Your Wealth Is Mine

Chapter Seven - Ella and Eric

The rain did not fall gently.

It came down in sheets, relentless and cold, drenching Mark to the bone as he stood beneath a flickering streetlight, watching water race along the gutters like everything he had left was being carried away with it.

His phone was dead.

His account was empty.

His apartment was gone.

His life was drowning in debts.

There was nowhere left to go.

The thought settled heavily in his chest, pressing down until breathing felt like work. He wiped rain from his face with the back of his hand, but it kept coming, mixing with the warmth gathering behind his eyes. He did not bother to stop it this time.

He just let it pour, wash over him.

He had nowhere to go, no one to call for help, no one's to ask for or repay a favor. Even if he decided to take up loan from banks or several investment companies, he had no way to pay back, nothing to use as collateral or down payment. 

Then her name flashed into his mind, like a gentle whisper.

Susan.

The name settled quietly in, fragile and shameful.

He hated that it was the only option left. Hated that he had to crawl back to the one place where he least wanted to be seen like this. But pride had no value when you were cold, homeless, and unraveling.

Mark pulled his jacket tighter around himself and started walking.

The distance felt longer than it ever had before. Each step was heavy, dragging, his shoes squelching with water. Cars passed him without slowing, headlights flashing briefly across his soaked figure before disappearing into the night.

By the time he reached the building, his hands were numb.

He stood under the awning, staring at the door, heart hammering. His reflection in the glass looked foreign. Hollow cheeks. Wet hair plastered to his forehead. Eyes dulled by exhaustion and defeat.

He walked up to the door and lifted his hand to knock but the door opened before his knuckles touched wood.

Ella stepped out.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Her gaze swept over him, sharp and immediate, taking in every miserable detail. Her mouth twisted, disgust replacing surprise almost instantly.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she snapped.

Mark opened his mouth, but she did not give him time.

“Look at you,” Ella continued, voice rising. “Standing at my house like some soaked stray. Do you have any shame at all?”

“I just wanted to—” Mark tried.

“Wanted what?” she cut in. “To remind me how pathetic you are?”

The rain ran down his face, dripping from his chin. He stood there, taking it, words piling uselessly behind his teeth.

“You really have no self-respect,” Ella said. “Coming here like this. Did you think I would feel sorry for you?”

The door behind her opened wider and Susan stepped out.

“Ella?” she said, confusion flickering across her face. “What is going on?”

Her eyes landed on Mark.

“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Mark?”

Her concern was immediate, instinctive. She moved toward him without hesitation. “You are soaked. What happened?”

Ella shifted sharply, blocking her. “Do not touch him.”

Susan frowned. “Ella, he looks like he needs help.”

“He needs to leave,” Ella snapped. “Now.”

Mark swallowed. “Susan, I did not come to cause trouble. I just needed to talk.”

Ella laughed harshly. “Talk? After everything? You really think you still get to talk?”

Susan looked between them, confusion deepening. “Ella, what are you talking about?”

“This,” Ella gestured angrily at Mark, “is not your problem.”

Susan stepped around her sister anyway. “Mark, are you alright?”

He looked at her, really looked at her, and the shame burned hotter than the cold. He had imagined this moment differently. Had imagined explaining calmly, asking quietly. Not like this. Not exposed.

“I was hoping,” he said carefully, voice low, “to ask if I could stay for the night. Just until I figure things out.”

Ella’s face hardened instantly.

“No,” she said flatly. “Absolutely not. You are not even thinking of that, Mark. Do not try it.”

Susan turned to her. “Ella, he is drenched. He cannot just stand out here.”

“I do not care,” Ella replied coldly. “He is trespassing on our property. And if he does not leave, I will call the police.”

The word struck like a slap.

Mark stepped back instinctively. “That is not necessary.”

Susan looked torn. “Ella, please—”

“No,” Ella snapped. “I have done enough and I don't care. He is not welcome here.”

Mark nodded slowly. “It is fine.”

He turned to leave.

“Running already?” a familiar voice drawled. “The party just started.”

Mark froze.

Eric stood just beyond the steps, leaning casually against the railing, hands in his pockets, a slow smile spreading across his face as he took Mark in.

“Well, well,” Eric said. “If it is not the failure himself.”

Mark clenched his jaw, holding his anger in.

Eric’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Look at you. This is what happens when you aim too high. When you act too good for your own.”

Ella’s expression softened slightly as she looked at Eric. “You do not have to engage with him.”

“Oh, I want to,” Eric replied. “Are you kidding? This is too good to miss out on.”

Susan’s voice was tight. “Eric, stop.”

Eric ignored her. “Tell me, Mark, did you come here to beg? Or did you finally realize you were never enough?”

Something snapped.

The air in front of Mark’s eyes shimmered.

The system window appeared, stark and immediate.

---------

[New Quest Available]

[Target Identified: Eric Smith]

[Directive: Acquire and Gain the Wealth of Eric Smith]

--------

Mark’s hands curled into fists.

Anger surged through him, sharp and overwhelming, washing away the cold. This was the same system that left him broke, kicked out of his house and out of his job. This was the same system that issues a quest without warning, a quest on Susan that ruined his life after he refused.

But something was off, something different showed up.

"Eric" was the target this time. Not Susan or Ella. Eric!

This time, there was no hesitation from him. No fear. No confusion.

He looked at Eric, eyes dark.

“Let us make this interesting,” Mark said.

Eric blinked, then laughed. “What? You can still utter a word of shame? You amaze me, Mark.”

“A game,” Mark continued. “If I win, you stop. Yiu stop your bullshit, stop your mockery, stop everything. You walk away and never bother me again.”

Ella scoffed. “This is ridiculous.”

Eric raised an eyebrow. “And if you lose?”

Mark met his gaze steadily. “Then you get what you want. One last laugh.”

Eric grinned. “I like games. But that's not good enough. If you lose, I get to do whatever I want with you.”

“Eric!” Ella called out but he raised a finger to stop her, his smiling widening. “If you're man enough, Mark, take it.”

Ella closed the distance in a few steps and grabbed Eric’s arm. “Do not waste your time on him.”

Eric shrugged her off. “Relax. This will be quick.”

“Your choice,” Mark said. “Rock, paper, scissors. Best of three.”

Eric laughed again. “That is it? Fine.” he added, already taking a stance.

They faced each other.

“One,” Eric said.

“Two.”

“Three.”

Hands flashed. Scissors to Rock.

Mark won.

Eric frowned. “Again.”

They went again. Scissors to Paper.

Mark won.

Silence fell. And Eric issued it again.

“Again!”

Hands flashes. Paper to Rock.

Mark won.

The system window flashed immediately.

--------

[Congratulations. Quest Successfully Completed. Reward Pending Distribution.]

-------

Mark exhaled slowly.

He smiled faintly. “Looks like I do not have to deal with you anymore.”

Eric’s expression twisted. “No.”

He lunged, driving his fist into Mark's gut.

Mark groaned as he felt pain explode in his stomach, his vision blurring out. He maned to stand as both Ella and Susan gasped.

“Eric!”

“Relax. I'm just getting started.”

Eric grabbed Mark’s arm, trying to yank him forward, rage contorting his face. Mark reacted instinctively, twisting free, driving his shoulder into Eric’s chest.

They stumbled and Ella screamed.

Susan shouted Mark's name.

Eric swung wildly. Mark ducked, adrenaline surging, his body moving with a confidence he did not recognize. He countered, fist connecting solidly with Eric’s jaw.

Eric reeled back, stunned. “What?”

Mark did not stop.

He struck again to his gut, then again to his face, each blow landing with brutal precision. Eric tried to kick him but Mark grabbed his leg and tackled him to the ground, raining punches on him until he collapsed, hitting the ground hard, rain splashing up around him.

Mark stood over him, chest heaving.

Eric did not move.

For a moment, everything was quiet but the rain.

Mark straightened slowly. He looked at Susan once. Her face was pale, hands covering her mouth, eyes wide, unreadable.

Then he turned away.

As he walked into the night, rain washing the blood from his knuckles, a slow, unsettling smile curved his lips.

For the first time, the world felt like it was bending in his direction. And he would bend it further even if he had to punch his way through.