The Rejected Man's Rise

CHAPTER 03

“Warning: Someone is observing you!” Dreamie’s voice rang like thunder in my head.

I froze like a chicken in distress. “Who… who’s watching me?”

“They left just now,” Dreamie said. “But they will likely return sooner or later. You need to be ready for that time since your survival is at stake.”

“Survival?” I swallowed my breath again. “Was it an assassin? Don’t you know who saw me?”

Dreamie, however, didn’t respond.

The silence was damning.

Should I really trust this system or take it for granted?

“Let me tell you again. You can get a reward with every charm point you earn,” Dreamie said.

“How can I improve my charm?” I quickly asked, expecting there to be a simple, easy way.

“Join a proper gym. Do workouts. Lose weight. Buy clothes that enhance your look. Make the old clothes in your closet fit you once more. Dress neatly. Make more money. Learn more knowledge. Gain new skills. Improve upon old skills. Go on dates with beautiful women. All these and more can increase your charm rating.”

I felt both burdened and excited by those words.

The system was asking me to do the things I kept avoiding.

It was only telling me to take care of myself better, but it still felt like a foreign thing because I had been neglecting myself a lot these past few years since my only family member, my dad, died due to heart failure.

I sat down on the bed and contemplated.

“I have to do all these things you said to gain charm points, and I’ll get rewards. If it changes my current shitty life, I don’t see why I shouldn’t do it.”

Feeling highly motivated, I decided to use the $10,000 to buy suitable clothes and join a proper gym.

However, that will have to wait until the weekend.

Tomorrow is Friday, and I still have one more day of work.

I turned on the television to watch the news, as I had the habit of watching news, which I got from my dad.

To my bewilderment, the news stated that Phantom Dream Investments was planning to invest $1 million in the company where I was working, in exchange for a 30% stake.

I couldn’t believe it for a minute.

“Is this real?”

“Yes,” Dreamie replied.

“Is this your doing?” I asked a bit hesitantly.

Dreamie didn’t respond.

The silence was a bit unsettling, to be honest.

Just what is this system? How did it know so much about me? And how did it know the company where I was working? Why is it buying shares? Is this just a coincidence? Or is it really the system’s doing?

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t getting nervous.

But one glance at the dresser, on top of which there was 10K cash and a document of my claim of 20% stake in Phantom Dream Investments, made me calm down a little.

I remembered how the cash magically appeared in my hand.

Dreamie did tell me that it had supernatural powers, so why am I thinking so hard?

Let’s just believe the system and see where it takes me. If it forces me to do something stupid, I wouldn’t just do it.

The next morning.

I bathed longer than I usually did and combed my hair neatly, expecting to get another charm point.

But the system didn’t give me shit.

I walked out of my flat, and the next door neighbor was staring at me with mocking eyes. She was a single mom with six kids from six different men paying alimony, which she openly bragged about.

She said nothing, but her snickering expression was surely mocking.

I said nothing and just walked away.

I went to the company, Grand Little Interiors, which focused on interior designs.

I saw Sherry and Mike laughing together at their desks. Mike was sitting at my desk.

When I got there, I realized that all my items had been moved to another desk.

Naturally, I frowned.

Mike had everything. He had better looks. He came from a joint family. His siblings were doctors and lawyers, and they helped him get this job and also promotions if necessary.

It’s only been three months since Mike joined, and his salary already surpassed mine who has been working here for over five years. And I could do a hell of a lot better job than Mike ever could.

Still, I could also see why Sherry immediately agreed to date him. Mike had many things to offer. I didn’t have much to offer except for the love in my heart.

Even though I was standing, it took a whole minute for them to notice me.

Sherry looked at me and asked with a smile, “Did you eat breakfast? Where’s mine?”

This was something I always used to do for her. I would eat breakfast from the canteen and would then bring a parcel for her with my own money.

But today, things changed.

I changed.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Sherry appeared to be feeling a little upset.

Sherry secretly sent a text message to me, asking, “Why didn’t you bring me breakfast? Is it because I rejected your confession and agreed to go on a date with Mike? We’re just dating. It’s not like we’re boyfriend-girlfriend. Don’t be so petty and bring me breakfast.”

The text message squeezed my heart as it felt like she was trying to manipulate me even now.

I felt angry at myself for wasting so much of time, money, and effort on her.

I didn’t bother to reply through a text message.

I just looked at her and said, “Money doesn’t grow on trees, Sherry. You should buy your breakfast with your own money, or perhaps…” I looked at Mike. “Your new date will buy everything for you from now on.”

Mike smirked with a bit of annoyance.

Sherry was visibly upset. She probably could not digest that her free walking meal ticket was not willing to walk with her anymore.

Mike didn’t seem to like seeing Sherry’s face scrunch. “You do remember that one of the directors at the company is my uncle, right?” he said. “Caleb, from today, you’re going to do a lot more of my work. If you complain, you will lose your job.”

Sherry faintly smiled.

More than Mike’s words, her smile cut me more.

Mike always dumped his work on other colleagues. Of course, I also did Mike’s work a few days in the last month, afraid of losing my job.

I normally worked on the designs of one project, but Mike at times forced me and everyone to work on two or more projects. We had to work our asses to get him promoted faster.

I worked overtime hoping to get promoted one day, but it was still Mike who got promoted.

Now, Mike not only did not thank me or any other worker for ever doing his work, but he’s also continuing to push his work onto me again, specifically onto me this time.

I felt my blood boiling and surging through my veins. I wanted to slap him until his cheeks turned black.

“Just listen to Mike,” Sherry said, snorting softly under her breath.

Mike put his feet on the desk, waiting for me to shrink my shoulders and beg him.

I held my anger and said firmly, “I work for the company. Not for you. Now, get out of my chair.”