The Invisible God-Level Tycoon

The rain hammered down on the pavement outside the Golden Grill, the city’s most expensive restaurant. Alex Reed stood by the entrance, his cheap windbreaker soaked through. He clutched a small, velvet box in his pocket. His fingers were numb from the cold, but his heart was beating fast.

Today was his third anniversary with Sarah. He’d worked three jobs—delivery driver, janitor, and night security—just to save up for the diamond ring she’d pointed out months ago.

"Hey! You! Get away from the door!" a loud voice barked.

Alex looked up. A waiter in a tuxedo was glaring at him through the glass door.

"I'm waiting for someone," Alex said, his voice shaking slightly. "My girlfriend, Sarah Jenkins. She’s at table five."

The waiter stepped outside and curled his lip in disgust. "Table five is reserved for VIPs. A guy who looks like he crawled out of a dumpster doesn't have a girlfriend at table five. Now, move along before I call the cops. You're blocking the view for the real customers."

"I'm telling you, she's in there," Alex insisted. "Just let me go in and give her this."

"Give her what? A handful of mud?" the waiter laughed. "Look at your shoes, kid. You're tracking filth all over the entryway. Get lost."

"Is there a problem here?" a smooth, arrogant voice asked.

The door swung open, and a tall man in a tailored grey suit stepped out. Next to him was a woman in a stunning red silk dress. Alex’s heart stopped. It was Sarah. She looked beautiful, but she wasn't alone. She was leaning heavily into the man’s arm.

"Sarah?" Alex gasped.

Sarah’s eyes widened for a second, then quickly turned cold. She looked at Alex like he was a bug on her windshield. "Alex? What are you doing here? You're embarrassing me."

"Embarrassing you?" Alex stepped forward, his wet sneakers squeaking on the marble. "Sarah, it’s our anniversary. I’ve been calling you all day. I bought the ring. Look."

He pulled out the box and flipped it open. The small diamond caught the light of the restaurant’s chandelier.

The man next to Sarah burst out laughing. "Is that a diamond or a piece of salt? I've seen bigger rocks in a playground sandbox."

"Who are you?" Alex snapped.

"I'm Jason Miller," the man said, puffing out his chest. "You know, the guy who actually owns a car? The guy who just bought Sarah a necklace that costs more than your life insurance?"

"Sarah, what's he talking about?" Alex ignored him and looked at her. "I thought we were happy. I paid for your mom’s heart surgery last month. I haven't slept more than four hours a night for a year to make sure you had everything you wanted."

Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed. "Alex, don't be dramatic. You didn't pay for the surgery. Jason did. He talked to the hospital board and handled the bill. All you gave me was a few thousand dollars. That barely covered the flowers in her room."

"What? No, I gave the money to your brother! He said he’d handle the payment!" Alex cried out.

"My brother told me you tried to take credit for Jason’s help," Sarah said. "I didn't want to believe you were that pathetic, but look at you. You're standing in the rain, clutching a cheap ring, acting like a hero. It’s over, Alex. I'm tired of being the girl with the poor boyfriend. I want a man who can actually take care of me."

"But I love you."

"Love doesn't pay for a penthouse," Jason chimed in. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills. He threw them at Alex’s feet. "Here. Take this. Go buy yourself some new clothes and a burger. Stop bothering my woman."

"I don't want your money," Alex growled.

"Then get out of here," Jason said, his face turning mean. "Security! Get this trash off the property!"

Two large guards stepped forward. They didn't hesitate. One grabbed Alex by the collar, and the other punched him hard in the stomach. Alex doubled over, dropping the ring box into a puddle.

"Wait!" Alex coughed.

The guards dragged him to the edge of the sidewalk and threw him into the gutter. Sarah didn't even flinch. She just tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at Jason.

"Let’s go, babe," Sarah said. "The steak is getting cold."

"You're right," Jason said. "We shouldn't let a loser ruin our night."

They walked to a gleaming silver sports car parked at the curb. As Jason drove away, he intentionally hit a deep puddle, soaking Alex from head to toe in muddy water. Alex sat there in the dark, shivering. His hands were scraped, and his heart felt like it had been ripped out.

"I gave her everything," Alex muttered to the empty street. "I had nothing, and I still gave her everything."

Suddenly, a strange sound echoed in his head.

*Ding!*

[Host's emotional threshold reached. Spirit resonance detected. Divine Upgrade System is now online.]

Alex froze. "Who's there?"

[I'm the Divine Upgrade System. You've spent twenty years living in poverty to hide from your family's enemies. The trial period is over. Your grandfather, Thomas Reed, has authorized the release of your inheritance.]

"My grandfather? He’s been dead for years," Alex said, rubbing his eyes.

[He's very much alive, Young Master. He's the richest man on the planet. He needed to make sure you had the character to lead the Reed Empire. You've passed the test of humility. Now, it’s time for the test of power.]

*Ding!*

[First Reward: 100 Billion Dollars has been deposited into your private account.]

[Second Reward: Global Martial Arts Grandmaster skills unlocked. Your body is now at peak human condition.]

[Third Reward: God-level Business Intuition. You can now see the true value of any company or asset.]

Alex felt a sudden surge of heat through his veins. The pain in his stomach vanished. His muscles tightened and grew lean. His vision became sharp, even in the dark rain. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The screen was cracked, but a notification was glowing.

*Bank Alert: Your balance is $100,000,000,000.00.*

"Is this a joke?" Alex whispered.

[It's no joke, Young Master. However, there's one condition. You must not reveal your true identity as the Reed heir to the public for 500 days. If you do, the inheritance will be frozen, and your life will be in danger from the Shadow Syndicate. You must build your own influence while playing the part of a commoner.]

Alex stood up. He didn't feel cold anymore. He looked at the mud on his hands and smiled. "So, I've got a hundred billion dollars, but I've still got to look like a loser? I think I can handle that. I want to see how Sarah and Jason react when their world starts falling apart."

A sleek black sedan pulled up to the curb. A man in a sharp suit got out and held a large umbrella over Alex.

"Young Master Reed," the man said with a deep bow. "My name is Silas. I'm your personal butler and fixer. Your grandfather sent me to assist you."

"Silas," Alex said, his voice firm. "Do you know who owns this restaurant?"

"The Miller family, Young Master. Jason Miller’s father is the majority shareholder," Silas replied.

"Good," Alex said. He looked at the Golden Grill. "Buy the building tomorrow. But don't put it in my name. Put it under a shell company. I want the staff fired, starting with the waiter at the front door. And Silas?"

"Yes, Young Master?"

"Find me a place to stay. Something quiet. I've got a lot of work to do."

"Of course. Also, there's a matter of your marriage, sir," Silas said.

Alex frowned. "Marriage? I just got dumped."

"Your grandfather arranged a contract with the Miller family's rivals, the Chloe Miller branch. She’s the CEO of Miller Tech. She needs a husband to keep her position in the company. If you marry her, it provides you with the perfect cover. Everyone will think you're just a lucky guy living off a successful woman."

Alex thought about Chloe Miller. He'd seen her in the news. She was known as the Ice Queen of the business world. She was beautiful, smart, and currently being bullied by her own relatives—including Jason.

"A contract marriage with the enemy’s cousin?" Alex smirked. "That sounds perfect. Let's do it. Let’s see how Jason likes having me in his family meetings."

"I'll arrange the meeting for tomorrow, sir," Silas said, opening the car door.

Alex stepped into the luxury vehicle. He looked out the window at the ring box still sitting in the mud. He didn't pick it up. That version of Alex Reed was dead. The new Alex Reed was just getting started.

"Sarah," Alex whispered as the car sped away. "You said Jason saved your mother? Tomorrow, you're going to find out exactly how much a Miller’s word is worth."