Stan drove back to Aurelia Heights with the quiet satisfaction that always followed an evening that had unfolded exactly as he'd intended.
He had just turned onto the main avenue when a familiar system notification appeared.
[Ding!]
[Maya Zimmerman: Favorability has crossed 120.]
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
The kiss at the restaurant had probably done it. Or perhaps their conversation about her company. Or the goodnight kiss in the car. More likely, it had been all three. Whatever combination of moments had tipped the scale, Maya had crossed the threshold cleanly. Her rebate multiplier now sat firmly in the 12× tier.
Two more notifications followed in quick succession.
[System interface update available. Tap to view.]
[Shop inventory refreshing. New items now available for purchase.]
Keeping his eyes on the road, Stan mentally opened the first notification.
...
