A beam of sunlight stabbed through the gap in my curtains, hitting me right in the eyes. Damn it. Can't a guy catch a break? I groaned, rubbing my face. After busting my ass at the warehouse yesterday, I was dead tired. All I wanted was a decent night's sleep, but even that seemed too much to ask.
I dragged myself out of bed, squinting as I made my way to the window. The thin curtains flapped in the breeze, barely doing their job. I really needed to get a better place. This one-bedroom apartment was a dump, but it's what you get when you're paying six hundred bucks in the worst part of town. No wonder my sleep's always trashed.
As I reached for the window, I caught a glimpse of my reflection—and froze.
What the hell?
For a moment, I didn't recognize the face staring back at me. Skinny, tall, messy hair, bright blue eyes... Wait. This isn't my body. Panic surged through me, and I bolted to the mirror, my heart hammering in my chest.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
This wasn't my room. This wasn't even my apartment. I spun around, eyes wide, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. My hands shook as I ran them through my hair, confirming it was the same unkempt mess I had back in high school.
Knock, knock.
"Ethan Rush, you've got school in half an hour! Get your ass out of bed!"
That voice—I hadn't heard it in years. My legs went weak, and I grabbed onto the sink to steady myself. My mom's voice. What the hell is going on? My mind was racing, a torrent of thoughts crashing into each other as I struggled to process everything.
Taking deep breaths, I forced myself to focus. I dashed into the washroom, splashing cold water on my face, hoping I'd snap out of whatever nightmare this was. But the reflection staring back at me was undeniably familiar—me at seventeen. Tall, lanky, with unruly hair that never seemed to stay put. My senior year of high school.
This isn't possible. The last thing I remember was dragging myself home after a grueling shift at Amazon. I was sick, exhausted, barely holding it together. I coughed up blood that morning and still went in to work. I even remember thinking, "I wish I were dead." Well, I guess that wish was granted, but not exactly how I expected.
I'm alive... and somehow, I've gone back in time.
Be careful what you wish for.
A sudden ding rang in my ears, making me jump. A robotic voice echoed in my head.
"System activation in progress. 90%... 95%... 100%..."
What the hell? I blinked, feeling a strange sensation wash over me, like I was inside some kind of video game. Text appeared in front of my eyes, hovering in midair.
[Wealth System Activated]
No way. This has to be some kind of prank, right? I'd read online novels with stuff like this, but this? This is real life. Overwhelmed, I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. What is happening?
Host Identified: Ethan Rush
Age: 17
Money: $20
Quest: Invest $1000 in Bitcoin
Deadline: 1 Month
Reward: 100 Bitcoins
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. I stood there, staring at the screen in disbelief. Bitcoin in 2020? My mind raced. If I remember correctly, one Bitcoin was worth around $40,000 this September. If this system is legit and it rewards me with 100 Bitcoins... I'd be sitting on four million dollars.
Holy shit. This can't be real.
But if it is... I'm about to become a millionaire.
A wide grin spread across my face, the sheer absurdity of the situation making me laugh out loud. This is insane, but I don't care. I've been given a second chance. There's no way I'm screwing this up.
I need a job. Fast.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I rushed to the shower, the icy water jolting me fully awake. As I scrubbed away the last remnants of sleep, I couldn't help but let the reality sink in. My parents are alive. I'm seventeen again. I have a freaking wealth system.
This time, I'm going to live without regrets. No more scraping by, no more dead-end jobs. I'm going to enjoy this life to the fullest and do things right.
A voice echoed from the hallway. "Ethan! Breakfast is ready, hurry up!"
I couldn't help but smile. "Coming, Mom!"
This is my new reality, and I'm ready for it. Time to get started.