My Journey to Wealth With the Billionaire Endgame System

A Second Chance

Her eyes fluttered, then quickly snapped open and froze almost immediately.

Eli didn’t say a word. He just watched with a small smirk at the corner of his lips.

Tessa's lips parted, but no sound came, and Reese didn't even bother to wait for an explanation.

He exited the apartment, ignoring her calls, she stumbled off the bed and out of the room.

She chased him into the rain, barefoot with a blanket around her, soaked and shaking. “Reese, please! Just wait, I can explain!”

He kept walking.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen! I didn’t plan it...”

Reese stopped, then turned on her like he’d been holding back a fit of rage.

“You didn’t plan to ride your cousin? The same one you said you hated? The same one you ran from because your family was toxic as hell? That cousin?!”

Tessa flinched but stood frozen in place. The rain poured harder, but not louder than his voice.

“I was out here breaking my back for us! Losing sleep, starving half the time, picking up shifts I hated, flipping trades, trying to turn pennies into something so you wouldn’t have to worry."

"I fucking applied for a lottery that ended up as a scam last week, and it wasn't even my money. You know how much I lost? Millions, Tessa. I blew through everything thinking I could be one of those guys who made it big… for you.”

He paced in circles like he didn’t know what to do with the rage in his chest.

“Trading flopped. I was behind on rent, behind on bills. But I didn’t tell you, I didn’t want you stressed. Then when your tuition hit and I didn’t have the funds, I went and begged Trey to help out.”

Tessa’s lip trembled. “Reese…”

“He laughed in my face. He called me a simp. Said a woman like you wasn't worth that kind of hustle. You know what I told him? I said you were worth everything.”

He pointed at her.

“I was ready to marry you Tess." His voice broke. "I had plans. I was ready to start a damn life with you. I ignored every red flag, every warning sign, every goddamn doubt, because I thought I finally had someone who loved me for me. Not my pockets. Just me.”

"Shit," he cussed. "You seriously let me take your first time and I thought that was proving to me you loved me, Tess."

His hands balled into fists. “I let go of all my past bullshit for you. All the pain, the trust issues, the fake friends.”

His voice dropped low, shaking with a different kind of rage now. “And this whole time… you were getting clapped by your own cousin? That’s what I was grinding for? That’s what I was starving for?”

Eli strolled up with his hood on like he wasn't in the wrong.

“Yo, chill bro,” he said casually. “She made a mistake. Doesn’t mean she ain’t care about you.”

Reese looked at him like he wanted to kill something. “Mistake? This isn't cheating on a quiz, idiot.”

Eli rolled his eyes. “Man, you aren't even the only one. Ask her about her psych professor. The gym coach. That old-ass tutor. She's out here surviving however she could.”

Tessa gasped. “Eli, shut up!”

Reese’s eyes snapped back to her. “Tell me he’s lying,” his eyes glistened. "If you tell me it's a lie, I'll look past this like it was a mistake."

Tessa didn’t say anything. She just stood there, staring, with tears forming I'm her eyes.

Reese just laughed. “You really had me out here thinking I was your hero while you were getting saved by every one that offered a ride or a check.”

He turned away, walking into the street like he couldn’t breathe near her anymore.

“Reese… no… please, don’t walk away like this!”

He didn’t turn around.

He was halfway across when the first truck screeched around the corner. It would have hit him if she hadn’t grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

Eli, like an idiot, stormed up and yanked her away. “Just let him go. It’s over already!”

Reese turned around to respond, maybe shout or hit Eli, but a truck crashed into him before he could utter anything.

His body crumpled onto the asphalt on the other side of the road, the impact cracked a lot of bones, even he could feel it.

Blood soon formed a massive pool beneath him, and more streamed from his eyes like tears.

Tessa hurried to his side and dropped to her knees, still sobbing. “Reese! REESE! Please, stay with me!”

His eyes opened just a little. Enough to see her through the blur and the rain.

“You know what hurts the most?” he croaked, coughing blood.

“I really thought… you were my way out. I thought I could finally be seen.”

His voice was barely audible, but he kept going. “I threw away everything for you. My savings. My pride. My future…”

“I even planned on buying the diamond ring you always wanted, Tess... I seriously just made my first win and I wanted to celebrate with you.”

He gave her one last, broken look.

“…Should’ve known better.”

"I don't even know the difference between you and the girls who message Trey everyday."

Then he went silent. The only thing he could hear was the muffled sound of sirens, and her sobbing.

-------

"I should have gone to Trey's place first. At least he would have stopped me from going over to hers."

Reese thought as the sounds around him dissolved, leaving just silence and his thoughts alone. He couldn't feel a thing, except the cool air on his skin.

Then his mind replayed all the moments before now, especially with her. The times he was sick and she'd visit with hot soup and drugs.

Most times, if it was her, he would spend days at her place, no sleep to ensure she was comfortable while he kept himself busy with his trading and reading.

He even remembered when they'd stay up through the night watching movies, playing games, before collapsing from exhaustion.

A small chuckle escaped Reese's lips at the thought of it, then he mumbled, "I'm such a fool, huh?"

"Yes, you are."

"I know I am...." he trailed off, "Wait..... What's going on? I didn't say that."