Harem Tycoon System

Chapter 11: Dominance Break

That night, the world seemed to conspire against Lucas. He had tried not to follow the system's orders, but every moment kept steering him toward it.

"Target: Alisha detected. Action—physical contact required immediately to initiate loyalty bond!"

That sentence blinked on the transparent system screen only visible to Lucas. As if the real world faded, while that single simple command took over his thoughts.

His heart pounded erratically. His hands trembled. He gripped the chair’s armrest, trying to maintain composure.

I won’t be controlled… not even by this system!

Lucas clenched his jaw. His eyes darted around, searching for an excuse to leave. On the other hand, he also worried—where would he sleep tonight? The money he initially came to collect had been used to pay off the loan shark. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.

"Wait… I’m the owner of this hotel now, right? Why bother looking for another place to stay?"

That thought made him pause. He no longer listened to Alisha, the beautiful woman with long wavy hair who was talking at length in front of him. Her voice sounded like a distant murmur at the end of a hallway.

Lucas was just about to speak—to ask Alisha to prepare a room for him—when suddenly—

BANG!

The office door slammed open, hitting the wall. A man barged in without manners. He appeared half-drunk. A faint smell of alcohol emanated from him. He was tall, handsome, dressed in expensive casual attire, his hair slicked back, and an arrogant smile that made Lucas want to punch him for no reason.

Alisha’s face changed instantly, her expression freezing.

“Rico!” she snapped angrily. “I’m working!”

The man called Rico raised an eyebrow dismissively. He glanced at Lucas from head to toe, then sneered.

“Working?” Rico mocked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Or are you having a little fun? Has your taste dropped this low, Alisha?”

Lucas furrowed his brow, sensing the tension thickening in the air. Who was this man? Was he part of the hotel staff too? If so, this hotel’s management was a disaster—drinking on duty and causing a scene.

“Watch your mouth, Rico. This is a workplace!” Alisha snapped loudly. “If you can’t respect that, you should leave!”

But Rico just chuckled, stepping closer to Alisha’s desk without fear. He completely ignored Lucas’s presence, as if he weren’t even there. Rico leaned toward Lucas with a condescending gaze.

“You’re kicking me out?” Rico scoffed. “I came to pick you up, remember? We had dinner plans. Or did you forget because you’re too busy with… this guest?”

Alisha looked panicked. Her face flushed with embarrassment, realizing how chaotic the situation had become. She had indeed forgotten about their dinner plans.

Lucas felt the atmosphere growing worse. He stood, trying to de-escalate. “I should go. I’ve finished my business here. I don’t want to cause trouble—”

Before he could move, Rico reached out and stopped him.

“You’re running away just like that?” Rico challenged. “After seducing someone else’s girlfriend? So… how much did she pay you for tonight? Did Alisha give you a good rate?”

Lucas froze and looked at his arm, gripped tightly by Rico. For a moment, he couldn’t even speak.

Alisha gasped in shock, then glared at Rico with burning fury. She tried to pry Rico’s hand from Lucas’s arm.

“Rico!” she shouted. “Watch your mouth! This is Lucas Greystone—my boss!”

Rico flinched slightly at the name. But instead of apologizing, his eyes lit up with cunning—like a wolf catching the scent of blood.

“Oh, so this is Lucas Greystone?” he said loudly, raising his voice so those outside could hear. “The big boss who seduces his female staff right in the office?”

Such tabloid gossip was common. Lucas, with his already bad reputation, was often rumored to flirt with beautiful women—even his employees. Rico was clearly exploiting that moment.

Some passing staff peeked into the room with curious eyes. The commotion in the manager’s office had drawn attention, especially with the door wide open.

Alisha gritted her teeth, then rushed to the intercom. “Security! Remove this man immediately!” she shouted.

But Rico remained calm, as if he had anticipated this. He stepped closer to Lucas, his expression smug.

“You want me to shut up?” Rico whispered with a cruel smile. “Pay me. Compensation for stealing my time with my girlfriend.”

Lucas frowned, incredulous. “Why would I—pay you?” His tone was flat, anger simmering beneath. “I didn’t do anything. You can check the CCTV if you doubt it.”

Rico looked irritated. “Just pay up, you bastard! Who would believe CCTV footage when everyone already knows Lucas Greystone’s reputation, huh? Ten thousand dollars. Now,” he said, patting Lucas’s shoulder. “If not, I’ll make sure everyone in this hotel knows exactly what their boss ‘did’ behind closed doors.”

Lucas clenched his fists. He wanted to punch the man right there. But then, the system flickered in his view, displaying a warning:

[Warning!]

Host at risk of reputation damage. Options available:

(1) Pay to avoid scandal.

(2) Fight, risking reputation.

(3) Use special option: "Dominance Break." (Cooldown: 7 days after use.)

Lucas gritted his teeth. If he gave in now, all his efforts to fix Lucas Greystone’s life would crumble before they even began. But if he fought… the risk would be greater.

Alisha looked at him anxiously. “Mr. Lucas…” she whispered, worried about the consequences. “Please forgive my boyfriend’s rudeness. You may go—I’ll handle this.”

Rico grinned broadly, then in a sudden shift, slapped Alisha across the face—right in front of Lucas. He kept yelling nonsense about Alisha doing inappropriate things with her boss in the office, drawing more and more curious onlookers outside.

In Lucas’s mind, time slowed. The ticking wall clock echoed like a gavel. He knew—this decision would change everything.

“You have thirty seconds to decide,” Rico mocked, raising an eyebrow with challenge.

Lucas clenched his fist tighter, feeling his blood pulsing in his palm. He looked at the injured, helpless Alisha. On the other hand, the system options gleamed before him...

And just as the last second approached—Lucas took a deep breath and, in a cold, deadly voice, said:

“I choose... Dominance Break.”

[Activation: Dominance Break Initiated.]

Suddenly, an invisible surge of energy flowed through Lucas. He stepped forward, releasing an aura of dominance that froze Rico in place. The man’s eyes widened in fear—as if facing a predator far beyond him.

But before Lucas could take the next step—

BANG!

The office door slammed open again. This time, a group of large men in black stormed in. They weren’t hotel security—and from their threatening expressions, Lucas knew... this situation had just escalated into something far more dangerous...