Penelope opened the door and our eyes met. She looked drained, dark circles under her eyes, hair pulled into a messy ponytail. More tired than yesterday, but still here, still holding it together for her friend. Kudos to her. Running through that storm that day, just to be at Mendyโs side. I needed someone like that in my corner.
"She good?" I asked, stepping inside.
"Yeah," Penelope said, closing the door. "Calmer than I expected. Whatever you said yesterday, it stuck."
"Iโm glad." I followed her through the house. Couldnโt help it, her tank top clung tight, fake tits bouncing with every step. Damn. Focus, Evan.
She slid open the glass door to the back garden. Small, cozy, fenced in with weathered wood panels, a charcoal grill in one corner, rusted but clean. Flower beds lined the edges, marigolds and petunias drooping under the rain, petals scattered like confetti. A single patio table with four chairs sat under the roof awning, shielded from the downpour. Rain drummed on the metal roof, steady and loud.
Mendy sat there, cigarette between her fingers, staring at the garden like it held answers. Smoke curled up, vanishing into the mist.
"Hey," I said. "Mendy. How you holding up?"
She turned, sighed, almost annoyed. "Penelope. I told you not to call him. Heโs tired of us."
"Iโm not," I said firmly. "Stop. Tell me what happened."
She exhaled smoke, shook her head, then flicked the cigarette into the wet grass. It hissed out instantly. She stood, walked inside. Penelope stepped aside. I followed. Her steps were small, reluctant, like she was being dragged.
We ended up in the bathroom. She pointed at the dirty laundry bin, lid closed. Her finger trembled slightly, eyes searching mine for belief.
"I swear, Evan," she said. "One of my panties is missing. Iโve been keeping track, everything. Where I put my clothes, jewelry, which underwear goes in the bin."
"You sure?" I asked. "Maybe your mom washed it andโ"
"No," she cut in, voice sharp. "Iโm serious. Cops wonโt believe me. But you, please."
"I believe you," I said. "Butโ"
I rubbed my face. Penelope behind me, shaking her head, worry etched deep. Keeping track of everything? That wasnโt normal. Was she losing it? What had I done, pushing her to forgive Richard?
I stepped forward, lifted the lid. Dirty clothes, t-shirts, skirts. Then, green underwear.
My mind flashed, Richard, balls deep in that hooker. Beside the bed, same green pair.
Son of a bitch.
"Mendy," I said carefully, voice low, stepping close enough that she had to tilt her head up. "Donโt take this the wrong way, but I need to ask something fucked up."
"O-okay?" Arms folded tight, knuckles white.
"Can you grab that green pair and show me?" I kept my hands open, visible.
"E-Evan..." Her face flushed; she hugged herself harder, eyes darting to Penelope.
"Just do it. I need to check."
"As if Richard being a pervert wasnโt enough," Penelope muttered, arms crossed in the doorway.
"Iโm serious," I said, locking eyes with Mendy. "Do it."
She hesitated, breath hitching, then reached in. Fingers trembling, she lifted the lace, holding it between us like a confession. I leaned in. Same cut. Same trim. Same shade.
"The same model," I whispered. "Fuck."
"What same model?" Penelope pushed forward.
"You got more like this?" I asked Mendy.
"I love green," she said, dropping it back in like it burned. "Nearly all my panties are. Why?"
"Donโt put it back." I extended my palm. "Give it to me."
"What!" She recoiled. "No! Why?"
"Iโm not that guy. Just... trust me."
"No, itโs dirty!"
"I need to match it with another pair."
"Match it?" She blinked.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy
==========================
โโโ
==========================
Remaining Chances: 0/2
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
Two boxes to fill. Safe option first.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
- Attempting Persuasion
==========================
"Mendy, Iโm not asking because
Iโm some creep. Iโm asking because
this could prove Richard was here.
Just like you said."
==========================
Base Chance: 45%
Honeyed Words: +30%
Mendy Star Rating: 4/20 (0%)
==========================
Final Chance: 75%
Upon Succeeding: โ
โถ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
I locked eyes with her, voice steady. "Mendy, Iโm not asking because Iโm some creep. Iโm asking because this could prove Richard was here. Just like you said."
Her fingers loosened on the lace, but she still held back, eyes searching mine for a lie.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy
==========================
โโโ
==========================
Remaining Chances: 1/2
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
One box checked. She was wavering. I needed a different angle, something personal.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
- Attempting Persuasion
==========================
"Trust me, Mendy. Please."
==========================
Base Chance: 50%
Honeyed Words: +30%
Mendy Star Rating: 4/20 (0%)
==========================
Final Chance: 80%
Upon Succeeding: โ
โถ Proceed with Persuasion? [Y/N]
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
I leaned in, voice soft. "Trust me, Mendy. Please."
Her breath hitched. Tears welled. Slowly, she lifted the lace and placed it in my palm.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
- Persuasion Attempt: Mendy
==========================
โโโ
==========================
Remaining Chances: 2/2-Success!
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
"Girl, give it to him," Penelope sighed. "But if you do anything weird, I swear Iโll bite your dick off, Evan."
I folded it carefully, pocketed it. "I wonโt. Chill."
"Can you justโ" Mendyโs voice cracked, tears spilling. "TELL ME WHATโS HAPPENING!"
I turned, headed for the door. Footsteps followed.
"Stop," Penelope said, grabbing the knob. "Where?"
"Like I told you, I need to check something."
"Tell me," Mendy pleaded, yanking my arm. "Please."
"Look," I said, rubbing my neck. "I need to be sure first. Then Iโll tell you everything. Not now. I donโt want you to panic for no reason at all."
"Iโm coming," Penelope said, snatching her jacket. "Weโll take her Momโs car."
"Okay," I said, relief flooding.
"Please," Mendy whispered as Penelope opened the door. "Just tell me."
I turned, hand on her shoulder. "This is my fault, Mendy. Making you forgive Richard. Let me fix it."
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
EVENT
===============
Mendyโs Interest +2
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
She exhaled, fixed her hair, stepped back. Didnโt push.
"Be safe," she said. "Call if anything."
"Hmm." I nodded. "I will."
Penelope and I stepped out into the rain.
"Evan," she muttered, her voice unsteady. "Whatโs happening?"
"I saw this exact underwear in Richardโs room," I whispered, as if Mendy could somehow hear us. "I need to be sure Iโm not mistaken. I have to match it with the one I saw there."
"It was green and all?" Penelope asked.
"Yes," I said, sliding into the passenger seat as she unlocked the car. "Same shade, everything. But... I need to be sure."
Penelope hesitated, then sighed. "Okay. I hope youโre wrong, Evan. Because if youโre not... weโve got a stalker on the loose."
Now... the next destination was Richardโs house. I hoped I was wrong, and it was someone elseโs underwear.
โญโโโโโโโโโโโโฎ
WOMEN - INTERACTIONS
===============
Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60โ โ
Kayla: Interest: 5 / 20
Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40โ โ
Kim: Interest: 30 / 40โ โ
Delilah: Interest: 37 / 40โ โ
Cora: Interest: 100 / 100โ โ โ โ โ
Mendy: Interest: 6/20
Nala: Interest: 15/20
Penelope: Interest: 3/20
===============
Progress:
โ โโโโ - 20 Interest: Milestone reward
โ โ โโโ - 40 Interest: Milestone reward
โ โ โ โโ - 60 Interest: Milestone reward
โ โ โ โ โ - 80 Interest: Milestone reward
โ โ โ โ โ -100 Interest: Milestone reward
===============
Select a woman to track progress.
โฐโโโโโโโโโโโโฏ
โค๏ธโฌโชโชโค๏ธโฌโชโชโค๏ธ
Penelope whipped the car to the curb with a sharp jerk, tires hissing against the slick asphalt as rain pelted the windshield like thrown gravel. The wipers thrashed back and forth, smearing the downpour into blurry streaks. She killed the engine, and we tumbled out into the storm, hoods up, shoulders hunched against the cold needles of water stabbing our faces.
Richardโs address. The place looked like every other anonymous complex in the city, but tonight it felt like a fortress hiding a rat.
We jogged to the call box mounted on a chipped concrete pillar, water dripping off the awning in steady streams. My fingers were already numb as I punched in 0000. The panel beeped once, red light flashing. Access denied.
"Shit," I muttered, rain dripping from my lashes. Tried again. Same red glare.
I thumbed Richardโs contact on my phone, heart hammering. But he didnโt pick up.
"Codeโs changed," I said under my breath, scanning the directory. Names blurred in the wet. I jabbed a random buttonโ3B.
Static crackled through the speaker, then a groggy voice. "Who is this?"
"Internet tech," I lied, wiping rain from my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie. "Got a complaint about slow speeds in the building. They said the gate codeโs four zeros, but itโs not working."
A long pause. I could hear a TV in the background, some late-night infomercial. "Oh. Yeah, they changed it yesterday. Try 1212."
"Thanks." I punched it in fast, 1-2-1-2. A soft click. The magnetic lock disengaged, and the glass door swung open with a reluctant groan.
We bolted inside, shoes squeaking on the linoleum as we shook off the rain like dogs. The lobby smelled of old pizza and industrial cleaner, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Mailboxes lined one wall, flyers for various deals curling at the edges. We hit the stairs two at a time, breath fogging in the stale air. Second floor. Third. My calves burned, but adrenaline kept me moving.
R.R.R. stenciled on the door in cheap gold letters that were already peeling. Apartment 3C. I poundedโhard, knuckles stinging.
No answer. Just the muffled thump of bass from somewhere down the hall.
Knocked again, louder. Called Richard one more time..
Penelopeโs phone buzzed in her pocket. She yanked it out, thumbed speaker, rain still dripping from her hair.
"PENELOPE!" Mendyโs voice exploded through the tinny speaker, raw and terrified. "HEโS HERE! RICHARD IS HERE! I HEARD HIS PHONE RINGING OUTSIDE THE DOOR! HEโS TRYING TO GET IN!"