Conquering Ladies With My 10x Rebate System
Chapter 78: Trouble With The Girls

Chapter 78: Trouble With The Girls

The room froze.

Water still dripped from Caleb’s damp hair, his towel hanging low around his waist, clinging to his hips. Helene stood two steps ahead of him, clutching a pink towel so tightly it looked like a lifeline. Her cheeks were blazing, her breathing shaky. They looked like two thieves caught red-handed.

And then the door opened.

Naya walked in.

"Caleb!" Her voice was casual, almost cheerful, as she stepped inside holding two shopping bags. "You won’t believe what—" She stopped mid-sentence. Her bright blue eyes landed on Helene first, then flicked to Caleb. Slowly, her smile faded.

The silence was deafening.

Helene gripped her towel harder, her knuckles turning white. Caleb could feel the tension in the air thick enough to cut through. His pulse hammered like a drum in his ears.

"...What is this?" Naya’s voice was calm. Too calm. That was never a good sign.

Caleb raised his hands slightly, the universal sign of don’t kill me yet. "It’s not what it looks like."

Naya tilted her head, her lips curling into something that looked nothing like a smile. "Oh? So it doesn’t look like the two of you were in the bathroom together, dripping wet, with the door locked?"

"W-We weren’t— I mean, we were, but it’s not—" Helene stammered, her voice breaking apart like shattered glass. She took a small step back, her blush creeping all the way to her ears.

Caleb dragged a hand down his face. "Naya, listen. It was an accident."

"An accident?" Her tone sharpened. "Did you accidentally fall into the tub together too?"

Helene let out a strangled squeak, looking like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole. "I—I just came to get my towel! I didn’t know he was still in there!" she blurted out, her words tumbling over each other in panic. "Then I slipped, and—"

"Slipped," Naya repeated flatly.

"Yes!" Helene’s voice cracked as she nodded furiously. "And he—he caught me so I wouldn’t fall—"

"Oh, how heroic." Naya’s smile returned, but it was sharp enough to cut glass. Her gaze flicked to Caleb. "You really are full of surprises, aren’t you?"

Caleb opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, another voice cut in from the hallway.

"Well, well, well... what did I miss?"

Sophia.

Of course.

She leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, her ocean-blue eyes glinting with amusement. Dressed in a casual white top and shorts that showed off her legs, she looked every bit like trouble in human form.

Sophia’s gaze swept over the scene—the damp hair, the towels, the awkward postures—and her lips curved into a wicked grin. "Wow. And here I thought tonight would be boring."

"Shut it, Sophia," Naya snapped without looking at her.

"Oh, don’t be so uptight." Sophia sauntered into the room, her hips swaying deliberately. "We’re all adults here. If little Helene wants to—"

"Stop talking!" Helene squeaked, her entire face crimson now.

Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. ’Great. Just great. Exactly what I needed tonight—a damn soap opera.’

Sophia circled behind Naya, her grin widening. "You know, Caleb, you could’ve just told us if you had a thing for bathroom adventures. We wouldn’t judge."

"I swear to God—" Caleb started, but Sophia cut him off with a laugh.

"Relax. I’m kidding... mostly." Her eyes flicked to Naya, then Helene. "But wow... this is interesting."

"Get out," Naya said coldly.

Sophia raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"I said—get. Out." Naya’s voice dripped with venom, her gaze locked on Sophia like a blade ready to strike.

Sophia smirked. "Oh, I get it. You’re marking your territory."

Naya turned fully then, her blue eyes blazing. "If that’s what you think, you’re dead wrong. But if you want to test me... go ahead."

The two locked eyes, the tension crackling like static electricity. For a second, Caleb thought they might actually fight. He stepped forward, hands raised.

"Enough! Both of you!" His voice was firm, cutting through the heated silence. "We’ve got bigger problems than this, remember?"

Sophia gave a low chuckle, but backed off, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. I’ll play nice. For now." She shot Caleb a teasing smile before gliding out of the room like a cat that just stole cream.

Naya lingered a moment longer, her sharp gaze flicking between Caleb and Helene. Then, without a word, she turned and left too, the door clicking shut behind her.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Helene stood frozen, still clutching her towel, her head bowed low. Caleb let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples.

"This... is getting out of hand," he muttered under his breath.

And then—ding.

A translucent blue screen materialized in front of his eyes.

---

{System Alert: Warning! A cardholder’s loyalty is wavering.}

{Action Required: Strengthen bond immediately or risk penalty.}

---

Caleb’s stomach dropped. His eyes flicked to the name flashing at the bottom of the screen:

[Cardholder: Naya Lucy – Loyalty: 67% → 55%]

’Shit.’ His jaw tightened. Of course it’s Naya. If I don’t fix this, I’m screwed.

Before he could think of a plan, Helene’s soft voice broke the silence.

"...I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn’t mean to cause trouble."

Caleb looked at her—really looked at her. Her flushed cheeks, the way she gripped the towel like it was her only shield, the nervous quiver in her voice. And despite everything, something in his chest tightened.

"It’s not your fault," he said quietly. "Just... go get some rest, Helene. I’ll handle this."

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded quickly and slipped out of the room without another word.

As soon as the door closed, Caleb sat on the edge of the bed, dragging both hands over his face.

’Three women. One roof. And now the system’s dangling a damn timer over my head. This... this is going to be hell.’

The screen pulsed again, a new line appearing in blood-red text.

---

{Failure to restore loyalty within 24 hours = Penalty: -$10,000,000 Net Worth}

---

Caleb clenched his fists.

"Guess I don’t have a choice."

The mansion’s kitchen was quiet—eerily quiet—except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the sharp, deliberate clinks of porcelain as Naya set a mug down on the marble counter.

Caleb paused at the doorway, towel replaced with a black T-shirt and sweatpants. He leaned against the frame for a moment, watching her.

Her back was to him, her long black hair cascading down in soft waves, her slender shoulders tense beneath the fabric of her blouse. She didn’t turn, didn’t acknowledge him. Just poured coffee with slow precision.

He stepped inside. "Naya..."

Nothing.

Caleb ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling. "About earlier—"

"Don’t." Her voice was calm, but her grip on the mug tightened ever so slightly. "I don’t want excuses."

"It wasn’t like that," Caleb said softly, moving closer. "She slipped, I caught her. That’s all."

Finally, Naya turned. Her blue eyes were cold as ice, but beneath that calm exterior, he saw the flicker of something deeper—hurt. "Do you think I’m stupid, Caleb?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but before he could—

Ding.

The system screen flashed in his vision, a giant red timer now ticking ominously:

---

{Warning: Loyalty at critical threshold – 55% → 48%}

{New Task Generated: Intimacy Mission Active.}

{Objective: Restore emotional balance with Naya before midnight. Suggested action: Physical reassurance.}

{Penalty for failure: -$10,000,000 Net Worth + Random Card Revocation}

Time Remaining: 02:14:36

---

’Physical reassurance?! Are you kidding me?!’ Caleb’s brain screamed. I can’t even get her to look at me without stabbing me with her eyes, and now I have to...

His thoughts were cut short by the sound of another voice dripping with amusement.

"Well, well... what a cozy little midnight chat."

Sophia.

Of course.

She leaned lazily against the opposite counter, her arms folded, a smirk dancing on her lips. Dressed in an oversized T-shirt that barely covered her thighs, she looked like trouble incarnate.

"Didn’t expect you two to start the drama this early," she teased, her eyes glinting like polished steel. "But hey—makes living together fun, doesn’t it?"

Naya’s gaze snapped to Sophia, her jaw tightening. "What do you want?"

Sophia gave a mock gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. "Me? I just came to grab some water. Didn’t know I’d walk into a lovers’ quarrel." She paused, tilting her head with a sly grin. "Or should I say... a triangle?"

Caleb swore under his breath. "Sophia. Not now."

"Oh, relax," she purred, striding closer with feline grace. "You’re acting like I’m the villain here." Her gaze slid deliberately to Naya. "I mean... if I wanted Caleb, I’d already have him."

The air went still.

Naya’s fingers curled around the mug so tightly Caleb thought it might shatter. Her blue eyes darkened, her lips pressing into a razor-thin line.

"Try it," Naya said, her voice like a blade drawn in silence.