James was taken aback. He did want to offer her a lifetime of peace, but not in such a blunt way. These days, slow-burn romances were more popular; love at first sight wasn't as fashionable. He chuckled, "Of course not. You women always dream about these 'overbearing CEO falls for me' stories."
Amanda smiled faintly, her eyes filled with a familiar weariness. She used to fantasize about the overbearing CEO falling for her, but she'd given up on those dreams. Now, her dream was: overbearing CEO falls for divorced single mom. Maybe in the future, her dream would be: overbearing CEO falls for the still-charming 58-year-old me. Amanda chuckled at her own naiveté.
Hearing James's candid banter, she felt relieved; at least he was being genuine. After working in the bar for so long, she'd seen plenty of one-night stands but never love at first sight. "Then what did Mr. King see in me?" Amanda asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
James stopped laughing and said softly, "You're very caring, just like a woman in my dreams."
"Who?"
"My sister."
Amanda, hearing him say she resembled his sister, softened her tone and asked, "You have a sister?"
"No, but I've always wished I had one, ever since I was little." James tilted his head up at a 45-degree angle, gazing at the spotlights on the ceiling, his voice low. "From the first time I saw you, when you stood up for me and scolded that waiter, I felt a sense of being protected."
"Later, the way you spoke and acted while drinking with me was exactly like the sister I'd always imagined. I thought, 'How wonderful it would be if you were my sister.'"
"But when you texted me that night, saying you had a happy family, I didn't want to disturb your life. So, I tried to bury those feelings."
"But tonight, hearing what your boss said about your situation, I was furious. Not because you lied to me, but because someone dared to take advantage of you! I'm a petty man, and I can't stand the thought of my sister being taken advantage of. In the parking lot, I wanted to rush over and slap that short, fat guy."
As James spoke, he started to believe his own words, gripping Amanda's hand tighter. He gently turned her body to face him, looking into her eyes with an expression that said, I want to give you happiness, and said, "Sis, I want to protect you so that no other man can bully you. I want to be Timmy's uncle. I don't want you to have such a hard time anymore."
"This money is given willingly. This bar will be completely yours. At most, I'll come by for free food and drinks, but I won't interfere with anything else."
Amanda was stunned by this heartfelt confession. Her eyes were vacant as she stared at him, trying to determine if he was joking. But the man before her was utterly serious.
"If you don't believe me, I can transfer the money to you right now so you can buy this bar yourself."
She froze, feeling her heartbeat slow down, her limbs turning to jelly, as if the world had gone blank. Her eyes were filled with shock and confusion, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.
Time seemed to crawl. It took Amanda a while to recover from her astonishment. She didn't doubt James's ability to afford the bar. She was simply bewildered by the fact that she resembled the sister he'd imagined. No wonder he'd looked at her strangely the first time they met. So, he saw her as a sister?
"Mr. King, you... please don't. I'm not your sister," Amanda stammered, trying to push him away. This bar was worth tens of millions. No matter how much she resembled his imagined sister, she couldn't accept such an extravagant gift.
"Whether you acknowledge me as your brother or not, I consider you my sister," James declared resolutely.
"But... I..." Amanda was flustered, at a loss for words.
James gently interrupted her, his eyes full of sincerity, "I just want you and Timmy to have something to rely on. You can use this 60 million to run the bar, open a hotel, whateverâjust have a solid source of income. It'll help you save up for Timmy's future, too."
The mention of Timmy struck a chord. Amanda had decided to quit precisely for Timmy's sake. If she could be her own boss, free from theæ©æ²¹ and unwanted advances of her previous one, she would have more time to spend with her daughter. But where would she find the means to repay such a debt?
Tears welled up in Amanda's eyes. She stammered, "Mr. King, I..."
James interrupted her again, "Sis, let me help you support this family, take care of both of you."
In that instant, the tranquil lake of Amanda's heart was touched by a warm, radiant sun. All her hardness and coldness melted away. She didn't know how to respond to such kindness. Her trembling lips wanted to speak, but any words felt inadequate in the face of such genuine emotion.
Gazing into his eyes, devoid of any trace of lust, Amanda felt a powerful urge to accept him, to embrace him tightly like family, to cry freely and release the years of pent-up sorrow.
But... old habits die hard. Years of experiencing the coldness of the world had built a thick shell around her heart, making her reluctant to accept anyone so easily.
Amanda stared at James for a long time, then wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, forcing a smile. "Mr. King, stop joking around. It's... not appropriate to tease a widow like me."
James was exasperated. He'd been laying it on thick, and she thought he was joking? He was never one for jokes. "Sis, if you don't believe me, I'll go upstairs right now and give that short, fat guy the 60 million." He stood up, ready to leave.
"No, wait, Mr. King..." Amanda quickly rose and grabbed him, pleading, "Don't be rash. I believe you."
"I'm not being rash. It just pains me to hear you call me 'Mr. King' so formally." James turned and grasped her wrists, his eyes full of warmth. "Come on, be my sister."
"I... I can't..." Amanda's heart raced, her eyes darting around nervously.
James's original plan was that if the system abandoned him, at least he'd have a place to eat and live for free, and he could even ask for pocket money without shame, living the life of a kept man. But now, with the mood so charged, even James felt moved by his own performance. His voice was full of seductive tenderness.
"Sis, let me give you freedom, okay?"
"..."
Amanda lowered her head, hiding the tears in her eyes. This sincere, repeated address of "sis" finally broke through her defenses.
James saw her wavering. They were at the threshold. Thinking about the carefree life of a kept man that awaited, James's heart pounded with excitement. Who said favorability had to be romantic? Sibling favorability was faster and more stable, wasn't it? At least it wouldn't involve the mood swings and silent treatments that came with a girlfriend, tanking the favorability score over every little thing. And since they weren't actually blood-related, what did it matter if something more developed between them after spending so much time together?
James urged eagerly, "Hurry up and accept your brother's gift."
"..."
After a long pause, Amanda finally lifted her head, a faint smile on her lips.
It was a smile tinged with tears, like a plum blossom in winterâbeautiful, vibrant, and incredibly touching.
"Since when do little brothers give their older sisters gifts?"
Seeing her acceptance, James was overjoyed. He couldn't help but pull her into a tight embrace, exclaiming, "Then consider it a gift from this uncle to Timmy!"
Amanda allowed herself to be embraced by this big boy, naturally resting her head on his chest, her hands tightly wrapped around his waist as if afraid he might vanish like mist. Her smile remained, but tears soaked his shirt.
ãSystem Prompt: Amanda's favorability +60ã