Alex Han stepped out of the bank, his new credit card heavy in his pocket—not just because it was made of metal, but because of the power it symbolized. A credit limit five times his winnings. He wasn't just a guy who lucked into some cash anymore. He was starting to believe his own hype.
"They think you're one of them now," Kofi's voice echoed in his headphones.
"Big money. Big future. All that planning you talked about? Smart. But we've got some play money first."
Alex smirked, already feeling the adrenaline.
"Yeah, yeah. One night. But if you talk me into something crazy, it's on you."
Kofi's laugh crackled through his ears. "Please. What's life without a little crazy?"
Several hours later, Alex found himself inside Neptune's Paradise, a club that dripped luxury. Neon lights flickered in rhythmic pulses, casting eerie glows across VIP tables surrounded by celebrities, influencers, and the city's elite.
He recognized a few faces—movie stars, socialites, athletes—the kind of people who didn't care if the night cost them six figures. This is where I belong, he thought.
"I told you," Kofi said, his voice excited.
"Look around. You're running with the best now."
As the night wore on, Alex's confidence ballooned with every drink. He wasn't just an outsider anymore. The champagne flowed, and the high-rollers laughed loudly at his jokes, shook his hand like they were old friends. He scanned the room, catching the eye of a big-name celebrity sitting just a few tables away. A-list. Billionaire. Somebody who could actually buy Neptune's Paradise without a second thought.
Alex felt Kofi stir in his headphones. "You know who that is, right? Looks like you're in the big leagues now, buddy. But, uh, you're not just gonna let him outshine you, are you?"
Alex looked over at the celebrity, who was ordering a round for his entire section of the club. People cheered, their glasses raised high.
"Why don't you show him how we do things?" Kofi suggested.
"Order a round for everyone. Hell, make it two. Bet you he's never seen someone with your style before."
A dangerous grin spread across Alex's face. He flagged down the nearest server, pointing toward the entire club.
"Yeah. A round for everyone, on me," he said, chest puffing out in pride. He saw the celebrity glance over with a half-smirk, but that just made him want to up the ante.
Kofi egged him on. "That's what I'm talking about. Big moves, Alex! Show them you're not some random guy who hit the lottery."
As the rounds piled up, so did the cheers from the crowd. People were toasting to Alex, slapping him on the back, calling him "legend" like they'd known him for years. He felt invincible, larger than life. The celebrity, not to be outdone, called for another round for everyone in the house.
"Oh, hell no," Alex muttered.
"I'm not backing down."
Alex matched the order with a grin, signaling for another round for the entire club, this time adding extra bottles of champagne for his table. What started as a casual competition escalated into a full-on game of one-upmanship, eventually spilling over into a high-stakes poker match. Celebrities who might have ignored him before now leaned in to shake his hand, flashing wide smiles—or maybe they were laughing; he was too drunk to tell the difference.
"See?" Kofi urged.
"You're owning this place. You're the center of the universe right now."
While the drinks kept coming, Kofi had his own sly agenda. Every time Alex took a sip from one of the many glasses lined up on the table, Kofi—discreetly siphoning off energy from Alex's body—was subtly tasting the booze.
"Mmm… not bad," Kofi murmured in delight, though Alex was too distracted to notice. In fact, whenever Alex put his glass down, he didn't even realize how it was slightly lighter the next time he picked it up. Kofi was playing his own little game, enjoying the human experience a bit too much.
Between Kofi quietly indulging and Alex's light tolerance for alcohol, it didn't take long before the night spiraled out of control. They were lightweights, and Alex had no clue how fast things were adding up.
By the time the club started to empty, Alex and Kofi were in a daze. He barely remembered how many rounds he had ordered, let alone how much each bottle had cost. But it didn't matter—he was the one everyone had been cheering for. He was the one who had made the night unforgettable.
"Hell of a night, right?" Kofi's voice slurred through the speakers.
"We crushed it. Everybody loves you now."
Alex swayed as he staggered outside into the cold night air. He fumbled for his phone, swiping to open the banking app, eager to see how much of his winnings he had left.
His heart sank.
The balance looked fine, more than enough to keep him comfortable. But what he saw next made his stomach drop—his credit card balance had ballooned to three times his cash balance. Three times the winnings he had taken to the bank just hours earlier.
"How... how the hell am I in this much debt?" Alex whispered, disbelief flooding through him.
Kofi's laughter crackled in his ears, this time with less enthusiasm. "Well... I guess that big-time celebrity didn't get rich by blowing all his money on drinks. You, my friend, just got played."
Alex stared at his phone, frozen in place as the weight of the night's mistakes settled on his shoulders. He was in deep, deep trouble. He had started the night thinking he was on top of the world—invincible. Now, he was looking at a tab that dwarfed his winnings and left him sinking under a mountain of debt.
His phone buzzed in his hand. A notification lit up the screen: Payment due: $3.5 million.
"Yeah... that's gonna sting," Kofi muttered, sounding far too amused for Alex's liking.
"But hey, you wanted to live large. Guess you just didn't know how expensive large could be."
Alex sank onto a nearby bench, head spinning from more than just the alcohol. He had planned to use his winnings wisely, to outsmart the world with his future knowledge. Instead, he'd let pride—and Kofi's encouragement—drag him into a financial pit that would take more than just luck to climb out of.
As he sat there, trying to piece together the night, his brick phone vibrated. The screen blinked with an unknown number. Hesitantly, he swiped to answer.
"Hey, Brick Phone Guy!!" came an excited voice on the other end.
Alex's eyes widened. He had no idea who it was, but something told him this call was about to make things even more complicated.