Transmigrated into the body of a ridiculously wealthy heiress, my billionaire mother sent me out to collect rent. Miguel had just finished a brutal underground boxing match. He was covered in bruises. "Money is a little tight right now. Can you give me a two-month grace period?" I shot down the request without blinking. "No way. If you don't have the rent by tonight, pack your bags." The man turned around in silence and walked into his room to pack. Right on cue, a mechanical voice chimed in my head. "System online. Host, your mission is to conquer him." Miguel was a professional boxer. According to the plot, he was destined to win countless gold belts and become a legend. Right now, he was just at rock bottom. I closed the front door behind me, walked up to him, and casually poked his rock-hard abs. I offered him a wicked smile. "How about you pay off your rent with yourself?" 1 "Your lease expires today. If you want to renew, you need to pay next year's rent upfront." I pulled up the payment link on my phone and held it up to Miguel. "Oh, and my mom said the rent is going up by ten percent. That makes it forty thousand dollars for the year. You can just scan this." Miguel was a pro boxer who had literally just stepped out of the ring. Judging by the fresh purple bruises blooming across his ribs, he had lost. His face was battered, a split lip and a bruised cheekbone, but none of it managed to dull his rugged, heart-stopping good looks. He pulled a bottle of ice water from the fridge and casually pressed it against his bruised jaw. "Money is a little tight right now. Can you give me a two-month grace period?" Two months? That was way too long. Two or three days, maybe. But asking for two whole months right out of the gate? I shut him down instantly. "No way. If you don't have the rent by tonight, pack your bags. We have a waitlist of people dying to move into this building." Miguel grabbed another bottle of water and handed it to me. "One month, then?" Standing at six-foot-three, he loomed over me, radiating a dark, overwhelming presence. He was wearing a skin-tight athletic shirt that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Every carved inch of his chest and abs was practically demanding attention. I couldn't help but wonder what all that muscle felt like. Suddenly, my mouth went completely dry. I twisted the cap of my water bottle, trying to look unbothered. "No. The best I can do is let you pay half a year upfront. You can pay the rest next month." Before I even finished my sentence, Miguel took the bottle from my hands. I had been struggling to open it. I thought he was going to snap at me. Instead, he effortlessly twisted the cap off, handed it back, and said in a low voice, "I'll go pack my bags. I'll be out by tonight." He turned and walked toward his bedroom. Wow. He really was broke. Are boxers really this poor? He couldn't even scrape together rent money? Or maybe he was just going through a really rough patch? The System's voice suddenly echoed in my mind. "Please initiate the conquest of this target, Host." "Pfft." I choked on the water I had just taken a sip of, nearly spitting it all over the floor. 2 Three months ago, I woke up inside a steamy romance novel as a filthy rich heiress. The package deal included this so-called Conquest System. This was the very first mission it had ever given me. A shiver ran down my spine. "He looks a little too intense. I don't think I can handle a guy like that." The System let out a sleazy, robotic chuckle. "Oh, once you get a taste, you'll be begging for more. Trust me." Miguel walked out of his room and headed to the balcony to gather his laundry. He was holding a pair of boxer briefs in his hand. As he walked past the living room, he stopped and looked at me. "Why are you still here?" The System chimed in again. "Scanning target. Measurements confirm he is packing an XL. You are in for a treat, Host." The tips of my ears burned bright red. What the hell did XL mean? Nope. I was playing dumb. I absolutely refused to be corrupted by an AI. The System wasn't done. "New directive. Please go poke his chest." Excuse me? You can't just walk up and poke a guy's chest like he's a piece of meat on display. What if he got mad and snapped my neck? But before my brain could process the danger, my body was already moving. I stood up from the sofa and walked right up to him. I reached out a single finger and pressed it against Miguel's chest. Wow. Solid as a rock. I kind of wanted to do it again. Miguel froze. A faint flush crept up his neck and tipped his ears. He looked at me like I was an alien species he had never encountered before. "What exactly are you doing?" Before I could come up with a lie, the System issued another order. "Directive updated. Now poke his abs." I had no explanation for poking his chest. Now I had to poke his abs? I was going to die today. Swallowing my pride, I reached lower, trailing my finger over the ridged muscles of his stomach. I looked up at him through my lashes and flashed a wicked, sultry smile. "How about you pay off your rent with yourself?" Miguel's eyes darkened instantly. His voice dropped an octave, turning rough and gravelly. "What did you just say? Repeat that." 3 The System was practically cheering. "The more times you conquer the target tonight, the higher your rewards will be. Good luck, Host." I swallowed hard, letting the adrenaline take over. "I said, you can use yourself to pay the rent." "You said money was tight, right? Say yes, and you won't have to pack your bags tonight." "One time equals one month of rent." "How many months you want to pay off is entirely up to you." That last sentence came out as barely a whisper. But Miguel heard every single word. His gaze swept over me, dark, predatory, and burning with a sudden, intense heat. "Are you sure about this?" I nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm sure." In the blink of an eye, he scooped me up by the waist and dropped me onto the plush sofa behind us. His large, calloused hands gripped my waist. He leaned down, his voice thick with meaning. "It's not too late to back out." I forced myself to hold his gaze. "I'm not backing out." Without breaking eye contact, Miguel grabbed the hem of his athletic shirt and pulled it over his head. Up close, his physique was nothing short of a masterpiece. Before I could even take it all in, his mouth crashed down on mine, hungry and desperate. A drop of hot sweat rolled off his sharp jawline and landed perfectly on my collarbone. Like a storm tearing through a quiet town, he kissed the heat right off my skin, leaving me trembling. Every nerve in my body was buzzing. His voice was a husky, intoxicating rasp against my ear. "I need a shower. Care to join me?" The System yelled in my head. "Host, say yes." My cheeks were on fire. I looked up at him, my voice completely soft and ruined. "The tiles are slippery. You'll have to carry me." 4 The bathroom was thick with steam, clouding the mirrors and making my eyes glisten like a siren drawing a sailor to the rocks. Miguel was like a man who had been wandering in a desert for years, finally stumbling upon a lush oasis. And true to his profession, his stamina was absolutely terrifying. By the time he carried me out of the bathroom, I just wanted to curl up in the corner of the sofa and pass out. He pressed a lingering kiss to my lips, coaxing me awake. "Don't fall asleep yet." I stretched like a lazy cat. "That was two months of rent right there. We're good." Miguel knelt over me on the sofa, a raging wildfire burning in his dark eyes. "Two months isn't nearly enough." I was speechless. "By the way," he whispered, trailing kisses down my neck, "I still don't know your name." "Hazel. Hazel Harrington." The night was intoxicating. A warm breeze drifted in from the balcony, rustling the blooming wild roses he kept in a pot by the railing. The next morning, I stumbled out of Miguel's apartment. He had left for the gym at the crack of dawn. His energy levels were insane. The System booted up immediately. "Congratulations, Host. Target successfully conquered last night. Please claim your rewards." "Reward: Lost three pounds. Applied." "Reward: Skin brightened by one shade. Applied." "Reward: Beauty stat increased by ten. Applied." "Reward: Charm stat increased by ten. Applied." "Reward: Cup size increased by one. Applied." "Reward: Physical flexibility increased by ten. Applied." "Reward: Bank balance increased by $77,777. Transferred." Listening to that rapid-fire list of perks sent a rush of pure dopamine to my brain. Honestly, the money and the looks were great, but as a professional dancer, that plus-ten flexibility stat was gold. I could pull off routines I hadn't even dared to try before. The System snickered. "Hehe, you can definitely pull off a lot of high-difficulty positions now." I ignored the dirty joke. If these were the rewards, I was fully on board for more missions. The second I got into my car, my mom's name flashed on the screen. "Hazel, honey," she said cheerfully. "How did the rent collection go?" I did a quick mental tally. "Got almost everyone. Just one unit left." My mom didn't miss a beat. "Beverly Grove, Building 1, Unit 1101, right? Perfect. Someone just offered double the asking price for that place. Tell the current tenant he has two days to pack up and leave." My mind flashed back to the steamy night on the sofa, and my face heated up instantly. "Mom, no. We can't kick him out. He's pre-paid for at least seven months." My mom was confused. "Seven months? I thought his rent was completely overdue." I spotted Miguel walking out of the building, heading straight for my car in the parking lot. I panicked and rushed to get off the line. "Mom, something just came up. I'll call you back later." I hung up just as Miguel stepped up to the driver's side window. He looked like he had something to say. "Everything okay?" I rolled the window down. He held up a small tube of medical ointment. Without a word, he opened the door, effortlessly picked me up from the driver's seat, and deposited me into the spacious backseat. "You got scraped. Let me put this on for you." 5 Last night in the bathroom, my lower back had accidentally slammed into the sharp edge of the marble sink. It was just a minor scrape, nothing serious. But sitting in the cramped backseat brought back vivid memories of being pressed against his crowded sofa. I cleared my throat and looked away. "You really need to wash those sofa cushions." He hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Need to change the bedsheets, too." My face felt like it was on fire. I pressed my face into a plush throw pillow and refused to look at him. Miguel gently lifted the hem of my shirt. His breathing hitched slightly. "You're so delicate. Your skin bruises if I even breathe on it." I buried my face deeper into the pillow. "Stop talking." He squeezed some of the cooling gel onto his fingertips and carefully massaged it into the scraped skin on my lower back. "Were you serious last night? Seven months of free rent?" He was being incredibly gentle, but the moment the medicine touched the broken skin, it stung. I hissed in pain. "I was serious," I mumbled. A satisfied smirk tugged at the corner of Miguel's mouth. He gently rolled me over so I was facing him. I caught his gaze slowly dropping lower. I immediately pulled the throw pillow to my chest to cover myself. "That's enough. Get out of my car." He chuckled, letting it slide. He pulled out his phone and handed it to me. "Give me your number. I have a fight coming up. You should come watch." "Fine." I typed my number in and handed it back. 6 When I got home, I collapsed onto the living room sofa. The housekeeper immediately brought out a plate of freshly cut fruit. My mom walked down from the second floor, looking deeply stressed. "Hazel, I just got off the phone with the police. Dexter broke out of prison. You need to be incredibly careful when you go out. I'm terrified he's going to come after us." My mom owned a ridiculous amount of real estate, and a lot of the properties were rented out. Dexter used to be one of our tenants. He was a man with a violent, twisted mind. According to the original plot of the book, three years ago, I went to his apartment to collect rent. When I stood outside his door, the hallway reeked of copper and blood. His shirt was stained crimson. When I stared at it, he offered a chilling smile. "Just butchering some chickens in the kitchen. Want to come in and take a look?" "Is your wife home?" I had asked, leaning slightly to peek inside. The place felt empty. "She went to the grocery store to buy some soy sauce. She'll be back any minute. Why don't you stay for lunch?" Dexter had swung the door wide open, his eyes gleaming with something terrifying. Every instinct in my body screamed that something was horribly wrong. "No, I'm good. My mom is waiting for me for lunch. Gotta go." I practically sprinted down the hallway. When I got home, the sickening dread wouldn't go away, so I called the cops. When the police busted down Dexter's door, he had already finished dismembering his wife and was boiling her bones on the stove. He was sentenced to a decade in prison, and he blamed me entirely. As they dragged him away, he screamed that the day he got out, he would hunt me down. A chill ran down my spine. "He actually broke out? That's insane." My mom was trembling. "Cancel your dance performance next week. I won't be able to sleep if you're out in public like that." My actual career was as a professional dancer. In two weeks, I was scheduled to perform as the lead backup dancer for pop idol Tedd's solo arena tour. Tedd and I went to the same university. Getting a gig like this was a huge career milestone, and I absolutely refused to breach the contract. Besides, Dexter was a fugitive on the run. The entire police force was hunting him. He was probably scrambling to survive. Coming after me right now would be suicidal. Still, better safe than sorry. An image of Miguel's massive, imposing frame flashed in my mind. My eyes lit up. "Mom, what if I just hire a bodyguard?" My mom instantly looked relieved. "That's brilliant. Actually, one isn't enough. Hire four. I'll wire the money to your account right now." 7 A few days later, I texted Miguel. [What are you up to? Busy?] He must have been training because it took him half an hour to reply. [Just finished a round on the heavy bag. Want to come over?] [Send me the address. I'm on my way.] I needed to see just how good he actually was. If he had the skills to back up all that muscle, I was going to hire him to keep me safe. Miguel sent me the location for Apex Gym. When I pulled up and walked into the training area, Miguel was in the middle of a brutal sparring session with another fighter. The other guy was Jax, a former regional champion who had retired and opened this gym to work as a coach. I stood by the ropes, watching quietly. Miguel caught sight of me out of the corner of his eye, and it was like someone flipped a switch. His intensity skyrocketed. Within three rounds, he delivered a devastating hook that sent Jax crashing to the mat. I clapped softly, genuinely impressed. He really is that good. The System sounded smug. "Of course he is. Miguel is destined to win every major title in the sport. His legacy will dwarf Jax's. Why do you think I picked him for you?" So he really was a future world champion. Then he was definitely overqualified to be my bodyguard. I grabbed a fresh bottle of water and walked over to hand it to him. Jax picked himself up from the mat, wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked at me. "Your girlfriend?" "Yeah," Miguel nodded smoothly. He grabbed my hand and led me toward the locker rooms. 8 Inside the private locker room, Miguel grabbed a towel and started wiping the sweat off his chest. I couldn't help but stare. The man was a walking work of art. I forced my brain to reboot. "Since when did I agree to be your girlfriend?" Miguel stepped into my personal space, his voice a low, magnetic hum. "Do you want to be? When I win the championship belts and all that prize money, you can have it all." Well, that was direct. I was just here for a good time, and he was already talking about handing over his life savings? I cleared my throat, shifting gears. "Alright, let's be serious. I came here today for a reason." His expression hardened instantly, slipping into a cold, professional mask. "What is it?" "I want to hire you as my personal bodyguard. Name your price." "I'm a fighter, not a security guard." He paused, his dark eyes trailing over my face. "But if it's for you, I'll do it." Before I could ask about his rate, he added, "And I don't want your money. You're letting me live rent-free, right? Consider this returning the favor." Wow. A free, world-class bodyguard. I hit the jackpot. "Take a seat. I need to take a quick shower and change. Then I'm taking you to dinner." I was just about to nod when the System crashed my thoughts. "New mission. Ask Miguel to teach you self-defense." I replied internally, Sure, makes sense. The System added, "And he has to teach you inside the shower." My jaw almost hit the floor. Are you kidding me? Of all the places to learn martial arts, you want me to do it in a slippery, cramped glass box? This System was completely unhinged. I argued back. What's the reward for this? "For every move you master, your Defense stat increases by ten. No limit." With a literal serial killer on the loose, a higher defense stat could be the difference between life and death. Even if Miguel was my bodyguard, he still had training. He couldn't physically be glued to my side twenty-four-seven. If push came to shove, I needed to be able to protect myself. Screw it. I'm doing it. I grabbed Miguel's hand before he could walk away and pointed toward the row of showers. "Can you teach me some self-defense right now?" 9 "Sure." Miguel led me straight into the furthest shower stall and locked the door behind us. It was his idea of situational training—teaching me how to break free if an attacker cornered me in a tight, inescapable space. Miguel stood behind me, wrapping his massive arms around my waist to simulate being grabbed from behind. "What have you been eating? Papaya and cream?" he muttered, his voice rough. "Your waist is so soft. If I squeezed too hard, I'd break you in half." "What kind of lotion do you use? Your skin is flawless." He was supposed to be playing the bad guy, but his whispered commentary was doing terrible things to my heart rate. After showing me the hold, he walked me through the escape. Following his exact instructions, I spun around and threw an elbow right into his ribs. He hissed, genuinely startled by the impact. Learning actual self-defense was no joke. Miguel walked me through multiple scenarios. He was incredibly patient, and I focused intensely on every single movement. Half an hour later, there was a heavy knock on the locker room door. Jax's voice echoed through the room. "Miguel, I gotta head out early. Lock up the gym for me, will you?" The gym was officially closed. The other fighters had already cleared out. I held my breath in the damp shower stall. Miguel didn't miss a beat. "Got it." We heard Jax's heavy footsteps fade away down the hall. The lesson continued. By the time I had mastered every move he showed me, I was drenched in sweat and completely exhausted. After a quick rinse, Miguel wrapped me tightly in a massive, fluffy towel. "Don't catch a cold. Let's go get some food." I offered a tired smile. "Okay." By the time we walked out of the dark, empty gym hand-in-hand, the sun had completely set. The System buzzed happily. "Congratulations, Host. Mission accomplished. Please claim your rewards." "Defense stat +10. Applied." "Defense stat +10. Applied." A total of twenty defense points. Not bad at all. I felt significantly safer walking out into the night. 10 Miguel took me out for a massive steak dinner. Once we were completely stuffed, he drove me back to my sprawling estate. Standing right by the front gates, he pulled me in, demanding a kiss. I went up on my tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. I tried to pull away, but his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me flush against him. What followed was a deep, breathless, soul-stealing kiss. By the time I finally stumbled inside, my mom was practically waiting by the door. "Hazel, who was that stunning man dropping you off? A new boyfriend? Why on earth didn't you invite him inside?" She saw everything. I scrambled for an excuse. "That's the new bodyguard I hired." "Oh... just a bodyguard." My mom sounded visibly disappointed. She tried a different angle. "Well, since you're single, how about I set you up on some blind dates?" "No thanks," I waved her off, practically running for the private elevator. "Mom, I'm exhausted. Going to bed. You should sleep too." Between the intense training and the non-stop "conquering" of Miguel, my legs felt like jelly. The last thing I wanted was a blind date. I face-planted into bed and slept like the dead. I slept so hard I completely missed the string of late-night texts Miguel fired off. [Are you asleep?] [I can't sleep.] [Thinking about you.] [Every time I close my eyes, you're right there.] [You looked incredible today. Completely intoxicating.] [I can't get enough of you.] [What time are you leaving tomorrow? I'm coming to pick you up.] He even sent a short video of himself casually wiping sweat off his abs. When I opened it the next morning, I almost dropped my phone. The chest. The V-line. It was a masterpiece. The System chimed in, munching on digital popcorn. "Oh, he has got it bad for you." I picked up my phone and silently watched the video three more times. After showering and picking out an outfit, I headed downstairs for breakfast. To my shock, Miguel was already sitting in our opulent living room. He was wearing a sharp, tailored black suit and dark sunglasses, looking like something out of a James Bond movie. With his broad shoulders and towering height, the suit made him look incredibly elegant, distant, and intimidatingly professional. But it was all a facade. Only I knew how wild and feral the man beneath the tailored wool really was. My mom was beaming at him. "Hazel, I just had the loveliest chat with Mr. Sinclair here. Knowing he's looking after you makes me feel so much better. I told him he can keep his apartment rent-free permanently. I'm taking it off the market." "Great." I nodded, grabbing a piece of toast. After breakfast, Miguel drove me to the Downtown Studio for rehearsals. He didn't have training today, so he was on full-time bodyguard duty. While I danced, he sat quietly in the corner, his dark eyes tracking my every move. When practice wrapped, I walked over, panting, and took the water bottle he held out for me. His eyes were blazing as his large hand settled casually on my waist. "Hazel, it makes sense now. You're a dancer. That's why you're so unbelievably flexible." The System had absolutely zero chill. "Location: Dance Studio. Prop: Wall-length mirror. Action: Conquer. Reward: Defense points. Do we have an understanding, Host?" Yeah. I understood perfectly. Over the next few weeks, my Defense stat rocketed from 20 to 80. But a gnawing anxiety was building in my chest. I couldn't shake the creeping sensation that eyes were watching me from the shadows. 11 Before I knew it, it was the night of Tedd's massive arena tour. I was scheduled to lead the opening number and perform a solo during the grand finale. After wrapping up the explosive opening act, I had a brutal two-hour wait in my private dressing room. Miguel had been my shadow all day. As soon as the opening act ended, I practically sprinted back to my room. I was wearing a gorgeous, glittering mermaid-style gown, but I needed to change out of it for the intermission. I stepped behind the velvet privacy curtain to unzip it, but I couldn't reach the clasp between my shoulder blades. I pulled the curtain back just a fraction and peeked out. I curled a finger at Miguel. "Hey. Come help me with this zipper." Miguel had been slouching in a leather armchair. He stood up instantly and closed the distance. He stepped up behind me. He was a full head taller. He rested his chin softly on the top of my head, and his arms wrapped securely around my waist. His dark eyes met mine in the reflection of the vanity mirror. The air in the tiny space crackled with electricity. He lowered his head, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. "Hazel, you are an absolute vision." The stubble on his jaw tickled my neck. I squirmed slightly in his grip. "Funny you say that. The solo I'm performing tonight is literally titled 'The Vision.'" Miguel's voice dropped to a dangerous rasp. "Stop moving. If you keep grinding against me, I can't guarantee I'm going to behave." I stood perfectly still, a smirk playing on my lips. "Just unzip the dress. I need to change." "Right." The zipper slid down, exposing the smooth, pale skin of my back to his burning gaze. The sight of it shattered whatever restraint he had left. "I'm going to go find some ice water." Miguel gritted his teeth, tearing his eyes away and turning to leave the changing area. The System screeched. "Emergency Mission: Perform a private dance for Miguel in this dressing room." My eyes widened. What? Right here? Behind the curtain? There was barely enough room to spin, let alone do an actual routine. While I hesitated, the System added, "The reward tonight is a massive Defense boost. You are going to need it, Host. If you fail this mission, you will regret it for the rest of your life." The sinister warning made my blood run cold. Was the System trying to tell me I was going to be attacked tonight? My Defense stat was sitting at 80. I just needed 20 more points to max it out. Now was not the time to play it safe. I grabbed Miguel's wrist before he could pull the curtain aside. "Wait. Don't go." Miguel turned back, his eyes dark and heavy with unspoken desire. "What? I thought you were changing." I went up on my tiptoes, pressing my lips dangerously close to his ear. "Do you want to see me dance?" Before the words even left my mouth, a massive, scalding-hot hand gripped my waist. "Yes." 12 "The Vision" was a highly emotional, sensual contemporary piece designed to be performed alongside Tedd playing a grand piano. The entire premise of the routine required the dancer to use every ounce of her allure to tempt and seduce Tedd while he played. Tedd was the biggest pop star in the country. His brand was built on being the cool, untouchable prince. The choreography was supposed to show him remaining completely unfazed while a breathtaking siren tried to break his focus. The small velvet loveseat in the changing area became the piano. Miguel sat down heavily on the cushions. I pulled out my phone and hit play on the instrumental track. Miguel reached up and loosened his black silk tie, his eyes locked onto my body as I began to move. Every beat, every sway of my hips, every agonizingly slow body roll felt like I was plucking the strings of his sanity. As the music swelled to a climax, the cold, composed bodyguard persona completely shattered. His eyes were practically black. "You're going to go out there and do this right in front of Tedd?" I nodded slowly, still holding a pose. "Yeah." He let out a low, rough breath. "I'm going to lose my mind with jealousy. You're going to have to make it up to me." "I will," I whispered, closing the distance and throwing everything I had into keeping him happy. It worked flawlessly. I lost track of time. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Panic seized me. I threw myself into Miguel's arms, my voice trembling. "Someone's coming." "Relax. Why are you shaking?" Miguel's lips curled into an arrogant smirk. How was I supposed to relax? The heavy dressing room door swung open, and Tedd's voice filled the room. "Hazel? Are you in here?" The velvet curtain of the changing area didn't touch the floor. There was a two-inch gap at the bottom. If he looked closely, he would see four feet instead of two. My heart hammered against my ribs. I forced my voice to sound casual, though it shook slightly. "I'm changing! Do you need something?" "You dropped an earring during the opening number. One of the stagehands found it. I figured I'd bring it to you before I have to go back on." Tedd's footsteps moved closer to the velvet curtain.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "530548", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel