It was 8:30 PM at Skyline Restaurant. Michael Quinn, a waiter, was seen before a simply decorated table in the regular dining area of the restaurant.

He looked so stressed and tired, with his uniform drenched in sweat. This was because the day's shift had been so hectic for him.

Despite how tired he was, he still took the time to decorate a table to celebrate his girlfriend's birthday.

He made this warm arrangement as a surprise for his girlfriend, Hannah Walmer.

Michael and Hannah had been dating since their last year at university. Since then, he had wished to celebrate her birthday elaborately. Unfortunately, his account balance had never allowed him to do so.

However, Michael had worked hard to make today different.

As one of the lowest-paid waiters at Skyline Restaurant, he was able to make this day exceptional by spending all his savings.

Michael rose to his feet, gazing at his beautiful handiwork. A soft smile appeared on his tired face, yet he felt fulfilled.

The table was covered with a white tablecloth, and a small bunch of pink roses was placed in the middle.

Three candles in pretty holders added warm light to the space. A tiny vase with green leaves was sitting at the centerpiece.

Above the table, a handmade "Happy Birthday" banner was hung.

Michael had ordered a cake from the patisserie, so it seemed all plans had been achieved.

He fished out his phone, checking the time. It was already 8:45 PM, and then he dialed Hannah's number.

He wanted to pull a prank on her so she would rush down to his workplace in a hurry. This would make the surprise even more exciting.

Hannah's line rang several times, but she was not picking up. Michael tried for the seventh time, but there was no difference.

"Maybe she isn’t with her phone at the moment. I will try again in a few minutes," he assured himself.

Then, he decided to rush to the patisserie to check on the cake he ordered.

On his way, he saw Fiona, the Patisserie Chef, coming out of the elevator. As soon as the lady saw Michael, she waved her hands at him.

"The cake is not ready, Michael. I'm busy with so many orders. Austin Graham, the son of the billionaire of the city, is proposing to his girlfriend today."

"How does that have anything to do with what I ordered?" Michael frowned.

"All my colleagues are at the VIP lounge; I would have asked one of them to attend to you. If you don't mind, you can join us there too." Fiona's face widened with a grin while Michael was very angry.

Fiona retrieved some items and then returned to the VIP lounge. She didn't even listen to all the explanations Michael tried to give her.

Michael was very annoyed when he got to the patisserie and discovered none of the chefs were there, just as she said.

"What rubbish is this? Money is really powerful. If not, why would all the chefs leave their duties because of one spoiled brat?"

Then, he rushed to the VIP lounge to see if he could talk to any other baker. It was getting late already. Isn't it crazy that all the time, effort, and money he spent should go to waste?

Michael's frowning face gazed at the VIP lounge. It was beautifully decorated and looked more fascinating than usual.

There were pink and gold balloons everywhere in the lounge. The ceiling was adorned with tiny lights that twinkled like stars.

The smell of fresh flowers and delicious cake filled the air.

"Say yes!"

"Say yes!"

"Say yes!" This chant resonated throughout the room.

Michael was surprised to see the lounge filled. Almost all his colleagues were there.

He was looking closely, trying to find the chefs when he heard a voice that sounded so familiar.

"On this day, I, Hannah Walmer, agree to be your wife, Austin Graham," a beautiful young lady said happily, stretching her left hand forward to accept a ring that shone so brightly.

Michael's gaze shifted to the center of attention, and he froze immediately.

His mind went blank and his head spun. Blood stopped flowing in his veins as every part of him became numb and cold.

He was covered in sweat within a few seconds, and his heart began to race. He wiped his face with his palm to confirm that he wasn't dreaming.

Opening his eyes wide, he found that his eyes weren't lying to him.

"Congratulations!"

"This is nice!" The onlookers commented, clapping.

The young man offering Hannah a ring, Austin Graham, was about to slide the ring onto her finger when Michael roared.

"Enough!!"

A sudden shock took over the lounge, and there was complete silence.

However, the ring had already slid onto Hannah's finger as the thunderous voice trailed off.

All attention fell on Michael, their faces contoured in surprise.

"What's going on here, Hannah?! What are you doing with this spoiled brat?!" Michael thundered, gritting his teeth. His hands were clenched into fists.

Austin's face changed instantly, and he jumped to his feet in anger.

"How dare you, a poor thing, cause trouble here? Where has a pauper like you borrowed the courage?!"

"I have no business with you, spoiled brat. Allow my girlfriend to answer my question. Do not intimidate her!" Michael's eyes were very red with rage.

"Hahaha! Even the poor long for good things. What rubbish?!" Austin sneered and then turned to Hannah.

"Babe, do you know this low-life?"

Hannah looked exposed as her eyes blinked twice. "I'm sorry, Honey. I never told you about him. He used to be my boyfriend, but I have broken up with him."

Michael's heart sank in his stomach, and his voice cracked. "We have been dating for three years. We even had quality time together last night. So, what are you talking about?"

Hannah sent a cold glare at Michael. "I think this is the right time to explain everything to you. Austin and I have been dating for a month, and I'm ready to be his wife. Therefore, I'm not interested in any relationship with you anymore. I'm done with poverty!" Hannah disclosed.

Michael's heart began to bleed. Then, it ripped out of his chest and broke into countless pieces on the floor. His eyes welled up with tears, but he forced himself to hold them back.

"Do you know what you are saying, Hannah?" Michael sounded exhausted.

"You heard me clearly, Michael. Go to hell with your poor life and stop being a disturbance on my joyful day!" Hannah had not an iota of emotion on her face.

Michael was lost in disbelief. He felt defeated, and the tears lurking in his eyes nearly flushed out.

Hannah moved close to Austin and kissed him. "I'm sorry for the mess, darling. Order your bodyguards to throw him out if he proves stubborn."

Austin smiled wickedly and threatened, "You have only thirty seconds to get out of here. You can be bullheaded if you want to go home crippled."

Two bouncers came out from a corner, walking toward Michael. They looked strong and scary.

Michael's brows raised in fear as he felt helpless.

"You will regret making this decision, Hannah!" he shouted, stumbling backward.

"Hahaha!" A loud laugh erupted in the lounge.

"What a loser!"

"Poor thing with a weightless threat!" Michael's colleagues were hurling different insults too.

"Get the f*** out of here!" The bouncers kicked him out forcefully, locking the door behind him.

Michael's body rolled out of the lounge, landing on his neck. He hit his legs against the wall behind him, resulting in a bruise.

"Argh!" He groaned in pain.

It took him some seconds before he could help himself out of that position. He staggered to his feet and nearly tripped.

Michael gazed at the door that had shut in his face, and his lips began to tremble.

He searched his mind for words to say, but it was blank. The pain was too much for him to bear, and a tear nearly rolled from his eyes.

The more he heard the cheers in the room, the more the pain feasted on his heart. Then, he limped into the elevator and left the restaurant.

It was already past 9 PM. Michael had walked 2 km dazedly, feeling lost and defeated in life.

Michael thought Hannah would be his lover and family, as he had lost his family and parents a long time ago.

However, Hannah didn't just betray and reject him; she also humiliated him publicly. With these thoughts running through Michael's mind, his head felt like it was about to explode.

Suddenly, he tripped, hitting his leg on a heavy stone. "Argh!!" He groaned, falling onto his face.

Just then, a heavy wind blew, and lightning struck the dark sky. Michael raised his head, hearing the churning of a river beneath. He looked more closely and then found he was at the edge of a cliff on the outskirts of the city.

This was when he discovered how far he had walked.

A louder thunder tore through the sky, and a heavy rain began immediately.

Michael gazed at the darkness beneath the cliff and then muttered, "I think this is a chance to end it here," forcing himself to his feet.

The rain continued to pour heavily, beating down on Michael, yet he wasn't feeling it. The pain of rejection and humiliation engulfed him.

He stared at the ground beneath him, and a sad smile appeared on his face.

"I've lived all my life in pain and poverty. I will find peace down here," Michael's voice cracked.

He was heartbroken and wished his parents had been rich too. He could have lived off his inheritance.

He snapped his left hand to his chest, grabbing the only inheritance his parents left for him: a jade pendant.

He pulled at it, and the necklace broke off. He clutched the jade pendant tightly in his palm.

He remembered what his mother had told him about the pendant: "With this pendant, your potential is limitless."

Michael swallowed a forceful lump down his throat and felt his mother's remark about the pendant was just a fallacy.

Michael opened his hand, gazing at the jade pendant. "Whether you're worthy or not, today will be the end of everything."

The tears he had been holding back rolled down his chin and fell onto the jade pendant.

Swoosh!!

A very bright light burst from the pendant, covering Michael's face.

The glow was too intense for him and nearly blinded him. Then, the jade pendant melted into his palm, and he collapsed.

Ding! Ding!!

Michael heard a strange sound in his head.

[New host found]

[System Binding 96%...100%]

[System Activating 98%...100%]

[System Activated!]

Suddenly, his eyes sprang open, and he realized he had just fainted. The heavy rain had stopped, and the night was cold and eerie.

Michael discovered that all his pain had vanished, including his emotional suffering.

He jumped to his feet, mesmerized by the bizarre light that had come from the jade pendant and how it melted into his palm.

Just then, a robotic voice came through,

[Congratulations, Michael Quinn.]

[You are now the new host of the Wish-To-Reality System.]

Michael raised his head in surprise, wondering where the voice was coming from.

"Who are you?" he asked, filled with fear as he looked around.

[I am the Wish-To-Reality System, and I will be your companion from today onward.]

[Today will mark the end of all your humiliation. Make a wish right now, and consider it granted in a millisecond.]

Michael's eyes blinked in surprise, wondering what sort of offer this was.

He lowered his head, remembering how poverty had made his life so miserable. Then he didn't hesitate any longer before whispering, "I wish to become the wealthiest man alive."

Ding!! He heard a sound, and a hologram appeared before him immediately.

He was astonished to see such a fascinating visual before his eyes. As he watched carefully, he discovered there was information on it.

[Congratulations, Michael Quinn. You are now the wealthiest man in the whole world.]

Reading this, Michael forced a nonexistent lump down his throat and nearly choked on it.

"What?! How? How is that possible?" The fact that the system was stating his name left him even more astounded.

Just then, his phone chimed.

"Huh?! Could that be a credit alert?!" His eyes widened, and he quickly retrieved his phone.

"What the f***?!!" he yelled in frustration at seeing the screen of his phone broken and soaked with water.

The screen had broken from his unconscious fall, and the phone was soaked with the heavy downpour.

"Oh shit! Oh shit!!" He stomped his feet on the ground. He wanted to see what his account balance looked like.

Just then, he saw the hologram before him gradually fading away before it disappeared.

"Huh?!!" Michael's eyes widened in surprise.

"Enough of all this! I need to go home now!!" he shouted, turning his back and running away.

..........

Michael got to his 6-square-meter room very late that night. He took off his wet uniform, putting on old jeans and a faded shirt.

He lay down on the small mattress, his mind racing with every single thing that had happened that day.

His thoughts kept replaying every scene, making it difficult for him to sleep throughout the night.

Around 4:30 A.M., Michael finally fell asleep.