Suddenly, I Am Rich

[Ding!]

[Mission Complete!]

[$20,000 has been added to your wealth.]

[+2 influence gained.]

A big smile appeared on Gray's lips as the notification rang in his ears.

It was just 4 in the afternoon, and yet, he already managed to clear his mission.

It was so satisfying to look at the notifications flashing in his eyes.

Across the room, Mara glanced up from her laptop.

"What's with the grin? Don't tell me you just thought of something evil again."

Gray chuckled under his breath. "Not evil. Stupid." He turned his chair slightly and tilted his head to the side. He was in a perfect mood.

"Sure, sure," Mara shook her head, not believing him.

Gray just chuckled again.

"Anyway, go order food for everyone," he casually said.

"Order?" Mara blinked in surprise. "Again? Won't you turn poor at this rate?"

The corner of Gray's lips curved up to a playful grin. He leaned back and crossed his arms.

"No. Don't worry about it. I'm also in a good mood, so order food for everyone."

Mara let out a long sigh, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're really ridiculous." She muttered.

"Ridiculously generous," Gray corrected, his grin widening even more.

Mara rolled her eyes, but her fingers were already moving across the keyboard to place the order.

"Fine, fine. But don't blame me when your wallet starts crying."

"Oh, don't worry about it." Gray just watched her as she ordered food on her laptop.

He didn't mind if she ordered a lot.

Right now, all he could think about was the satisfaction that he had successfully finished his mission.

This night, he wasn't just rewarding himself. He was also rewarding the staff who worked tirelessly for the last few days. It felt right to spread the good mood around.

They deserved it.

- - -

The store hours continued for a few more hours.

When the clock finally ticked past closing hours, the working staff members slowly walked back toward the staff room. Most of them had tired looks — their shoulders slumped, and their legs were heavy after the long day.

However, the moment the first person pushed the door open, a sudden silence fell upon them.

They were expecting their normal staff room.

However, that wasn't what greeted them.

Instead, the room was organized. The tables were put on the side, and on top of them were boxes of food from different fast-food chains.

There were boxes of roasted chicken and pizza and trays of pasta that filled the center table. There were also trays of desserts and even a stack of drinks and bread that were neatly arranged.

The smell hit them first. It was warm, savory, and comforting. It was the perfect food to end their tiring day,

"W–what the…" one of the clerks blinked repeatedly as she stopped at the doorway.

"Whoa, another feast?!" someone shouted too, his voice was half-surprised and half-thrilled.

"Sir Gray did it again?"

"Woah!"

"There's really food!"

"Fooddd!"

"We got foodddd!"

In less than a second, the entire mood of the room changed. Tired faces lit up, and soon enough, laughter broke out among them.

"Another food for us!" one of the baggers cheered out loud, pumping his fist in the air.

"Sir Gray is really the best!" another followed, and the rest quickly agreed to it. Their voices turned into cheers that shook the whole room.

Gray leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. There was a smile tugging at his lips as he watched the staff swarm the table like excited kids. The exhaustion that weighed on them earlier was now gone, replaced with bright energy.

From the side, Mara couldn't help but shake her head, though she was smiling faintly.

"See? You're spoiling them too much. They'll expect this every week."

Gray chuckled under his breath.

"So what? If this keeps them happy, it's worth it. After all, they're working extra hard."

"You're really stupid," Mara just shook her head. However, on the inside, she also agreed with him.

For her, the staff really did deserve it. She witnessed how hard they've worked for the last days.

It wasn't easy because now, they had to be mindful of two sides—their on-site store and their online delivery.

They had to make sure that their online service wasn't affecting their customers in the store. It was harder, since that also meant there were fewer staff to manage the on-site customers.

Everyone had to work harder and more efficiently because of it.

"Woah… another treat from our Boss?"

"Yes, Manager!"

By the time Joel stepped in, the staff were already lining up to get their food. They were chatting loudly, some even humming as they filled their plates. A few stopped in front of Gray to say thank you.

"Sir Gray! Thank you for this!"

"Thank you, Sir Gray!"

"You're really the best, Sir Gray!"

Gray just chuckled and encouraged them to get food first before talking to him. The others diligently followed it.

Aside from the fact that they were shy, they were also hungry already after standing up and moving around for hours.

Joel, who was looking at it, couldn't help but chuckle. After the crowd disappeared in front of Gray, he moved closer to him.

"You know, Sir," Joel said, his tone carrying both amusement and disbelief, "I was also once a boss, but honestly, I've never thought about doing this."

"Good thing, I'm here, aren't I?" Gray chuckled at it. "Anyway, before you talk to me, go get some food first. Go follow them."

Joel let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head as he joined the others at the table.

Not long after, the four drivers, Dante, Marco, Luis, and Ricky, appeared. They were late because they did a last round of delivery before closing.

However, when they arrived, they immediately froze at the doorway, eyes going wide at the sight of the food.

"No way," Marco muttered.

"Boss, again?!" Ricky looked like he couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.

Luis let out a low whistle. "We're definitely getting spoiled here."

Dante grinned, slapping Ricky's shoulder before heading straight for the food.

"What are you standing there for? Dig in before it's gone!"

The room erupted again with laughter, and soon it was loud with the sound of chatter, jokes, and clattering plates.

Gray stayed at his spot for a moment, just watching.

All he could think about was how right it felt. To spread the good mood, to reward them for everything they had put in these past days.

It wasn't just for himself. It was for them. They deserved it.

And hearing them, cheering his name, only made his smile grow wider.