Maluck decided Soi could wait—he technically didn’t need to call him right away. And with his Lucky watch practically yelling at him, he figured he might as well listen.

  He hopped into a QuickieCab, and headed toward Lone Pine Mall, which wasn’t far from the Emerald. And as it turned out, following his watch’s advice was a fantastic decision.

  Today, the third floor—home to an entire section of men’s clothing stores—was running a massive sale. Different brands, different styles, all discounted. Even better? For every hundred bucks spent, shoppers got a ticket for a prize drawing.

  Maluck loved a good deal. He went all in, grabbing everything from casual wear to sharp outfits that wouldn’t make him look like a guy who just stumbled out of a casino at 3 a.m. By the time he was done, he had dropped about $500—but at least he wouldn’t have to rely on his one clean backup outfit anymore.

  As he handed over his card to pay, a loud jackpot siren blared through the store. The cashier’s eyes widened with excitement.

  “You’re our 1,000th customer!” she announced, practically bouncing.

  Maluck blinked. “Wait… what?”

  “You just won two first-class tickets to Las Vegas!”

  Maluck stared at her for a second, then glanced down at his watch.

  ‘Well, that explains why it told me to go shopping now.’

  He smirked, shaking his head. ‘This thing didn’t just know I was going to be the thousandth customer—it somehow timed it perfectly.’

  Stuffing the prize vouchers into his pocket, he let out a low chuckle. “Guess it’s time to start planning a trip.”

  ***

  Now, dressed in a completely wing-sauce-free outfit, Maluck felt like a new man. Fresh clothes, a successful shopping spree, and two first-class tickets to Vegas—not a bad outcome.

  He decided to meet Soi at the hotel restaurant. Because, well, shopping was hard work, okay? ‘Lugging around bags, making tough fashion choices, mentally calculating discounts—it was practically an athletic event.’

  Besides, he needed to replenish his energy after such an exhausting ordeal. ‘And what better way to recover than with a nice meal while dumping all the actual work onto Soi?’

  With his shopping haul complete and no more distractions left, Maluck sighed, knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer. Alright, time to deal with Soi.

  He pulled out his phone and dialed.

  The line barely rang before Soi picked up. “Took you long enough.”

  Maluck smirked. “Miss me that much?”

  “No,” Soi deadpanned. “I just assume if you’re calling, something annoying is about to happen.”

  Maluck chuckled. “Oh, ye of little faith.”

  “You free in fifteen?” Maluck asked. “Figured we could meet at the Emerald’s restaurant.”

  Soi sighed. “Why do I feel like this isn’t just a casual lunch?”

  Maluck smirked. “Because you know me too well.”

  There was a pause. “Fine. But if this turns into one of your brilliant ideas that somehow makes my life harder, you’re paying for my meal.”

  Maluck chuckled. “Deal. See you in fifteen.” He was going to expense the meal anyway.

  Maluck arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, giving himself just enough time to pick out a good table—one with a nice view, decent lighting, and, most importantly, a perfect angle to watch Soi’s inevitable reaction when he hit him with whatever headache-inducing news was coming next.

  Soi walked in right on time, scanning the restaurant before spotting Maluck and heading over. He dropped into the chair across from him with a tired sigh.

  “Maluck, let me guess—you want to know how much money we actually have before you go spending it on something ridiculous?”

  Maluck smirked, leaning back in his chair. “You wound me, Soi. Can’t a guy just enjoy a nice meal with his favorite financial expert?”

  Soi snorted. “Right. And I’m sure this meal isn’t just a setup for you dropping some more work in my lap.”

  Maluck grinned. “I mean, it’s like you read my mind. So, when’s the charity money rolling in? How much is in our bank account right now?”

  Soi sighed. “Alright, let’s break it down. Right now, thanks to our ‘adjustments,’ Cars 4 a Better Future is pulling in about $1.2 million a month. About 30% of that gets eaten up by bribes, another chunk goes into keeping the charity actually functioning, and after all the expenses, Lucky Star gets about $180,000 a month.”

  Maluck nodded. “Alright, not bad. And how much do we have right now?”

  Soi hesitated. “Well… that depends.”

  Maluck narrowed his eyes. “Depends on what?”

  “Depends on whether I count the actual balance… or if I factor in your spending habits.”

  Maluck scoffed. “Soi, I’m a responsible adult.”

  Soi snorted. “You just spent $9,000 on car detailing.”

  “That was Chloe!”

  “With your credit card.”

  Maluck waved that off. “Okay, fair, but it was an important business investment.”

  Soi groaned. “Whatever helps you sleep at night. Anyway, after expenses—including payroll, keeping the charity running, and making sure everything looks legit—we’ve got about $220,000 in liquid cash. Once the full financial redirection is set up, we’ll be pulling in about $180,000 per month into Lucky Star’s accounts.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Maluck whistled. “So in three days, we’ll have another deposit coming in?”

  “Yeah, about $90,000—give or take, depending on how much we have to move around.”

  Maluck leaned back, satisfied. “Not bad.”

  Soi wasn’t done. “Except let’s not forget your -$37,075 Visex bill, your questionable spending habits, and the fact that we’re still setting everything up to avoid raising suspicions. You’ve got assets—the Hellburst, rare coins, a $100,000 penny—but as far as actual cash? You’re rich in theory, but not in practice.”

  Maluck frowned. “That… sounds inconvenient.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s how actual finance works. You don’t just get to spend millions instantly unless you want the government to start asking questions.”

  Maluck grinned. “Soi, that’s why I pay you the big bucks.”

  “Speaking of that, do you want me to actually pay myself now? Because I still technically haven’t taken a salary.”

  Maluck blinked. “Wait… what? You’re working for free?”

  “For now. But don’t get any ideas, I’m expecting a very generous backpay.”

  Maluck laughed. “You drive a hard bargain, Soi. Alright, pay yourself whatever feels reasonable. Just, uh… don’t bankrupt me.”

  Soi sighed. “That’s literally my job—to prevent that from happening. Now, are you gonna buy something stupid today, or should I be worried?”

  Maluck grinned. “Nah, no stupid purchase.” He didn’t mention that he had just spent $500 on clothes.

  ‘Hey, that’s an essential item right?’

  “Alright, so let’s just pay off that Visex bill. We can afford it now, right?”

  Soi nodded. “Definitely a priority.”

  Maluck sighed. “Do I have to do that, or can I make Theo do it for me?”

  “That’s definitely a Theo job,” Soi said without hesitation.

  Maluck smirked. “Speaking of Theo… he hasn’t been paid yet either, right?”

  Soi shook his head. “Nope. No one’s taken any money yet. Cass and Theo have only been working for three days, so they’re not expecting a paycheck for at least two weeks. Chloe might want some money, though.”

  Maluck waved that off. “She’s living with me, eating five-star breakfasts, getting expensive car detailing, and generally having a great time. She’s fine. But you should pay everyone.”

  Soi rolled his eyes. “Alright, that’s easy, I already have everyone’s bank info.”

  Maluck tapped his fingers on the table. “This won’t cripple us will it?”

  Here’s a more logical breakdown of the numbers:

  Soi thought for a moment. “We’ll be fine. Your biggest expense is that $37,075 Visex bill, and once that’s covered, payroll won’t even make a dent in our funds. Cass is making $100,000 a year, and Theo’s salary is $75,000, so that’s about $8,300 per month for Cass and $6,250 per month for Theo. Theo’s barely done anything so far, but hey, you wanted a personal assistant.”

  “Best decision of my life,” Maluck said, deadpan.

  Soi ignored him. “And if we include my own paycheck—$150,000 a year, which I still haven’t taken—that’s $12,500 per month. So, in total, payroll comes out to about $27,050 a month. Not even half of what’s coming in.”

  Maluck nodded. “Alright, cool. Let’s do it. Pay everyone in advance. And make sure Theo handles my credit card bill so I never have to think about it again.”

  “Figured,” Soi said, pulling out his laptop. “I’ll take care of it.”

  Maluck grinned. “See? That’s why you’re the best, Soi.”

  ***

  Maluck stretched, feeling pleased with himself. “Oh, and get a car for Theo and Chloe. I don’t want them taking my Hellburst all the time.”

  Soi, who had just started typing out the payroll transfers, immediately stopped. “So this is the beginning of those financially questionable decisions, huh?”

  Maluck grinned. “Hey, I didn’t say get them new Hellbursts.”

  Soi gave him a look. “You do realize that’s not as reassuring as you think it is, right?”

  Maluck shrugged. “Fine, fine. Get them reasonable cars. Something practical. Reliable.”

  Soi sighed. “So not another overpowered muscle car that gets eight miles per gallon and announces its presence three blocks away?”

  “Correct,” Maluck said, nodding. “But also not something boring. I still have standards.”

  Soi pinched the bridge of his nose. “So… practical, but not boring.”

  Maluck snapped his fingers. “Exactly. See? You get me.”

  Soi muttered something under his breath about financial disasters waiting to happen but pulled out his laptop anyway.

  Maluck smirked. “Get Theo something that looks good in case he has to drive me around. And for Chloe? Find the most inconspicuous car possible—something no one would ever pay attention to. Her job requires her not being noticed.”

  Soi sighed, rubbing his temples. “So, just to be clear—you want Theo to look like a professional driver and Chloe to look like she delivers government subpoenas?”

  Maluck grinned. “Exactly.”

  Soi took a second to think. “For Theo, we’ll get him a BMF 3 Series—classy but not too flashy.”

  It officially stood for Bavarian Motor’s Finest, but most people called it Big Money Furnace—because maintaining one drained your wallet fast.

  “And for Chloe… how do you feel about a gray Toyyoda Borerolla?”

  Maluck raised an eyebrow. “A Borerolla?”

  Soi chuckled. “Hey, it’s reliable, affordable, and blends in anywhere. Plus, she won’t be tempted to drive like a lunatic.”

  Maluck sighed. “Yeah, but I have to be the one to break the news to her.”

  Soi shrugged. “Hey, you wanted inconspicuous. No one in history has ever remembered seeing a gray Toyyoda Borerolla. They might as well be invisible.”

  Maluck sighed. “Fine. But if she refuses to drive it, you explain it to her.”

  Soi smirked. “Oh, I absolutely will. And I’ll be sure to mention you were the one who picked it.”

  Maluck groaned. “Great. Now I’m gonna get stabbed in my sleep.”

  Soi rubbed his temples, already feeling a headache forming. “We literally just talked about reeling in your spending, and now you’re getting two new cars?”

  Maluck smirked. “Technically, you’re getting them.”

  Soi exhaled sharply and held up a hand before Maluck could say anything else. “Alright, let’s make one thing clear—we are not buying two cars. We’re leasing them.”

  Maluck raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I thought you hated my spending. Now you want me to lease luxury vehicles?”

  Soi sighed, slipping into patient financial advisor mode. “Yes, because unlike some people, I actually care about long-term costs. Leasing means we’re not stuck paying full price upfront, we can write the payments off as a business expense, and when you inevitably decide you want something flashier in a year, we won’t have to worry about selling them first.”

  Maluck tapped his chin. “So, what I’m hearing is… leasing lets me get new cars whenever I want without financial consequences.”

  Soi rolled his eyes. “Within reason. And don’t push it.”

  Maluck smirked. “No promises.”

  Soi exhaled, shaking his head. “I swear, you’d bankrupt yourself out of pure boredom if I wasn’t here.”

  Maluck chuckled. “True. That’s why I keep you around.”

  Soi was about to respond when his eyes flicked to the mountain of shopping bags piled in the booth beside Maluck—and his expression flatlined.

  “…Why is there enough clothing here to outfit a small country?”

  Maluck casually sipped his drink. “Oh, those? Just a few essentials.”

  Soi leaned over, squinting at the sheer volume of luxury brand bags. He grabbed one at random and peeked inside. “This is cashmere! Since when do you wear cashmere?!”

  Maluck shrugged. “Since today.”

  Soi let out a slow, suffering groan. “You know, sometimes I think you do this just to spite me.”

  Maluck smirked. “Not just to spite you. It’s also fun.”

  Maluck casually reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope, tossing it onto the table. “Oh, and I also won these two first-class tickets to Las Vegas. That won’t cause us any problems, right?”

  Soi picked up the envelope, flipped it over, then slowly looked back at Maluck. His expression went from mildly irritated to deeply, existentially exhausted in real-time.

  “…You won them?” Soi asked flatly.

  “Yep,” Maluck said, popping a fry into his mouth. “Lucky thousandth customer at the mall. Pretty cool, huh?”

  Soi stared at him like he had just confessed to robbing a casino blind. “You—of all people—just happened to win two first-class tickets to Vegas?”

  Maluck grinned. “What can I say? I’m charmed.”

  Soi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go over why this is a horrible idea.” He held up one finger. “First, you just told me we need to keep our financials clean and avoid drawing attention. And now you’re talking about flying first-class to the money-laundering capital of the world.”

  Maluck shrugged. “Could be a coincidence.”

  Soi pinched the bridge of his nose. “I swear to God, Maluck. If you end up winning a bajillion dollars, I’m quitting.”

  Maluck chuckled. “Relax, Soi. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  Soi’s face crumbled, his soul visibly leaving his body. “I hate that you just said that.”