Chapter 36

Malate, Manila

In a high-rise condominium building, a young woman had just woken up and wore a dazed expression. As she looked at the messy room, she couldn't help but groan, remembering the things she had done last night.

As she turned her head to the side, the woman noticed another figure beside her—someone with a petite stature and a prominently curvaceous backside that momentarily made her salivate before she shook her head.

"Damn it!"

She sighed and swore that if her mom knew what she'd been doing, her mother would surely be furious.

Fortunately, her mom was too busy working abroad to worry about her.

Anyway, she was already an adult, free to do as she pleased.

Sighing once again, she got up and headed to the bathroom.

After her shower, she felt much better as the water washed away all the filth from her body.

While drying herself, the woman gazed at her reflection in the mirror and saw a beautiful young woman with brown eyes, a lovely face, and an attractive physique.

Her name was Jasmine.

At 19 years old, she was a biology major student at one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

Originally, her plan was to study, graduate, find a decent job, and start her own family.

However, one night changed everything.

She shook her head, left the bathroom, headed straight to the kitchen, prepared breakfast, and then sat down to eat.

"Oh my, it smells so good."

The girl from before walked to the table without any concern for her nakedness and took a seat."

"Damnit! Show some respect for yourself. Put something on, young lady!" Jasmine scolded, her gaze lingering on the other's nudity, her face reddening.

"What's the fuss? You've seen it before," the girl retorted, biting her bread, further aggravating Jasmine.

"I don't care! Just put something on!" she shouted angrily. The girl pouted but eventually stood up and wrapped herself in a bathrobe.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes, now sit down and eat."

After putting on the bathrobe, the girl sat down beside Jasmine, their shoulders lightly touching.

As they finished their meal, their conversation became increasingly flirtatious, filled with playful banter.

Later, they washed the dishes and headed to the sofa to play on their smartphones.

"Hey, has he uploaded something new?" Jasmine thought as she browsed her Facebook newsfeed.

She stumbled upon a video from someone she had recently started following, and intrigued, she clicked on it.

The screen transitioned to black, and then an elegant text logo appeared, capturing her attention.

It says 'Nouveau Studio' and after that, another text popped up with ',The Restaurant Case.'

After a few seconds, the video started.

It began in a simple yet well-decorated restaurant, bustling with young people, all engrossed in eating, chatting, and laughing.

Then a waitress with short hair, a pair of captivating eyes, and a charming smile entered the scene, holding a tray as she approached a handsome customer seated in the corner.

The handsome customer was casually dressed in a floral button-up shirt paired with denim shorts, sunglasses perched stylishly, a silver chain necklace gracing his neck, and behind his soft, lengthy hair were silver earrings, enhancing his good looks even more.

As the female waitress approached, she couldn't help but steal some glances at him.

"Here's your order, sir," said the waiter in a sweet voice as she placed the order on the table.

The handsome customer gave the waiter a quick glance and beckoned her to come closer.

"Yes, sir, what can I do for you?"

The waitress blushed and asked as she approached the man, as if expecting something more.

The world on the screen seemed to slow down, and romantic background music played, making Jasmine wonder if she was watching a romance movie or an advertisement.

However, just as she was expecting something romantic, an unexpected turn of events occurred that almost made her choke.

As the waitress approached the man, he suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.

"Sir, what are you..."

Before the waitress could finish speaking, the scene changed abruptly, focusing on a close-up shot of a gun concealed beneath the table, pointed directly at the waiter.

"Scream, and you're dead," the handsome customer threatened in a chillingly cold voice, causing the waiter to tremble in fear.

...

"Pffft!"

Back to reality, Jasmine couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

This kind of routine was entirely new to her.

Wasn't it supposed to be a romance? Why did it suddenly shift into a crime genre?

Wait, was it even a crime genre?

The background music from earlier, the abrupt transition, and the expressions of the actors made the entire scene seem comically absurd.

Jasmine found herself on the verge of laughter, especially when she looked at the bewildered waiter's face due to the sudden change of events.

Turning her attention back to the screen, she continued watching with interest.

"What do you want from me, sir?" the waiter asked, her voice trembling.

The man looked nonchalant on the surface and replied, "Play along, and you won't get hurt."

"A-alright... please d-don't hurt me," the waiter stammered.

Ignoring her, the man glanced around, and the screen revealed that no one was paying them any attention, and he sighed in relief.

"Very well, I heard you guys have a lot of cash here. Would you mind helping me get some?" he asked.

The waiter gulped, realizing it was a robbery, and sighed in disappointment.

"Sir, I'm just a waiter. You should've pointed your gun at the cashier, not me," she replied with an uncertain tone.

"Do you think I'm a fool? Everyone will see me if I just stroll over and hold up the cashier with this gun!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir! Please d-don't hurt me," the waiter begged for mercy, her voice quivering.

The man snorted and pulled her closer.

"You're going to be my secret accomplice."

"... b-but how am I supposed to do that?" she asked, her tone laced with bewilderment.

"Just do your job, be a good waiter, take some food to the cashier, and tell her to give me the money, or else I'll have to resort to violence."

"... Are you serious? That's your plan?"

The waiter's tone took an odd turn, and the man frowned in annoyance, pressing the gun closer to her stomach.

"Hey, watch your tone."

"I-I'm sorry, but your plan... cough, I can't just stroll over there and ask her to hand over the money, knowing you'll kill her. It's not going to work."

The man looked at the waiter and sneered.

"Why do you say so?"

"Because you're making me go there, and by doing that, you'd have to let me go. If you let me go, how could I still follow you without a gun pointed at me?"

The man's expression froze, and then he smiled as if he understood something.

"I see, so that's how you're playing it? Okay, okay, you like mind games, and then I'll show you what a real master of mind games can do."

"Pfft HAHAHAHA!"

Jasmine couldn't hold back her laughter any longer and burst into fits of giggles.