BOOM.
The sky shattered. The walls rippled like water. The city screamed.
A blinding white light swallowed buildings, cars, and people. Time itself seemed to crumble beneath its overwhelming brilliance.
Sebastian didn't run.
Didn't cry.
Didn't pray.
He calmly pulled out a cigarette from a nearly empty pack, lighting it with steady hands despite the chaos erupting outside his window. Sitting cross-legged on the threadbare carpet of his dingy one-bedroom apartment, he took a deep drag, the smoke filling his lungs before escaping slowly into the trembling air.
Twenty-nine years old.
Ex-military—Special Forces.
Burned out.
Alone.
Sebastian stared blankly at the ceiling, his expression impassive. Around him, the apartment vibrated with each distant impact, each explosion drawing closer. Yet he remained unmoved, the calm at the center of an ever-growing storm.
His eyes shifted to the peeling wallpaper, patches of mold hidden behind the stains. Dirty dishes teetered precariously in the kitchen sink, crusted remnants of meals he'd eaten days before still clinging stubbornly. Bills scattered across the worn carpet were unpaid reminders of a life slipping steadily from his control.
Sebastian's gaze lingered on a faded photograph pinned above his bed—a younger version of himself, uniform pristine and proud. His arms wrapped around fellow soldiers, their smiles bright and hopeful, oblivious to the future that awaited them.
Once upon a time, Sebastian had been an orphan, left at Saint Mary's Orphanage just days after his birth. Memories of cold nights and sparse meals flooded him. School had been an endless parade of humiliation, his classmates' sneers echoing in the back of his mind even now. Eventually, he was placed into foster care. Unlike many stories he'd heard, his foster parents were decent—kind even—but Sebastian had always felt like an outsider, a shadow passing through someone else's home. The moment he graduated high school, he had enlisted in the military, determined to build a life for himself through discipline and purpose.
But the military, too, took its toll. Secret missions in distant, unnamed lands. Operations denied by governments. Friends disappearing into shadows. Sebastian had lost himself piece by piece, each mission carving out another part of his soul until he felt hollow.
Outside, missiles continued to rain down, their high-pitched whistles slicing through a sky thick with smoke and debris. The TV had turned to static long ago, panicked voices abruptly silenced. Sebastian's phone buzzed uselessly beside him, its screen flickering with desperate, unanswered messages.
National Crisis.
Evacuate Immediately.
Impact Imminent.
Too late.
He took another slow drag, exhaling as he watched the smoke dissipate into cracks spreading across the ceiling.
"Guess this is it," he murmured softly, voice eerily calm against the backdrop of destruction.
No victors. No survivors.
Just sirens. Silence. And the overwhelming brightness.
That all-consuming light was the last thing Sebastian remembered.
Sebastian opened his eyes slowly, a dull throbbing beginning to pound at the base of his skull. Blinking through his hazy vision, he struggled to orient himself. The bed beneath him was plush, covered in sheets of smooth, silken fabric that whispered luxury. He pushed himself up, groaning softly as the headache intensified for a moment, then faded slightly into a manageable ache.
Around him stretched an expansive room, decorated in tones of deep mahogany and muted gold. Heavy velvet curtains, embroidered with intricate patterns, hung elegantly beside tall, crystal-clear windows that flooded the room with gentle morning sunlight. A massive chandelier, glinting softly in the dawn light, dangled gracefully from the high, ornately carved ceiling. Antique furniture, polished to a reflective sheen, was carefully arranged throughout the room, and paintings that appeared expensive adorned the richly textured walls. Clearly, this room belonged to someone very wealthy.
Sebastian groaned, rubbing his temples as the dull ache in his skull refused to fade. What the hell is going on? he thought, staggering to his feet. The polished marble floor felt cool against his bare feet as he crossed the room toward the tall mirror.
The face that stared back at him was striking—youthful, but sharp. Thick black hair tousled from sleep, storm-gray eyes still hazy with confusion. His features were clean-cut, noble even, with a jawline that hinted at pride and a body that spoke of athleticism—lean muscle stretched across a tall, well-built frame.
Something about that reflection stirred fragments in his mind.
"Jules…" he murmured, the name tasting familiar on his tongue. A memory flickered.
He was the youngest heir of the Jules family. The thought landed like a whisper at the edge of his consciousness—faint, but undeniable.
The last few years had been a blur of harsh drills, cold mornings, and rigid discipline—life at the military boarding school had left its mark on him. He'd only just returned home when a sudden illness struck, dragging him into fevered unconsciousness.
Now, he wasn't even sure he was in the same body.
Before he could gather his thoughts, a knock echoed from the ornate wooden door.
Tap. Tap.
It opened with a soft creak, revealing a tall man in a crisp black suit, white gloves immaculate, posture straight as a ruler. His salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back, and his expression was calm but warm.
"Young Master, how are you feeling?" the man asked, stepping inside with the effortless grace of long habit.
Sebastian blinked. "Alfred…? I—yeah, I'm alright. Feeling much better, actually."
The butler gave a small nod of approval. "Excellent. Your clothes have been laid out. The Master has requested your presence for breakfast. The family is already gathering in the dining hall."
Sebastian swallowed. The family…
He wasn't sure he was ready to face them—but something told him he didn't have much choice.
As Sebastian swung his legs over the side of the bed, a peculiar blinking caught his attention from the upper corner of his vision. Squinting slightly, he focused on the small, insistent notification hovering before him:
[Cashback System Activated]
Spend money to receive 10x cashback.
Objective: Reach $1,000,000 net worth
Deadline: 30 days