Huh! Elias's eyes widened in surprise, looking at the holographic blue interface before him.
He was shocked!
Elias immediately realized that his actions in saving her life accident had inadvertently caused her to develop an interest in him.
Elias began thinking about the cashback rewards he could get from her and Emily before he dismissed those thoughts. He had already decided he wouldn't use Sofia to obtain more wealth and planned on keeping that promise to himself.
If he does break it, then what?
Does that mean he would only be able to see any woman he encounters through the system's lens as a means to an end?
What if he also falls in love one day? Would he also see his potential lover as a means to acquire more wealth?
Despite being hypocritical since he was already using Emily to earn more cashback rewards and planned to do so for others he would encounter in the future, the only limit he had placed on himself was not to do so on others close to him.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Elias's words, Sofia's eyes widened in surprise. Tears flowed more freely down her cheeks as she hastily tried to wipe them away. "Dummy," she whispered softly.
Elias swiftly turned his attention towards her and hurriedly shook his head. "I didn't mean what I've just said. I won't rescue you in a heartbeat. The next time you do something stupid like that, you are on your own, and the least I'll do is take you to the hospital and pray for your recovery!" he quickly responded.
Sofia's eyes widened again at Elias's words, and she looked at him dumbfoundedly. Just before Elias could release a sigh, as he was confident his words had successfully decreased whatever feeling she had developed for him, Sofia immediately burst into a chuckle, stunning him to confusion.
[ Update! Sofia's affection for you has increased by 1% ]
"Alright, I understand. I promise not to make such foolish decisions in the future again. If I ever fail to keep my promise, you are free to take me to drop me off at the hospital and not feel guilty about it," Sofia replied, her tear-streaked expression now shining with a smiling brilliance.
However, Elias remained stunned.
What was happening?
If he had said such a thing to Emily, her affection for him would have sharply dropped to its lower level, so he couldn't understand why Sofia seemed happy about his statement.
Noticing Elai's solemn and pondering expression, Sofia immediately realized that he still needed rest to recover properly.
Sofia leaned in and kissed Elias on the cheek, pulling him from his thoughts before withdrawing.
[ Update! Sofia's affection for you has increased by 1% ]
"I'll be going to bed now. If you are hungry or thirsty, I've already prepared a dish and bottle for you to drink from," Sofia said, pointing at the small table beside her, which Elias had initially missed. "If you want to use the bathroom, use the hallway and take the second door on the left. If you need anything else, just scream my name, and I'll be right down to help you with what you need. Goodnight."
She had been resting beside the couch, waiting for Elias to wake up. Now that he was fully awake, she returned to her room, giving Elias the privacy he needed to fully recover and for her to rest.
"Goodnight," Elias nodded, inwardly sighing.
He would work on reducing Sofia's affection for him the next day.
He glanced at the food on the sealed plate and the water bottle beside him and couldn't help but appreciate Sofia's thoughtfulness. His heart swelled with gratitude for her care, even as he contemplated his feelings.
Truthfully, if he and Sofia had developed their relationship more naturally, without the presence of the cashback rewards system, he would have tried pursuing her as a future romantic partner.
After all, she had once stolen his heart with her actions and impeccable attitude. But as he lay there, he couldn't help but feel a sense of conflict within him, torn between his growing affection for Sofia and his desire to keep their relationship platonic.
Sofia gave Elias one last nod before walking away. Her weary steps didn't go unnoticed by Elias, who looked at her dazedly, wondering how long she had remained by his side waiting for him to wake up.
'It's a pity,' Elias inwardly exhaled at his misfortune.
Elias quickly fell asleep to regain the energy to move his body correctly.
….…
Six hours later
Morning
The sun gradually rose to the air, its shimmering light penetrating through the curtains and lighting up the dimly lit room.
Sofia glanced at the opened plates and half-bottled water before shifting her attention towards the still-dozing Elias. A warm smile appeared on her lips as she lightly stretched out her hand to touch his cheeks. She didn't know why, but he seemed more handsome than he had previously.
Suddenly, Elias stirred awake, his eyes fluttering open.
Sofia swiftly withdrew her hand, her face flushing slightly. She tried to hide her embarrassment with a smile, but her eyes betrayed her feelings.
Elias stared at Sofia's dark brown eyes before looking downwards. Noticing that she was wearing a black knee-length satin night dress, he swiftly pulled his eyes away and looked at the other side.
Sofia noticed his actions, and her smile grew wider, holding back her chuckle.
"Good morning, Elias. How are you currently feeling?" Sofia asked, her eyes fixed on him curiously.
"Good morning. I'm still feeling a bit weak, but I believe it'll also wear off soon," Elias responded, his head still turning to the side.
"I'll quickly take my bath so we can go to the hospital and have the doctors run some scans to see if there's anything wrong with you," Sofia replied, refraining from teasing him.
Just as she completed her sentences, Elias snapped his head towards her again. "No, you don't have to do that. I told you I'm already feeling better; taking me to the other hospital would only be a waste of time," he replied.