Ultimate Cash System-Chapter 177: Lana Rhodes.

After Jennifer left, Lana smiled and waved goodbye to her, then turned to Lukas with a teasing smirk.

"Well, Mr. Celebrity," she said, nudging him lightly with her elbow, "ready to go back to boring lectures and professors who don’t care if you’re a Nike model?"

Lukas laughed. "Hey, I’m still a student, remember? Fame can wait."

They started walking together, heading back to the lecture halls. Lana carried her half-eaten sandwich in one hand, nibbling now and then as they walked under the golden afternoon sun.

"You know," Lukas said with a grin, "if you take Jennifer up on that offer, you might just end up a supermodel. Hollywood might be calling."

Lana rolled her eyes and giggled. "Please. Me? A supermodel? I can barely stand still for a photo without blinking."

"You’re already halfway there, you know. Tall, pretty, elegant, and now discovered by a big-time actress."

Lana shook her head, the smile still on her lips. "Thanks, but I’ve always wanted something simpler."

Lukas raised an eyebrow. "Simpler? What’s simpler than fame and fortune handed to you on a silver platter?"

"A corporate job," she replied, looking ahead, her tone softer now. "Nine to five. Office desk. Regular colleagues. Deadlines. PowerPoint slides."

Lukas blinked. "You’re serious?"

"Totally. My dad used to work a regular job, you know? Nine to five, wore the same five shirts in rotation, brought lunch in a Tupperware. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was... steady. Normal."

"What about your mom?"

Lana hesitated for a moment, then sighed with a short laugh. "She’s a bit... different. A former adult star, actually. Still in the business, kind of. I don’t really talk about it much."

Lukas didn’t know what to say for a second. "Oh. Sorry."

"Don’t be," Lana said quickly, brushing it off. "She’s happy doing what she does, I guess. But I always wanted something opposite. Something grounded."

He nodded. "That makes sense."

They reached the steps of the building and paused for a second. The wind rustled through the trees above, and the buzz of students echoed through the quad.

"I think you’d be great at anything," Lukas said honestly. "Even the corporate grind. Maybe especially that."

Lana smiled, this time a bit more sincerely. "Thanks, Luke. Now come on, let’s go; we’re normal students now."

And with that, they walked into the building together, blending into the crowd like just another pair of college kids—despite being anything but ordinary.

As they walked out of the campus building, the sun had mellowed into an early afternoon glow. Students buzzed across the green lawns of Princeton, but Lana and Lukas walked a bit slower, enjoying the moment. Lana was still smiling from their conversation about her dream of a regular 9-to-5 life. She looked up at Lukas, who had been strangely quiet for a minute.

"You know," Lukas began, his tone thoughtful, "I’ve been thinking. You always talk about wanting to keep things normal, structured... And you’re one of the best finance minds I know."

Lana blinked. "Thanks? That’s oddly flattering."

He smirked. "No, I mean it. You’re in Princeton, top of your class, brilliant with numbers, organized as hell, and—bonus—you don’t treat me like I’m some billionaire alien."

She laughed. "Because I’ve known you too long now, I guess, Luke. I know what you used to be in class."

"Exactly," he nodded. "Which is why I want you to consider something. A real offer."

Lana tilted her head. "What kind of offer?"

"To join Facebook," Lukas said plainly.

Lana’s eyes widened. "Wait, what? Your startup?"

"Not just a startup anymore," Lukas said. "It’s growing fast. We’re about to enter our next phase. Not IPO yet, but we’re setting up the real structure. I’ve hired a new CEO from Japan. Her name’s Yaho. Brilliant woman, incredibly sharp, disciplined. But I need someone who can match that energy in finance. Someone who understands both the chaos of startups and the clarity of proper numbers. That’s you, Lana."

Lana stared at him. "You want me to... handle the finances?"

"Exactly. CFO track. You’ll work closely with Yahoo. She’s amazing; you’ll love her. And we need someone who’s not afraid to speak up—someone who can challenge the execs if needed."

Lana was speechless for a moment. The offer felt surreal. Her dream had always been a stable corporate life—but this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to shape one of the world’s future tech giants. She bit her lip.

"I’d have to think about it," she said cautiously, though her eyes were sparkling.

"Take your time," Lukas said, smiling. "But I want someone I trust. Someone who’s not in it for fame or power, but because she knows what she’s doing."

She looked at him for a long moment. "You really believe in me that much?"

"More than anyone," Lukas replied. "You and me, Lana. We build things. We don’t just dream."

Lana exhaled. Maybe her normal wasn’t going to be 9-to-5 after all—but it might still feel like home.

The city lights of Philadelphia glimmered below as the sleek black Mercedes slid through the streets with quiet elegance. Inside, Lukas leaned back comfortably in the leather seat, glancing at Lana, who sat beside him, her thoughts clearly preoccupied.

"Just one dinner," he said with a warm smile. "To convince you."

Lana glanced sideways at him, brows raised. "Convince me of what, Lukas?"

"That you should take the job," he said. "Look, you want to do something stable. Something normal. You love numbers, you’re top of your class at Princeton, and you have the discipline most execs dream of. You’d be working with Yaho, the new CEO from Japan. She’s brilliant and direct; you’ll like her. Plus, she’s a woman of principles."

Lana gave a small, hesitant smile. "You’ve really thought this through."

Lukas nodded, his tone softening. "I know you want the 9-to-5 life. I get it. I just think you deserve to do something that actually values how smart you are. Not to mention, I trust you. With the company growing, I need someone who can handle the numbers without the politics."

Jay and Roy pulled the Mercedes in front of a riverside restaurant with warm lights and an elegant outdoor terrace. The setting sun painted the sky in shades of gold and orange.

During dinner, Lana laughed more than she expected. Lukas kept it light—stories from college, tales about his failed recipes, and a hilarious mix-up with a French investor who thought Lukas was a rapper. He didn’t pressure her again, but he ended the night with a quiet, "120K per year, full flexibility, and I’ll pay for grad school if you ever want to go back. Just think about it."

Lana didn’t speak for a moment, stunned. Then she whispered, "That’s more than my mom ever made in a year."

Lukas leaned forward, his voice gentle. "Then maybe it’s time someone recognized your worth properly."

Jay opened the door for them as they returned to the car. Lana looked out over the river for a long time before finally murmuring, "I’ll think about it."

Lukas smiled quietly, knowing that was all he needed for now.

As Lukas walked Lana to her door after the dinner, he kept the mood light, cracking a few harmless jokes about how she’d soon be running the financial world from his corner office. Lana laughed, still processing the generous $120K annual job offer. Her gaze flickered with uncertainty, though a blush lingered on her cheeks.

Just as she was about to thank him again and say goodnight, the door opened.

Out walked a woman in a tight white blouse and flowing silk skirt, lighting a cigarette with an elegance that came naturally to someone used to cameras. Lukas’s expression froze. His eyes scanned her face, her posture, and the way she tilted her head while checking her phone.

He knew that face.

Lukas had seen her before—not in person, but on the screen of his laptop.

Weeks ago, during one of his bored late-night browsing sessions, his curiosity had led him to a video—tasteful but unmistakably adult—featuring a woman who looked exactly like the one standing before him. It was one of those clips that popped up on forums, supposedly from old niche productions. He hadn’t paid it much thought at the time. But now, standing here in person, there was no mistaking it.

MILF

She looked up and met his eyes. Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. It wasn’t the look of someone meeting a stranger. There was a flicker of recognition—or maybe just a sense. Mothers could tell when something was off.

"Oh, you must be Lukas," she said, exhaling a slow plume of smoke.

Lana’s face turned pale in an instant. She glanced between Lukas and her mother, visibly nervous.

"Yeah... I should probably get going," Lukas said quickly, the confident smirk from earlier now replaced by an awkward half-smile.

"Thanks for the dinner, Lana. And... nice meeting you, ma’am."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked back toward the waiting Mercedes, where Jay was already holding the door open. The ride back to his Philadelphia suite was quiet. Lukas stared out the tinted window, processing what just happened. It wasn’t judgment—not exactly. But the surprise, the awkwardness—it was real.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Lana’s eyes, how she seemed caught between two very different worlds. Maybe that’s why she always said she wanted a normal life. A 9-to-5. Maybe that’s why she studied finance like it was her ticket to stability. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Back in his suite, Lukas loosened his tie and sat down heavily on the couch. He had seen and done a lot in life—fame, money, luxury. But this? This was the first time he realized how thin the lines could be between worlds people try to keep separate.