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Chapter 68: Chapter 68 New Appearance
As Liam pulled the door open, ready to lash out at whoever dared to disturb him again, his anger dissipated almost instantly. Standing before him was Lana, her expression filled with concern, her piercing green eyes scanning his face as if searching for any sign of distress. For a brief moment, Liam furrowed his brows in confusion, but then it clicked—she must have heard about his abduction. Of course, she had. News traveled fast in their neighborhood, and despite her cold and alluring demeanor, she was someone who paid attention to the people she cared about.
He quickly wiped the slight frown off his face, replacing it with his usual smirk as he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "I’m alright," he said casually, as if nothing had happened.
Lana didn’t look entirely convinced, but she exhaled in relief, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Good," she murmured, before adding, "I might come home late today, so can you look after my father in case my mother throws him out again?"
Liam chuckled at that. It wasn’t the first time Lana’s father had been kicked out of his own house, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. "No problem," he assured her.
She gave him a grateful nod, then waved goodbye before walking away, her dark brown wavy hair bouncing slightly with each step.
The moment she disappeared from view, Liam wasted no time pulling out his phone to check his bank account, just to make sure yesterday wasn’t a dream. And there it was, staring back at him—$1,107.32 sitting comfortably in his balance.
A grin spread across his face. The feeling was nothing short of exhilarating. It was the first time in a long while he had this much money to his name. But he wasn’t going to let it get to his head. He had a plan, a goal, and the first step to achieving it was simple—level up.
After a quick shower, he grabbed his keys and headed straight for the clothing store. If he wanted to move with people like Lilith, he had to dress the part.
Walking into the store, Liam’s sharp eyes roamed over the racks of expensive suits, casual wear, and footwear. He wasted no time picking out a few tailored suits in different colors—black, navy blue, and a deep burgundy. He also grabbed some baggy jeans and fitted shirts, something he could wear when he wasn’t trying to look too formal. Of course, no wardrobe was complete without sneakers and high-quality shoes, so he made sure to get a couple of pairs that suited different occasions.
By the time he reached the counter and the cashier started ringing everything up, Liam nearly had a heart attack. $900.
His fingers twitched slightly as he reached for his wallet, but he swallowed the pain and handed over his card. If he was going to be taken seriously in this world, he had to invest in himself.
Just as he was about to leave, a sleek watch on display caught his eye. It wasn’t too flashy, but it had a refined and sophisticated look to it. The price tag read $100.
Liam sighed, knowing it was reckless, but in the end, he bought it anyway.
As he walked out of the store, shopping bags in hand, he checked his phone again. $107.32.
Back to square one.
But strangely, he didn’t feel the frustration he usually did when he was broke. Instead, there was an odd sense of calm. He wasn’t stuck anymore. He had a way to make money now.
More jobs. More cash.
Feeling refreshed and motivated, he made one last stop before heading home—a barbershop. It was time to sharpen up completely.
As the sound of clippers buzzed around him, he smirked at his reflection in the mirror. This is only the beginning.
After getting home, Liam wasted no time heading straight for the bathroom, tossing his new clothes onto the bed before stepping under the warm stream of water. His muscles relaxed instantly, the hot water washing away the lingering fatigue from the long day. He let out a satisfied sigh as he ran his hands through his damp hair, relishing in the refreshing sensation.
Once he was done, he grabbed a towel and stepped out, wiping himself down before wrapping it around his neck. He walked toward the mirror, his gaze locking onto his reflection. His freshly cut hair framed his sharp features perfectly, enhancing his already striking looks. He smirked slightly, tilting his head as he muttered to himself, "Damn... definitely worth it."
But then, his expression changed as he remembered something.
Ten dollars.
His eye twitched as he shook his head in disbelief. "What the fuck... everything in this country is getting out of hand," he grumbled. A simple haircut should not have cost that much. But still, as he ran his fingers through his hair, admiring how clean and sharp it looked, he couldn’t deny that it made a hell of a difference.
His sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and perfectly styled hair made him look like one of those models on TV. Maybe... just maybe... the system’s charm wasn’t entirely useless after all.
Clearing his throat, he grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contact list, his fingers pausing when he reached Ella’s number.
He hesitated for a brief second before pressing the call button.
Liam wasn’t expecting her to pick up directly. There was no way someone like Ella—one of the richest and most powerful women in the city— would just casually answer a call from someone like him. He fully expected her personal assistant to pick up instead.
But the moment the call connected, a familiar, sultry voice rang in his ears.
"Liam?"
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Yes."
A soft chuckle came from the other end of the line. "I thought you weren’t going to call."
Liam let out a small laugh of his own as he leaned against the wall. "I’ve been busy."
Ella hummed in amusement before responding, "Will you be busy tonight?"
Liam glanced at his watch, shaking his head. "No."
"Good," she replied smoothly. "Come to my place tonight. I might have an opportunity for you."
At the mention of the word opportunity, Liam’s ears practically perked up. His grin stretched wide as he quickly responded, "Of course. I’ll be there."
As soon as the call ended, Liam threw his phone onto the bed before grinning like an idiot.
"YESSSSSSS!" he shouted, pumping his fist in excitement.
More opportunities meant more money. And more money meant he was one step closer to living the life he wanted.
Hell, at this rate, he might even drop out of school.
Just as he was basking in his newfound excitement, a sudden knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.
He groaned. "Again?"
Running a hand through his hair, he sighed in frustration. This was the third time today that someone had come knocking on his door. If there was a world record for the most visitors Liam had in a single day, today would have easily broken it.
Still shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose shorts with the towel still hanging around his neck, he made his way downstairs, his bare feet padding against the wooden floor.
As he reached the door, he twisted the handle and pulled it open, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Ann standing there, holding a bag in her hand.
For a moment, he simply stared at her, his curiosity instantly piqued.
What was inside the bag?
More importantly...
Why was she here?
