REBIRTH TO CHANGE MY FATE

4

Jake Morrison clutched his lottery ticket like a lifeline as he walked through the doors of the Phoenix Lottery Commission office. The sterile fluorescent lighting made everything feel surreal, as if he were moving through a dream. Fifty thousand dollars—more money than he'd ever imagined having.

"Congratulations, Mr. Morrison," the clerk said with practiced enthusiasm as she processed his winnings. "After taxes, your net payout comes to thirty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars. How would you like to receive the funds?"

"Direct deposit, please," Jake replied, his voice barely concealing his excitement.

Two hours later, Jake stood outside Grace Chen's apartment door, his phone buzzing with a bank notification confirming the deposit. He knocked twice before Grace opened the door, still wearing her work clothes from Stellar International.

"Jake! How did the interview go?" Grace asked, her face lighting up with anticipation.

"Actually, I have something better to tell you," Jake grinned, pulling out an envelope containing the three hundred dollars Grace had lent him, plus an additional seven hundred. "I want to take you and Maya out to dinner tonight. Somewhere nice."

Grace stared at the money in confusion. "Jake, where did this come from? Please tell me you didn't do anything illegal."

"I won the lottery," Jake said simply. "Fifty thousand dollars. Well, thirty-seven after taxes."

"You what?" Grace's voice rose an octave. "Jake, that's incredible! How?"

Maya appeared behind Grace, her purple-streaked hair still messy from sleep. "What's all the shouting about?"

"Jake won the lottery!" Grace exclaimed.

Maya looked Jake up and down skeptically. "Bullshit. Guys like him don't win anything except participation trophies."

"It's true," Jake said, showing them both his phone with the bank balance. "And I want to celebrate with the two most important people in my life."

Maya's expression shifted from disbelief to grudging interest. "Holy shit, you're serious. How much did you actually win?"

"Enough to treat you ladies to the best Japanese restaurant in Phoenix," Jake replied. "Sakura Blossom downtown. I already made reservations."

Grace's eyes misted over. "Jake, you don't have to do this. You should save that money."

"I've spent years being broke and miserable," Jake said firmly. "Tonight, I want to celebrate with the people who believed in me when nobody else would."

Three hours later, the trio sat in the elegant dining room of Sakura Blossom, surrounded by bamboo screens and soft lighting. Jake had insisted Grace and Maya order whatever they wanted, despite Maya's continued skepticism about his sudden windfall.

"I still can't believe you actually won," Maya said, picking at her expensive sashimi platter. "What were the odds?"

"About one in fifty thousand," Jake replied, taking a sip of sake. "Sometimes you get lucky."

"Lucky?" Maya snorted. "More like suspiciously convenient. You were broke this morning and rich this afternoon. That doesn't just happen."

"Maya, please," Grace interjected. "Can't you just be happy for him?"

"I'm just saying, it's weird timing," Maya continued. "Right when he needs money most, boom—lottery winner. It's like something out of a bad movie."

If only you knew how right you are, Jake thought, but kept his expression neutral.

Their conversation was interrupted by a familiar laugh from across the restaurant. Jake's blood turned to ice as he recognized the sound—Sarah Mitchell, his ex-girlfriend, sitting at a corner table with a man in an expensive suit.

Sarah looked radiant in a designer dress that probably cost more than Jake's monthly rent used to be. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, and her jewelry caught the ambient light like captured starlight. The man beside her was older, maybe mid-forties, with the confident bearing of someone accustomed to power and wealth.

"Oh, this is rich," Maya muttered, following Jake's gaze. "Is that your ex? The one Grace told me about?"

"Yeah," Jake said quietly, his appetite suddenly vanishing.

"She's gorgeous," Maya observed with cruel satisfaction. "And that guy she's with looks loaded. No wonder she upgraded."

Grace shot her cousin a warning look. "Maya, stop it."

Sarah must have sensed their attention because she turned in their direction. Her face cycled through several emotions—surprise, recognition, and finally, something approaching pity.

"Jake?" Sarah called out, her voice carrying across the restaurant. "Jake Morrison? Is that really you?"

Shit. Jake forced a smile and waved. Sarah said something to her companion, then stood and walked over to their table, her heels clicking on the polished floor.

"My God, Jake, what are you doing in a place like this?" Sarah asked, her tone suggesting she'd found a homeless person in a five-star hotel.

"Having dinner," Jake replied evenly. "Sarah, these are my friends—Grace Chen and Maya Rodriguez."

Sarah barely acknowledged the introductions, her attention focused entirely on Jake. "This is so unexpected. Last I heard, you were... well, between opportunities."

"Things change," Jake said.

"Apparently so," Sarah laughed, but there was no warmth in it. "When Frank and I saw you sitting here, we couldn't believe it. I mean, the last time we talked, you were asking me for grocery money."

Jake's jaw tightened. "That was a long time ago."

"Not that long," Sarah continued, seemingly oblivious to his discomfort. "What, six months? Eight? Time flies when you're not counting every penny, I suppose."

Maya leaned forward with predatory interest. "So you two used to date?"

"Briefly," Sarah said dismissively. "College thing. I was young and naive, thought I could fix him." She looked directly at Jake. "We all make mistakes when we're young, don't we?"

The man from Sarah's table approached, radiating expensive cologne and quiet authority. "Darling, is everything alright?"

"Frank, this is Jake Morrison—an old friend from college," Sarah said, her emphasis on 'old' cutting like a blade. "Jake, this is Frank Zhao, my fiancé."

Frank extended his hand with practiced politeness. "Pleasure to meet you, Jake. Any friend of Sarah's and all that."

"Frank's on the board of directors at Stellar International Corporation," Sarah added, her voice dripping with pride. "Perhaps you've heard of it? They're one of the largest logistics companies in the Southwest."

Grace nearly choked on her sake. "Did you say Stellar International?"

"Why yes," Frank replied, suddenly more interested. "Do you work there?"

"I'm Grace Chen, from the logistics department," Grace said, her face flushing.

Frank's expression brightened with recognition. "Grace Chen! Of course! You're Henderson's top performer this quarter. Excellent work on the Morrison Industries account."

Morrison Industries. Jake's heart sank at the bitter irony of sharing a name with one of Grace's biggest clients.

Sarah's eyes narrowed as she processed this information. "Wait, Jake, you didn't tell me your friend worked at Frank's company. Small world, isn't it?"