Kevin's feet dragged along the pavement as he made his way back to his small apartment. The sun had long since set, and the city was bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. Cars passed by, their headlights reflecting off the wet streets, but Kevin barely noticed them. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, confusion. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?
Jenny's words echoed in his mind, her voice filled with regret yet resolute. She had left him for Steve. She had chosen money over love. Kevin clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He hated Steve. He hated how easy life seemed for people like him—people who had everything handed to them on a silver platter while Kevin had to scrape by just to survive.
As he approached the worn-out building he called home, Kevin felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He fumbled with his keys, finally unlocking the door to his tiny one-bedroom apartment. It was cramped and sparsely furnished, but it was home. He collapsed onto his bed, not bothering to take off his shoes. He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling like a storm.
"Why does life have to be so damn hard?" he muttered to himself.
Just as Kevin's eyes began to drift closed, a sudden flash of light appeared in the corner of his vision. His heart leaped in his chest, and he sat up quickly, looking around the room. For a moment, he thought he was imagining things, but then the light appeared again—this time directly in front of him.
Kevin blinked in confusion, his heart pounding. Floating in midair was a translucent screen, glowing softly. It looked like something out of a video game.
"What the…?"
He reached out to touch it, and as soon as his fingers brushed against the screen, it expanded, displaying several lines of text.
[System Activated]
Kevin stared, his mind racing. Was this real? He rubbed his eyes, half-expecting the screen to disappear, but it didn't. Instead, more text began to scroll across the display.
[Congratulations! You have been chosen to receive the Trillionaire System.]
Kevin's jaw dropped. "Trillionaire… System?"
[With this system, you will be given various tasks. Completing these tasks will reward you with abilities and advantages. Additionally, every time you spend money, you will receive 100x cashback on your purchases.]
Kevin's head was spinning. This had to be a joke, right? People didn't just get 'systems' that gave them money and abilities. It sounded like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. But the screen was still there, floating in front of him, glowing with an otherworldly light.
Before Kevin could process what was happening, the screen changed again, displaying a new message.
[Your first task: Buy a meal worth at least $10.]
Kevin blinked in surprise. Buy a meal? That was it?
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open to reveal a crumpled ten-dollar bill. It was the last of his money until his next paycheck. Kevin hesitated. If this whole system thing was some kind of prank, he'd be wasting the only cash he had left.
But something about the glowing screen compelled him to follow through. It felt… real. And besides, what did he have to lose?
Sighing, Kevin stood up and grabbed his jacket. He left his apartment and headed toward the fast-food restaurant down the street. As he walked, the weight of Jenny's betrayal lingered in the back of his mind, but for the first time in hours, he felt a spark of curiosity.
Could this system really do what it claimed?
When Kevin reached the restaurant, he ordered the cheapest combo meal on the menu, paying exactly $10. The moment he handed over the bill, the screen appeared in front of him again.
[Task Complete: $1,000 has been deposited into your account.]
Kevin's heart skipped a beat. He quickly pulled out his phone and opened his banking app. His eyes widened in shock. His balance, which had been just a few dollars before, now showed $1,000.
"No way…"
He had to sit down. His hands were trembling as he stared at the screen. This wasn't just some dream or prank. It was real. The system had actually deposited the money into his account.
And this was only the beginning.