My Journey to Wealth With the Billionaire Endgame System

Hoeflation's Newest Victim

Reese made his way into the corner store he always went to when he wanted to treat her.

It wasn't much, but he grabbed a bottle of cheap wine, some sea salt chips she liked, a bottle of strawberry soda, and a small tub of chocolate-covered almonds, her favorite comfort treat.

He used what was left of the money he had budgeted for the week, not even caring if it left him tight for food.

At least he had something to fall back on, and Trey would always help him out. He just wanted to celebrate to the fullest with her, about his first success, at least.

On his way out, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and tapped on the pinned chat at the top. He had saved her name the same way every guy would save his girlfriend’s name.

"Coming over. Got something to tell you."

There was no reply, yet it marked delivered.

‘Odd.’

That was fine anyway. She probably left her phone on silent again, like always. Or maybe she was sleeping, curled under her blanket with a movie playing in the background.

He smiled at the thought and picked up his pace, as his excitement doubled.

The rain had subsided by the time he reached her place. He stood in front of the door of her apartment, pressing the buzzer a few times, yet no answer.

He didn’t know the passkey, and neither did he have the key to her apartment after she had her door changed.

He was about to try again when a voice called out behind him.

"Are you looking for Tessa?"

Reese turned around. It was an older woman he recognized from the bakery Tessa always bought her pastries from. She had a plastic bag over her head like a makeshift hood, and a small dog pulling at its leash.

"Yeah," Reese replied, lowering the champagne bag. "Is she home?"

She shook her head. "No, no. I saw her leave about twenty minutes ago. She said she was heading to her cousin's place to drop something off."

Reese gave a faint nod. “Right. Thanks.”

He turned away before he could ask more questions or she could say anything.

The thought of Tessa suddenly heading to her cousin's place made sense. But the fact she was going at such an hour with no one was also suspicious.

Tessa and Reese had been together for the past one year and eight months. They met when he had lost his first job, at a café.

Apparently, she had run away from her home for reasons related to a contract marriage and the responsibilities that were always put on her despite not being the first child.

She was actually from a wealthy home but left it for a simple life.

He knew Eli, her distant cousin, since they had been kids, around the time his mother left.

Lily, his little sister, was just born, about nine months old.

And then she got sick later. She was diagnosed with leukemia.

Reese never forgot the way her small hand felt in his the night before she was taken to a private hospital and never saw her again, because, according to the nurses,

She wanted none of the Miles, especially him, ever coming near Lily's ward unless he could pay $50,000.

That was why he started learning Forex, and today was his first step to actually making millions—hopefully.

He arrived at Eli’s building soaked through, every step making a squelching sound as he climbed to the third floor.

His hand was numb by the time he reached the door, with the cold seeping through his hoodie. But his fingers still tightened protectively around the champagne bag.

He knocked gently on the door, but there was no answer. He waited, then knocked again—still nothing.

Then he turned the knob and discovered the door was already open.

“Eli?” he called, stepping into the dark apartment.

There was music playing softly from a speaker somewhere in the back. The warm air inside hit him, and it was instantly comforting. The place smelled like weed and half-eaten pizza, which was normal.

'Typical.' Reese closed the door behind him and moved in slowly.

“Eli?”

He walked toward the bedroom, where the sound was coming from, and stopped when he heard the soft noise.

Breathing, movements, the creaking of the bed that matched the music playing.

He walked toward the open bedroom door and stepped in casually.

Inside, Eli was lying flat on his back with a stick of cigarette between his lips.

A woman straddled him, moving her hips in a slow, practiced rhythm. Her long dark hair stuck to the sweat along her spine, and her face.

Reese didn't move at first. He just stood there, trying to fix his expression somewhere between disgust and disappointment.

“You should start locking your door, man,” he said finally, announcing his presence.

Eli’s head snapped to the side. His eyes widened in surprise but relaxed as he recognized Reese.

“Reese,” he said. “Didn’t know you were coming.”

Reese looked around the room briefly, then met his eyes. “Tessa came here, right? Her neighbor said she was heading this way.”

Eli didn’t flinch. “Yeah. But she left a while ago.”

Reese nodded once. “Alright.”

He turned around to leave, for some reason relieved that his thoughts hadn't been proved right.

He thought of staying till the rain stopped, but when he remembered he had a bet to win, and his girlfriend to look for, he exhaled and pushed the door of the bedroom open.

Suddenly, the lady moaned out, a little too loud, so the sound felt like a shriek to Reese.

“Eli…” she moaned again, warning him, but Reese paused.

His heart dropped like a stone in his chest at the same time the bag in his hands dropped to the ground. He turned, and the girl shifted slightly to adjust her position.

Reese stared for an unhealthy amount of time before opening his mouth.

“...Tessa?”