"You better not be calling me to drag me out somewhere," Ethan said tiredly.
"Relax, man," Zack's voice came through, laced with excitement. "I've got news."
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "This better be good."
"Oh, it's better than good," Zack said, his grin practically audible. "I got you a race."
Ethan blinked. "A what?"
"A race, genius. Against Vanessa."
Ethan sat up straighter. "The racer from your club?"
"That's the one."
Ethan sighed, rubbing his temple. "Zack, I never agreed to a race."
"Yeah, well, you also never said you wouldn't race."
Ethan let out a dry laugh. "That's not how this works."
"Look, man," Zack said, his tone turning serious. "She's good. Like, really good. And I just staked fifty grand on you winning."
Ethan nearly dropped his phone. "You what?"
"You heard me," Zack said unapologetically. "Fifty grand. On you."
Ethan exhaled sharply. "You're out of your damn mind."
"Maybe," Zack admitted. "But I believe in you. And, hey, if you win, not only do we make bank, but you'll have some serious credibility in the racing scene. You know how useful that could be?"
Ethan leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment. He didn't particularly care about street racing. He preferred his bike, and cars — while powerful — never gave him the same thrill.
But Zack's confidence in him wasn't misplaced. Ethan was good behind the wheel.
He had spent enough time perfecting his driving skills, and if Vanessa was as good as Zack made her out to be… well, a challenge wasn't something Ethan ever backed down from.
Still, he wasn't about to let Zack get off that easy.
"You really staked fifty grand on me?" Ethan asked again, his voice filled with disbelief.
Zack laughed. "Of course, I did. Think of it as motivation."
Ethan shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're lucky I don't back down from a challenge."
"So you're in?"
Ethan sighed dramatically. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"That's the spirit!" Zack said, sounding way too pleased with himself. "I'll send you the details. Get some rest, man. You're gonna need it."
Ethan ended the call, setting his phone down with a chuckle.
A race against Vanessa, huh?
#####
Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at the dim glow of his System Phone.
The screen pulsed with a soft blue light, displaying the latest notifications regarding his investments.
His fingers hovered over the floating tabs as he navigated through the interface, checking on his latest completed transactions.
[System Investment Log]
[Pending Investment]
[Resort with Zack – Still in Progress (Joint Investment)]
[Recent Transactions]
[Old Apartment Complex – Sold]
[Final Selling Price: $5,000,000]
[System Return Points Earned: 95%]
[System Bonus: $1,500,000 deposited]
Ethan exhaled, rubbing his jaw as he scrolled through the details.
It really did feel like a cheat code.
His investments weren't just about flipping properties — every successful deal was rewarded by the System, amplifying his profits in ways that regular businessmen could only dream of.
The fact that he got a hefty 95% return in System Points on this deal meant his influence and reach were growing at an absurd pace.
He had already come to realize that the System's bonuses weren't just random. The larger the investment, the greater the return.
The riskier the move, the bigger the reward. That was how the System worked, pushing him toward bolder plays, bigger deals.
But for tonight? He was done.
He exited the System interface, stretching his arms.
His shoulders were tight from the constant strain of managing deals, scouting locations, and handling logistics.
He could already feel exhaustion creeping in, but there was still one more thing he had to take care of before he could call it a night.
His regular phone buzzed. Ethan grabbed it, expecting a business text — only to see Lila's name flashing across the screen.
He smirked and answered.
"Hey."
"You finally picked up," Lila teased on the other end. "What, did you get lost in your mountain of cash?"
Ethan chuckled. "Something like that."
"Let me guess — you closed another deal?"
"Yep. Sold an apartment complex today."
Lila hummed. "Do you ever slow down?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, tilting his head toward the ceiling. "Not if I can help it."
A short silence passed between them. He could hear her shifting, probably sitting on her bed.
"…You're gonna burn yourself out, you know," she said, voice softer now.
Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't afford to slow down, Lila."
"You can afford anything at this point," she quipped. "Literally."
He snorted. "That's not what I meant."
"I know." She sighed. "I just — look, I get it. You're building something. You're making moves. But you don't have to do everything alone, Ethan. And you don't always have to push yourself… too hard,"
He closed his eyes for a brief moment. Lila had always been like this. One of the few people who actually cared. Not about his money, not about his status — just about him.
"I'll be fine," he said, even though he wasn't sure if it was true.
Lila made a sound of disapproval. "Liar."
That made him chuckle. "You should get some sleep."
"Only if you do, too," she countered.
"I'll try."
Another silence. It was a comfortable one this time.
"Goodnight, Babe."
"Goodnight, Babe."
The call ended with a soft beep, and Ethan set his phone down, exhaling.
Then his eyes drifted down to another set of notifications.
30 missed calls from his sister.
His chest tightened.
For a moment, he just stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the call history.
That wasn't an accident. That wasn't a casual check-in.
She really wants to talk.
And he knew exactly why.
Ethan slowly leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he let out a long breath.
'I should call her back.'
But he didn't.
He tapped his fingers against the chair, debating it.
He could already hear her voice in his head, the same frustrated, disappointed tone she used to speak to him last time… but now that everything had been cleared?
She wanted him to come home.
To talk.
To fix things.
And Ethan didn't know if he was ready for that.
He clenched his jaw, exhaling through his nose.
'Not tonight. Maybe after the race.'
He could put it off for a little longer.
Just a little longer.