time, using my body weight to pin him off-balance. We stayed locked like that for what felt like forever—grunting, straining, muscles burning. Sweat dripped into my eyes.

With his free hand, he swung a wild punch. Knuckles cracked against my cheekbone. Stars exploded across my vision. Pain bloomed hot and bright, but adrenaline snapped me out of it. I shoved backward, scrambling on my hands and feet until I could plant a boot in his chest. Hard.

"Oh, fuck..." he grunted, staggering back.

I was closer to the door now; he was in front of his table. I scrambled up, lunged for the exit, and threw myself outside. Time Stop ended the instant I crossed the threshold.

Everything snapped back to normal. Only one waiting patient was still there, back turned. The others had already left.

I locked eyes with Chase through the open door for a split second. He smiled—calm, knowing that he couldn’t do anything with witnesses around. We were both panting, chests heaving, staring each other down.

"Come again, please, Mr. Marlowe," he said, voice eerily polite.

"Yeah..." I nodded, lip curled in disgust. "Pinky promise... you fuck."

He walked forward slowly and closed the door. The lock clicked.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Ivy was in danger, and he’d probably already deleted or moved the videos from his laptop. I had no evidence now. If Mana hadn’t burned my damn phone... FUCK!

I stormed to the elevator and jammed the button. As the doors opened, I called Ivy. No ring. Straight to voicemail. Blocked.

In the mirror inside the elevator, I saw my lip bleeding, a thin cut across my nose, and a rip in the back of my jacket. I wiped the blood away with my palm, smearing red across my skin, and rested my forehead against the cool glass. This sucked. Big time.

"Ivy... fucking pick up."

If she wouldn’t listen... I’d have to force her. And to force her, I needed Hypnotize. That meant Villain reputation. Fuck me. I’d spent days grinding points to get rid of that Villain tag, and now I was desperate to tank my points again. Why did everything have to go against me?

The elevator dinged. Ground floor.

I stepped out and pulled up the shop. First, I bought one Rep Point to see how much the bar would move... which, it didn’t move. Like at all. I needed more.

╭────────────────────╮

SHOP [Page 2]

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

• Hypnotic Perfume (40c)

• Time Stop (90c)

• 500 Dollars (50c)

• 1 Ability Point (150c)

• 1 Mastery Point (160c)

• Desire Aura (100c)

• Reputation Point +30 (200c)

• Mastery Evolve (1500c)

• Random Passive Skill (1700c)

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

Credits: 2959c

╰────────────────────╯

I bought twenty-nine Reputation Points. The credits drained. A few seconds later, as I pushed through the lobby doors into the cold, the notification hit.

╭────────────────────╮

REPUTATION SYSTEM

VILLAIN████████░░░░░░░░ HERO

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

Current Reputation: Villain

- More EXP gain when cheating

- Using degrading words during sex

boosts EXP gain.

- Strength and Pleasure boost.

- Magic Ability (Hypnotize)

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

Earning good points will result in

various punishments.

╰────────────────────╯

"Good... now I have to meet with Ivy and hypnotize her."

❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎