Chapter 10

Miles stepped into the library, and was greeted by the familiar scent of old books and polished wood.

Mrs. Anul was standing behind the counter when she saw him walk in. Her eyes glanced to the glass doors, where the RS7 was parked outside, and one of her eyebrows raised.

"Went shopping, did we?" she said, clearly showing amusement, but something else as well…concern.

Miles let out a small chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Something like that."

She studied him for a moment, as if trying to piece things together, before shaking her head. "Well, I won't pry…for now."

Miles laughed nervously. She was sharp, and he could tell she was curious, but thankfully, she didn't push further.

Turning away from him, she called into a room in the back. "Charlie, your brother's here!"

A few seconds later, his brother's small figure ran out from between the bookshelves. "Miles!" He called out as soon as he saw his brother.

Charlie ran straight into him, wrapping his arms around his waist as he hugged him. Miles patted his head gently, feeling a sense of warmth in his chest.

"Had fun?" he asked.

Charlie nodded eagerly. "Mhm!" he simply responded.

"Good, good." He scattered his hair before looking up at the librarian. "Thanks for watching him."

Mrs. Anul waved him off. "Anytime, dear."

With that, he and Charlie stepped outside.

The moment they approached the car, Charlie froze mid-step. His eyes widened as he stared at the car parked by the curb.

"Wooooo…" He exclaimed, beaming with excitement. "Is that…ours?"

Miles chuckled. "Yeah."

Charlie's excitement exploded. He ran around the car, running his hands over the paint.

Miles leaned against the hood, watching him with a small smile.

'This. These moments are what make it all worth it.' He thought to himself.

For all the chaos in his life, all the surprises for the past few days, seeing Charlie's pure joy reminded him why he was doing this.

It wasn't just about money. It was about making sure they never had to struggle ever again.

And he wasn't done yet.

Finally driving away from the library, Charlie was still bouncing in the back of the car with excitement.

His little brother hadn't stopped smiling since seeing the car, and that alone made the day feel even more worthwhile.

"By the way," Miles suddenly said, keeping his eyes on the road, "I got you something."

Charlie turned to him, he was even more excited after hearing those words. "What is it?"

Miles nodded toward the backseat. "Check the bag next to you."

Charlie hesitated for a second before reaching for the bag, feeling something solid inside.

He pulled it out, and was confused for a second, trying to figure out what it was, until he realized...

"No way!" he yelled, staring at the PS5.

Before Miles could respond, Charlie jumped forward from his seat, suddenly hugging one of Miles' arms.

The car swerved slightly as Miles instinctively turned the wheel, trying to steady it. His heart jumped for a second, but he quickly regained control of the car.

"Charlie! Don't ever do that again," he yelled at him. His little brother sat back down sheepishly.

"Sorry," Charlie mumbled, but he was still grinning in excitement.

Miles sighed but smiled slightly. "It's fine. Just, you know, don't hug the driver when the car's moving."

Charlie nodded, still holding the PS5 like it was the most precious thing in the world.

The rest of the ride was mostly silent, only interrupted by his brother mumbling stuff behind him.

Miles's expression slowly turned serious as they got closer and closer to home. His hands tightened around the wheel as the reality of what was coming started to hit him.

He was about to face his aunt, a confrontation he'd been waiting for his entire life.

****

Miles soon slowly pulled into the driveway, exhaling slowly as he turned off the vehicle.

The day had been long, filled with unexpected turns and he genuinely just wanted to rest, but it was far from over.

His eyes shifted toward the house, his aunt's house, for now.

Charlie sat beside him, still holding the PS5 box with a smile so wide it made Miles chuckle. "You good over there?" he asked.

Charlie simply nodded in response and Miles reached out, running his hand through his hair. "Enjoy it, buddy. You deserve it."

Charlie smiled back, but the moment didn't last long. The second Miles opened the car door, a loud voice cut through the evening air.

"Where have you been?"

He barely had time to shut the door before she stormed out of the house, arms crossed. It was his aunt.

Charlie hid behind him instinctively, but Miles remained still, hands in his pockets, watching her without a single reaction on his face.

"Where did you get that car?" she demanded to know, her voice was loud enough that a few neighbors turned their heads to see the source.

Miles sighed inwardly. 'Here we go.' he thought to himself.

"I bought it," he said simply.

She hissed. "Don't be ridiculous. Where would you get money for something like this?"

Her voice got louder, drawing even more attention. A small crowd of onlookers, neighbors and random passersby, began to gather, and began whispering among themselves.

Miles didn't falter when he saw this happening. Instead, he tilted his head slightly. "And why does it bother you so much?"

His aunt's eyes widened, she was taken aback by how he was snapping back at her, opening her mouth in shock.

"Why does it—? Are you serious? A kid like you, suddenly getting his hands on this much money? Who did you steal from?"

That made Miles laugh softly. "Steal? That's a strong accusation."

"You expect me to believe you earned this legally?" she snapped back.

Miles's expression didn't change. He simply shrugged. "Believe whatever you want."

His indifference toward the situation only made her angrier. "You're under my roof! You don't get to just—"

She stopped abruptly however, realizing that more and more people were listening. Some whispered among themselves, watching the scene unfold like it was entertainment.

Miles noticed too.

Then, the words came to his mind.

[Details: You have a very wicked aunt who does not care about you or your brother, but instead feeds off your parents' savings.]

[Action: Buy your aunt out of your life forever]

[Reward: 1000 EXP]

Miles exhaled. 'Now would really be a good time to complete that quest.' he thought to himself.

His gaze lifted, locking eyes with his aunt.

The moment was coming.

And he was ready.