Heaven Defying System

Chapter 5: The Love Box

At exactly seven that evening, Zevian arrived at the restaurant Seraphina had chosen.

He stopped outside and looked up.

"Expensive."

That was his first impression.

The restaurant occupied the upper floor of an upscale commercial building not far from Auremont University. Through the glass walls, elegant lighting, formally dressed waiters, and customers who clearly didn't worry about prices could be seen.

Zevian looked down at himself.

Clean shirt.

Black pants.

Ordinary shoes.

Good enough.

He walked inside.

Seraphina was already waiting.

She wore a simple black dress that complemented her figure without being overly revealing. Her long dark hair flowed over one shoulder, drawing more than a few glances from the surrounding tables.

When she saw Zevian, her eyes swept over him.

"You came like that?"

Zevian looked down.

"Like what?"

"Never mind."

"You said dinner."

"I did."

"You didn't say wedding."

Seraphina's lips twitched.

"Sit down."

Zevian happily obliged.

A waiter handed them menus.

Seraphina watched Zevian from across the table.

Tonight should be easy.

She smiled.

"So, Zevian. Tell me about yourself."

"Not much to tell."

"Surely you have hobbies."

Zevian's attention remained on the menu.

"I read sometimes. Games. Movies. Walking around when I'm bored."

"What kind of women do you like?"

Zevian finally looked up.

"We got there quickly."

Seraphina smiled sweetly.

"I'm curious."

"Haven't thought about it."

"Really?"

"Really."

Seraphina leaned slightly forward.

"What about appearance?"

"As long as looking at her doesn't ruin my appetite."

"...That's your standard?"

"It's practical."

The waiter arrived before Seraphina could respond.

She ordered first.

Zevian scanned the menu again.

"I'll have this steak."

"Certainly, sir."

"And this."

Seraphina glanced at him.

"This one too."

The waiter nodded.

"And the soup."

Seraphina's eyebrow slowly rose.

Zevian turned the page.

"Oh. Dessert."

"Zevian."

"Hm?"

"Are you ordering for both of us?"

He looked genuinely puzzled.

"No."

"...Carry on."

Zevian did.

The money didn't matter to Seraphina.

What bothered her was his complete lack of hesitation.

Most men invited to dinner by her would insist on paying. Even those who couldn't afford the restaurant would at least pretend to reach for the bill.

Zevian had apparently heard the words 'I'm paying' and accepted them as a legally binding agreement.

When the food arrived, his mood visibly improved.

Seraphina tried again.

She held his gaze longer.

Smiled more warmly.

Asked about his university life.

Once, while reaching for the water, she deliberately allowed her fingers to brush against his.

Zevian moved the bottle toward her.

"Here."

"...Thanks."

Nothing.

Forty minutes passed.

Seraphina's patience slowly began wearing thin.

She had been charming.

Attentive.

Flirtatious without being obvious.

And Zevian?

He seemed to be having the time of his life.

With the steak.

'Is this bastard dating me or the food?'

She watched him cut another piece.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Twenty-seven days remained.

The thought brought back a memory from several days earlier.

A private lounge.

Six young women from Auremont's upper social circle sat around an elegant table.

At its center rested a small black box.

Almost nobody outside that room knew the game existed.

Not their male friends.

Not the wealthy heirs constantly pursuing them.

Certainly not Darren Kessler.

They called it the Love Box.

"Your turn, Sera."

Seraphina leaned back.

"Do we really need another round?"

A blonde girl laughed.

"Getting scared?"

"Of what?"

"Maybe you'll finally draw someone difficult."

Seraphina scoffed.

She reached into the black box and pulled out a folded slip of paper.

One name was written inside.

Zevian Rook.

"Who?"

One of the girls immediately took out her phone.

"Wait. I know that name."

After a short search, she turned the screen around.

A university photograph appeared.

A young man wearing thick glasses stared expressionlessly at the camera. His hair was slightly messy, his clothes plain, and nothing about him suggested he belonged among Auremont's wealthy students.

"Second year," the girl explained. "Scholarship student. No notable family."

Another laughed.

"Sera got an easy one."

Seraphina examined the photograph.

"Quiet?"

"Very."

"Single?"

"As far as anyone knows."

"Perfect."

The rules were simple.

Each round, names were placed inside the Love Box.

Whoever drew a name had one month to make her target genuinely fall for her.

The moment he confessed, she won.

Then came the final part.

Reject him.

Reveal that everything had been a game.

And walk away.

Cruel?

Perhaps.

But none of the women around that table viewed men particularly kindly.

"My last one confessed after three days," one girl said proudly.

"Three?" another scoffed. "Mine barely lasted two."

Someone laughed.

"The longest was still ten days, wasn't it?"

"Nine."

"Ten. He confessed on the tenth."

The official thirty-day limit was almost a joke.

Nobody had ever needed half of it.

Seraphina placed Zevian's photograph back on the table.

"Give me a week."

"Only a week?"

"Five days, then."

The girls laughed.

Seraphina had laughed with them.

Men were predictable.

Give one enough attention, a beautiful smile, and the illusion that he had a chance, and eventually his intentions surfaced.

That was what Seraphina believed.

Until Zevian Rook sat across from her.

The memory faded.

Seraphina stared at him.

Day three.

Previous targets would already have been sending good-morning messages, inventing reasons to see her, or staring at her as though she'd descended from heaven.

Zevian raised his hand.

"Excuse me."

The waiter approached.

"Yes, sir?"

"Can I get another serving of this?"

Seraphina closed her eyes.

Just briefly.

"Zevian."

"Hm?"

He looked at her.

She leaned closer.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?"

Zevian studied her face.

For once, he didn't immediately return his attention to the food.

"Yes."

Seraphina's mood improved.

"Very."

A satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

"So you do notice."

"I have eyes."

The smile froze.

Zevian continued eating.

Seraphina inhaled quietly.

Fine.

Different approach.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Someone you like?"

"No."

"Not even a crush?"

Zevian shook his head.

Seraphina's gaze briefly dropped to his wrist.

A worn black cord bracelet rested there, decorated with a small silver piece shaped somewhat like a rook.

It looked strangely out of place against his transformed appearance.

She had seen it before.

That was one reason she knew this really was Zevian Rook.

But that was a story for another time.

"Then perhaps," Seraphina said softly, "you simply haven't met the right woman."

Zevian considered that.

"Possible."

Her smile returned.

Dinner eventually ended.

Zevian leaned back, completely satisfied.

"Thanks."

Finally.

Seraphina smiled.

"You're welcome."

"The food was great."

"...Of course it was."

Zevian stood.

"See you around."

"That's it?"

He stopped.

"What?"

Seraphina stared at him.

Wasn't he going to ask when they'd meet again?

Offer to walk her home?

Anything?

"My driver is waiting downstairs," she finally said.

"Oh."

Zevian nodded.

"Then get home safely."

He walked away.

Seraphina remained seated.

Her phone vibrated.

The Love Box group chat.

[Well?]

[Did he confess yet?]

Another message immediately followed.

[Knowing Sera, she's probably already finished.]

Seraphina looked toward the restaurant entrance.

She typed two words.

[Not yet.]

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

[???]

[It's already Day 3.]

[You're getting rusty, Sinclair.]

Seraphina's eyes narrowed.

She typed:

[Two more days.]

She placed her phone down.

Across the restaurant, Zevian had apparently remembered something.

He returned.

Seraphina's eyes brightened slightly.

"What?"

Zevian pointed toward the table.

"Can I take the dessert home?"

"..."

"It's good."

Seraphina stared at him for several seconds.

"Take it."

"Thanks."

He picked up the untouched dessert.

Then left again.

Seraphina slowly leaned back.

Five days.

She would make Zevian Rook fall for her within five days.

Definitely.

Probably.

For the first time since the Love Box had been created, however, Seraphina Sinclair had found a target who seemed considerably more interested in free food than the woman trying to seduce him.