Chapter 48: Gentlemen outfit

The afternoon arrived with warmth and brightness...

Back in the house, Tom sat on the edge of his bed with his phone in his hand, his thumb was moving slowly across the screen, his lips slightly parted.

The comment he had left under the international model’s photo earlier that morning had started collecting quiet attention. A steady stream of notifications sat at the top of the app - people were liking the comment, a few tapping the heart as if to emphasize that they loved and not only liked the comment.

Two accounts had even followed him directly from it. Tom stared at the numbers, his brows slightly drawn together.

He still didn’t fully understand how any of this worked. He had never cared enough to learn. A comment was just a comment. Yet people were reacting to the way he had phrased it, as if the polished wording had stood out among the usual noise.

"Why are they actually liking it when the comment isn’t for them?" he muttered under his breath, half amused, half baffled.

He scrolled down the comment thread once more. The model herself had not responded. Her silence made the small activity around his words feel strangely isolated, like a stone dropped into water that only disturbed a limited circle.

But he didn’t worry too much about it. The model hadn’t responded to any of the comments.

"How many comments does she even want to read through?" Tom huffed when he saw new comments still dropping. There were around two hundred thousand comments and more were still coming in.

He locked the phone and set it aside.

Almost immediately, the System’s voice filled the quiet room.

[Host. Today’s main mission is ready.]

Tom looked up eagerly, his eyes glittering; "Is that the ’interesting’ thing you mentioned earlier?"

[Exactly.] The System sounded faintly pleased with itself. [This is the part worth showing up for.]

At that, a mission window unfolded in front of his vision.

```

[MAIN MISSION]

Dress in the Complete Gentleman Outfit.

Arrive at The Langford at exactly 2:00 PM.

Enter the reception at exactly 2:05 PM.

[REWARD: +10 Authority | $50,000]

[PENALTY: $20,000 debt]

```

Tom read the conditions again and again. The timing was precise enough to feel purposeful and Tom wondered what purpose exactly it had.

"What am I going there to do?" he couldn’t hide his curiosity and asked.

[If I told you, it would ruin the fun.] The system replied.

Tom let out a short breath through his nose. "Of course."

[Punctuality matters, Host. Not early. Not late. Exactly on time. I suggest you start preparing.]

Tom glanced at the time, it was 1:02 PM. He muttered that he should really get ready. He stood and walked over to where the navy three-piece suit still lay neatly over the back of the chair. He ran his fingers once across the fabric before beginning to dress. The shirt settled against his shoulders neatly. The waistcoat followed, then the jacket. When he sat to pull on the leather shoes, they fit as if they had been made on his exact measurements - which, he supposed, they had.

He rose and turned toward the mirror.

The man looking back at him did not resemble the bartender who used to keep his eyes down behind a counter. The suit sharpened the line of his shoulders and made him look taller, more sharper and very attractive. He studied his own reflection for a long moment, adjusting the cuffs once, then reached for the premium cologne the System had provided days earlier. Two measured sprays. The scent settled quietly into the fabric.

By the time he checked his phone again, it was only a few minutes past 1:20PM.

He could have waited. The instruction had been clear - arrive at exactly 2:00. But sitting in the room with the minutes stretching out in front of him felt worse than moving. He decided to leave early and drive around, watching the scenery until the time window opened.

Tom picked up his phone, car keys, and wallet, then stepped out of the bedroom.

The house was still quiet. When he reached the front entrance, two of the bodyguards were stationed near the door. Both men looked up at the sound of his footsteps and then visibly paused. Their eyes moved over the suit, the shoes, the overall change in how he carried himself. Neither spoke immediately.

Tom met their gazes with a mild expression.

"Keep keeping it cool, alright." he called out in a very pleasant voice.

One of them gave a short nod, still looking mildly caught off guard. The other cleared his throat and looked away. Tom didn’t bother himself to wait for their response, he stepped past them, opened the door, and walked toward the black Mercedes.

The car unlocked with a soft click. He slid into the driver’s seat, adjusted the mirror, and started the engine. As he pulled toward the gate, he caught one of the bodyguards in the side mirror already reaching for his phone.

Tom didn’t wait to see who the man was calling.

He drove out of the compound and into the afternoon traffic, the city moving around him in its usual indifferent rhythm. The System remained silent for now, but the weight of the timed mission sat quietly in the back of his mind.

2:00 PM. Not before. Not after.

Tom checked the time once more, then turned at the next junction, choosing a longer route on purpose. He would drive until the clock allowed him to arrive exactly when the System demanded.

Behind him, at the gate, the bodyguard stood with his phone pressed to his ear. He was the one tasked with keeping tab on their employer’s husband and needed to report his current whereabouts.

Sienna’s line rang once, twice, three times, then switched to voicemail. The man ended the call without leaving a message, tightening his jaw. He glanced once more at the empty road before stepping back into position.