Chapter 136: This Is Duress!
Hugo lay sprawled on his bed, his face stretched into the kind of wide, toothy grin that would've made even the Joker nervous.
It wasn't just any smile. Oh no. This was a grin of pure, unfiltered satisfaction—the kind of smile you'd only expect to see on someone who'd just won the lottery, defeated a lifelong rival, or successfully eaten an entire family-sized pizza by themselves.
Hugo's grin was so unnervingly wide it almost hurt his cheeks.
His mind raced with ridiculous situations that could explain such an expression. Maybe he'd just stumbled upon an ancient treasure map under his bed.
Or perhaps he'd single-handedly tamed a wild lion and brought it home as a pet. Or maybe—just maybe—he'd unlocked some divine power that granted him the ability to summon unlimited fried chicken.
But no, none of those things compared to what had actually happened.
The memory of last night's victory played on repeat in his head like his favourite theme song.
Hugo sat up slightly, his grin widening—if that was even possible. "I did it," he whispered to himself, his voice trembling with pride.
"I'm not a boy anymore. I'm a man. No, scratch that—I'm a legend!" He laughed softly, imagining his face carved into a mountain, right next to the likes of historical heroes.
"Move over, Collins. Step aside, Sanchez. There's a new sheriff in town, and his name is Hugo the Conqueror!"
He paused for a moment, his grin faltering slightly as reality hit him. "Okay, okay. Maybe I'm not quite there yet," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. "But still… I'm on my way!"
His gaze drifted to the sleeping figure beside him—Lisa. She was curled up, her hair a mess, her peaceful face glowing in the morning light.
A flood of memories from last night crashed over Hugo, and he had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing too loudly.
The way Lisa had looked at him, the wild things she'd said, the sounds she'd made… it all replayed in his mind like a movie montage, and he couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.
'Man, she was something else,' Hugo thought, shaking his head in disbelief. He glanced at her again, his grin now accompanied by a faint blush.
'How did I even get this lucky? A girl like her… with a guy like me?' He let out a breathy laugh, still not entirely convinced he wasn't dreaming.
Lisa stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked a few times, her sleepy gaze meeting his. "Buenos días," she murmured, her voice soft and warm.
Without warning, she leaned over and kissed him, a slow, deep kiss that made Hugo's brain short-circuit.
Hugo's chest puffed with pride. Buenos días. He quickly translated it in his head: Good morning.
But when he remembered the other things she'd whispered to him in Spanish last night, his ego practically skyrocketed. 'She said I was amazing… I am amazing!' he thought.
His body responded to the memory, and Hugo blinked down in surprise, mumbling, "Not now, buddy. Stay calm."
Lisa stretched lazily, arching her back as she sat up. Hugo's jaw nearly hit the floor. Her naked figure, bathed in the soft morning light, looked like something out of a dream.
He stared, completely mesmerized. 'She's… perfect,' he thought, his heart pounding. 'How did I… how did I pull this off?!'
She got up and walked to the bathroom, and Hugo's eyes followed her every step. As the door closed behind her, he flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression.
"I've peaked," he whispered. "There's no way life gets better than this."
When Lisa returned, she climbed back into bed and snuggled up beside him. "We should really get dressed," she said with a playful smile.
"Should we, though?" Hugo teased, wrapping an arm around her. "The world can wait."
They laughed together, enjoying the lazy morning, but then Lisa's expression grew serious.
She leaned in close, her breath tickling his ear. "Hugo," she whispered. "Promise me something."
Hugo blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… sure?"
Lisa pulled back slightly, her gaze locking onto his. "Promise me you won't stare at any other girls behind my back."
Hugo's mind went into overdrive. Was that even possible? Images of himself accidentally glancing at random strangers on the street flashed through his head.
'What?! How am I supposed to promise that? he thought. Staring happens! It's like… a reflex! You don't even mean to do it sometimes! I mean to do it all the times!'
But he nodded, putting on his most sincere face. "Of course, I promise!" he said, quickly crossing his fingers behind his back. Stay connected through empire
Lisa seemed satisfied, but then she added, "And another thing… promise me you won't watch those… movies or look at 3D girls behind my back either."
Hugo's eyes widened. "Wait, what?!" he blurted out. "You mean… no anime? No… cultural documentaries? But—but those are educational! It's art! I'm broadening my horizons!"
Lisa wasn't buying it. She leaned in, her smile sweet but her eyes dangerously sharp. Then, without warning, her hand shot down, and she grabbed him in a very vulnerable spot.
Hugo's entire body froze as she applied just enough pressure to make her point.
"Promise," she said, her voice still sweet, but her grip anything but.
Hugo's mind screamed in panic. 'This is duress! No, it's worse—this is outright torture! Can I call a lawyer? Do I even get a say in this?!'
But all he managed to squeak out was, "Okay! Okay, I promise!"
Lisa released him, patting his cheek like he was a good boy. "Good," she said, planting a quick kiss on his forehead.
Hugo lay there, clutching the sheets like they were his lifeline. "I need to read the fine print in these relationship contracts..."
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Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
200 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle - 20 Bonus Chapters!