In a small kitchen, in a humble home, the aroma of beans had become the norm.
It was all they could afford to buy after all, the small room had chipped paint and faded colour.
The furniture was filled with scratches due to the long years of wear and tear, but it did its job.
"Noah, Love, how are the studies going?" Said Caroline Thompson, as she placed a humble plate of beans with a side of old toast
in front of her son.
The concern in her voice was slightly hidden, but Noah caught it.
Noah who was sitting next to his little sister Emily, looked at his mom.
"It's going alright, Mum," Said Noah, although it wasn't going fine at all.
His grades have been plummeting rapidly like a sharp slope, the long hours of work and his girlfriend's recent attitude towards him made it worse.
He didn't want to add to his mum's worries.
"She is dealing with enough, as it is." He thought, glancing at his little sister who was making a smiley face with the toast and beans she had.
Caroline nodded. "Good, son, we're all counting on you."
Noah nodded, feeling a sharp touch of guilt. His family depended on him, but he was doing nothing about it because of a silly promise he had made long ago.
Glancing at his father, David, his eyes sunken showing the load the job has been placing on him. He laboured seven days a week, twelve hours a day. So it was obviously deteriorating his body, in fact, the family weren't always this poor but due to a certain problem, they plummeted to the bottom.
"Aren't you going out today, Noah?" Emily said.
"Yeah, I am," Noah nodded quickly, a tinge of excitement starting to seep into his tone.
He hastily finished his meal, eager to be off.
Today was special in that he had saved for weeks, just to buy a little gift for his girlfriend, Layla.
Nothing great, just a necklace he had found for £50, but more than he'd ever given her before.
Caroline smiled up at him, pride and concern mixed in her eyes, as he rose from the table.
"Take care, Noah, and remember what I said."
"I will, Mother," he said, stooping and pressing a kiss upon her hand.
In anxious anticipation, he quickly climbed the hill up towards Layla's house, his stomach stirring.
He wondered how she would feel upon finding out that he bought a necklace for her.
"Would she be happy?" He pictured her face lighting up with a smile.
But those days were a little different.
Layla had been busier, and the few times Noah tried calling her, she either said that she couldn't talk or replied very late saying that she was really busy studying or something.
"She must be really busy with schoolwork and family stuff." He tried to convince himself, although a certain something in the back of his mind knew otherwise.
But still, he shackled the thought as he continued walking.
Finally, he pulled up to Layla's house, it was a small, modest, very well-kept little house in a quiet neighbourhood.
He had never been inside, as Layla would always make sure they met outside, or in neutrally placed spots.
He took a deep breath, raising his hand to knock.
Soon after the door was opened; his eyes were greeted with a beautiful lady, ocean-blue-eyed, with the depth of the sea reflecting in her eyes.
Her looks indicated that she was in her early twenties, but Noah knew that she wasn't.
"It must be Layla's mum because she doesn't have a sister."
Her long light brown hair rippled with soft movement around her shoulders as she moved with the grace of a swan.
"Hello," she smiled at him, and then enquired, "Are you here to study with Layla too? Noah blinked, the shock in his eyes lasting a second.
"Yes, that's me."
"I didn't know she had a study session today, why didn't she let me know"
He sounded casual, though his heart was galloping inside his chest.
"May I come in?"
She smiled further, and a flicker of curiosity danced in her eyes.
"Of course, please, come in. I'm sure Layla is waiting to see you."
Noah went into the house, feeling excitement and apprehension settle over him.
Inside, it was an expensively decorated house, unlike the modesty of the home he was used to.
He was first greeted inside by tasteful art on the walls and the lightest hint of something floral hanging in the air.
Noah stepped into Layla's house.
"Their house is quite different compared to ours." He thought as he looked at the walls which were decorated with art.
The house had a scent of something floral that lingered in the air.
"Is it her smell?" He thought as he looked at Layla's mother.
Layla's mother smiled warmly.
"It's the first room on the floor above," she said, pointing at the staircase.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you guys need anything, the dinner is ready, could you please let Layla know?"
"I will let her know." He nodded.
Noah made his way up the stairs, excited about giving Layla the present he got for her.
After a few steps, he arrived at the door, but as his hand reached for it about to open it.
He heard sounds that made him freeze.
"~~~"
His heart pounded harder with each step.
"This is... Layla." The sounds he heard made his blood turn ice.
A realisation struck him, connecting the dots in a way that made his blood boil from anger.
"She is cheating... on me." He thought, glancing down at the necklace in his hand.
Anger surged through him like a tidal wave. He had worked tirelessly for weeks to afford this small gift, sacrificing so much just to make her happy.
And this was how he was repaid? The sense of betrayal was almost unbearable.
"This is human nature... It's in our genes to betray and hurt others." He thought, but quickly suppressed that emotion not letting it take control, as if it's a monster on a leash.
He was on the verge of bursting into the room to confront her when a robotic voice suddenly echoed in his mind, freezing him in place.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, for binding the Ultimate Choice System!]
Noah's eyes widened as the voice continued, presenting him with a series of options:
Option 1: Enter the room.
[$100 Reward and a green hat]
Option 2: Leave and break up later.
[Rolls Royce Phantom and Basic-Driving Skill Reward]
Option 3: Marry her mom.
[Lamborghini Aventador SVJ & Intermediate-Driving Skill & $10,000 Reward]
Noah looked at the options, his rage slowly died down as a new feeling of amusement replaced it.
"Life is about to become bliss." He muttered silently, with a small smirk on his face.
The absurdity of the choices offered to him felt almost surreal.
He couldn't help but smirk at the options laid out before him.
"~~~"
The noises did not stop while Noah was deciding on what to choose.
"I choose Option 3!" Said Noah.
[Ding! Option 3 Selected. Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is waiting outside. Check your pocket for the keys.]
[Intermediate Driving Skills is Rewarded!]
[$10,000 Deposited into your account. The host does not have to worry about their origins, as the funds are completely legal and traceable.]
Noah's heart skipped a beat.
Reaching into his pocket, he felt something cool and metallic. Pulling it out, he found a sleek luxurious car key with the emblem of a Lamborghini prominently displayed.
The keys seemed to calm the storm inside him.
He took a moment to steady his breath before heading back downstairs with a slight grin.
Approaching the kitchen, where Layla's mother was still busy at the stove.
"Ahem." He coughed, showing his presence.
Sarah looked back.
"Oh, Noah, are you guys ready for dinner?" she said, with a curious look on her face.
Noah forced a smile, his mind already shifting gears.
"Nope, they aren't ready for dinner, but I am." He thought.
"No, they said they are full, by the way I was wondering if you want to go on a ride."
Sarah's eyebrows arched in curiosity.
"A ride? What do you mean?"
"I just bought a new car, and I thought it might be fun to take a spin."
"It's a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. You want to join?"
Sarah's eyes widened slightly, and she seemed taken aback by the offer.
"A Lamborghini? Are you serious?"
"Yup," Noah replied with a reassuring smile. "It's right outside. I promise you'll enjoy it."
She was a die-hard sports car fan. Unfortunately, she couldn't enjoy them at all due to financial reasons.
Facing such an offer, Sarah couldn't resist.
Noah's smile also somewhat dazzled her.
"What's wrong with me? Why am I feeling like this? He is my daughter's age... Although I bore Layla quite young." Sarah thought.
After a moment of hesitation, Sarah's expression softened. She nodded, a hint of excitement showing in her eyes. "Well, how could I say no to that offer? Let's go."
Noah led her outside, the gleaming Lamborghini Aventador SVJ parked by the curb.
The car's sleek, aerodynamic design and its striking, metallic paint made it look like a high-tech marvel. Sarah's eyes widened in awe as they approached.
"It's so beautiful!" she said with excitement.
"Ladies first."
Noah opened the door for her, and she slid into the plush interior, visibly impressed.
He sat on the driver's seat.
"Vroom-Vroom!"
As they drove around the city, Noah and Sarah talked and laughed, the conversation flowing easily as if they were close friends.
The anger and hurt he felt from the betrayal seemed to vanish as he spoke with Sarah in a genuine conversation.
The more he spoke, the more he could see Sarah's initial hesitation of going out with him melting away.
By the time they returned to her home, the mood had shifted.
Sarah's exterior had softened significantly, and she looked at Noah with a new appreciation.
"Thank you for the ride, Noah," she said.
"It's been a while since I've had such a wonderful time."
Noah smiled.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe we can do this again sometime."
Sarah nodded, her smile radiating warmth.
"I'd love to do that."
After dropping Sarah off at her home, he thought about the change his life would experience.
The ride had been interesting, and Sarah's genuine enjoyment had been a pleasant surprise, but now Noah faced a new problem: where to hide the car.
He knew he couldn't take the Lamborghini home. His parents would find the situation too implausible to believe.
The last thing he wanted was for the car to draw unwanted attention or cause unnecessary questions.
As he drove around Birmingham, searching for a solution, his thoughts turned to the $10,000 he had received. He realised he could solve his problem.
The amount was substantial enough to handle the parking situation for a while.
After some consideration, he spotted a secure parking facility in the city around 15 minutes away from his house. It was a high-end lot with surveillance cameras and gated access—a place where he felt the car would be safe.
He pulled into the facility, the Lamborghini gliding smoothly over the polished asphalt as he navigated to the front office.
The attendant greeted him with a polite nod as Noah approached, feeling a mix of excitement.
"I'd like to rent a parking space for a month," Noah said, pulling out his Apple Pay.
The attendant glanced at the car, his eyes widening momentarily before he composed himself.
"That'll be $1,000 for a month's worth of parking."
"Ding!"
The payment went through, as Noah's old and broken iPhone x touched the POS device.
With the transaction complete, Noah carefully parked the Lamborghini in its designated spot, ensuring it was secure.
As he locked the car and walked away, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. The car was now safely parked away, and he had managed to handle the situation without drawing undue attention.
He took one last look at the Lamborghini, its sleek lines gleaming under the facility's lights, and then made his way back to the bus stop.
"You will regret it," He muttered silently.