Chapter 03

Gia's POV

A familiar username crashed into Julian's chat in bright red letters.

*Enzo_Official: Honeybee, are you serious? You're dumping all that money on this nobody? Why? What does he have that I don't?*

I stared at the message. Just a day ago, my heart would have melted at Enzo noticing me.

Now I only remembered one word. *Wallet.*

I didn't reply. I blocked him and turned back to Julian.

He hadn't moved. He was frozen in front of the camera, his face stiff, his eyes wide.

"Julian?" I tapped the screen. "Why did you stop? Come on, closer! Keep going!"

He blinked and shook his head quickly. "Sorry! Sorry, my laptop froze for a second. It's really old."

He leaned toward the camera, so close I could see the tiny freckle under his left eye. My face burned, but I didn't look away.

*Ding! Daily spending task complete. Total cashback received: $1,500.*

I opened my bank app.

The money was all back. Every cent.

I flopped back onto my bed and kicked my legs in the air. "I'm rich! I'm actually rich!"

An hour ago, I'd been crying over a liar who called me a wallet. Now my chest felt light, like someone had opened a window inside me.

"Turns out money fixes a broken heart faster than tears," I said to the ceiling. "Men aren't for loving. Men are for making me money."

*Congratulations, Host, on completing your first stage task. Would you like to open the Beginner Mystery Box?*

"Yes! Open it!"

A glowing silver box appeared in my mind, wrapped in ribbons of light. I rubbed my hands together.

"Come on," I whispered. "Give me something good."

The lid burst open.

*Congratulations! Host has received a beachfront villa in Miami Beach.*

My mouth fell open. "A villa? In Miami? How much is that worth?"

*Estimated value: $2.8 million. Purchase funds have been deposited into Host's account.*

My phone buzzed so hard it slid off the pillow. I grabbed it and counted the zeros three times.

*Warning: These funds may only be used to purchase the assigned property. Time limit: three hours.*

"Three hours?" I jumped off the bed. Then I froze. "Wait. System, won't the bank think I stole this? Won't somebody come asking questions?"

*Host's background has been fully adjusted. Source of funds: an estate left by a late great-aunt, released in stages through a family trust. All records are legal and clean.*

"A great-aunt I never met," I murmured, grinning. "Rest in peace, Auntie. Thank you."

I threw on my best dress. It was old and a little tight at the waist, but it was clean. I grabbed a cab to the airport and caught the next flight south.

Two hours later, I stepped into the glass lobby of Bayshore Prestige Realty.

The air smelled like expensive perfume and cold marble. Photos of white mansions with blue pools covered every wall. Each one cost more than my whole street back home.

A tall man in a slim grey suit walked past, talking on his phone.

"No, no, you tell the buyer to take the deal or walk. Then you deal with the fallout later."

"Excuse me, sir," I said, stepping toward him. "I'd like to—"

He didn't even look at me properly. His eyes slid over my dress, my sneakers, my body. "Can't you see I'm on a call? Find someone else."

He brushed past so hard his shoulder knocked my bag off my arm.

"Hey!" I snapped. "What's your problem?"

He just kept walking.

I bent to pick up my bag. When I stood up, a young woman with a neat bun and kind brown eyes was standing in front of me.

"Hello, ma'am. I'm Ivy. Welcome to Bayshore Prestige. How can I help you today?"

Her smile was real. It almost made me forget the man in the grey suit.

"Hi," I said. "I'm looking for a beachfront villa. In Miami Beach. Do you have any available?"

"We do." Ivy nodded and opened her tablet. "Are you looking to buy or rent, ma'am?"

"Oh, I want to—"

"Ivy, honestly." A sharp voice cut in from behind her.

A woman in a red pencil skirt walked over, heels clicking on the marble. Her lipstick matched her skirt. She looked me up and down slowly, then laughed through her nose.

"Why are you even asking that? Look at her." She waved a hand at my dress. "She's renting. Obviously. Probably a studio, if she's lucky."

Ivy's cheeks turned red. "Vanessa, please—"

"This is why you never close a deal," Vanessa said, patting Ivy's shoulder like a child. "You waste time on the wrong people. Watch me and learn something for once."

A few other agents nearby snickered. One of them was the man in the grey suit, now off his phone and smirking at me.

My face was hot. My hands were shaking.

But then I felt the phone in my pocket. The phone with $2.8 million sitting inside it.

I lifted my chin and looked Vanessa straight in the eye.

"I'm buying."