The Kids Made Me A Billionaire; The Cashback System

Daddy's $9,000 morning

I didn't sleep.

How do you sleep when your bank balance went from $212 to $9,167 because you bought pizza?

I kept refreshing my bank app all night. The money was still there. The hotel voucher for the Presidential Suite at The Grand Palace; the most expensive hotel in the city, was in my email. Confirmation code, my name on it. For tonight.

At 6 AM, I was standing at the bus station in the same old suit, but I had taken a shower, shaved, and for the first time in a year, I used a cologne. The cheap one, but still.

The bus pulled in at 9:02 AM. The exact time Davis's "mandatory" meeting was starting without me.

The doors opened.

"DADDYYYY!"

Four small tornados launched at me.

Lily, 10 years old, with her crooked glasses and the card in her hand. Grace, 8 years old, already talking a mile a minute. Tom, 6 years old, holding his little backpack like a soldier. And Ben, 5 years old, my youngest, who I had to pick up because his legs were too short.

"Daddy you came! You really came!" Lily hugged my neck so tight I couldn't breathe. The card she made was crumpled but it said in rainbow colors: BEST DADDY IN THE WORLD.

I held all four of them and I swear, that pile of cash in my bank meant nothing compared to this.

"I missed you so much," I whispered. Ben fell asleep on my shoulder in 2 seconds.

My phone buzzed.

[MISSION UPDATE: Children have arrived. Mood: Happy. Make their holiday unforgettable.]

[HINT: The more you spoil them, the more you become rich.]

I looked at my four kids, their old shoes, their happy but tired faces from the long bus ride. I made a decision.

"Who wants to go to the biggest hotel in the city?"

Lily frowned. "Daddy, we can't. Sister said we don't have money for any hotel. We can stay in your small apartment."

I picked up their bags. "Your Daddy got a little bonus at work."

---

The lobby of The Grand Palace Hotel was all marble and gold. People in suits looked at us, me in my old suit, four noisy kids dragging their backpacks.

The receptionist gave me that fake smile. "Sir, do you have a reservation?"

"Presidential Suite. Under my name."

She typed, her smile fading. Her eyes went wide. She called the manager.

Two minutes later, the General Manager himself came running. "Sir! Welcome! We have been expecting you! Your suite is ready!"

He clapped his hands. Four bellboys appeared. An elevator opened that was just for us.

The Presidential Suite was bigger than my entire apartment building. Floor-to-ceiling windows showing the whole city. Three bedrooms. A private pool.

My kids screamed. The pure, soul leaving screams only kids can do.

"IS THAT OUR POOL?!"

"DADDY THERE'S A TV IN THE BATHROOM!"

"THERE'S CHOCOLATE ON THE PILLOWS!"

"ITS TOO BIG DADDY. ARE WE RICH?"

They ran everywhere, jumping on the king-size bed. Ben was jumping so high he disappeared for a second.

Lily came up to me quietly, holding Grace's hand. "Daddy... did you really pay for this? For us?"

I knelt down to their level.

"Everything I have is for you. From now on, you get the best. All of you."

I took out my phone. I had to keep spending.

I ordered:

Full luxury wardrobe for all 4 kids from the hotel boutique: $2,340

Private chef breakfast of pancakes, waffles, steak: $480

Toy store delivery, everything they point at: $1,150

I clicked PAY. $3,970 gone. My heart stopped for a second.

Then...

[DING! SPENT $3,970.00 ON CHILDREN!]

[CASHBACK 200x: $794,000.00 DEPOSITED!]

[BONUS REWARDS: 15% Shares of The Grand Palace Hotel + 100% Ownership of "Tiny Stars" Toy Store Chain]

My phone: Bank Alert.

New Balance: $803,167.73

I couldn't breathe. I had to sit down.

Lily was watching me. "Daddy, are you okay?"

I picked her up and spun her around while she giggled. "Daddy is more than okay, princess. Daddy is rich."

At that exact moment, my other phone; my work phone, exploded with messages.

From Davis: WHERE ARE YOU? MEETING STARTED! YOU ARE FIRED!

From Sarah: Lol heard you didn't show up. Loser to the end. We all laughed.

From HR: Please report to office immediately to return company property.

I looked at my four kids in designer clothes, eating chocolate pancakes in a Presidential Suite that I now OWNED 15% OF.

I typed one reply to Davis:

"Sorry, busy. Spending time with my kids. I'll be there at 2 PM. And bring your resignation letter. You'll need it."

I turned off the work phone.

"Okay, team!" I shouted. "Who wants to go buy out a toy store? I just bought one!"

My kids cheered.

At 2 PM, I was going to walk into that office. Not as the broke guy they fired.

As their new landlord.

TO BE CONTINUED...