Chapter 1: Dad's Shocking Announcement
I was slurping the last bit of my instant noodles when my phone buzzed on the table.
Dad.
I frowned. That was unexpected. The last time he called was… a month ago? Maybe longer. I hesitated for a second before picking up.
"Hello?"
"Son! How are you?" Dad's voice was oddly cheerful, almost like he'd won the lottery.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the cracked ceiling of my tiny apartment. What does he want now?
"I'm fine," I replied, keeping my voice flat. "What's up?"
There was a pause, then he cleared his throat.
"Well… I have big news for you!"
I sighed. "If it's about another 'business opportunity,' I'm not interested."
"No, no! Listen to me carefully," he said, his excitement barely contained. "I… got married!"
I nearly choked.
"YOU WHAT?!"
"Married!" Dad repeated, laughing. "To a wonderful woman. She's beautiful, kind, and incredibly successful. She's only 35 and—"
"Wait, wait, wait!" I cut him off, rubbing my temples. "You… a 35-year-old broke man… married a wealthy 35-year-old woman?"
"Yes!" he replied proudly.
I blinked. My mind refused to process this absurd reality.
"And," he continued, "she has seven daughters—all older than you. They're between 20 to 25 years old and are some of the most successful women in the world."
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"So… let me get this straight. You married a billionaire, and now I suddenly have seven billionaire step-sisters?"
"Yes! And guess what? They already love you."
I stared at my phone screen in disbelief. "Dad, are you drunk?"
"I swear, I'm completely sober!" he said. "Son, this is a blessing! From now on, you'll be living in luxury. No more struggling! No more instant noodles!"
I stayed silent. This was too much to take in.
Dad took my silence as an opportunity to drop the next bombshell.
"Your sisters are coming to pick you up soon."
I shot up from my chair. "WHAT?!"
"You'll be living with them from now on," he said casually, as if he hadn't just dropped another life-changing revelation. "Oh, and we've already arranged for you to attend a top-tier college. Everything is set."
I staggered back, gripping the phone like it was my last anchor to reality. "This… this is insane."
"Listen, kid," Dad said, his tone growing serious. "Your sisters are older than you—even older than me, actually. So from now on, be obedient to them. They love you, they will spoil you, and they will take care of everything. Just don't act stubborn, okay?"
I swallowed. "And you're sure I'm not going to be treated like… a servant or something?"
Dad burst into laughter.
"Are you kidding? If anything, they'll be fighting over who gets to pamper you the most! Just go with the flow and enjoy the billionaire lifestyle!"
Before I could respond, the call ended.
I stood there, phone still pressed to my ear, my heart pounding.
I had just gone from a broke college student struggling to afford rent… to the stepbrother of seven billionaire women who were apparently obsessed with spoiling me.
What the hell was about to happen to my life?