... Candles?

Kyle followed behind her, his eyes naturally darting to her figure. Even with the skirt, the arc of her lumbar spine was impossible to miss. He couldn't believe a woman with a body like hers could be tamed by just one man. Mr. Jones was a nice guy, sure, but compared to the men out there, he wasn't exactly impressive.

Kyle soon realized they were entering a store that specialized in custom-made candles. He couldn't understand why this errand was so urgent that it couldn't wait or, better yet, be delivered. Still, he reminded himself that he'd chosen to accompany her, so complaining now was pointless.

As Aiysha spoke to the shopkeeper, Kyle wandered through the small shop. His eyes roamed over the suggestive drawings on the walls, and it dawned on him—this wasn't just a candle store. It was an erotic boutique.

"Mr. Jones, you nasty freak," Kyle thought to himself, smirking.

"Kyle, get over here!" Aiysha's voice snapped him back. He had strayed a bit too far, and she wanted his opinion on something.

He approached her, confused. He had no experience with candles, so he couldn't fathom why she thought his input would help.

"Kyle, which of these do you think would capture the mood of a romantic night?" Aiysha asked, holding up two candles.

Kyle scratched his head. The candles looked identical except for their colors.

"The mood of the night isn't determined by the setting but by the person you spend it with. I could pick either of these candles, and the night could still go to hell," Kyle said with a shrug.

"Your friend here might be a lit—" the shopkeeper began, but Aiysha silenced her with a raised finger, her focus entirely on Kyle.

"What I'm saying is, it's the person that makes the night romantic," Kyle concluded.

Aiysha blinked in surprise. She never would have guessed Kyle could say something so thoughtful.

"T-That's actually… I didn't think about it like that," she admitted, her voice soft.

Kyle noticed the shopkeeper glaring at him—he might have cost her a sale. To smooth things over, he added, "Or you could just get both candles." He shot her a winning smile.

"That's an excellent suggestion! You should listen to your friend," the shopkeeper chimed in, clearly eager to close the sale.

Despite having come this far, Aiysha hesitated. Kyle could tell she wasn't thrilled about buying both candles. It wasn't that she didn't want them—it was that she couldn't afford both. Kyle remembered that the Joneses didn't have the financial freedom he now enjoyed. With two kids to care for, their spending had to be carefully planned.

"How much is it?" Kyle asked suddenly, catching Aiysha off guard.

"That will be $350," the shopkeeper replied, her smile dripping with opportunism.

Aiysha began digging into her bag for the money, but Kyle was already reaching for his card. He was stunned that candles could cost so much, but he wasn't about to judge.

"Do you take cards?" Kyle asked, and the shopkeeper nodded eagerly.

"Pick anything else you want. I've got it covered," he told Aiysha, his tone casual. He knew these candles were custom-made and that she'd always intended to buy both—it wasn't about picking one or the other.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "$350 for candles…" he muttered under his breath. Then, an idea struck him.

"How about I make a down payment of $35,000 so she can get whatever candles she wants?" Kyle suggested, his tone nonchalant.

The silence that followed was deafening.

"WHAT!?" both women exclaimed in unison.

"It's fine," Kyle assured them with a dismissive wave. For him, this wasn't a favor—it was a requirement to double his wealth.

The shopkeeper moved so fast to accept the offer it was almost comical. She couldn't believe anyone would spend such an amount on a whim, but she wasn't about to stop him. This was more money than she'd make in several years.

Aiysha, meanwhile, looked like she wanted to intervene but was too stunned to speak. Before she could protest, Kyle handed over his card, and the shopkeeper wasted no time swiping it.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Aiysha finally blurted out, her voice laced with disbelief. Realizing her outburst, she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

[Ding!]

[Spent $35,000. 10X Critical Hit. Earned $350,000! The money has been transferred to account XXX-XXX-XXX!]

[Spent at least $35,000 on a beautiful lady!]

Kyle ignored the notification and smiled as if nothing unusual had happened. Aiysha, however, couldn't stop staring at him. This was the same man who'd been struggling to pay rent just days ago, yet now he could casually drop $35,000 like it was pocket change.

The ride back to her house was uncharacteristically quiet. Aiysha hadn't said a word since they left the store, her thoughts seemingly a million miles away.

Finally, halfway through the journey, she spoke.

"I appreciate what you did for me today… and I'm sorry for cursing you out earlier. I just can't believe you spent that much," she said, her tone a mix of gratitude and disbelief.

Kyle glanced at her, noting the change in her demeanor. Something about her had shifted—the look in her eyes was different.