Gray's hands trembled as he stared at the crumpled envelope Mr. White had shoved into his chest. The heavy rain soaked through his shirt and mixed with the sweat from hours of hauling boxes in the warehouse. His muscles screamed with exhaustion, but the pain in his body was nothing compared to the hollow ache spreading through his chest."Take your final pay and get out. You're done."The words kept ringing in Gray's mind as he watched his manager turn away, clipboard tucked under one arm. Mr. White didn't even look back. Why would he? Gray was just another worker, another face in the crowd of people struggling to survive.Gray opened the envelope with shaking fingers. A few thin bills stared back at him, and his stomach dropped. This wasn't enough for rent. It definitely wasn't enough for food. His little sister's face flashed in his mind, the way her eyes lit up when he came home each night no matter how late he was. She always pretended she wasn't hungry so he could eat more.How w

Gray climbed the narrow staircase with bags of food weighing down both arms. His heart hammered in his chest, partly from the climb and partly from excitement. He fumbled with the doorknob, nearly dropping a bag before pushing the door open."Lily? You home?"The apartment greeted him the same way it always did. The cramped living room barely had space for the sagging couch and chipped coffee table. The walls were a worn out white, and the single window stayed covered because the alley view wasn't worth seeing. The air smelled stale and musty, a smell they have gotten used to in the absence of proper heat.But it was home. The only home he and Lily had left."Brother?"Gray turned toward her voice. Lily appeared from around the corner, her messy hair sticking up awkwardly in different directions. She was ten years old and small for her age, with round cheeks and bright eyes that seemed too big for her face. The pink dress she wore used to belong to a neighbor's daughter and hung loose

Gray slipped the card back into his pocket, satisfaction settling warm in his chest. This was really happening."Can we go to the toy store next, brother? The big one?" Lily grabbed his hand, her face practically glowing with happiness. She'd never been able to just pick things out before and seeing her brother pay without counting every bill three times first had her buzzing to continue the shopping spree.Gray chuckled and squeezed her hand. "I told you we're going crazy today. Lead the way.""Yay!" Lily jumped and pulled him toward the escalator.And just like that, their spending spree truly began.[Ding!][$312.40 has been deducted from your balance.][Available Balance: $8,948.65]At the shoe store, Lily picked out sparkly sneakers and pink boots that lit up when she stomped her feet. Gray grabbed himself a decent pair of running shoes, the first new shoes he'd owned in two years.[$418.60 has been deducted from your balance.][Available Balance: $8,530.05]They hit a clothing s

Jayden and his friends sat at a round table in the corner, laughing like they owned the place. Their table overflowed with expensive dishes, fancy cuts of meat and delicate appetizers. Wine glasses filled with deep red liquid caught the light as they raised them in toasts."Did you see Gray's face earlier?" Jayden wiped tears from his eyes, still laughing. "God, that was priceless."There was something deeply satisfying about putting people in their place, especially when they couldn't fight back. Gray had always been an easy target, and apparently nothing had changed."He looked like a kicked puppy," one of Jayden's friends said, shoving a piece of steak into his mouth. "And that sister of his?" The other friend shook his head. "Poor kid. I almost felt bad for her." He paused. "Almost."Jayden leaned back in his chair, grinning wide. "I can't believe that loser is still around. Thought he'd be working in some factory by now, or maybe sweeping streets. But here he is, eating in a nic

"What do you mean it's declined?" Jayden's voice came out louder than he intended, sharp enough to cut through the pleasant restaurant ambiance. "That can't be right!"People at nearby tables turned to look. Whispers started spreading through the dining room like ripples on water.The waitress stood frozen, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. "I'm really sorry, sir. Perhaps you have another card we could try?"Jayden's face flushed red. Embarrassment and anger mixed together until he couldn't tell which was worse. His hands gripped the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. This had never happened to him before. Never."Bro, people are staring. Calm down." One of his friends leaned in close, his whisper urgent.That's when Jayden remembered Emma and Chloe were sitting right there watching everything fall apart. He slowly turned his head. Sure enough, both women were staring at him with wide eyes.Emma looked surprised, her eyebrows raised but not mocking. Chloe's e