Ding! My System Turns Your Arrogance Into Cash

Chapter 7: I Owe You No Explanation

Nicholas stood perfectly still on the wet pavement.

The heavy luxury shopping bags hung loosely from his shoulders, but his posture remained entirely unbothered.

The three burly fraternity athletes took a small step closer, their large fists still clenched tightly.

Yet, looking at the absolute lack of fear in Nicholas's eyes, the athletes suddenly hesitated.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Chad barked, his face twisting with impatient rage.

"Grab him! Take the stolen card out of his pocket right now!" Chad ordered, his voice cracking.

The athletes looked at each other, their confident expressions switching to sudden uncertainty.

Nicholas didn't move a muscle, but his eyes secretly locked onto Chad’s front pants pocket.

A sharp buzzing sound broke the tense silence as Chad's smartphone began to vibrate violently inside his pocket.

Nicholas activated his Wealth Insight, focusing his mind entirely on the hidden digital data.

A translucent, glowing text box instantly appeared over Chad's pocket, displaying the text message in real-time.

"Aren't you going to check your phone, Chad?" Nicholas asked, his tone casual and smooth.

"Shut up! You don't tell me what to do, you broke rat!" Chad shouted, his face turning an even deeper red.

"You might want to read it," Nicholas said, a faint, dangerous smile playing on his lips.

"It's from your father. You and your family might have to join a bunch of beggars on the streets soon.”

Chad froze completely, his aggressive posture instantly locking up as his chest stopped heaving.

"W-What did you say?" Chad stammered, his eyes widening with a sudden, suffocating panic.

Nicholas smirked, his eyes glinting with mischievousness. “I am trying to say your family assets were just frozen by the bank due to a massive fraud investigation," Nicholas repeated loudly.

The gathering crowd of students gasped, their murmurs instantly shifting from Nicholas over to Chad.

"No way... the Sterling family is ruined?" a student in the back whispered loudly.

"Is he serious? A fraud investigation?" another girl added, her eyes wide with shock.

Chad’s hands shook violently as he reached into his pocket and yanked his phone out into the light.

He frantically unlocked the screen, his eyes darting across the bright display as he read the actual notification.

Emergency Alert: All corporate and personal accounts frozen by order of the Federal Court. Status: Investigation.

The phone slipped from Chad's numb fingers, clattering loudly against the wet concrete sidewalk.

His knees buckled, and Chad dropped to his knees right in the middle of a muddy puddle, staring blankly ahead.

"Everything... gone?" Chad whispered to himself, his voice completely broken and hollow.

The three fraternity athletes stared down at Chad in absolute shock, their faces switching to instant horror.

"Bro, is your dad really getting arrested?" the tallest athlete asked, taking a massive step backward.

"I'm not getting involved in a federal fraud case," the second athlete muttered, raising his hands.

Without another word, the three burly athletes turned around and rushed away into the dark night.

They wanted to avoid being tied to a ruined family at all costs, leaving Chad completely abandoned.

Miranda stood frozen near the store entrance, her breath catching in her throat as she witnessed the collapse.

She looked down at Chad, who was currently shivering in the mud, looking pathetic and entirely defeated.

A deep wave of intense disgust washed over Miranda’s face as she stared at her brand-new boyfriend.

He's broke. His family is ruined. He's nothing but a fraud, Miranda thought, her mind spinning with panic.

She instantly let go of Chad's expensive leather jacket, stepping completely away from him like he was a disease.

Miranda turned her head slowly, her wide, desperate eyes locking onto Nicholas's tall, imposing figure.

A sudden, overwhelming realization hit her like a physical blow to the chest.

Nicholas had just spent five thousand dollars cash, and he didn't care about the elite Sterling family at all.

He knew, Miranda realized, her heart hammering against her ribs with supreme, agonizing regret.

Nicholas is the real hidden dragon here. I threw away a multi-millionaire for a sinking ship.

Miranda’s expression quickly switched into a pitiful, tearful mask as she took two fast steps toward Nicholas.

"Nicholas... honey, please listen to me," Miranda begged, her voice trembling as she reached out both hands.

"Chad tricked me! He forced me to say those mean things to you in the courtyard!" she lied frantically.

"You know I only love you, right? Please, Nicholas, let's just go home together," Miranda whimpered.

Nicholas didn't say a single word, his handsome face remaining an unreadable mask of absolute stone.

He didn't look at her tearful eyes, and he didn't look at her outstretched, trembling hands.

Nicholas casually walked right past her without a single glance, leaving her standing empty-handed in the rain.

Miranda froze in place, a supreme, burning humiliation choking her throat as the crowd began to laugh at her.

As Nicholas walked down the dark street with his head held high, a violent vibration erupted in his palm.

He pulled out his cracked phone, watching the screen light up with a golden, glowing notification.

Ding!

[Congratulations to the Host! Mission Completed: Perfect Spend.]

[System Level Up Initiated. Current Rank: Tier 2.]

[Daily Allowance upgraded: $50,000.00.]

[Note: All funds must be spent before midnight, or your balance resets to zero.]