10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

148  Impress Me

Matt and I left the restaurant in high spirits, still laughing over one of his exaggerated stories of our time in high school. While it was now evening and the sun had relented from its previously scorching heat, it was still warm. I grinned, enjoying the difference from the air conditioned restaurant.

"Man, you should've seen your face that day." Matt said between chuckles. "Coach Sullivan was screaming at us like we just committed a federal crime and are now wanted in seven states."

I groaned, shaking my head. "Yeah, because you told him I could kick a fifty-yard field goal when I'd never even played before."

Matt doubled over in laughter. "I had faith in you, man! And to be fair, the ball did go fifty yards… just in the wrong direction."

I sighed dramatically. "I think I'm still banned from the field."

Matt wiped a tear from his eye. "You know what's worse? That time you convinced me to take shop class instead of an easy elective."

I smirked. "Hey, learning how to build stuff is valuable. We can use it to build our broken hearts."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Sure, except I nearly sawed off my hand, and you? You somehow ended up setting the teacher's toolbox on fire."

I shrugged, the memory of the incident playing in my head like an old friend. "In my defense, I was experimenting."

"Yeah, well, the teacher didn't appreciate it." Matt said, laughing. "I still remember him chasing you down the hall with a wrench."

We were still laughing when I felt it. A solid impact. Someone had walked directly into me, or maybe I had walked into them. Either way, walking had happened and had resulted in two humans knocking into each other.

I was knocked back a bit but before I knew what was happening, I instinctively reached out to steady whoever it was. My hands found slender arms, and before I could even apologize, my gaze locked onto hers.

[Ding! Stamp Holder Detected!]

The chime echoed in my mind and I blinked in surprise. The system hadn't even bothered to warn me beforehand and had just thrown this situation at me.

Was it trying to keep me on my toes?

My second surprise of the day came as I fully took in the woman standing in front of me.

She was stunning with dark, silky hair, the kind of high cheekbones that somehow indicated nobility, and deep blue eyes that had amusement in it instead of irritation. On her lips was a small smirk and she wore confidence like a second skin, exuding the aura of one whose presence demanded attention without even trying.

"Sorry about that." I shot her my best apologetic grin as I released her arms. "Didn't mean to nearly knock you over."

She raised a perfectly shaped brow, her lips curving slightly. "You're lucky I wasn't carrying my drink yet."

I smirked. "Then let me make it up to you. Let me buy you one?"

For a second, she just looked at me, as if weighing whether I was worth entertaining. I made sure I was wearing my 'I'm being polite but it's up to you' face. A second later, she nodded. "Okay." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, holding it towards her.

"Bold move." She smiled as she took it and inputted her number before handing it back to me. "Let's see if you're as interesting as you think you are."

"Don't worry." I pocketed my phone and sent her my best smile. "You'll find out very soon." @@novelbin@@

She chuckled lightly before stepping past me, heading inside. Just before she did though, she turned slightly over her shoulder. "Astoria. Astoria Way."

I nodded in response. "Nico." I replied. "Nico Voss."

She gave me one last glance before disappearing into the restaurant.

Matt, who had been silently observing the whole thing, let out a low whistle. "You've got a gift, man. It's almost unfair."

I shot him a knowing smirk. "It's not a gift. It's strategy."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Matt laughed, shaking his head as we headed toward the car. "You gonna call her?"

I glanced at my phone, the number saved and ready. "Not call. Text first. She's the kind who gets turned off by too much effort."

Matt stared at me for a second before scoffing. "And he said it's not a gift." He muttered to himself, unable to hide the smile on his face.

[][][][][]

Later that night, after I had settled in with a glass of whiskey in my apartment, I decided to satisfy my curiosity. Who is the new stamp holder?

What did Sun Tzu always say? Know your enemy?

I opened my laptop and typed 'Astoria Way' into the search bar. A second later, the results were ready for reading.

The Nightclub Baby, the first article read. Owner of some of the most exclusive nightclubs in the country, Astoria Way has built an empire worth over $300 million.

I raised an eyebrow. Interesting. Most people inherited wealth or clung to family legacies but she had built hers. That made her all the more impressive.

Wait a minute. If she was worth $300 million, doesn't that mean if I managed to obtain her stamp, I'd get $3 billion? A bit low but this was the system. While it was given to me to help, it wouldn't exactly roll out the red carpet.

If my suspicions are correct, the system doesn't intend to give me a cent more than I need. Why else would it present a rich stamp holder when I needed money and a mediocre stamp holder when I'm bored?

Well, it doesn't matter. Money was money. Either way, I was getting $3 billion out of this. My lips twitched into a grin just at the thought of it.

I pulled out my phone and quickly sent her a message.

"Hope I didn't bruise you too badly tonight. Let me make it up to you. Drinks?"

I'd expected to wait for some time but her reply came sooner than I expected.

"Depends. Do you have good taste?"

I chuckled at that. Even if I didn't have good taste, I'd lie about it. I sent her my reply.

"Only the best. Where should we meet?"

A pause. Then three dots flickered on the screen before her reply came.

"Nocturne. Midnight. Impress me."