The next morning, Ethan was awakened by the muffled hum of the city life filtering through his window.
It was a symphony of people chattering and greeting outside, the distant horns of a few loud people, and well, of course, in a neighborhood like Edgewater, there would always be the occasional bark of an enthusiastic dog.
"What time is it?" Ethan muttered groggily.
Ethan reached for his phone but his eyes were still closed. They were too heavy.
Still, he managed to glance at the time.
It was 7:30 AM.
"What... It's still too early," he muttered. "Another ten won't do any harm."
It was still early. He needed to open the bookstore today at 9:00 AM.
He planned to return to sleep when he was suddenly reminded that he had a billion dollars waiting for him.
"What was it? The Unlimited System?"
He could feel that his heart was racing as he sat up. He could feel, too, that his adrenaline was kicking in. Everything felt too much for him right now.
Ethan's fingers trembled as he opened the Novan Trust app. It was the moment of truth.
[Account Balance: $1,000,000,000]
Ethan froze. It was there. It was really there.
A billion dollars in his account.
"Alright," he said with a cracked voice. "Now, let's test it out. Are you real or just messing around with me."
He swiped his phone, looking for that online shopping site that had never seen his virtual cart being checked out, Zalada.
He tapped on the digital games tab. He began stacking the cart with too many things at once. Everything was the things that he had longed for years but never dared to buy.
Well, since it cost a fortune, he could only wish for it.
The total climbed crazily. He wished to enjoy shopping a little more but he had something more important right now. By the time he tapped on the checkout button, the screen displayed $3,500.
"This is more than what I had before," he muttered as his finger hovered over the purchase button.
He hesitated. Wondering if things were going wrong.
But, when he gave it another thought, if he didn't have the money, he would lose nothing. The payment won't get through.
"Well, here goes nothing."
He gritted his teeth. His eyes closed. Without realizing it, he was praying to God for everything to be real as he tapped the button.
The loading icon began to spin, an unassuming circle that seemed to stretch eternity into mere seconds.
He held his breath, his heart a thunderous drumbeat against the quiet of his room.
And then... It was done.
[Transaction Successful]
"Successful?"
Before he could even believe his eyes or process everything that was happening, a soft chime broke the silence.
There it was, the confirmation email. It was there, in the inbox.
"This is real..."
It was unexpected. Everything had gone through without a hiccup.
No errors. No alarms. Not even that usual 'Payment Unsuccessful' notification from his bank.
Ethan stared at the screen. $3,500 on digital games? That was crazy for him.
Just yesterday, such a purchase would have been laughable—something he might whisper wistfully to himself before canceling the purchase with a resigned sigh.
But now? He'd done it with ease. Much easier than ordering a pizza.
"It's real."
He repeated the words for God knew how many times already. Still, he believed more tests were needed to confirm this was real. Of course, with a more expensive purchase.
His fingers flew over the screen. Within moments, he'd found it. A custom-built gaming PC, sleek and gleaming, complete with a high-end chair and desk that practically screamed, "This is the setup of your dreams."
The total? A cool $9,000.
Ethan felt his heart jump weirdly but his finger was quick to click on the purchase button. This time, it was without hesitation.
Then, a thought crossed his mind. About what to tell his parents with these expensive purchases and setups.
"No need to think about it now," he whispered to himself.
He would come up with any excuse. Besides, he was already an adult and he believed that he owed nobody any explanation.
The spinning wheel returned. Well, it was deceptive. A very simple icon. But now it felt like it was holding the weight of the universe. It made Ethan's stomach twisted.
Another thought crossed Ethan's mind. What if it failed this time? What if this was the moment the spell broke and the reality snapped back into its usual?
Again, the same words made him stop worrying.
[Transaction Successful]
"No way," Ethan whispered.
"This shouldn't be real..." he stared for a few seconds.
Ethan let out a sharp breath of disbelief. It was half a laugh, half a shout. The purchase went through.
Part of him wanted to jump and scream. Another part just wanted to sit there forever and figure out if the universe had finally lost its mind.
He felt the thrill of it. The weight of something big shifting in his life. But it wasn't just excitement.
There was fear in it, too.
Because this wasn't the kind of power you held without consequence.
And yet... he wasn't about to start doubting it now.
'If this is my way out, then I'm taking it.'
No more overthinking. No more waiting for the catch.
He didn't know how it worked. Maybe he never would. But if it could help his family, if it could stop the quiet panic in his parents' voices, or keep the bills from stacking higher, then he wasn't going to waste time questioning it.
He could think about the bigger picture later. Right now, what mattered was staying grounded. Keeping it together.
One small step at a time.
He stood, brushing down his shirt and steadying his breath.
"First things first," he said under his breath, shoulders squared. "I need to help Mom and Dad."
He cracked his door open.
'Whatever comes next, I'll deal with it. But right now, this is what matters.'
He stepped out.
The smell of eggs and bacon met him halfway, wrapping around him like something old and familiar.
In the kitchen, his mom stood at the stove, humming a tune he couldn't quite place. She moved with the kind of rhythm that came from doing the same thing a hundred times before but still doing it with care.
His dad sat at the table, half hidden behind the newspaper. The ads section was already marked up, pen tapped slowly against the page. His expression was set in that usual frown Ethan had come to recognize.
It was not anger, just focus, weariness, and the quiet pressure.
"Morning," Ethan said, trying to sound like it was just another day.
Aaron glanced up. His face didn't shift much, but something in his eyes softened.
"Morning," he replied. His voice had warmth in it, even if his hands kept working.
He circled another listing, sighed, and flipped the page.
Elise turned, flashing Ethan a smile—tired, but still full of love. "Look who's up early," she teased. "Sleep alright?"
"Yes," Ethan lied, thinking of all the ways his brain had refused to shut off. "Smells amazing."
"Almost done," she said, turning back to the pan. "Your siblings should be up soon."
Right on cue, footsteps shuffled in. Lily and Jacob stumbled into the kitchen like they were still halfway in a dream. Jacob headed straight for the fridge. Lily dropped into a chair with a yawn so big it nearly bent her in half.
"Morning, sleepyhead," Ethan said, running a hand through her hair as he passed.
"Don't..." She swatted at him weakly, her glare more kitten than a tiger.
Jacob grabbed a juice carton and leaned against the counter, eyes barely open. "What's for breakfast?"
"The usual," Elise said, not missing a beat. "Keep your expectations low, and you'll never be disappointed."
Ethan pulled out a chair and sat down. He glanced at his dad, who was already circling another job ad, the pen moving with more force than needed.
Something in Ethan twisted.
'You've been trying for so long. Let me take this from you now.'
He didn't say it out loud, but the promise sat there anyway—quiet, steady, waiting to be kept.
His parents deserved better than this endless grind, the quiet stretching of every penny, the constant ache of "almost enough."
And now, somehow, against every law of logic and probability, Ethan had the power to change everything.
If only he could explain it without sounding completely insane.
"By the way, Dad, I stumbled across a solution to all our problems. A billion dollars. Totally legit. No catch. Nothing weird. Promise."
Even just imagining it made him want to laugh.
But the laugh didn't come.
The humor fizzled out, swallowed by the sheer weight of it all. The mission. The system. The madness of trying to explain something that barely made sense even to him.
It loomed in the back of his mind, waiting for the right moment to crash down like a wave.
A plate slid in front of him, snapping him back.
"Eat up," Elise said gently, giving his shoulder a small pat. "You'll need your strength today."
He nodded, managing a smile. Small, but real.
He picked up his fork and took a bite. The food was warm and familiar—bacon, eggs, toast—but the taste barely registered. His thoughts were already ten steps ahead, buzzing from the morning's revelations.
He forced himself to sit still. To breathe. To just be normal.
Just a normal guy, having breakfast in his family's kitchen.
He glanced around the table, at his mom's quiet grace, his dad's steady focus, Lily's sleepy scowl, and Jacob's determined hunt for juice.
And something sharp and soft hit him all at once.
His family.
They were imperfect. They were ordinary. But they were everything.
This wasn't just about escaping poverty or living easily. It was about them. About building a life where hope didn't have to be rationed. Where smiles weren't stretched thin by worry.
And for Ethan, that was reason enough.
After breakfast, Lily and Jacob burst into the living room, laughter echoing behind them as the TV flickered on with the bright noise of school holiday cartoons.
They flopped onto the old couch. The cushions sank under them the way only time and memories could teach furniture to.
Ethan lingered in the doorway, hands buried in his pockets, watching.
He should've felt lighter, comforted by their joy. But instead, a dull ache tugged at him.
Love and helplessness, he realized, made a strange, stubborn pair.
Lily's giggle rang out again, high and carefree.
But he knew better.
Kids could always tell. Even if they didn't know what was wrong, they could feel it. Like animals before a storm. They sensed the shift in the air before anyone said a word.
A sound from the kitchen pulled his eyes back.
His parents were still at the table, talking quietly. Their voices were low, their movements slow, like people who'd carried too much, for too long, without ever being allowed to set it down.
And Ethan stood there, caught between the laughter and the silence, knowing that this was why the system had come to him.
Because someone had to fix it.
"Mom. Dad."
Ethan's voice came out sharper than he meant, slicing through the cheerful noise of the cartoons like a knife through the fabric.
His parents looked up, startled like they'd forgotten he was still there.
"How much do we need for rent and bills this month?" he asked. "Exactly."
Elise blinked. She set her fork down, slow and careful.
"Your dad and I talked last night," she said gently. "We've decided not to burden you with our money problems anymore. So don't worry, alright?"
Ethan gave a half-shrug, but it didn't hide the tension in his shoulders.
"Don't worry?" His voice cracked with frustration. "I'm old enough to worry. I do. Every day."
"Ethan," Aaron said, firm but not harsh, "you're already doing more than enough. Classes, the bookstore. You're twenty. That's plenty."
"Plenty," Ethan repeated, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. "It's not plenty if I can see it tearing you down. I'm not asking for permission to care. I already do. I want to help."
Aaron's expression softened. But the furrow in his brow deepened. The kind that came from years of carrying weight alone.
Elise sighed and folded her hands on the table.
"We're behind by twenty-five hundred on rent," she admitted quietly. "And with groceries and utilities... maybe another thousand."
Ethan did the math without blinking.
$3,500.
Not long ago, that number would've crushed him. But now?
"I'll handle it," he said.
Aaron paused mid-reach for his coffee. "What do you mean, 'handle it'?"
His tone was half disbelief, half concern.
"I mean I've got it," Ethan said. Calm. Steady. Certain. "Let me take care of it."
Aaron turned to Elise, giving a dry, disbelieving chuckle. "The boy's lost his mind."
"I'm serious, Dad."
Aaron shook his head. "It's not your job. You shouldn't have to. Look, I regret leaning on you before. We'll manage—"
"Manage?" Ethan cut in, sharper now. "Dad, you've been 'managing' for years. It's killing you. Let me help. Please. It's my turn."
Before they could say anything else, he pulled out his phone. His fingers moved fast. Smooth. Like he'd already made the decision hours ago.
He paused over the number, then doubled it.
$7,000.
Enough to cover the bills, and maybe let them breathe. He wanted to give more but that would make it harder to breathe again.
The soft buzz of a successful transfer broke the silence.
Ethan placed the phone on the table. Leaned back.
"Check your account."
Aaron and Elise exchanged a look that was cautious, and uncertain. Aaron pulled out his phone. His thumb hovered. Then tapped.
He froze. Elise, too.
His breath caught like he'd just been punched, but gently.
Relief broke across his face, slow and bright. Elise leaned in, eyes wide. Her hand flew to her mouth.
"Ethan…" Aaron whispered. "How?"
"It's okay," Ethan said. "You don't need to know."
The room fell still. Nobody moved.
The cartoons kept playing in the background—laughter and chaos and joy like nothing had happened.
And then Aaron let out a long, shaky breath.
Elise wiped her eyes.
No one said anything more.
But everything had changed.
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Just a quick update: I've been going through all the feedback you've been giving me, and I want you to know that I'm editing this series to make it even better.
Your thoughts and suggestions have been super helpful in shaping the story, so thank you for sharing them! Every comment and piece of advice really means a lot and helps me improve.
If you're enjoying the series and want to see even more polished, top-quality chapters, I'd love your support. Please consider voting with Power Stones, sending gifts, and dropping some Golden Tickets my way.
All of that goes a long way in motivating me to bring you the best of the best!
Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me. Let's keep making this story amazing together!
Cheers,
Noah Caelum