"You're a monster," Adam spat out with fury.
Lira's laugh echoed through his mind, light and musical, as if he'd just told a charming joke.
"A monster? No, darling. I'm simply a goddess who has a need and must get it. There's a difference." Then her voice raised slightly as she added;
"Complete the mission or face the consequences."
Before Adam could say anything, the presence in his mind retreated, leaving him with silence.
The system screen pulsed in his vision;
Time Remaining: 7 hours, 48 minutes, 19 seconds.
Adam's legs gave out and he collapsed onto the closed toilet seat, head in his hands, his entire body shaking.
"How do I achieve what I don't know anything about..."His voice trailed off and his eyes closed as he tried to think.
~~~~~~~~
Four hours later, Adam was standing in a street corner, watching the sun begin to set.
His decision had been made, though it sat in his stomach like a stone.
He was going to try. Not because he thought he could actually succeed at this insane task but because the punishment was worse.
The reward kept flashing in his mind too, impossible to ignore: Five thousand dollars would change everything for him. That was breathing room to figure out a way out of this nightmare.
The system screen pulsed, reminding him of the remaining time;
3 hours, 47 minutes, 52 seconds.
"Okay, let's do this." Adam said quietly, steeling himself and started walking. He had a plan in place.
The area he'd chosen was popular for couples- a district known for its romantic restaurants, cozy cafes, and scenic walking paths along the riverfront.
Adam's heart pounded with every step. His palms were sweating. His mouth was dry.
"How am I supposed to identify them? It's not like people wear signs saying It's our anniversary!" He thought desperately.
But then, as if responding to his need, the system screen flickered.
---
EMOTIONAL RADAR: ACTIVE
Scanning area for suitable targets...
---
Adam blinked. His vision seemed to sharpen, and suddenly he could feel things. Emotions emanating from the people around him like heat signatures.
That couple at the corner café- frustration, boredom. Not them.
The pair walking hand-in-hand- new relationship energy, excitement. Too fresh. Not them.
He kept walking, his new sense guiding him like a horrible compass.
'Time Remaining: 3 hours, 19 minutes, 33 seconds'
"Come on..." Adam thought desperately. Then his emotional radar suddenly flared, stronger than before.
He turned and saw them:
A couple sitting at a small bistro table on an outdoor patio. They were in their late twenties, both dressed nicely—the woman in a elegant sundress, the man in a button-down shirt and slacks.
The emotion radiating from them was deep affection, comfort, celebration and significance.
Adam's feet moved before his brain could catch up, carrying him toward the patio.
"Excuse me," he said, approaching their table with a smile he didn't feel. "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I couldn't help but notice- are you two celebrating something special tonight?" The words seemed smoother than when he had practiced them before leaving home.
The couple looked up at him, surprised.
"Um, yes actually, It's our fifth anniversary." the woman said, glancing at her partner with a warm smile.
Adam's heart sank and soared simultaneously. They were his target.
"Fifth anniversary! That's wonderful! Congratulations! Five years is a real milestone." Adam said, pouring enthusiasm he didn't feel into his voice.
"Thank you," the man said, though his expression was guarded, his brows slightly squeezed. He clearly wasn't thrilled about a stranger interrupting their dinner.
But the woman seemed more receptive, her smile growing bigger;
"It doesn't feel like five years. Time just flew by." She said.
"That's beautiful," Adam said, and he meant it, which somehow made everything worse. They were genuinely in love.
And he was about to destroy it.
He forced himself to continue;
"You know, I have to say- and I know this is going to sound strange- but I'm actually a relationship consultant."
The man's expression immediately shifted to skepticism. "A what?"
"A relationship consultant," Adam repeated, the lie flowing easier than it should have.
"I specialize in helping couples strengthen their bonds, particularly on special occasions. And when I saw you two, I just... I could tell you have something special."
"That's sweet of you to say." The woman's smile kept growing.
"Look, we appreciate it, but we're kind of in the middle of dinner here." The man, Liam said with a frown.
"Of course, I completely understand. I just thought... well, if you were interested, I could offer you a few ideas to make tonight even more special, that help couples deepen their connection. No charge, just my gift to you on your anniversary." Adam said quickly.
Before another word could come out of Liam's opened mouth again, the woman- Jasmine, tilted her head thoughtfully.
"What kind of techniques?"
"Jasmine," Liam said, a warning note in his voice.
Jasmine turned to her boyfriend;
"Come on babe, it might be fun. We could try out something different this year instead of the boring usuals."
"Something new from a complete stranger?" Liam raised an eyebrow.
"He looks harmless," Jasmine countered, though she looked at Adam with slight uncertainty. "You are harmless, right?"
"Completely harmless, just someone who loves helping couples celebrate their love." Adam said aloud, the lie scraping his throat raw.
Jasmine looked at Liam with pleading eyes. "Come on, babe. You promised this morning that we could do whatever I wanted tonight. That today was my day."
Liam's jaw tightened But after a moment, he sighed. "Fine. But if this gets weird, we're done."
"It won't get weird, I promise," Adam said, even as his stomach churned with self-loathing.
"Okay! So what did you have in mind?" Jasmine beamed.
Adam pulled out the empty chair at their table and sat down, his hands trembling slightly beneath the table where they couldn't see.
"Well," he began, his mind racing to construct the framework for his horrible plan, "I have this technique I use with couples. It's like a game, really. A way to test and strengthen your emotional connection."
"Which is?" Jasmine leaned forward, interested. Liam remained skeptical, arms crossed.
Adam forced himself to meet their eyes, to sound confident as he continued;
"Here's how it works: the lady would sit beside me, facing the man. And for ten minutes, she'd study his facial expressions and try to guess what he's thinking. His real, honest thoughts."
"That's it?" Liam asked with furrowed brows, skeptical and Adam nodded sharply.
"The point is to show how well you know each other. How much attention you pay to the subtle cues. It's about demonstrating that deep connection you've built over five years. Trust me, most couples find it really meaningful." He maintained firmly.
"That actually sounds kind of fun. Like we're in each other's heads." Jasmine said, giggling.
"Why does she need to sit next to you?" Liam's expression remained doubtful.
"Good question," Adam said smoothly, the lies coming easier now that he was committed.
"Two reasons: First, I need to be able to observe her reactions and body language to coach her through the process. And second, it creates a slight sense of... separation. You two are apart for just a moment, which makes you appreciate the connection more when you focus on reading each other."
It was complete bullshit even to him but it sounded plausible enough.
"Okay, let's try it!" Jasmine was already standing.
"Jasmine..." Liam started.
"It's just ten minutes, babe. What's the harm?" Jasmine insisted, silencing the man.
Then she walked around the table and sat in the chair beside Adam, her sundress rustling softly.
"Okay," he said, his voice surprisingly steady despite the chaos in his mind, facing Liam.
"Just relax and think about your relationship. Happy memories, what you love about your woman, anything that brings genuine emotion to your face and she will watch you carefully and try to interpret what she sees."
"Got it," Jasmine said, settling into her seat.
Adam's heart was hammering so hard he was sure they could hear it as his mind raced;
"Is this really happening?"
The system screen pulsed in his vision for the time reminder;
2 hours, 08 minutes, 41 seconds.
He exhaled lowly, knowing there was no going back.
"Alright, I'll count down." He said, raising his hand. "Three..."
His right palm was shaking. He pressed it against his thigh to steady it.
"Two..."
Jasmine shifted slightly in her seat, focusing entirely on Liam. Liam watched her with a mixture of affection and residual skepticism.
"One..."
Adam's hand lifted from his own thigh.
"Start."
"Oh my God, you're thinking about when you firstly met me! Our first kiss..." Jasmine giggled with pure excitement and Liam chuckled.
As Adam saw they were easing into the game, he knew it was time to test the water and see if this was going to work out.
"Okay, let's start subtly..." He decided and his trembling right hand slowly went to touch Jasmine's bare thigh beneath the table.
Jasmine gasped and her face turned sharply to him. For a second, time seemed to stop.
"Oh, no! This is going to end badly..." Adam thought fearfully, his hand was shaking so violently he could barely keep it steady, pressed against the warm skin of her thigh, just above her knee.
What Jasmine did next shook him up.