The system alert woke Aiden at 6 AM:
CONGRATULATIONS! NET WORTH MILESTONE ACHIEVED: $10,000,000
SPECIAL REWARDS UNLOCKED:
Perfect Health EnhancementMaximum Stamina (Physical & Mental)Recovery Speed x3
Aiden sat up in bed, feeling the changes immediately. Every muscle felt energized, his mind crystal clear despite only five hours of sleep. He got up and did fifty push-ups without breaking a sweat—something that would have winded him months ago.
His phone showed the verified bank balances and investment portfolio values. Ten million dollars. At twenty-two years old.
Marcus wandered into the kitchen as Aiden made coffee. "You're up early. And you look... different. Did you start working out more?"
"Something like that." Aiden poured two cups. "Listen, I need your help today. Big day."
They spent the morning in meetings with lawyers and accountants, restructuring Aiden's holdings into a more sophisticated network of entities. The system's enhanced cognition made it easy to understand complex tax strategies and corporate structures.
By afternoon, they met with the board of Schols Ventures to announce the expansion. Aiden outlined his vision: investments in green technology, AI ethics, medical innovation, and educational access.
"These aren't just profitable sectors," he explained, his enhanced persuasion making every word compelling. "They're the future. And companies that lead with values will dominate the next decade."
The board approved everything unanimously.
That evening, Aiden stood on his penthouse balcony, Marcus beside him with beers.
"Ten million," Marcus said, shaking his head. "Remember when we were eating ramen and splitting the cost?"
"Four months ago."
"Feels like a lifetime." Marcus clinked his bottle against Aiden's. "You've changed, man. Not in a bad way, just... you're different."
"I feel different." The perfect health enhancement was subtle but profound. His body felt like a precision instrument, ready for anything. "Everything's accelerating."
"Including the drama with women?" Marcus smirked. "Dude, you've got a genius computer scientist, an Italian doctor, and a hot professor all interested. That's like living every guy's fantasy."
"It's more complicated than fantasy."
"It always is with you." Marcus's expression grew serious. "Just don't lose yourself in all this. Money and success are great, but don't forget who you were."
Aiden considered that. Who was he anymore? The poor kid Jessica dumped felt like a character from someone else's story.
His phone buzzed. A message from Isabella: "Dinner tomorrow? Just us?"
Then another from Victoria: "Still thinking about last night. No regrets here."
His chest tightened. Still nothing from Sophia.
"You good?" Marcus asked.
"Yeah," Aiden lied. "Just thinking about what comes next."
The city stretched before them, full of possibilities and complications. Ten million dollars, perfect health, and a heart divided between women who deserved better than fractions of his attention.
But the system was still leveling him up, still pushing him toward something. He just wished he understood what.