World Domination: My Rise To The Top

The atmosphere around the dining table was filled with chatter, smiles and laughter as James, Patty and Leslie had dinner.

The aroma of freshly cooked fried chicken lingered in the air, blending perfectly with the tangy scent of the Greek salad.

The sharp, refreshing fragrance of lemon mixed with the earthy smell of olive oil and oregano, filling the dining room with a warm, homely scent that could make anyone's mouth water.

The golden glow from the ceiling light softened the sharp edges of the room, casting a cozy warmth over the wooden table where the three plates were neatly arranged.

As James served the meal, the slight crunch of lettuce leaves brushing together echoed alongside the soft sizzling of the still-warm chicken.

The clinking of cutlery against porcelain plates soon filled the room, each soft clink marking the quiet rhythm of a family meal.

Laughter and light conversation flowed easily as Leslie joked about James' "culinary skills," the playful teasing accompanied by the faint scrape of a fork gathering salad.

James made sure to shot back with snarky remarks.

Patty's smile glowed under the mellow light, her laughter adding a warmth far richer than anything the bulbs could offer.

The soft illumination softened the exhaustion on her face, and for the first time in a while, James saw only happiness reflected in her eyes.

James made sure to keep the atmosphere as light as possible, not allowing the problems weighing them all down, to make their presence.

He started by raising light-hearted topics that brought back happy memories, and the conversation flowed smoothly between all of them.

James was extremely happy when he saw the genuine smile and happiness on Patty's, and Leslie's faces.

After they were done with dinner, James wanted to take the dirty dishes to the kitchen but he was stopped by Leslie.

"I will take care of it. Take it as a thank you for the meal," she smiled at him.

James smiled back and nodded, before standing up from his seat. He walked to Patty and pecked her on the cheek, and he moved to Leslie, and pinched her cheek lightly before going to his room.

The two ladies smiled at James' action as they watched him climb the stairs, to his room.

"He's in a rather good mood today." Patty said, after James had gone into his room.

"Yeah. I wonder what good thing happened to him," Leslie smiled, as she stood up and started taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

Patty also stood up to help Leslie, but was stopped by Leslie.

"No, mom. You don't have to worry about this. I can take care of them. You should get some rest."

Patty smiled and sighed. She walked to Leslie and hugged her, and started slowly caressing her hair lovingly.

"Don't worry, baby. Everything will be alright. Everything will work out eventually. That, I'm sure of," she said, in a low soothing voice, and she felt Leslie tremble slightly.

"I hope everything works out, mom. You have been through all. We all have," Leslie said, hugging her mother back.

"I know it will." Patty said, releasing Leslie from the hug.

Leslie nodded at her mother and continued what she was doing.

.....

Meanwhile, in James' room.

He was just done taking his bath and was ready to go to bed, as he climbed into his bed.

But before going to bed, he decided to check his Info Screen. Though he knew that there hasn't any major changes to it since he lady checked it, but he couldn't help himself.

[Host Info Screen.]

[Name]: James Zolomon

[Age]: 21

[Stats]

>[Strength]: 9⇒10

>[Agility]: 8⇒9

>[Intelligence]: 8⇒9

>[Charisma]: 6

[Financial Status]

>[Account Balance: $6,122.67 ($46,180.67)]

>[Networth: $26,540.89]

[System Resources]

>[Stat Point(s)]: 3⇒0

>[Lottery Ticket(s)]: 0

>[System Point(s)]: 30⇒0

[Mission(s): None]

[System Store]

.....

"Nice. Over six thousand dollars in rebate-eligible fund, forty-six thousand dollars in account balance, and twenty-six thousand dollars in networth. All these achieved in just 72 hours. Talk about massive progress." James said, smiling to himself in satisfaction.

Even with all this progress, a small part of him wondered—how long could this streak of luck last?

Though he had this thought, he quickly pushed it away from

"Tomorrow is going to be busy day. I will pay off part of my student loans, pay off all of my credit card debts, and buy some things that are necessary at home. I will also fix some things that needs fixing in the house. The fund in my account balance should be more than enough for those things. Even though I can't take care of the more important things—yet, I can still do at least this much." He said to himself, making his plans for the next day.

"If only there was a way to not spend the rebate-eligible fund I have, that would had been perfect. But it's not entirely a bad situation though."

James felt that if there was an option that allows him to choose between spending rebate-eligible funds and spending regular funds, it would make things easier for him.

With such an option, he can just spend freely and still keep his rebate-eligible funds for later.

It's like eating your cake and having it at the same time.

James smiled as he snuggled into his bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The night was particularly peaceful and sweet, with what can be called a perfect temperature, allowing James to sleep like a baby.

.....

The next morning, James woke up feeling very refreshed and energetic. His body was brimming with so much energy that he felt like he could run a marathon and still not be out of breath.

Of course, he knew that all that was a lie and he would be out of breath before he even run 5 miles.

James has a natural athletic body, though he doesn't exactly use it for anything athletic, he has been able to maintain his perfect shape with very minimal effort.

"Well, time to freshen up and get the day started*" he said, doing a light stretch before walking into the bathroom.

Few minutes later, he was done and was about to get himself something to wear from his wardrobe.

James swung open his wardrobe with a dull creak. The faint smell of fabric softener lingered from clothes long stored away, mixed with the subtle scent of wood from the wardrobe's aged frame.

His fingers trailed over shirts and jackets, feeling the worn cotton fabric beneath his touch. The material was thin in some areas, rough patches where the cloth had faded from countless washes.

One shirt had a small hole near the hem. It was barely noticeable, but enough to remind him how long he had been stretching out his wardrobe.

He pulled out a faded grey hoodie, its color dulled from what he remembered being a deep charcoal.

The edges of the sleeves were frayed, the fabric near the cuffs pilled and rough against his fingertips. His jeans weren't much better as the threads were already loosening at the knees, and faint stains from days when laundry wasn't a priority could be seen.

For a moment, James stared at the clothes in his hands. He had never cared much before. As long as it covered his body, it was good enough. But now, looking at the faded fabrics and worn seams, he realized how much he needed a change.

Not just for appearances, but because he could now. He had the money, the means to stop looking like he was always scrambling to stay afloat.

His reflection in the mirror caught his eye. The clothes he wore didn't match the man he was becoming.

"I really need to change this," he muttered, tugging at the stretched neckline of his T-shirt. The fabric felt thin, almost fragile between his fingers.

"A complete makeover is needed. Nothing fancy—just something decent."

He smiled, imagining himself in new clothes, walking with confidence instead of blending into the background.

He wasn't aiming for luxury or high-end brands, but things that would give him a clean, sharp look. Something that would reflected the changes happening inside him.

As he dropped the faded hoodie back into the wardrobe, he made a mental note.

"I guess this means that I have more things to get done today." James said to himself.

Seeing that he had no other choice, he picked a random cloth from his wardrobe and quickly put it on, before making his way downstairs to the dining table for breakfast.

At the dining table, Patty and Leslie were already waiting for James, with table already set.

James smiled when he saw this. He walked to Patty and pecked her on the cheek, and greeted her good morning, before taking his seat at the dining table.

With James seated, they all started eating breakfast.