Five minutes had passed and Don now stood near the bedroom door, one hand resting against the knob, the other hanging casually at his side.
His breath was even. Neutral and composed. Whatever lingering tension had been in the room earlier was now buried beneath the usual armor of nonchalance.
But then—
**Ding**
A glowing prompt flickered into view, neat and self-congratulatory:
———
Side Quest Complete
Reward: +100 Aura
Total Aura: 1734
———
He blinked once, barely able to acknowledge it before the message faded.
Behind him, Samantha stood by the bathroom doorway, still half-turned away. Her cheeks hadn't fully cooled. The flush clung stubbornly to her skin, painting her in a tone of warmth.
Don glanced at her from the corner of his eye, keeping his tone casual. "By the way," he said, "I'll be heading out in about an hour. Got a meeting at SHQ."
