Rain poured heavily as Noah Morgan stood frozen under the flickering glow of a broken street lamp.
His hands were clenched at his sides, and his knuckles turned white from holding back tears—or fury, maybe both.
He had just been humiliated. Again!
The short video "The Foolish Man Confesses, Gets Roasted by the Queen!" is still trending online.
Even though his friends are gone, he still hears the mocking in their voices.
Julia Hart, the girl he foolishly loved since high school, humiliated him. She is intelligent, beautiful, and charming, but tonight, she wore a smile sharper than any blade he had ever held. She rejected him at their high school reunion.
"I mean...really, Noah? You? Dating me?" she said, drawing out her words as loudly as possible to ensure everyone could hear and notice her voice.
"You are broke! You are jobless now and for the near future. And you are still clinging to your high school dreams. This was just…too much...please wake up from your stupid dream!"
The laughter that followed had crushed something inside him. A piece of him that still believed he had something in him that could win Julia's affection.
Maybe, just maybe, if he tried hard enough, she and others would finally see his worth. But they didn't!
And now, even she—especially she—had joined the rest of the world in treating him as if he were nothing but the garbage of society.
This is why he always avoided high school reunions: he would be ridiculed by his old school friends and acquaintances.
Yet, he was caught in that damn woman's scheme.
How could she raise his hopes only to crush them?
"Julia Hart! I will remember your humiliation tonight and return it tenfold."
...
By the time Noah returned to his apartment—if it could even be called that—he was completely soaked.
The single-room flat smelled mildew, and the light dimly sparked when he switched on the light.
His phone buzzed again—another message arrived.
He wanted to ignore it, but his hand betrayed him.
"Damn, bro! You are so stupid to think you had a chance? Go stand before the mirror and see your face." From: Unknown Number
"What the fuck, Noah! How could you ask Julia out when your bank account only has a penny?" From: Jack
"Do you need a decent job? I need a chauffeur for my dog! I'm serious, man!" From: Ryan
He tossed the phone onto the couch and slumped to the floor.
His chest burned with embarrassment, rage, and resentment, those emotions blending into one until he felt the urge to scream out loud.
But he didn't. He stayed silent.
Instead, he saw the black envelope.
Someone must have slipped it under the door while he was away. And whoever slipped it in must have pushed it with some force, as it stopped quite far from the door, so he didn't notice it immediately when he entered his flat.
The envelope itself should be easily noticeable. It was thick, black, and stamped with a sizeable golden emblem shaped like a phoenix.
Noah blinked anxiously and curiously.
He picked up the envelope and looked for the sender's information. But he found nothing. He didn't even see his name on the envelope.
"What is this? Did someone send it to the wrong address?" Noah murmured, confused.
The seal was beautiful and unique, but it was unfamiliar.
Curious—and feeling he had nothing to lose—he ripped it open.
Inside was a formal letter on high-quality paper he had ever seen and a sleek black USB drive.
To Noah Morgan,
We apologize that you are receiving this news under unclear and potentially confusing circumstances.
As stated in Anderson Morgan's final will, we hereby inform you on behalf of Anderson Morgan that you are his biological son and the sole heir to his estates, both publicly registered and/or hiddenly registered estates.
Due to the nature of your inheritance, we advise you to check the enclosed encrypted USB in a private, secure device.
To unlock the USB, please squeeze the USB with your hand and blow your breath continuously on the USB for 8 seconds for an instant DNA and Heart Rate check.
Upon learning the USB's content, we trust you will understand why you need to open the USB on a private and secure device.
– Ethan Waters. Mr. Anderson Morgan's Attorney At Law
At first, Noah felt relieved that the envelope was meant for him. However, he was immediately shocked as he grasped the meaning of what he had just read.
His hand trembled as he softly spoke, "Anderson Morgan."
That name wasn't just familiar—it was legendary. Anderson Morgan was one of the world's wealthiest, most secretive tycoons—a man with influence in everything from tech to defense to international banking.
The rumor was that he died without ever naming a successor.
However, this letter said otherwise. He is the heir to his wealth!
Heart pounding, Noah stood up from the floor, grabbed his old laptop, and inserted the USB.
The screen dimmed to black before white text illuminated it, appearing smooth and clinical.
[Initializing Access...]
[Welcome, Noah Morgan, to Wealth Management System]
[Inheritance recognized.]
[Wealth access unlocked.]
[Holdings' Assets' Value: $9,910,000,000 (secured across multiple private global accounts)]
[Estate Executor: Edgar Brooks]
[Would you like to activate your inheritance support protocol?]
Noah stared at the monitor, blinking a few times as he reread it.
"What the hell happened here! Is this true?"
Noah wanted to believe this, but remembering what had just happened to him at the reunion brought him back to his senses.
'This must be a prank! Those bastards wanted to humiliate me again. It must be!' he thought.
Noah stared at the words on his laptop screen for a few more minutes.
It didn't feel real.
He didn't know exactly what this support protocol meant—not yet. But something deep inside him stirred. He felt like the world had taken everything from him, beaten him to the ground, and spat on his pride.
Now, this opportunity comes without any signs or warning, enough to cause his heart rate to race and his throat to dry.
Is this a prank?
A virus?
Did someone make a sick joke to kick him while he was already at the bottom of life?
"Should I go for it? If this is their joke, I'm over it!"
Noah paused for just a moment before his fingers lingered above the keyboard.
He chose [Y]
[Congratulations, your inheritance support protocol is active.]
"Now what?"
Didn't take long until another word appeared.
[Would you like to start your legacy? Y/N]
Before he could press the keyboard, something about the screen pulsed softly before him.
"Oh my! Why do these words feel alive?"
He lifted his hand and pressed the [Y] on his not-touch-screen laptop.
Instantly, the screen flashed white, then rearranged into a smooth, sleek, minimalistic interface that appeared before his eyes, no longer on the laptop screen.
He blinked rapidly, trying to test whether the words were still there or had vanished.
But after a few times, the flickering words are still there.
"What the hell…!"
He can't help but curse while focusing again to see the new tabs unfolded across the top like a Menu Bar.
[Assets | Personnel | Investments | Power Suite | Revenge Ledger]
"Revenge ledger?" He frowned as he looked at the words. "This is interesting!"
When Noah feels uncertain about what to do, another word appears.
[SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZED.]
[Host Status: Mentally Stable | Emotionally Unstable | Power Level: 0]
[Starter Package Unlocked.]
[$10,000,000 Liquid Funds
[Downtown Penthouse Key (Tier 1 Property)]
[Beginner Skill: [Negotiation – Level 1]
[System Function: Revenge Ledger (Unlocked)]
[Notification:]
[ The System will grow stronger the more wealth you control and the choices you make. ]
[ The stronger your will, the more dangerous your enemies, the more potent your rise. ]
Noah slowly sat back, his eyes still wide open, staring at the words before him.
His mind raced to think of everything that had happened: the penthouse key, millions of dollars, skills he could acquire through the system, and revenge!
When a doubt appears again in his mind, he hears a notification sound from the sofa.
He hesitates to check and worries that those bastards he used to call friends would text him again.
But his feet betrayed him, and he found himself standing by the sofa.
When he checks the phone, he feels his knee give in, causing him to slump on the floor.
"$10,000,000 was credited to your 9041919119 bank account." From: Paragon Bank
"Shit! Did I just become a millionaire in a second?"