Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women-Chapter 189: Flustered

The morning sun filtered through the wide windows of the dining area, casting a warm glow over the table as Vanessa and Ethan ate in comfortable silence.

The sounds of breakfast filled the space — the clinking of forks against plates, the occasional sip of coffee, and the faint sounds of birds outside.

Marianne had retreated back into the kitchen after serving them, giving them space, and honestly, Vanessa didn't mind.

She took another bite of her eggs, sneaking a glance at Ethan. He was scrolling through his phone, his brow furrowing slightly in concentration.

His coffee sat untouched for the past few minutes, cooling in its cup.

She tilted her head slightly, watching him.

Was he checking messages? Work-related things? Or was he texting Riley?

Her fingers instinctively gripped her fork a little tighter.

She didn't know why, but the thought made something ugly twist in her chest.

She took another bite, chewing slowly.

'It's fine. I don't care for now.'

At least, that's what she told herself.

But then, Ethan exhaled and set his phone down, a satisfied look crossing his face.

He stretched his arms lazily before grabbing his coffee. "Well, that's that," he muttered.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "What's what?"

Ethan sipped his drink before glancing at her. "I've made up my mind. I'm not going there today for real."

Vanessa barely stopped herself from smirking.

She didn't know why she felt such relief, but she did.

That means he's not seeing Riley today…

She wanted to raise a hand in victory but settled for casually taking another sip of her drink instead.

"Is that so?" she said, feigning nonchalance.

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, I'll check in later, but I'm taking the day off."

He leaned back in his chair, stretching again before turning to her with a smirk. "Which means…"

Vanessa raised a brow. "Which means?"

"You should get ready."

She blinked. "Get ready for what?"

Ethan smirked. "We have a date."

Vanessa nearly choked on her toast.

"A date?"

Ethan's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Yeah. What, don't tell me you're busy?"

Vanessa scoffed. "Of course I'm not busy."

"Good."

He stood up, stretching one last time before grabbing his phone. "We're leaving in an hour."

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips as she stood as well.

"Fine, fine," she muttered. "I'll go get ready."

Ethan just smirked, watching as she walked off.

#####

Upstairs in her room, Vanessa stood in front of her open wardrobe, arms crossed.

There were too many options.

Blouses, dresses, skirts, pants — an array of outfits she had collected over time, but right now, none of them seemed… right.

She chewed her lip, her fingers grazing over the fabric of a few dresses.

What kind of date was this, anyway?

Was it casual? Fancy? Did she have to wear heels?

She groaned, dragging a hand down her face.

Why did choosing clothes have to be this hard?

She grabbed a simple black dress, holding it up in front of her. It was elegant but not too formal. She turned slightly, inspecting it in the mirror.

"Hmm…"

She hesitated before tossing it onto the bed and reaching for a pair of jeans instead.

Maybe something more relaxed?

Or maybe —

A knock at the door interrupted her internal debate.

She turned to see Ethan leaning casually against the doorframe, watching her with mild amusement.

"Still deciding?" he teased.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

He smirked, stepping into the room. "What's the struggle? Just wear what makes you comfortable."

She exhaled, placing a hand on her hip. "Yeah, but comfortable and good-looking aren't always the same thing."

Ethan chuckled. "Since when do you care about looking good for me?"

Vanessa's cheeks reddened slightly. "I don't."

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."

She grabbed a pillow from the bed and tossed it at him. "Get out."

He laughed, dodging it easily. "Alright, alright. Take your time."

With that, he left the room, leaving Vanessa staring at her wardrobe once more.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

This was stupid.

It was just Ethan.

She shook her head, grabbing a final outfit.

Whatever. She was just going to wear what she liked.

And if Ethan had something to say about it, she'd throw another pillow at him.

Vanessa soon took a deep breath as she stepped out of her room, her fingers still adjusting the hem of her outfit.

She had settled on something she liked — a fitted blouse and high-waisted jeans that hugged her figure just right, paired with a casual yet stylish jacket.

'Not too dressy, not too plain. Perfect.'

As she walked down the hall toward Ethan's room, she tried not to think too much about how nervous she felt. It was just Ethan.

Nothing was different.

She reached his door and knocked lightly before pushing it open.

And immediately, she froze.

Ethan had just finished slipping on a hoodie, adjusting the way it sat on his shoulders before tugging down the sleeves.

He wore a simple pair of dark jeans and sneakers, but something about the effortless way he dressed made her pause.

It wasn't even anything fancy, but it worked on him. The dark hoodie framed his toned figure, and the casual pair of glasses he had on made him look —

Different.

It was almost unfair how easily he could make simple clothing look so good.

He caught her staring and smirked, adjusting his glasses as he glanced at her.

"You look pretty," he said simply.

Vanessa's breath hitched, and she felt warmth creep up her neck.

She rolled her eyes, trying to play it off. "Tch. You just had to say that, huh?"

Ethan chuckled. "Just stating the obvious."

She crossed her arms, shifting slightly. "Well… you look good too."

The words left her mouth before she could stop them, and immediately, she regretted it.

'Why did I say that out loud?'

Ethan raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing. "Oh? So you do notice, huh?"

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Vanessa turned away sharply, pretending to inspect something on the floor. "Shut up."

His laughter followed her as he grabbed his keys and phone, sliding them into his pockets.

"Alright, let's go," he said.

She nodded quickly, still recovering from the embarrassment.

As they headed toward the car, she glanced at him curiously. "So… what kind of date is this, exactly?"

Ethan didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he suddenly raised a finger to her lips, his touch feather-light.

Her eyes widened.

"Shh," he murmured. "It's a surprise."