Alwin and Mary were honest people, they strongly believed there were no shortcuts in life. So, when they heard Ace ask to buy another lottery ticket, the happiness of winning $35,000 diminished and they grew worried that this experience might send their son astray. Mary was starting to regret her decision.
"Fine, I will go bring the car around," Seeing the worry written all over his parent's face, Ace threw his hands up in the air feeling helpless. Before leaving he turned to look at the cashier and pointing at the $10,000 reward scratch-off lottery ticket, he said, "You are in luck. Buy this one, if you want to take a chance."
"Sure kid," the cashier did not take Ace's words seriously as he only had $5 on him.
Seeing their son not insist on buying another lottery ticket, Alwin and Mary sighed in relief. Turning to the cashier they inquired about how to claim the reward money.
…
Walking to the parking area of the mart, Ace noticed that the gas station across the road was noisy. When he glanced over there he saw a familiar figure. It was Mike, the thug who had turned these last few weeks of Ace's school life a hell. Mike wasn't alone, he seemed to be with goons from the 9Ks on some gang business. Ace was surprised he would run into Mike here of all places. They might really be destined foes.
Controlling his emotions, Ace turned his gaze and hurried to the car. Thinking Mike was lucky that he was here with his parents. Feeling her master's turbulent emotions, Dame Wasp asked, "Master, what's wrong?"
"Rose, do you see the guy in the red hoodie at the gas station across the road? I need you to go over there and hack into his smartphone. Such that, you track his whereabouts and spy on him using its microphone and camera functions," Ace ordered Dame Wasp, without explaining why.
Dame Wasp didn't need to be ordered twice. In her 1/100th form, she easily slipped into Mike's pocket and transformed her cybernetic braid into a data jack to hack into his smartphone through its USB port. By the time Ace entered the car and drove it to the front of the mart, she had completed the mission and returned to his side.
"Master, all done," Dame Wasp reported, landing on Ace's left shoulder.
"Good. Now, I will lend you my senses. Eavesdrop on Mike and inform me of what he is up to. Also, go through his files and see if you can find anything incriminating," Ace instructed Dame Wasp. He then moved from the driver's seat to the back, observing his parents as they walked out of the mart and headed toward the car.
"I thought you wanted to drive," Alwin asked his son, seeing him seated at the back.
"I am feeling sleep, you drive," Ace made an excuse, only to hear his mother say, "How are you sleepy, shouldn't you be too excited to sleep? After all, you did just win $35,000."
"What's the point of being excited? When I know I won't get a penny of that money," Ace said with a sigh, leaning back in his seat. Shaking his head, he added, "Besides, after tax, that amount is barely enough to buy a new Camry."
"Al, our son has grown up. He is prioritizing our family's needs over his own," Mary said getting into the passenger seat. Only to hear her husband say, "Well, he shouldn't be. We will put the money in a savings account. So he can use it as a down payment to buy a house when he lands a real job after college."
Alwin's plan was simple: when his son finally landed a stable job after completing his higher studies, he wanted him to use the lottery winnings as a down payment to buy a house. His son would then cover the mortgage payments with his monthly salary. This way, his son would own a house outright before turning thirty, rather than spending his salary on unnecessary items and rent.
Alwin regretted that nobody had advised him to start saving his money early and how to invest it properly with minimal risk. He was simply doing what he thought someone should have done for him. Besides, he didn't need the lottery money. His family's finances were only tight because he was saving most of it for his son's college tuition, his daughter's marriage, and his own retirement.
"Dad, don't go planning my life for me. Just buy a new car and hand this one over to me. That is all I ask of you," Ace knew his father was too proud to use the lottery money he won. So, he pleaded with him to use it. Ace did not know what else to say to convince his father to use the money and not put it in a savings account for him. His dad had too much self-control and was strict about where he spent his money. Otherwise, no man would drive the same beat-up car for decades and not even consider buying a new one.
"I don't know what you guys want to do with the money. But my son just won $35,000, I am going buy something pretty for myself," Mary said, listening to her husband and sons plan for the money. Then, looking at her phone screen, she added in frustration, "What is this girl doing, why isn't she answering my call?"
"Honey, it's late. She might be asleep," Alwin defended his daughter. Mary rolled her eyes at him and remarked, "I have never known her to go to sleep before two in the morning. Is she ignoring my call to binge-watch one of her Eastern dramas?"
"That might be it, Mom," Ace added fuel to the fire.