Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women-Chapter 176: A Quiet Morning

Ethan set his drink down with a sigh, rubbing his fingers over his temple. The match was over, but the tension still lingered in the air like static after a storm.

What a game.

The kind that left people arguing in bars, debating tactics, and praising players for their once-in-a-lifetime shots.

On the screen, the Blackvale FC players were retreating into the tunnel, their victory secured with that unbelievable final volley.

Ashford United's players, on the other hand, stood frozen on the field, disbelief etched onto their faces.

Some had their hands on their heads, others on their hips, chests rising and falling from exertion. A cruel way to lose.

Beside him, Vanessa was practically vibrating.

"That was insane! That goal should be illegal! There's no way — no way — that was a real shot," she ranted, shaking her head. "Like, who even does that?!"

Ethan smirked, stretching his arms behind his head. "Rowan Vance does, apparently."

"But it was impossible!"

He shook his head. "Not impossible. Just highly improbable. You need perfect ball control, insane reflexes, and perfect timing to pull it off. Vance has all three."

Vanessa scoffed. "Yeah, well, if I tried that, I'd probably trip over my own feet."

Ethan chuckled. "Same. I'd either completely miss the ball or get a cramp mid-kick and go down like a sack of potatoes."

She snorted. "Oh my god, I need to see that."

He rolled his eyes. "Too bad you won't."

She grinned. "I dunno, we could go to a field tomorrow and test it out."

"Not happening."

Vanessa sighed dramatically, throwing herself back against the couch. "Fine, be boring. You're leaving me for bed, aren't you?"

"Yep."

"Traitor."

Ethan stood, stretching out the stiffness in his shoulders. "You'll survive."

"But what if the wrestlers break out of the TV and attack me?" she gasped, wide-eyed.

Ethan gave her a flat look. "Then I'll tell them you drank all my soda."

Vanessa placed a hand on her chest in mock offense. "Wow. Throwing me under the bus again?"

He smirked but said nothing, heading toward the stairs. The moment he left the living room, he could already feel exhaustion creeping in.

It had been a long day, and though he hadn't done the hardest labor at the site, moving materials and marking measurements had left his muscles sore.

By the time he stepped into his bathroom, he realized he had made a terrible mistake.

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"…I forgot a towel."

Ethan exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair. He was already shirtless, standing barefoot on the cold tile. He could go back to get one… or —

A soft knock on the door.

"Left a towel outside," Marianne's voice came through.

Ethan blinked. Had she read his mind?

He cracked the door open slightly, and sure enough, a neatly folded towel rested on a small stool just outside the bathroom.

He chuckled to himself. Marianne was always ahead of him.

"Thanks," he called, but she was already walking away.

With that issue solved, he finally stepped into the shower, sighing as the hot water ran over his skin. The tension in his muscles melted instantly, the heat soothing away the exhaustion.

His mind wandered.

Construction had gone well so far. Riley had been helpful, and he had to admit, she was good at her job.

He had expected her to be competent, of course, but the way she explained things made everything clear, even to someone like him who didn't build casinos for a living.

Vanessa had somehow managed to be both annoying and entertaining at the same time. Typical.

And the game — that was something else. Maybe he'd look up some highlights later.

After a while, he stepped out of the shower, wrapping the towel around his waist. His body felt lighter, but the weight of exhaustion still clung to him.

He walked into his room, barely pausing to grab his phone from the nightstand.

Before anything else, he scrolled through his apps and set an alarm. 6:30 AM.

He had to be at the site early tomorrow. No excuses. And also had to avoid Vanessa pouring water on him again.

With that done, he tossed the phone onto the nightstand and collapsed onto his bed.

His mattress was heaven, the cool sheets a welcome contrast to the lingering heat from his shower.

He barely managed to pull the blanket over himself before his eyes grew heavy and he slept off.

Ethan was yanked out of sleep the next morning by the shrill sound of his alarm.

He groaned, turning onto his side and slamming his hand onto his phone to silence it.

Something was… off.

He blinked a few times, adjusting to the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. Then it hit him.

Vanessa hadn't woken him up.

No looming figure over his bed. No cup of water threatening to be dumped on his face. No sarcastic remarks about him being lazy.

Suspicious.

Rubbing his eyes, he kicked the blanket off and sat up — only to realize something that made his entire face heat up.

He had gone to bed in his towel.

Ethan stared down at himself in disbelief, running a hand down his face as if that would somehow erase the embarrassment.

Had he really been that tired? He had walked straight out of the shower, set his alarm, and collapsed onto his bed without even bothering to put on clothes.

At least no one had barged into his room.

He shook his head, sighing.

'Well, nothing I can do about it now.'

He swung his legs off the bed, standing up and stretching, his back popping in response. That felt too good.

With a deep breath, he went to freshen up, taking another quick shower — this time making sure he had actual clothes ready before stepping in.

After that, he threw on a clean hoodie and a pair of dark jeans, running his fingers through his damp hair before heading downstairs.

As he descended, he half-expected to see Vanessa sprawled across the kitchen counter, waiting to pester him about something. Instead, the living room was eerily quiet.