Morning sunlight broke through the thin curtains, resting over the quiet apartment. Nix had been awake for hours, staring at the faint system glow only he could see.
> [Time Remaining: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 57 Minutes.]
He looked over to Hazel and Kyler still asleep. Her arm was wrapped around their son like a shield. Six days left… no more waiting.
He stood and cooked breakfast — eggs, garlic rice, and hotdogs. The smell woke Hazel before the alarm could.
"You cooked?" she asked, still half-asleep.
"Yeah," he said, flipping the pan. "Thought I'd give you a break."
Hazel smiled faintly. "That's a first. Did we win the lottery or something?"
He just grinned. "Something like that."
Kyler ran to the table, eyes wide at the spread. "Wow! Daddy cooked!"
Nix sat down beside them, watching every bite like it was a blessing. For once, there were no calls waiting, no headset hanging by the monitor, no rush. Just laughter.
---
After breakfast, Hazel began to tidy up, but Nix said, "Let's go out today. All of us."
Hazel frowned. "You have work."
"Not today."
Her eyes softened. "Alright. Family day."
It was a simple phrase, but to Nix, it felt sacred.
---
The bus ride to the mall was warm and noisy. Kyler pressed his face to the window, pointing at everything — billboards, cars, stray dogs. Hazel leaned on Nix's shoulder, smiling for the first time in months.
When they stepped inside SM North, Hazel laughed softly. "I can't even remember the last time we went out together."
"Then let's make today unforgettable," Nix said.
He slipped his hand into his pocket — and felt something cold and metallic. When he pulled it out, his breath caught.
A black card gleamed under the mall lights, engraved with the name Nix Villamor.
It hadn't been there before. The system must have provided it.
> [Skill: Infinite Balance — Active.]
[Spending Limit: None.]
He smiled faintly. "Alright… let's see how far happiness can go."
---
They went first to Tong Yang, the buffet restaurant they always passed by but never entered. Hazel hesitated by the entrance, eyeing the price on the board. "₱888 per head, Nix? That's too much."
He shook his head. "Don't think. Just eat."
The smell of grilled meat and seafood filled the air. Hazel's eyes glowed as she helped Kyler roast shrimp over the table grill.
"This is amazing," she laughed, feeding Kyler a piece.
Nix didn't eat much. He just watched, memorizing the sound of their laughter, the way Hazel's hair caught the light, the way Kyler's small hands fumbled with chopsticks.
By the time dessert came, Hazel leaned back, smiling. "I can't remember the last time I was this full."
"Then let's keep going," Nix said.
---
They walked to Timezone, where Kyler screamed in delight as the lights blinked and music boomed.
Hazel cheered as Nix tried his luck at the claw machine — and actually won a plush toy on the first try.
"Daddy's lucky today!" Kyler laughed.
"Maybe today's just special," Nix said quietly.
They spent hours there — racing cars, playing hoops, laughing like they hadn't in years. Then Kyler spotted Kidzoona, and his eyes begged without words.
"Go on," Nix smiled. "Play as much as you want."
While Kyler ran wild inside, Hazel leaned against Nix's shoulder. "He looks so happy," she whispered.
"He should be," Nix replied. "He's a good kid."
---
Afterward, they wandered into SM Department Store.
Kyler picked new shoes — bright red with flashing lights. Nix bought him shorts, shirts, and a toy robot. Hazel protested halfheartedly at first, then gave up with a laugh.
"Nix, this is too much. We can't afford—"
He stopped her gently. "Let me do this."
She sighed, smiling helplessly.
They moved to the women's section. Hazel's eyes caught on a display — an iPhone 13. She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Dream phone. Too bad dreams cost this much."
Nix picked it up without hesitation. "Then let's dream for real this time."
Her eyes widened. "Nix—"
But he was already at the counter. From his pocket, he pulled out the black card. The moment it touched the machine, the store lights seemed to flicker for half a second, and the payment cleared instantly.
The clerk smiled politely, unaware of the miracle that had just happened. "Transaction approved, sir. Congratulations."
Hazel stared at the card. "Where did that come from?"
Nix slipped it back into his wallet with a calm smile. "Work perk."
She didn't believe him, but she didn't ask. Not today. She could see how happy he was, and she didn't want to ruin that.
---
It was nearly 8 PM when they booked a Grab home. Kyler fell asleep against Nix's chest on the ride back, holding the plush toy from Timezone.
When they reached the apartment, Hazel tucked Kyler in, then turned to Nix. Her voice was quiet.
"Where did that money really come from?"
He looked down at his hands, then back at her. "Crypto trading," he said. "It just… worked out."
Hazel sighed, not fully believing, but smiled anyway. "Then I'm happy for you, Nix. Just… don't risk too much, okay?"
He nodded, pulling her close. "I won't."
When she and Kyler finally fell asleep, Nix sat in the dim light of the living room, phone in hand.
"lets do this.."
---
When Hazel and Kyler finally drifted to sleep, Nix sat alone in the faint light of his laptop. The apartment was quiet except for the steady hum of the air conditioner and the soft rhythm of his son's breathing from the next room.
He opened his browser, fingers moving calmly but with purpose.
Years of working in a BPO had made him familiar with forms, verifications, and data — all routine. Except this time, he was weaving something impossible.
> [Infinite Balance: Active.]
He created a new bank account under his brother's name — Nesty Villamor — a man who had never married, never settled, and treated money like air.
Nix smiled faintly. You won't even notice this one, kuya.
Within seconds, the account reflected ₱10,000,000,000.00 — an impossible sum that appeared as quietly as a breath.
No system alarms. No alerts. Not even the bank's database registered an anomaly.
It simply existed — invisible, untraceable.
Nix set an automatic transfer: ₱200,000 every month to Hazel's account.
Enough for comfort, never enough to draw suspicion.
Then he repeated the process — another ₱10 billion, another account under Nesty's name.
This time, he linked ₱100,000 monthly to his mother's account, and ₱10,000 to Hazel mothers account, don't ask why.
He stared at the screen for a long moment, the glow reflecting in his tired eyes.
It wasn't just money.
It was time — traded for peace.
A silent promise that even after he was gone, they wouldn't struggle again.
He leaned back, sighing. "You've always said money doesn't matter, kuya… maybe now it'll mean something."
He shut the laptop slowly and glanced toward the small bedroom where Hazel and Kyler slept.
The faint light from under the door framed the scene like a memory — fragile, warm, irreplaceable.
He whispered softly, almost afraid the words might wake them.
"I've done what I can… tomorrow, we'll find a real home."
The digital clock beside him blinked quietly:
[Time Remaining: 6 Days, 1 Hour, 59 Minutes.]