Rahul couldn't fully understand the rapid-fire Bengali being exchanged and didn't quite grasp why Samina's attitude had shifted so suddenly from furious to beaming.
Feeling a bit like a prop, he simply followed her into the SHO's air-conditioned office.
Of course, with Samina running the show, Rahul kept his camera discreetly rolling the entire time. Every bit of the absolute chaos that had just unfolded was perfectly captured for his vlog.
While sitting on the plush faux-leather sofa in the office, Samina kept her arm looped tightly through Rahul's. It was a completely natural, intimate posture, making them look exactly like a real couple.
Rahul wasn't an idiot; he had already figured out that the SHO genuinely believed he was this powerful heiress's boyfriend.
This won't do, Rahul thought to himself. Traveling the world relying purely on English while not speaking a word of the local language is going to be a massive headache! It hit him then—as long as he maintained these 'ambiguous' interactions with women, his Succubus System would grant him Charm Points and Proficiency. Those Charm Points could be traded in the system store for rewards.
Why not just buy a language pack?
If he could instantly learn the local language, he could navigate any country without relying on anyone else.
While they waited, Rahul mentally called up his system interface.
He was slightly disappointed to see that his Proficiency and Charm Points hadn't moved at all. They were still sitting at zero.
Rahul wondered if it was because his current relationship with Samina wasn't considered "ambiguous" enough by the system's standards. Or maybe they just hadn't spent enough consecutive time together?
What exact level of ambiguity does this system require? he pondered.
Just as he was lost in thought, the door to the office pushed open.
The bearded inspector walked in, holding up a smartphone.
"SHO sir, Miss Banerjee, we have retrieved the CCTV footage from the airport."
Samina immediately pulled Rahul up from the sofa and leaned in to look at the inspector's phone screen.
In the grainy footage, Rahul could be seen standing with his camera and backpack, surrounded by the chaotic crowd of taxi drivers. Then, two sneaky-looking guys shoved through the crowd, deliberately bumping hard into Rahul's side.
The inspector tapped the pause button. The frame froze, clearly showing the faces of the two pickpockets.
"Sir, these are the two thieves who stole your wallet."
Not giving the inspector a single second to take the credit, the SHO immediately stepped in, speaking to Rahul in his heavily accented English.
"You see, sir? My men are very efficient!"
Rahul mentally rolled his eyes. This world was truly just a stage for the elite. If you had the right connections, all you had to do was snap your fingers and the impossible became instant.
As an ordinary tourist, Rahul had wasted his breath trying to explain the situation, only to be thrown out like garbage. Samina made a single phone call, and within minutes, they had the suspects' faces frozen on a screen.
Man, privilege is a hell of a drug, Rahul thought.
"Great. So, SHO sir, how long will it take to get my wallet back?" Rahul asked directly.
The SHO glanced nervously at Samina, thought for a split second, and held up two chubby fingers.
"Two days! Sir, I believe we can hunt them down for you in exactly two days!"
"Two days?"
Rahul was stunned. They literally had high-definition screenshots of the thieves' faces! How could it take two whole days to track them down? By then, the cash in his wallet would have been completely blown on biryani and cheap liquor.
If he was stuck without his own money for two days, he really would be reduced to a guy completely living off a rich girl!
What would his YouTube comments look like when he finally posted the vlog? 'Bro quit his corporate job just to become a sugar baby in Dhaka.' He could see the roasting already.
"Two days? Are you seriously telling me it takes two days with clear facial recognition?"
Just as Rahul was questioning the timeline, he heard Samina mutter something sharp in Bengali to the SHO.
Rahul didn't know exactly what was said, but the SHO looked completely startled. He blinked, cleared his throat, and immediately backtracked.
"Ah... I meant, two days at the absolute earliest, sir. But honestly, it could easily take five days. Or a week! Sir, you must understand, the population density in Dhaka is very, very high. Finding two random men in these slums is very hard."
As soon as Rahul heard that ridiculous pivot, he instantly understood what was happening.
Samina had just threatened or ordered the SHO to stall the investigation!
She clearly didn't want him getting his wallet back quickly, because as long as he was broke, she had the perfect excuse to act as his savior, taking him out to meals and keeping him entirely dependent on her. It practically guaranteed she got to spend all her time with him.
How can this girl be so casually manipulative?! Rahul thought, staring at her in disbelief.
Seeing Rahul's highly suspicious glare, Samina stuck her tongue out cutely, grabbed his arm, and put on an innocent face.
"Rahul, this is just the reality in Bangladesh. It's a very crowded city. I hope you can understand the severe difficulties the local police face," she said smoothly, actually having the audacity to wink at him.
Rahul felt a massive headache coming on. This spoiled heiress was entirely too much to handle.
He turned back to the SHO, his expression dead serious.
"SHO sir."
"I hope you find my wallet as fast as humanly possible. Because if it's not found soon, I'll be taking this footage directly to the Indian High Commission to see if they can motivate you. Do you understand?"
After dropping that threat, Rahul turned on his heel and walked straight out of the office.
He wasn't going to play along with Samina's controlling little schemes.
Realizing that Rahul had seen right through her trick and was genuinely annoyed, Samina panicked. She snapped at the SHO:
"Forget what I just said! If you don't find his wallet immediately, you're finished!"
After screaming at the terrified officer, her designer heels clicked rapidly against the tile floor as she jogged out to catch up with Rahul, immediately grabbing his arm again.
"Rahul, wait! Don't be mad, I was just playing around!"
"That's not a great joke, Samina," Rahul said, keeping his tone flat. "I don't really care about the cash. But my debit cards, my PAN card, my Aadhaar card, and my driver's license are all in there. Replacing Indian government IDs from a foreign country is a total nightmare."
Hearing the genuine stress in his voice, Samina realized her selfish little game had crossed a line.
She pulled Rahul to a stop right at the entrance of the police station. Looking up at him, her expression shifted to one of sincere apology.
"I'm so sorry, Rahul. I really am. I was just being selfish because I wanted an excuse to take you out for more meals and hang out with you."
"I'll call my dad right now and have him pressure the police commissioner directly. They'll find it today. Please don't be angry with me anymore, okay?"
She blinked her long eyelashes at him, looking incredibly guilty.
Rahul sighed, his annoyance fading. "I'm not angry. Just... take me back to my hotel. I was on flights all night. I haven't slept in over twenty-four hours, and I'm practically sleepwalking."
A deep look of distress and guilt flashed across Samina's face. She gently took his hand and led him back to the waiting Range Rover.
"Give the driver your hotel address. I'll drop you off."
The luxurious SUV navigated back through the traffic and pulled up right outside Rahul's budget hotel in Gulshan. Samina insisted on walking him to the door.
When the two receptionists inside saw Rahul walk up accompanied by a stunning, wealthy elite girl stepping out of a Range Rover, their jaws practically hit the floor.
The jealousy in the room was palpable. He had just arrived a few hours ago, and he was already being escorted around by an absolute VIP!
Samina took one look at the slightly peeling paint and dingy exterior of the hotel and her nose wrinkled in immediate distaste.
"Rahul, this place is terrible. You can't possibly sleep comfortably in there. Let me book you a proper suite at the Westin or the Sheraton right now."
Rahul immediately realized that as generous as she was, Samina had a very strong controlling streak. If he let her move him to a luxury hotel she paid for, he would essentially become her pet project. He would have zero independence.
"No thanks," Rahul said firmly, rejecting the offer. "I've already booked this room for the month. It would be a waste to leave it. Besides, I'm just here to travel, not live in luxury."
"I'm heading up now. Thanks for lunch."
He turned around and started walking toward the glass lobby doors.
Just then, Samina called out.
"Wait!"
Rahul stopped and turned back.
Suddenly, Samina stepped right up to him, stood up on her tiptoes, and with lightning speed, planted a soft, lingering kiss right on his cheek.
Before he could even react, Samina's face flushed completely red. She spun around and sprinted back to the Range Rover like her life depended on it.
With a heavy thud, the armored door pulled shut.
Just before the SUV pulled away, the tinted rear window rolled down halfway. A highly flustered, blushing Samina leaned out and yelled:
"Call me the second you wake up and get hungry! My number is in your phone!"
With that, the Range Rover sped away, leaving Rahul standing on the sidewalk, completely stunned.