The car ride took nearly an hour, yet Aiden barely noticed the passing scenery. His mind was too busy racing—calculating possibilities, anticipating dangers, and replaying Emma's fainting incident again and again like a punishment he couldn't escape.
Emma leaned against him in the backseat, sipping the juice he bought her earlier. She looked better now—color had returned to her cheeks—but the sight of her small body trembling that afternoon was still carved into him like a scar.
He would never let it happen again.
The man in the suit, Mr. Hale, sat in the front passenger seat, checking documents without expression. The driver said nothing. Everything about this screamed "professional," but Aiden wasn't fooled.
None of this should exist.
Not the inheritance.
Not the lawyers.
Not the car.
Not the mansion they were driving toward.
Everything originated from one small lie Emma told without thinking.
"My brother has a rich grandfather."
Aiden clenched his jaw.
The system didn't just create money or objects—it created history, records, and people to maintain the illusion.
That meant the world itself was bending around Emma's words.
And if this was the scale of one lie…
What would happen if Emma, even jokingly, said something catastrophic?
"Aiden," Emma whispered softly, tugging at his sleeve. "Are you mad at me?"
His heart softened instantly.
"No. Never at you," he said, kissing her forehead. "I just… want to make sure you're safe."
Emma nodded and returned to staring out the window. She didn't understand—but she trusted him.
That trust was heavier than the mansion deed in his pocket.
⸻
The Mansion
When the car turned onto a private gated road, Aiden's breath caught.
The estate that emerged through the trees was enormous.
A colonial-style mansion, three stories high. White pillars. Marble steps. A fountain big enough to swim in. Manicured gardens. Security cameras. Motion sensors. A gate that probably cost more than their entire apartment building.
Emma pressed her face against the window.
"Woahhhh… Aiden… is this ours?"
Aiden swallowed.
"It… appears so."
Mr. Hale turned toward them. "This property belonged to your late grandfather, Mr. Alexander Vaughn. As per his will, everything now belongs to you."
Aiden suppressed a bitter laugh.
His "grandfather" didn't exist two days ago.
And yet—here was the physical proof that he did.
The car stopped at the entrance. Two maids and a groundskeeper were already lined up respectfully, bowing as they stepped out.
"Welcome home, Mr. Cross."
Emma gasped. "They talk like in the movies!"
Aiden forced a smile as he lifted her out of the car. "Yeah… they do."
Inside, the mansion was even worse—gold trimming, chandeliers, antique furniture, endless hallways that seemed too large for any normal family.
Emma ran ahead, spinning in circles on the polished floor. "Aiden! Look! We can play hide-and-seek forever!"
Aiden followed slowly, trying not to let the dread show on his face.
This wasn't luxury.
This was a warning.
If Emma could create a grandfather, that meant she could create bloodlines, family trees, legal identities, entire histories intertwined with the real world.
If she said Aiden was royalty…
Would the system create a kingdom?
If she said he was a superhero…
Would the world generate villains to match?
No.
He couldn't let her imagination run wild.
He had to control it—gently, without crushing her innocence.
⸻
The Will Reading
They were guided to a large study room. Leather chairs. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A massive portrait of a stern old man—no doubt the fabricated "Alexander Vaughn."
Aiden stared at the portrait, cold sweat forming on his back.
The system created a face.
A whole person.
Mr. Hale opened a briefcase and handed Aiden a pen.
"We will proceed with the formal transfer. Please sign at the tabs."
Aiden paused.
"What… exactly am I inheriting?"
Mr. Hale smiled.
"The mansion, of course. Five offshore accounts. A small company. Two properties in Europe. And a 21% stake in Vaughn Industries."
Emma's jaw dropped.
"Aiden," she whispered, tugging his sleeve again. "A-Are we… rich?"
Aiden inhaled shakily.
He didn't know how long this "reality" would hold. He didn't know if the system was stable. He didn't know if there were consequences—imbalances—rewrites.
But right now, Emma needed safety.
Food.
Healthcare.
A future.
If signing these papers gave her that security, he would do it.
He signed.
Page after page after page.
When it was done, Mr. Hale bowed.
"Congratulations, Mr. Cross. You are now the official heir of the Vaughn Estate."
Emma clapped with both hands. "Aiden! We're like princess and prince now!"
He forced a smile.
"Something like that."
⸻
Exploring the Mansion
Aiden let Emma explore her new "room"—a massive pink-themed bedroom with a four-poster bed, balcony, walk-in closet, and shelves full of dolls and storybooks.
She squealed with joy.
"Aiden! Aiden! Can I sleep here tonight? Can we live here forever?"
Aiden brushed her hair gently.
"You can sleep wherever you want, Em."
"But what about you?"
Aiden managed a soft laugh. "I'll be right next door."
She hugged him tightly. "This is the best day ever."
He wished he could feel the same.
Instead, a storm brewed inside him.
This mansion was beautiful.
But it was also terrifying.
Because if reality could change this much, then someone—somewhere—might notice the distortions.
Aiden looked out the balcony window, studying the distant security fence.
"We're safe now, right?" Emma asked sleepily as she sat on the bed.
Aiden placed a hand on her head and forced a reassuring smile.
"Yes. We're safe," he whispered.
But inside, he added:
For now.
⸻
The System Acts Again
As Emma drifted to sleep, the familiar shimmer pulsed around Aiden.
He stepped into the hallway.
[Environmental Integration Complete]
[Inheritance Reality Fully Established]
[New Trait Acquired: Wealth Management (Advanced)]
[New Trait Acquired: Leadership Presence]
[Threat Level Adjustment: Moderate]
Aiden stiffened.
Threat level?
Before he could ask, another message appeared:
[Warning: External Interest Detected]
[Multiple parties have begun noticing anomalies surrounding the Vaughn Estate.]
[Recommendation: Strengthen personal capabilities.]
Aiden's blood ran cold.
"What… interest? Who noticed?" he whispered.
The system gave no answer.
Instead—
[New Objective Unlocked: Protect Emma Cross]
Aiden exhaled shakily.
"I know," he whispered. "I will."
No matter who came after them—
lawyers, authorities, opportunists, or people who sensed something unnatural—
He would keep Emma safe.
The world could rewrite itself.
People could appear out of thin air.
Reality could bend and shift.
But Aiden's resolve would not.
And neither would Emma's place by his side.