The person who had just arrived on the scooter was none other than Ethan.
The group of rich girls who had been mocking Alice were just about to hurl another round of insults when their eyes landed on Ethan, who had just arrived.
They stopped abruptly. A second passed.
And then....
They burst into laughter. Even louder than before.
"Oh look, it's the Pizza Prince's brother," one of them sneered.
"I thought so!" another chimed in. "But wait… where's his delivery bag today?"
"Did he lose his job already?" a third girl giggled. "Oh no! What's he going to deliver now? Cup noodles? Or maybe some cheap sandwiches?" She said, feigning concern.
Their voices echoed mockingly across the schoolyard.
Ethan gripped the handlebars tightly, anger rising in his chest. His jaw tightened as he almost kicked the stand down, ready to walk over to them.
But just then, a small hand gently grabbed his arm.
Alice.
She stood beside him now, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's go, brother… It's not worth it," she said, her tone calm yet pleading. "They all are from rich families… We can't afford to offend them."
Ethan looked down at his sister's hand, then at her face. She was trying to stay strong, despite all the humiliation.
His heart ached.
But he nodded.
As Alice climbed onto the back of the scooter, Ethan's eyes didn't leave the girls who had just mocked them.
His gaze was cold. Piercing.
"Soon," he thought, "I'll show you where you arrogant, rotten souls truly belong."
Once Alice was settled, he started the engine with a sharp twist of the wrist.
The scooter revved to life, and the siblings drove off under the fading echoes of laughter behind them.
The rich girls kept staring at them mockingly as they drove away.
_______
A few minutes passed, and they had already covered a good distance. The cool breeze brushed past them, and the mood began to shift gradually.
No one had spoken yet.
Ethan glanced over his shoulder and then decided to break the awkward silence. "So, where should we go first? Lunch or shopping? I thought we could visit Mom after that as well." He tried to lighten his sister's mood.
But Alice's grip on his shoulder tightened slightly.
"Brother," she said softly, "are you sure you want to spend so much? I mean, what kind of job did you get that pays this much? It feels… endless."
She still hadn't forgotten the breakfast incident from this morning.
Though her voice was calm, Ethan could hear the concern behind her words.
She was glad he had found work, but she was worried, too. Something about this just didn't feel right. Not by a long shot.
Ethan didn't answer right away.
Instead, he kept riding until they reached a quiet park by the road. It was empty, shaded, and still at this hour.
He slowed the scooter and brought it to a stop.
"Let's sit there and talk for a while," he said gently, dismounting.
Alice nodded and followed him silently.
______
Inside the park, they found a wooden swing bench under a tree. It creaked softly as they sat down.
Minutes passed in silence.
Neither spoke.
Alice fidgeted beside him, nervous. "Is he going to confess something serious?" she wondered. The weight of the moment was sinking in.
Meanwhile, Ethan's mind raced, too. "What do I say? That I received a magical system that gave me $10000000000000000? She'll think I've lost my mind. But if I say nothing, she'll keep worrying. She deserves some peace of mind."
Just then, an idea popped into his mind.
He turned toward Alice and said in a serious tone. "Alice," he started. "What I'm about to tell you… has to stay between us. Promise me."
She blinked in surprise but then slowly nodded. "I promise."
Ethan took a deep breath, steadying his voice.
"Well… two days ago, I came across a man. He was dying. I didn't know who he was, but I couldn't just leave him. So, I rushed him to the hospital."
He paused, lowering his gaze. "But… he didn't make it."
Alice's hand flew to her mouth.
"But before he passed, he… he said something. He was touched that I tried to save him, even though I didn't know him. And since he had no family left… he left everything to me. All his savings. Everything."
Ethan let his words settle. His voice was soft and sad.
But inside,
"I'm sorry, Alice… I hate lying to you. But you'd never believe the truth. Hell, even I have trouble believing it myself. And if this power brings any danger in the future… I don't want you caught in it. I'll protect you, no matter what." He told himself.
Hearing Ethan's words, Alice grew quiet, a trace of sadness settling over her face.
She looked down briefly before speaking again. "But… how much did he give you?" she asked softly. "It's not limitless, right? Shouldn't we save it for the future? Even if you got lucky… we shouldn't waste it."
Her voice was thoughtful. She was genuinely concerned about her brother.
Ethan let out a soft chuckle. "Well, the amount he gave me… let's just say, even if we both live like royalty for the rest of our lives, spoil our own family and kids and even grandkids, we still wouldn't run out."
Alice blinked. "What?" Her brows knit together. "Brother, you are not joking, right? How much are we talking about here?"
Ethan looked straight at her face and said calmly, though deep inside, he was bracing for the explosion. "Ten quadrillion."
Alice froze. She stared at him blankly for a moment.
Then, slowly, she lifted her pinky finger and wiggled it inside her ear, as if trying to clear it.
"Sorry, I must've misheard you, brother. Say that again?"
Ethan smiled faintly. "Ten. Quadrillion."
That was it.
Alice's mind shut down for a second.
And then....
"What?!" she practically shouted, her voice echoing in the quiet park.
The sheer disbelief on her face was exactly the reaction Ethan had predicted.