He gave her a short nod, pushed his chair back, and stood up.
He was leaving.
And Anna just blinked.
For a moment she genuinely thought she had misread the situation. A small frown appeared on her face as she looked up at him.
"Wait… what are you doing?" she asked, her voice tightening despite her effort to keep it low. "I just came and you're leaving?"
There was clear exasperation in her tone now. A sharp edge creeping in.
From her perspective, this was absurd. A woman arrives at a date and before she even properly sits down, the man stands up and walks away? How would that look? What would that imply?
Her mind reacted instantly.
Is she that bad-looking?
No. Absolutely not.
She had seen herself in the mirror before leaving. She knew the effect she had when she entered rooms. She knew how men looked at her. She had felt Arlo's eyes scanning her just seconds ago.
So what was this?
Her gaze sharpened as she looked at him standing there, hands relaxed but posture firm. Was he thinking she was beneath him? Was he implying she wasn't worth staying for?
That thought struck directly at her pride.
How could a man ..who didn't look wealthy, who wasn't exceptionally handsome, who clearly didn't belong in this environment.. And clearly wasn't any special.. just stand up and walk away from her? It should have been his luck to get her on a blind date. That had been her internal conclusion when she first saw him. She had literally thought, He's lucky tonight.
And now this?
This felt like a direct hit to her self-esteem.
She stood up too, just slightly, leaning forward toward him. Her expression shifted into something that clearly showed she took this personally.
"What? You don't even have basic manners?" she whispered sharply. "Did your parents not teach you anything? You don't just leave a date like this. You're supposed to sit and behave like a literate person. What is this behavior?"
She gestured lightly toward him, frustration evident but restrained enough not to create a full scene.
And now it was Arlo who took it personally.
"You're bringing manners to me?" he replied, looking down at his watch deliberately before lifting his eyes back to hers. "You're fifty-three minutes late. Five-three. I don't think I should sit here."
His voice wasn't quiet enough.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and met her gaze directly, eye to eye.
And there it was.. the hot-blooded nineteen-year-old response. He didn't lower his tone. He didn't calculate the setting. He simply reacted straight to it.. As if how a dumb dull will.
And the surrounding tables began noticed this. Some had already been aware of him sitting alone for nearly an hour. Now they watched openly. Men and women alike turned their heads, subtle judgment in their eyes. Some sided with him internally they had seen him waiting all this time. Others instinctively leaned toward supporting her, simply because she was the woman and had just arrived.
No one intervened.
But everyone observed.
Anna felt that shift in attention too.
"WHATTTT did you just say?? And What is wrong with your attitude?" she shot back in a controlled but cutting whisper. "Yes, I was late. And I explained it to you. You really need to work on your manners. You need to learn how to talk to a lady. How to behave with a lady. You're supposed to act like a gentleman, not… this."
She made a small, visible expression of disgust.
"Ewwww."
But for a split second barely noticeable her lips curled upward slightly. So that was it. It wasn't about her looks. Ofcourse no man would walk away from her just by looking at her. This wasn't rejection.
Its just his ego was hurt.
That made more sense.
She had heard about this before. Fragile male egos. Especially at this age. Pride bruised easily. He probably felt humiliated waiting so long, and now he was overreacting.
In her mind, this wasn't him rejecting her.
This was him reacting emotionally.
And that interpretation allowed her to stand straighter, even as her pride continued to sting.
And hearing her words… Arlo went even more furious.
"Gentleman?" he shot back, voice rising without restraint. "What are you even talking about? The world doesn't revolve around you. You give respect, and I would've given it back. You were late. Fifty fucking minutes. And you didn't even apologize for jt. You just came here and brushed it off like it's nothing. That's not how this works."
"You made me wait almost an hour because of perfume? A Fucking Perfume? If it was something important, fine, I'd understand. Even if it wasn't, you could've just sent a message. One message. What the hell was that? And now you're lecturing me about treating you like a lady? My shoe, lady. You're the one with no manners, no sense. Illiterate."
The word came out harsher than he intended.
"And watch your attitude. I came here for a date, not to be owned by you. Don't talk to me like I eat off your father's money. So don't give me that lecture. You're in the wrong here, not me. Shameless behavior... Illetrate Women."
He didn't filter anything. Every thought that crossed his mind spilled out raw. Hot-blooded, impulseive, Ego, hormones, humiliation all detonating at once.
"Il… illiterate… w-woman?" Anna's voice trembled.
She just froze.
Her hand slowly rose to her mouth, fingers lightly touching her lips as if to physically hold in words that wouldn't come. She stared at him, eyes wide, genuinely stunned. She slowly slumped back into her chair, speechless.
This was the first time in her life someone had spoken to her like that. Not teased. Not criticized lightly. But openly scolded... Publicly?
And not just once.. repeatedly.
She couldn't even process it fully. The shock was too immediate. Too loud. Her ears rang. The surrounding gazes suddenly became heavy, suffocating.
Because now everyone was watching.
Arlo, meanwhile, stood there breathing slightly heavier, and for a brief second he nodded to himself. Pride temporarily satisfied. Who does she think she is? he thought.
Then he looked around.
Every table.
Every pair of eyes.
Women with hands over their mouths, stunned. Some looked offended. Some looked secretly entertained. Some looked like they had just witnessed the most outrageous public drama of the week.
You could almost see it forming already this would become conversation material. Tonight with boyfriends. Tomorrow in girls' groups. Gossip layered with moral judgment. "You won't believe what happened at the restaurant…"
Tho the men were quieter. Some blank-faced. Some slightly impressed but hiding it. One guy subtly raised his fist at him in a small, approving gesture, like a silent "You're the man."
Others looked disapproving. A few older men shook their heads as if thinking, Young people these days.
One middle-aged man rubbed his forehead like he had just witnessed social suicide.
Arlo stood there, suddenly unsure what to do with himself.
There were too many eyes.
Too many judgments.
He even noticed the German woman from the table beside him the one whose date never came either was staring at him too her mouth slightly open, clearly shocked.
And suddenly, the heat drained from his body.
Second-hand embarrassment hit.
Hard.
This is so fucking dumb… I should've just left quietly, he cursed internally.
The adrenaline faded. What remained was awkward silence stretching across polished marble and velvet chairs.
But suddenly then
Ding!!
A sound that didn't belong to the restaurant.
It echoed directly in his head.
A translucent panel flashed in front of his vision.
[Transaction Complete]
[Congratulations, Host. You have spent $200 on a designated female target. As per System Protocol, you have received a 100% Cashback Bonus. $400 has been successfully credited to your linked account.
Please verify the updated balance.]
Ding!!
[Security Protocol Activated
Notice: Your bank account has been upgraded to Trace-Null Status.
• All transaction trails erased.
• Global financial surveillance bypassed.
• Immunity level exceeds presidential clearance.
No individual, organization, or government entity can trace your assets. Your privacy is now absolute.]
Ding!!
[New Feature Unlocked
Congratulations, Host. You have received your first Cashback Reward.
The System Shop is now officially unlocked.
You can browse exclusive items, enhance your capabilities, and purchase what you once believed was beyond reach.]
The notifications echoed directly inside Arlo's head clean, mechanical, undeniable.
At the same time, his phone vibrated inside his pocket.
His pulse spiked.
He pulled it out slowly, almost cautiously, like touching something fragile. His screen lit up with the bank notification. The updated balance stared back at him.
It was real.
Four hundred dollars credited.
No delay. No pending status.
Legit.. Fucking legit
For half a second, the entire restaurant disappeared in his awareness. The judgmental gazes. The humiliation. The argument. Anna's frozen expression. All irrelevant.
It worked.
Not imagination. Not hallucination. Not some cruel trick.
Real.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Ran a hand through his hair slowly.
Then, almost theatrically, he reached into his other pocket and pulled out his sunglasses. Calm. Controlled. He slid them onto his face.
The shift was visible.
His posture straightened. His chest seemed to expand slightly. The subtle slump of embarrassment vanished. In its place was something new.
Confidence.
Your brotha is rich now.
Whose the main character? Your brotha the main character.
He felt different. Taller. Heavier. Not physically. But in presence. As if the axis of his world had tilted and placed him at the center.
Obiously he's the protagonist now.
And this was what protagonist Aura does to man.
Anna just stared at him.
As her mouth opened further, disbelief flooding her expression.
No way he just did that???… he's such ass!! she screamed internally. Like what kind of dramatic nonsense is this?
What with that look?
But Arlo didn't care.
He rolled his eyes at her lazily, almost dismissively now, and turned to leave. Hands in pockets. Sunglasses on. A completely different energy from the boy who had been flustered minutes ago.
He had bigger things to think about now.
The System Shop.
Trace-Null status.
Untraceable wealth.
Celebrate. Explore. Understand the system deeper. And maybe… find another girl to spend money on.
Because now it wasn't about pride.
It was about scaling.
But just as he took his first step away from the table
"Arlo Rodrigo, was it? Would you mind being my date?"
The voice came from the side.
Clear calm and vedy Interested.
He stopped mid-step.
Slowly turned his head.
It was the German woman from the neighboring table. The one whose date had never shown up either. She was now looking directly at him, chin slightly lifted, a subtle inviting smile resting on her lips. There was a glint in her eyes curiosity, intrigue, maybe even admiration.
"You see… my date didn't come either," she added lightly. "So?"
The invitation hung between them.
Arlo looked at her through his sunglasses. Hands still in his pockets. One eyebrow slightly raised.
Unexpected.
Very unexpected.
Before he could respond..
"No. Don't you fucking dareeeeee."
Anna's voice cut in sharply.
Her fingers tapped the table, not loudly, but firmly. Controlled fury. She was still standing beside her chair, pride visibly wounded.
The situation had shifted from shock to something else now.
Possessiveness.
It would be humiliating enough if he left.
But if he left her table and went to sit with another woman while she was still there that would be unbearable.
That wasn't just rejection.
That was replacement.
And Anna Dmitrievna Petrova was not someone who tolerated being replaced.
For fuck's sake, no.
Her jaw tightened as she looked at him, eyes burning.. Even looking as if filled with killing intent.
Arlo heard her voice again.. low, gritted, sharp paused mid-step and slowly turned his head back toward Anna.
She was staring at him.
Not just staring.
Dagger eyes. The kind that promised violence without touching you. Her jaw tight. Her posture stiff. Pride burning through every inch of her.
"Don't," she whispered again, shaking her head slightly.
It wasn't a request.
It was a warning.
For a brief second, time felt stretched. The candlelight flickered between them. The restaurant remained quiet but alert like an audience sensing the climax of a scene.
Arlo, still wearing his sunglasses, looked at her calmly.
Then he shifted his gaze sideways.
The German woman was still seated, composed, confident. Watching him. A faint, inviting smile resting on her lips. She hadn't withdrawn the offer. If anything, she looked more intrigued now.. As excited to see what would he do now.
He looked back at Anna.
Then back at the German woman.
Then back again.
The tension was almost theatrical.
Finally, Arlo slowly lifted both hands slightly to his sides and gave a casual shrug. A wordless gesture. What can I do?
And then
He turned fully.
Took a step.
And walked straight to the German woman's table.
Without hesitation, he pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.
A bright, deliberate smile formed on his face.
The message was clear.
Decision made.
Across the room, Anna's expression changed instantly.
Her face twisted.. not dramatically, but in that controlled way people make when they're trying not to explode in public. It looked like she had just swallowed something rotten.
For a second, she didn't move.
Then
"Pffft."
A low chuckle escaped from one of the nearby tables.
Then another.
Soft laughter rippled through a small cluster of women sitting a few tables away. Not loud enough to cause a scene. But loud enough.
To her.
Anna heard it.
Her face flushed.
Red.
Her lips pressed together tightly as if holding back either tears or rage. She glared at Arlo's back the back of the "bastard" who had just publicly switched tables like she was nothing.
This wasn't just awkward anymore.
This was humiliation.
Her fists clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms.
One of the biggest embarrassment moments of her life.
Being scolded.
Being rejected.
And then being replaced.
All in the same evening.
Meanwhile, at the other table, Arlo leaned back slightly in his chair, crossing one leg over the other with controlled ease. The sunglasses still hid his eyes, adding a layer of unreadable confidence.
The German woman studied him carefully.
"Well," she said softly, amused. "That was…..
decisive."
----