Master of Lust

While Rick was playing the invisible game, Evelina diverted her attention to his rabbit. Unbeknownst to her, Rick was eyeing her from the sidelines, totally taken by her infectious and radiant smile.

Out of Rick's sight, Evelina's cool facade vanished, showcasing her genuine beauty. Rick found himself hooked by her allure—her dazzling smile, those sparkling eyes lighting up with every word she uttered.

For a fleeting moment, a desire to touch her smiling lips and feel the warmth of her skin welled up within him, but he knew he had only a limited amount of time to work with. So he couldn't afford to linger too long in the shadows.

With time running out, Rick decided it was time to roll the dice. He sauntered away from the enchanting scene of Evelina and the bunny, heading for the colossal iron door. His heart was drumming in his chest as he stretched out his hand, fully expecting to glide through it like a phantom. Yet, much to his shock, his hand smacked into chilly, unyielding metal, and he was stuck in place.

That darn door refused to budge, shrugging off all his ghostly antics.

Rick's face twisted into a scowl, his brow knitted in fierce determination as he tried to muster the mojo of the Ethereal Phasing skill. He could feel frustration and anxiety building, but quitting wasn't in Rick's vocabulary.

He closed his eyes and focused, feeling a rush of energy surge through him. As he concentrated harder, he began to sense the door's resistance slowly give way.

In an instant, the colossal iron door appeared to dissolve right before him. He staggered forward, a wild mix of exhilaration and confusion making his heart race. For a moment, it seemed like he might end up eating dirt, but with a series of clumsy, wobbly moves, he managed to get a grip and avoid an undignified face-plant.

As he opened his eyes, he found himself in a bright, unfamiliar room, his vision struggling to adjust to the sudden change in lighting.He, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a starkly different environment.

The room he now stood in was brilliantly illuminated, and his eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. Rick blinked several times as his eyes tried to accommodate. His surroundings were a stark contrast to the dark, damp cave he had just left behind.

Once Rick's eyes acclimated to the sudden burst of light, he was greeted by a sight that knocked him off his invisible feet. It wasn't the lighting that had him gobsmacked, but the jaw-dropping vision of a ginormous stash of gold bars meticulously lined up in the chamber. In total disbelief, he soaked in the splendor of countless bars, each one gleaming and sparkling like a jackpot dream come true.

His jaw hung so low you'd think it was auditioning for a limbo contest.

But the gold bars were just the appetizer, it seemed. Rick's eyes were on a never-ending bonanza of riches. As his peepers wandered through the chamber, he stumbled upon a mesmerizing assortment of fancy bling-bling, priceless gemstones, sparkling rocks, and lustrous pearls. It was like a bottomless pit of wealth, a jackpot so colossal it felt like it went on forever.

"Holy moly!" Rick whispered to himself, the gravity of his discovery smacking him like a sledgehammer. He could practically see the greenbacks dancing before his eyes. His heart was doing the cha-cha with pure exhilaration. It was the mother lode of all mother lodes, a treasure trove that could flip his life upside down.

But Rick wasn't about to dilly-dally. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't spare a second to bask in his newfound wealth.

Rick took a swift gander at the scene and grasped the situation pronto. He had to hustle, snatch up as much loot as he could before any other nosy folks, especially Evelina, stumbled upon this mother lode. He wasn't buying into her yarn about owning this place, no way.

He knew the cave and this room were certainly not Evelina's property. Her claims about her family's ownership were probably just a bluff. It was time to make like a vacuum cleaner and start collecting.

Rick kicked into high gear, operating at turbo speed. Gold bars disappeared into the inventory of his system. Then, he set his sights on the treasure trove of bling-bling, pocketing diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, necklaces, rings—you name it. It was like a high-stakes shopping spree, and Rick was the sole customer. Each piece he grabbed was a ticket to fortune.

"It's a Jackpot!" Rick murmured in utter disbelief as he hustled to stockpile the treasure. His focus was laser-sharp, and every gem and bauble he snatched up amplified his excitement.

But Rick wasn't about to kick back and take it easy. He sensed the clock ticking away. The urgency to safeguard the loot pumped through his veins. He was riding high on luck, but he wasn't about to push his fortune by sticking around too long.

Sharing this epic score with Evelina? Not even on Rick's radar. In his book, this cave and its riches were his by divine right, and any thoughts of tossing a bone to Evelina were pure benevolence on his part. And he was already willing to give Evelina that plant, wasn't he? She should be grateful about that.

Once he'd discreetly squirrelled away the obscene wealth in his trusty bag and every available pocket, a wave of relief swept through him. His shoulders dropped, and he let out a sigh that felt like it could deflate a balloon. The tension that had clung to him like a bad smell throughout his treasure hunt was finally history.

Turning his attention back to the massive iron gate contemplating if there was a way to open it. But Rick couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment when he saw another black screen on the wall, by the gate.

"Oh, give me a break, not another blasted password," he grumbled, his annoyance plastered all over his face. He sauntered up to the gate and started scouring for any breadcrumbs that could point him in the direction of that elusive password.

However, Rick's luck took a turn for the better, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips when he spotted a white piece of paper affixed just below that dreaded black screen. The password was there in all its glory, written boldly in black ink.

[Password: Mamma-Mia-Heist]

The letters announced, as if daring any thief to crack the code.

A little chuckle bubbled up from Rick, and he shook his head, finding it hard to believe the almost comically straightforward password. "You've got to be kidding me," he murmured with a wry grin. The sheer irony of the password to be something as basic as that, guarding a treasure hoard of this magnitude wasn't lost on him.

"Who in their right mind would stick the password right under our noses?" Rick muttered, almost feeling a twinge of sympathy for the former owner of this loot.

No time to ponder the password mystery, though. He wasted no time and punched it in, each key press resonating through the cavernous chamber. When he tapped that final "T," the colossal iron gate came alive, shaking with a thunderous thud that echoed through the chamber. Gradually and oh-so-dramatically, the massive iron gate creaked and groaned, inching open.

The door's groaning song came to a halt, revealing a jaw-dropping sight. There sat Evelina, holding the rabbit in her arms, her face an intriguing blend of astonishment and disbelief, her wide eyes locked onto Rick.

"Wha... What? How?" Evelina spluttered, utterly flabbergasted by Rick's unexpected return and the gate's mysterious opening.

Rick walked through the now-ajar iron gate, his eyes briefly darting between Evelina and the treasure. "Well, looks like I found the way in. A bit tricky, but we're good now," he said, trying to maintain his cool despite the suspense hanging in the air.

Evelina's gaze turned skeptical as she grappled with the unfolding scenario. "What's the deal? What did you do?"

Rick played it cool, his shoulders lifting in a casual shrug. "Come on, can't spill all the beans. Gotta keep a few secrets for the thrill of it."

Evelina's brow furrowed in disbelief. "You mean to tell me you just swanned into this place like it was a walk in the park?"

"Sort of," Rick replied, flashing a grin while attempting to hide the inkling of guilt that was creeping up on him.

Evelina's look shifted from astonishment to a cocktail of bewilderment and doubt. "And what about the door? How did you open it? Did you find the password?" she probed, her gaze locked onto Rick's face, hunting for any telltale signs of mischief.

Rick sported a self-satisfied grin as he leaned casually against the iron gate. "Simple, really. I just had to channel my inner genius, get inside the mind of whoever designed this labyrinth, and voilà! The password was mine."

Evelina's eyes widened with realization. "Wait, you found a password written in there, didn't you?"

"Yes there was,"

And with that Evelina nodded, gently placing the rabbit down before stepping into the room. Just as she neared Rick, he sidestepped and, with a grin, interjected.

"That smile suits you, you know. You look beautiful wearing it."

"..."

"What? Did I leave you speechless?"

"Is your heart racing?"

"Are you falling for..."

"1 million bucks... I'll dock you a million if you keep going like this. It's sexual harassment by company standards."

"Company standards?"

"Yeah, company standards. Keep it up, and you'll be unemployable. Now, let's get a move on."

With that, Evelina pushed forward, leaving Rick somewhat bewildered. Had his charm worn off? Rick couldn't help but wonder.

Little did he know, Evelina was blushing, her heart racing, as she made a hasty exit from the scene.

* * * * *