Guaranteed luck!

Simon woke with a start, his heart pounding.

The dawn light slipped through the window, faintly illuminating his room.

The taste of champagne lingered in his mouth, and the numbers 7, 12, 19, 25, 33, 40 echoed in his mind like a persistent whisper.

Last night, in the dream, Clara had murmured something about a 'system' that guaranteed those numbers would win the lottery.

'How can something like that even exist? It's like predicting the future,' Simon thought, but the truth was, coming from the redhead, nothing surprised him anymore.

He dialed Katherine's number with trembling hands, haunted by Clara's threat: she could take control of her body.

"Simon?" Her voice, warm but confused, flooded him with relief. "What's wrong? It's still early!"

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt. "Where are you?"

Katherine let out a laugh so innocent it made Simon cringe with embarrassment.

"That's what I should be asking you!" she shot back, her tone teasing. "Do you know how worried you left me after your little show yesterday?"

Simon closed his eyes, clutching the phone. He remembered the day before, when Katherine had hugged him after what they both thought was a hallucination.

But the image of the brooch in Clara's hands, the way she'd twirled it with a look that promised trouble, still burned in his mind.

Now he knew it was real. Clara was warning him she could control his life beyond dreams.

"I'm fine, don't worry," he lied, forcing a calm he didn't feel. "It's just…"

Suddenly, his words cut off. A wave of dizziness hit him, and the floor beneath his feet seemed to sway.

Clara's voice echoed in his mind, a whisper saying, "I'm here."

His vision blurred with a reddish glow, the same shade as Clara's eyes.

"Simon?" Katherine's worried voice came through the phone. "What's happening?"

Before him, the red hues merged, forming a translucent screen. Strange letters flickered on it, in a language he didn't recognize, but their meaning etched itself into his mind as if whispered directly into his head.

[Objective Completed]

[For completing the mission, you are granted the following rewards]

— Access to the Ghost System.

* Luck manipulation unlocked *

* Communication with Clara unlocked *

* Limited vision disabled *

— Guaranteed Luck!

* Use the numbers provided by Clara to win the lottery with 100% probability *

Simon held his breath, ignoring Katherine, who kept calling through the phone.

'The Ghost System?' he thought, his heart racing. 'Is this real? This could clear my debts, but…'

Clara's smile flashed in his mind, and a chill ran through him.

He slumped to the floor, reading the words on the screen over and over. This wasn't an illusion.

Katherine had hung up, sending several messages instead, which Simon didn't check.

All his focus was now on the Ghost System.

He tried to make sense of it, starting with what intrigued him most: the guaranteed luck.

A promise that sounded too good to be true, but one he desperately wanted to believe was real.

His money problems would vanish, but the feeling that the price would be far more than he was willing to pay terrified him.

'She said she wanted to be close to me…' he thought. 'Does she plan to possess my body?'

Then he focused on another message, the one that would let him communicate with Clara.

He reached out, trying to touch the message, but his hand passed through the screen like it was a hologram.

He waited a few seconds, but the screen only flickered, as if mocking him.

"How am I supposed to make this work?" he muttered, frowning.

He felt like an idiot talking to a hologram that wouldn't answer.

Suddenly, the screen's glow intensified. The letters rearranged, and a new message appeared, so clear it made his heart skip a beat:

[Communication Initiated]

'Say my name, Simon. I'm waiting'

Clara's voice echoed again in his mind, sharper now, with a mocking tone that made him shudder.

'How does she know what I'm thinking?' he thought, clenching his fists.

He swallowed hard, hesitating. If he said her name, what would happen? Would he bring her here, to his room?

The image of her reddish eyes froze him, but he also thought of the numbers, the lottery, a life without debts.

"Clara," he murmured, barely audible.

The screen flared brightly, and a cold breeze swept through the room. Katherine's messages buzzed on his phone, forgotten on the bed.

But before he could process it, a new text appeared on the screen, in letters that seemed to bleed:

[New Mission: Play the Numbers Today]

— Complete it, and you'll have everything you want. Fail, and Katherine will pay the price.

Simon paled.

'Katherine?' he thought. Clara's brooch flashed in his mind, and for a second, he swore he heard her laugh, soft and dangerous, from somewhere in the room.

Then, the air in front of him rippled like water, and a figure slowly materialized.

It was Clara, her red hair cascading in waves, her reddish eyes glowing like embers.

She wore the same black dress from the dream, the brooch pinning back a lock of hair. She smiled, tilting her head, her voice smooth but laced with a terrifying edge.

"Miss me?" she asked, her smile chilling.

He stumbled back, hitting the wall. 'This isn't a dream!' he thought, his heart racing. "What… what are you doing here?" he stammered.

Clara stepped closer, her heels clicking on the floor.

"Just making sure you keep your end of the deal," she said. "Those numbers… they're your ticket to freedom. Don't disappoint me."

At that moment, the door to his room burst open. Katherine stormed in, her brow furrowed, phone in hand.

"Simon! Why the hell aren't you answering? What's wrong with you?"

Simon whipped his head around, expecting Katherine to see Clara, but she didn't even flinch.

Clara stood there, smirking, barely a meter away, but Katherine stared right through her, as if she wasn't there.

'She can't see her?' Simon thought, his stomach twisting.

Clara giggled, pressing a finger to her lips, as if saying 'shh.'

"Simon, are you listening?" Katherine pressed, stepping closer. "You're pale. Is this another one of your… hallucinations?"

Clara leaned toward Simon, so close he felt a chill on his neck.

"Only you can see me," she whispered, her icy breath brushing his ear. "Play the numbers today, before your friend pays the price."

The Ghost System's screen flickered once more, displaying the words:

[Mission in Progress]

Then, Clara vanished, leaving only the echo of her laugh.

Simon stood frozen, staring at the empty space, while Katherine shook his shoulder, demanding answers.