Infinite Choice System

Chapter Five

Nelson entered his room and closed the door. The first thing he did was unbox his new iPhone and check his banking app, where he saw a staggering balance of $600,000!

Just the other day, he was skipping meals, counting pennies, and trekking just to save bus fare. Now he could buy whatever he wanted.

“I am really rich,” Nelson whispered as he sat on the edge of his bed, trying to process it all.

From this moment, he could foot any bill, give his mother the finest care in the world, and make sure his sister did not have to work her brains off! He could achieve his dreams of owning grand luxury estates, investing in multi-million dollar corporations, and becoming a powerful figure that nobody in the entire city could dare to look down on ever again.

Thinking about this reminded Nelson of the arrogant faces of Derek and Claire, who invited him to a VIP party tonight. People like them were the kind who thrived on social hierarchy and power, using wealth as the symbol of status. According to them, human worth was measured by net worth, and if you didn’t have a stuffed wallet, you were nothing more than dirt on their shoes.

This was the real reason they invited Nelson. He wasn't a guest; he was a prop for their amusement. They wanted him isolated in a corner of their luxury to make their new relationship look even more flawless while everyone laughed at his expense.

A cold smile crossed Nelson’s face. Since they took him for a crying dog incapable of fighting back, he decided he would attend their VIP party. It was time to show them what happens when you corner a dog.

The time was 8 PM, and the party was to begin by 8:30, so Nelson got up quickly to prepare.

He showered, styled his hair, and got dressed in his only black suit and loafers. It wasn't custom-designed, but it fit his stature perfectly, blending well with the Breitling watch on his wrist and the gold iPhone in his hand. Nelson looked transformed, like a force of nature unleashed.

“Look good. Feel good,” he said confidently before leaving his room and stepping down into the kitchen.

At the same time, his mother and sister had just finished cooking the spaghetti.

“Nelson, come eat, the food is ready,” his mother called, offering him a plate.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Nelson declined. “You and Irene should enjoy it together. I decided I'll eat out tonight at the Grand Horizon Hotel.”

His mother’s hands froze with the plate, unable to square his words.

The Grand Horizon Hotel? Where a bottle of water costs $100? Where the city’s top one percent gathered?

Irene’s mouth fell in disbelief. There’s no way her brother, of all people, could afford to drive off to an eleven-star luxury hotel and dine comfortably without going bankrupt. No online coding lottery could pay out that kind of fortune.

But looking closer, another shock hit her. It wasn’t just the car or the money—Nelson himself had changed. The black suit accentuated his tall frame, his styled hair gave him the vibe of a wealthy heir, and the Breitling watch screamed high society. Gone was the exhausted brother she knew. In his place stood a handsome man radiating absolute confidence.

Nelson flashed his sister a smile before he stepped out of the house to meet his Corvette.

He took his time to admire the car as he pressed the smart key, unlocking it with a double chirp.

Nelson slid into the cabin, greeted by the scent and glow of a new car—except this one was a supercar with ten times the experience.

VROOM!

A roar exploded from the exhaust, vibrating his house.

Nelson shifted into drive and hit the gas, driving onto the main street toward the Grand Horizon Hotel.

He arrived at Grand Horizon Hotel a couple of minutes later. The hotel was in the center of the metropolis, brighter than the surrounding buildings. Nelson drove into the premises, bustling with wealthy pedestrians and posh individuals walking along the red carpet leading to the hotel’s big entrance.

He searched for a place to park and found a cool spot between a Revuelto and an R8. The Corvette fit perfectly in the sea of supercars, purring one more time before Nelson cut the engine.

…

The Butterfly door swung open vertically like wings, and Nelson stretched out until he stood on the pavement, half a meter taller than his ride. He looked around, adjusted his jacket, and checked his time.

The high-society atmosphere, the flashing cameras of a few stray reporters, and the scent of expensive cologne in the air didn't move him. He was calm as a pool of water.

While walking to the hotel’s entrance, the valets rushed to attend to him, bowing and treating him with utmost respect. Even the wealthy guests mingling outside turned their heads. They had never seen Nelson’s face before in their exclusive circles, making them curious about who he was.

"Who is that? Which family is he from?" a young woman whispered.

"Look at that watch. He must be a young master from the capital," another murmured, completely oblivious to the fact that a day ago, this man was washing the dust of a slum off his skin.

Mystery breeds respect in a place like this. Because nobody knew his background, they assumed the highest.

The doorman quickly ushered Nelson past the velvet ropes.

"Welcome to the Grand Horizon, sir. Are you here for Derek Thompson's party?"

"Yes," Nelson answered.

"Right this way, young master. The Thompson family has reserved the banquet hall on the third floor."

The attendant bowed again, gesturing toward the gold escalator.

Nelson nodded and walked inside the lobby featuring marble floors and crystal chandeliers. While the opulence of the place stole his attention, he failed to notice a group standing by a pillar, sipping champagne.

It was a crowd of people who knew him. His collegemates.

When they heard murmurs of the attendants guiding Nelson, one of them glanced over, expecting to see another heir from a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate. But what he saw left him so shocked that his glass of champagne wobbled in his hand.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" another classmate, Liu, asked, turning around.

Within seconds, the entire group faced Nelson, disgust and shock written all over their faces. Some rubbed their eyes, blinking as if they had seen a ghost, while others cupped their mouth as if this was the biggest profanity of the century.

They couldn't believe this filthy, penniless dog actually had the audacity to show up at a VIP event like this one!

"Am I blind? Is that Nelson?" Zack spat. "How did this trash get past the front gate? Did he sneak in through the kitchen to steal leftovers?"

"Look at him, he even rented a fake suit to look the part," Liu hissed.

"He's a stain on Derek's party. If Derek sees this loser here, he’ll be furious. A beggar should know his place. Coming here to lose face for our entire class!"

The group set down their glasses on a passing waiter’s tray. Seconds later, they were stomping toward Nelson, determined to kick him out into the street before he could even take another step into the hotel.

Nelson stopped walking as they blocked his path, his face expressionless as he looked up at them.