Xavier remembered her name as day Mama Elizabeth. A neighbour his parents had spoken to when they rented him this apartment before they left abroad. Not the building owner — just a warm body they trusted enough to ask one favour. Keep an eye on my son.

Xavier looked at her waving from the side door and felt something between mild amusement and mild irritation settle in his chest.

Seems I forgot she was still going to be a factor in this timeline. He lifted a hand to wave back. I don’t exactly need anyone shadowing me like I’m a toddler who can’t cross the road alone. I’m a grown man. Technically twice over.

He started up the path.

Although— his eyes drifted briefly to the covered plate she was already reaching for inside the door. The food situation is not the worst part of this arrangement. Not that it matters much anymore. I can feed myself ten times over with what’s sitting in my account right now. I’m way past broke now.

He let out a fake smile. You know those kind of force smiles you had to give to pretend you’re still on good terms with some folks.

"Welcome back ," Mama Elizabeth called, holding the plate out. "Will you eat?"

"I’m good ma," Xavier said, taking it anyway because arguing with that generation of women about food was a battle nobody had ever won.

"I’m fine ma," Xavier said.

She looked at him the way women of that generation look at young men who say they’re fine — with complete and total disbelief communicated entirely through a single expression.

"You look thin," she said. "Eat healthy before you fall down, I know kids your age don’t like cooking junk food."

"I eat," he said. For God sake get lost you hag.

"I’ll leave something by your door later," she said, as if to annoy me more.

He didn’t argue he just had to accept to get over this interaction. Although some things were simply true regardless of what you said about them. Mama Elizabeth leaving food by his door was one of those things he enjoyed in his previous life.

"Thank you ma," he said, and went upstairs.

His room was exactly as he’d left it — small desk pushed against the wall, single bed with a firm mattress, a window that looked out over the street and caught the last of the evening light at this hour. A stack of university documents on the corner of the desk that the previous version of himself had apparently considered important enough to keep visible.

Xavier changed out of his clothes and dropped onto the edge of the bed for a moment. He reached under the desk and pulled out his old MP3 player — battered, scratched at the corners, the screen slightly cracked but still functional. He untangled his earphones, plugged them in, and scrolled until he found what he wanted.

Juice WRLD filled his ears. He was one peak artist who understood what melody one needed to hear when going through life

He sat still for a moment just letting it wash over him.

His phone buzzed at 6:47.

[WhatsApp notification].

He glanced at the screen now who could this be?.

Amira: hey there tough guy.

Xavier looked at the message for a moment. Then typed.

Xavier: and who might this be.

Amira: Amira dumbass. just reminding you about that thing we discussed. you didn’t seem like the type to forget but you also didn’t seem like the type to follow through so....

Xavier: fair concern honestly. I did say I wasn’t approachable. Thought you’d have the sense to take that at face value and find someone else to bother.

Amira: Unfortunately you were the only option that made financial sense.

Xavier: ah. There it is. In this day and age I don’t think women really care about approachable as long as money is involved.

Amira: zzzzzz are you going to send it or not.

Xavier: send your cash app.

Amira: thanks love 🥰 @amira22.

Xavier set the phone down and looked at the ceiling.

Women and their personas. He thought about it without any particular heat. Tough and independent until there’s something in it for them and then suddenly it’s thanks love with an emoji. He glanced toward the window. It all works for me anyway. Getting close to Amira might be useful and she’s probably decent enough but don’t want to clomp her with what’s going on. Sarah is the main event need to wrap up things with her first. Everything else is just the warm up, though there’s no harm with side pieces.

He checked the time.

11:51 PM.Time really does sure run fast when busy.

He made a cup of instant coffee from the small supplies on the kitchen shelf, came back to the desk, and watched the clock.

11:58.

11:59.

Midnight.

[ REBATE SYSTEM ]

Daily Cap Reset

[ New Rebate Cycle Active ]

[ Net Balance: $10,502.00 ]

There we go.

Xavier opened his banking app. Looked at Amira’s cash app handle. Looked at the $600 she’d asked for.

Then transferred $1,200.

Double.

He set the phone face down, picked up his coffee, and waited.

He didn’t have to wait long before...

[ REBATE SYSTEM ]

Transaction Detected: $1,200 — Transfer to @amira22

Base Multiplier (Tier 1): 2x

Total Return: $2,400

Credited in: 00:10:00

[ Net Balance: $9,302.00 → $11,702.00 ]

[ SIDE QUEST COMPLETE ]

First Ally Investment

Reward: +300 EXP

[ EXP: 1,200/5,000 ]

His phone screen lit up. Then lit up again.

Then kept going.

Amira: XAVIER

Amira: this is literally double

Amira: hello???

Amira: are you there

Amira: okay I don’t know if this was a mistake or what but if it wasn’t then genuinely thank you I don’t even know what to say

Amira: like actually thank you

Xavier looked at the messages stacking up and laughed. Not a big laugh. A quiet one, private, the kind he hadn’t had much reason to produce in his previous life.

And there she is, he thought. The real one. Underneath the tough independence I want a business arrangement energy. Send someone double what they asked for and watch the composure evaporate in real time. Woah, another exp points from the system, seems like I get rewarded for engaging in new stuffs that requires spending.

He typed back.

Xavier: relax. Consider the extra buffer for whatever your group members inevitably mess up. And stop texting me like I just saved your life.

Amira: you kind of did though??? the project would have been dead.

Xavier: the project would have been fine. You would have found another way.

Amira: ...maybe. Still. Thank you Xavier

Xavier: yh yh. Get some sleep. You have a project to win.

Xavier: Yh goodnight.

He closed WhatsApp and set the phone down.

Amira, he thought, leaning back in his chair. Smart, composed, independent right up until someone actually comes through for her. He stared at the ceiling for a moment. Not bad looking either. I wonder if she genuinely sees me as a person or a money truck.

At least now I have a legitimate reason to stay in her orbit. The project gives me access without me having to manufacture it. Useful. A thought followed that one quietly, separate from the strategy. Could be interesting. Actually interesting. Not just useful.

Xavier finished his coffee, opened a notes app, and started writing tomorrow’s spending plan line by line.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Report chapter

Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter