My Quadrillionaire System

#6#

The hospital waiting room had gone silent after Kai's card went through. Six thousand dollars, approved just like that.

The receipt printed slowly, each mechanical whir sounding louder than it should have.

Brett Harrison stood frozen near the administrator's desk, his phone still in his hand. He had been recording the whole thing, expecting Kai to be dragged out by security. Instead, everyone was staring at the receipt like it was some kind of miracle.

Dr. Walsh cleared his throat and straightened his white coat. He looked at the receipt, then at Kai, then back at the receipt. His expression had changed completely. The smugness was gone. Now there was confusion and something else. Nervousness.

"Well," Dr. Walsh said with a forced laugh. "I suppose we can proceed with the examination after all."

Brett's jaw tightened. He stepped forward and waved his hand dismissively at the whole situation. "Six thousand dollars? That's nothing." He pulled out his own card, a black credit card with gold lettering, and slapped it on the counter. "I want a full examination too. Charge me twelve thousand. I'll take the premium package."

The receptionist blinked at him. "Sir, you don't need..."

"I said charge me twelve thousand," Brett snapped. His eyes flicked to Kai, then to the small crowd of nurses and staff who were still watching. "Let's see whose card really matters here."

The receptionist hesitated, then took the card. She swiped it through the terminal. The machine beeped.

DECLINED.

Brett's smile faltered. "Try it again."

She swiped it again.

DECLINED.

The room got quieter. Someone coughed. Another person pulled out their phone.

Brett's face flushed red. He snatched the card back and pulled out another one, this time a platinum card. "Use this one."

The receptionist swiped it.

DECLINED.

Whispers started spreading through the waiting area. Phones came out. A few people were already typing.

Brett's hand shook as he pulled out his phone and dialed. The call connected after two rings.

"Dad, my cards aren't working..."

The voice on the other end exploded. Even from a few feet away, Kai could hear the shouting. Brett's face went pale.

"What do you mean bankrupt? What are you talking about..."

More shouting. Brett's hand dropped to his side. His eyes were wide and unfocused.

"Come home? But I'm at the hospital, I..."

The call ended. Brett stood there for a long moment, staring at nothing. Then he turned and walked toward the exit without another word. His shoulders were slumped. His head was down. The automatic doors slid open and he disappeared into the early morning darkness.

No one said anything for a few seconds. Then the whispers started again, louder this time.

Dr. Walsh cleared his throat and turned to the remaining staff with an awkward smile. "Well, that was unfortunate. Let's not let it disrupt our work."

Then he turned to Kai. His smile widened, but it looked wrong. Too eager. Too desperate.

"Mr. Rivers, I want to apologize for any misunderstanding earlier," Dr. Walsh said, his voice dripping with false warmth. "We get a lot of confused individuals here late at night, you understand. But clearly you are a man of means, and we are absolutely prepared to provide you with the highest level of care."

Kai looked at him. He didn't say anything at first. He just looked.

Dr. Walsh's smile wavered.

Kai's eyes darkened. His voice was soft, but it cut through the room like a blade. "That's low for someone who called me a dog a few minutes ago."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Dr. Kim, who had been standing near the administrator's desk reviewing something on a tablet, turned slowly. Her expression had been warm and professional up until that moment. Now it was something else entirely. Her eyes locked onto Dr. Walsh, and the air itself felt colder.

"Is that true?" she asked quietly.

Dr. Walsh's face went white. Sweat appeared on his forehead almost instantly. He chuckled, a nervous, breathless sound. "Dr. Kim, I... there was a misunderstanding, I didn't mean..."

"Is that true."

Dr. Walsh's knees buckled. He dropped down onto the floor, his hands clasped together. "I made a mistake, I was tired, I didn't know who he was, I..."

Dr. Kim's expression didn't change. She looked down at him like he was something unpleasant stuck to the bottom of her shoe. Then she looked at the security guards standing near the entrance.

"Get him out of here," she said calmly. "He's fired."

Dr. Walsh's eyes went wide. "What? No, please, Dr. Kim, I've worked here for eight years, I..."

"Now."

The guards moved quickly. They grabbed Dr. Walsh by the arms and hauled him to his feet. He struggled and babbled apologies and excuses, but they dragged him toward the exit anyway. The automatic doors opened and they shoved him through. His voice echoed back into the waiting room for a moment, pleading and desperate, and then the doors closed and he was gone.

Dr. Kim turned back to Kai. Her expression softened immediately, like a switch had been flipped. The coldness melted away and was replaced by something warm and concerned. She smiled, and it was the kind of smile that made people feel safe.

"I'm so sorry you had to experience that," she said gently. "Please, come with me. I'll take care of you myself."

She led him down a hallway, away from the waiting room and the staring crowd. The corridor was quieter here, lined with private examination rooms. She opened a door at the end and gestured for him to enter.

The room was different from the standard examination rooms. It was larger, cleaner, more comfortable. There was a leather chair instead of a paper-covered table, soft lighting instead of harsh fluorescents, and a faint scent of lavender in the air.

Dr. Kim closed the door behind them and gestured for Kai to sit. He did. She pulled on a pair of gloves and stepped closer, her movements careful and professional. But her eyes were soft.

"Let me take a look at your head," she said quietly.

She leaned in and examined the bruise on his temple where Chase had kicked him. Her fingers were gentle as they probed the edges of the injury. Kai didn't flinch.

"This looks like it came from an assault," she said after a moment. Her voice was still soft, but there was an edge to it now. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Kai didn't answer.

She studied his face for a moment, then nodded. "You don't have to. But if you ever want to press charges, I can document this. It would hold up in court."

"No," Kai said quietly. "I don't need that."

She nodded again and stepped back. She pulled off her gloves and tossed them into a waste bin, then picked up a tablet and started making notes.

As she worked, Kai felt a faint buzz in the back of his mind. A blue screen flickered into existence in front of him, visible only to him.

LAVISH RETURN PROCESSED: $60,000 to $6,000,000

NEW BALANCE: $16,327,427.43

MISSION COMPLETE: FACE-SLAPPING SUCCESSFUL

BONUS REWARD: CONTACT ACQUIRED. DR. SARAH KIM. HIGH VALUE ALLY.

SYSTEM NOTE: THE 10X CHARGE WAS INTENTIONAL TO MAXIMIZE YOUR RETURNS. YOU ARE WELCOME.

Kai's eyes widened slightly. Sixteen million dollars. In one night.

Another notification appeared.

NEW MISSION UNLOCKED: RETURN TO SILVERCREST UNIVERSITY

OBJECTIVE: CONFRONT THOSE WHO HUMILIATED YOU

REWARD: MAJOR UPGRADE POINTS. NEW SKILLS.

The screen faded.

Dr. Kim set the tablet down and turned back to him. "You have a minor concussion and some bruising, but nothing serious. You'll be fine in a few days." She pulled a prescription pad from her coat and started writing. "I'm giving you something for the pain and something to help you sleep. Take them as directed."

She tore off the sheet and held it out to him. Kai took it.

She didn't step back. She stayed close, her eyes searching his face. "Do you have somewhere safe to stay?"

"I have a place," Kai said.

She nodded slowly, but she didn't look convinced. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small business card. It was cream-colored with elegant gold lettering. Her name. Her personal number.

"If you need anything," she said softly, "call me. Anytime."

Kai looked at the card but didn't take it.

Dr. Kim's expression shifted slightly. The professional mask slipped just a little, and underneath it was something warmer. Almost vulnerable. She stepped a little closer and her voice dropped, softer now, almost pleading.

"I know someone who runs a recovery clinic downtown. Private, discreet, very comfortable. If you wanted, I could arrange for you to stay there for a few days. No charge. Just so you can rest and heal properly."

Her eyes searched his face. There was genuine concern there, but also something else. Something that looked like hope.

Kai shook his head gently. "I'm alright. But thank you."

Her smile faltered for just a second. Then she straightened up a little, her professional composure slipping back into place, but her eyes stayed soft and a little sad.

"Alright," she said quietly. "But please, at least take the card."

She held it out again. This time her charm seemed to radiate from her like warmth from a fire. Her beauty was undeniable, her presence magnetic, but her eyes were almost pleading now, like she genuinely needed him to take it, to keep that thread of connection between them.

Kai reached out and took the card. Her fingers brushed his for just a moment.

Dr. Kim's smile returned, warmer this time, and she let out a breath she seemed to have been holding.