Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165: “Small bedroom → Big Plans"

Mom was watching us with that secret softness she hated us catching. Even after felony charges, viral videos, and me turning our high school into Fight Club Lite—she still saw us as hers. Still thought pasta could exorcise demons.

Madison leaned close. "ARIA’s being suspiciously quiet. Did you mute her?" I had shared my other earbud with her.

"She’s either calculating forex or silently judging this dinner. Both are on brand."

"Your AI... judges people... I saw how she did it at La Cherry."

"Constantly. She thinks Tommy’s BMI is a crime against data storage."

Madison froze mid-bite. "Wait, she WHAT?"

"Relax," I said. "She also thinks Elon Musk is a glorified Reddit mod, so you’re in good company since she hasn’t said anything about you, maybe she’s maybe trying to get on your good side."

"Wow," Madison smirked. "Definitely takes after her creator."

"Harsh but fair."

Dinner carried on, jokes stacking over the unspoken. Like drywall over cracks. Everyone laughing because the alternative was remembering the room was basically radioactive.

Tonight, I’d deal with Luna. With Tommy’s future. Tomorrow comes with Sterling’s courtroom circus. Tonight? I had this. Pasta, family, and a girlfriend who turned my clearance-rack life into luxury branding.

Then Mom’s voice cut through the air again. "Peter."

The table froze. Even Tommy’s chewing. That’s how you know shit’s serious—Tommy paused mid-carb.

"I want you to know I’m proud of you."

The silence was biblical.

"Not for the violence," she said, locking eyes. "Never for that. But for protecting your sister. For standing when it mattered. That took courage."

"...Thanks, Mom."

"But if you ever do something that suicidal without thinking again, I’ll ground you till you’re thirty."

"Copy that."

"Good." She clapped like a judge ending court. "Now. Who wants dessert? I stress-baked three pies."

Tommy’s hand shot up like a fire alarm, his shoulder nearly dislocated. "ME. Always me!"

And just like that—we were back. Not normal, but our brand of normal: scarred, sarcastic, pie-fueled survival.

After dessert—Tommy eating like the pie owed him money—I nodded upstairs.

"Come on. We gotta talk."

"About?" he asked through a mouthful.

"About the thing that’s gonna flip your life upside down, yeah."

Madison kissed my cheek. "Go make him a millionaire." Of course there is nothing i do that she does not know about... okay most. I’ll help your mom with dishes. Play Batman and Robin with your bestie."

Tommy followed me upstairs, wheezing like he’d just finished the Boston Marathon instead of climbing thirteen stairs with three lasagnas inside him.

"Bro, your girlfriend just casually mentioned making me rich like it’s Taco Tuesday. Do you hear the words coming out of her mouth, or are you just immune now?"

"Welcome to my new normal," I said, shutting my bedroom door.

He collapsed into my desk chair. The chair audibly cried for help. "Okay, no bullshit—what the fuck happened to you? One week ago you were basically high school wallpaper. Now you’re dating Gotham’s trust fund princess and speedrunning criminal records like it’s a side quest."

I sat on my bed, considering how much truth he could handle without either fainting or calling a priest.

Tommy wasn’t just a friend; he was the friend. The kid who once tried to fight a playground bully with a broken Pokémon card. Ride-or-die since kindergarten. He deserved at least a peek behind the curtain.

"Remember when you said I’d need cheat codes to level up?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Found some. Can’t explain how, but I’m stronger, smarter, sharper. Like the universe finally stopped nerfing me."

Tommy squinted. "This isn’t some Fight Club shit, right? Like I’m Tyler Durden and you’ve got a brain tumor telling you to punch faculty?"

"No, dipshit. Still me. Just... upgraded."

"And these upgrades come with a ’make Tommy stupid rich’ DLC?"

"Among other things." I leaned forward. "But before I explain—do you trust me?"

Tommy blinked like I’d just asked if he wanted fries with that. "Bro. I literally sprinted into a police station for you today. I’d trust you with my Netflix and browser passwords."

"That’s actually touching. Especially since your anime watch history..."

"Don’t push it."

I grinned. "Here’s the deal. I can build something—software worth millions. But I can’t put my name on it. Too much heat. I need you to be the face. The boy genius. The Mark Zuckerberg before he turned lizard."

Tommy’s chair creaked as he sat back. "Wait, hold up. You’re telling me you’ve got Tony Stark’s brain now, and you’re just handing me the credit?"

"Exactly. You play genius, I run the code, we split the money. Clean. Easy. Untouchable."

His jaw worked like he was trying to chew the concept. "Peter, that sounds insane."

"My life is insane now. This is me stabilizing. This is me taking care of my people. You showed up when it counted and you have always been there with me. Now let me return the favor."

He went quiet. Pacing my room like a caged zoo exhibit. Then he stopped dead. "Okay... but what kind of software are we talking here? Don’t say Minesweeper 2.0."

"Shut up." He wiped his face quick, like feelings were contagious. "So what—you’re telling me I just sit there and pretend I coded the next digital nuke?"

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify