Henry Todd struggled to get up from the ground, cursing angrily, "Darn company, damned boss, go to hell!"
As if things at work weren’t bad enough, he’d just been hit by an electric bike while trying to have a drink.
After venting his frustration by lying on the ground, Henry let out a mocking laugh, but soon found himself crying as he laughed.
'Can my messed-up life get any worse?' he wondered.
Just as he was about to light a cigarette to calm his nerves, his phone suddenly rang.
Seeing it was his girlfriend, Lucia Redville, calling, the previously dispirited Henry immediately perked up.
He forced a smile and answered the video call. "Lucia, I'll be home—"
Before Henry could finish his sentence, Lucia cut him off, "Henry, let’s break up!"
The words hit Henry like a bolt of lightning.
"Lucia, why? What did I do wrong? Why do you suddenly want to break up? You're joking, right?
"Weren’t we supposed to work hard together, buy a house, and settle down in Magistoria's suburbs?"
"Pff!" Lucia scoffed disdainfully upon hearing that. "Settling down in Magistoria's suburbs with your morals? Are you dreaming?"
After saying this, Lucia suddenly asserted resolutely, "Let me repeat myself: we are done! Understand?"
"Lucia, why? If there's something I haven't done well enough, can't I change?" Henry pleaded, desperation evident in his voice.
He couldn’t accept the situation and was determined to win her back.
Lucia let out a cold laugh. "Hmph! You, change? Is there even a point now? Sure, you're handsome, but can handsomeness be eaten?"
Her anger rose as she continued. "Can you afford the LV bag I want? Do you have the means to buy me designer perfume?
"You can't even meet these basic demands, yet you dream of buying a house in the suburbs? Keep daydreaming!"
Before Henry could respond, Lucia pressed on, "I’m pragmatic. Don’t bother trying to lure me with big promises anymore. Besides, I’ve already agreed to be Leo's girlfriend.
"He’s promised to buy me a luxurious LV bag tomorrow. You probably couldn’t afford that even if you saved up your whole life.
"So, let's just end things here!"
As Lucia was about to end the video call, Henry hurriedly said, "Leo? You mean that bastard Leonard? He harassed so many of our female classmates during university! You're walking straight into a fire pit by choosing him!"
Lucia clenched her teeth and warned, "Henry, if you dare insult my boyfriend again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"
Before Henry could even respond, Leonard Spooklan's gloomy, arrogant face appeared on the screen. His voice was cold. "Dumbass, itching for another fight? Didn't I beat you up enough in university?
"Look at you—so angry, yet so useless. People like you irritate me. You’re nothing but a temperamental loser.
"Let me tell you, tonight, I’ve booked a room with Lucia at the Empress Hotel. It’s a five-star hotel, something you’ll never be able to afford in your entire life!"
Saying that, Leonard deliberately kissed Lucia on her heavily made-up face.
Then, he cocked his head, looking at Henry provocatively. "You need to understand, only I can truly satisfy her, dumbass!"
Every humiliating and mocking word Leonard uttered felt like a direct stab to Henry's heart, almost leaving him breathless.
While clutching his phone tightly and gritting his teeth, Henry's eyes grew colder. "Oh, really? I didn’t realize Leotard fancied my sloppy seconds. Seems your taste isn’t all that great!"
"Damn you—"
Henry didn't wait for Leonard to finish and ended the video call. He didn’t need to guess—he knew Leonard was probably cursing him at this very moment.
Turning off the phone screen, Henry laughed mockingly at himself, lit a cigarette, and took a puff.
Normally, he didn’t smoke much. He only kept a pack handy for clients when out on business. But now, all he wanted was a cigarette to ease his worries and dull the ache of his growing sorrow.
Two months ago, Henry had accidentally witnessed his boss in a flirtatious encounter with the company's receptionist in the car.
Since his boss had noticed him, he had been ostracized and made to suffer at work. His tasks had become increasingly difficult, almost impossible to complete.
Initially, Henry intended to resign, but the thought of his parents still living in a cabin back home stopped him.
Henry had no choice but to abandon his resignation plan. He moved cautiously, as if walking on thin ice.
The difficulties he faced were already suffocating him. Adding to his misery, his girlfriend betrayed him, and that scumbag Leonard humiliated him.
Henry felt, in that moment, that life had lost all meaning.
His phone rang again. Initially, he thought it was Lucia calling.
Just as he was about to pick it up and unleash another round of curses, he thought, 'Is there no end to this?'
However, when he saw the caller ID, it was surprisingly the landlord.
After a moment’s hesitation, Henry ultimately answered the call.
"Henry, our rent is nearly twenty days overdue. When are you going to pay? I'm telling you now, if you don't settle the full amount by tomorrow, you're out!"
"Ms. Lambon, could you give me another week? I promise—"
Before Henry could could finish, the line went dead.
Staring at his phone’s darkened screen, Henry raised his arm, pready to hurl it away. But in the end, he held back.
Taking a deep breath, he lay down on the curb, a self-mocking smile spreading across his face.
"To hell with it! It’s just about money, right? I swear, one day I’ll make a ton of money and slap it back at you guys!
"When I have money, I want to be a playboy too! The new 'Don Juan'! I’ll change stunning girls every day! Dammit!"
As soon as his words fell, an AI-voiced notification suddenly echoed in Henry's mind.
"Congratulations to the host for completely bidding farewell to the past and starting anew. You have acquired the Luxe Reward System!"
"The system has been activated. The host can sign in once a day to receive various rewards, and additional rewards can also be obtained through tasks issued by the system."
"The host has one Sign-in Reward available today. Would you like to sign in now?"
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