Return

After Thomas sold off all his Bitcoins, he leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply.

The long string of numbers on his account balance was surreal—$21.5 billion.

It was done.

The past few hours had been intense, but now, all he had to do was wait out the remaining time before returning to the present.

A sense of exhaustion settled in, but it was the good kind—the kind that came after accomplishing something monumental.

He stretched his arms, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease.

"It's finally over…"

Now, there was just one thing left to do before his return—get some rest.

---

Checking into a Luxury Hotel

Thomas left the hotel where he had executed his trades and stepped onto the bustling streets of 2010.

As he looked around, nostalgia hit him.

Everything felt familiar yet distant—the old storefronts, the outdated advertisements, the lack of modern smartphones in people's hands.

Then, his gaze landed on a hotel he remembered well.

It was the same hotel he had stayed in back in 2010.

A smirk played on his lips.

"It shouldn't be long before this place turns into a karaoke bar…"

He wasn't originally from New York, but he had lived near the city after graduating. That's how he knew that this hotel wouldn't be around much longer.

It didn't matter.

All he needed was a place to rest before heading back to his timeline.

With that thought, Thomas walked toward the entrance.

The hotel lobby had the same dim lighting and slightly outdated decor he remembered.

It was far from luxurious, but at this moment, he didn't care.

After checking in, he made his way to his room and immediately powered on the hotel's desktop computer.

He navigated to the Bitcoin trading platform once more.

The screen displayed the current price—$100,525 per Bitcoin.

"There are still three hours until the highest price…"

He nodded to himself.

Even though he had already completed his trades, he couldn't help but admire the precision of his timing.

Everything had gone according to plan.

He closed the laptop and stretched with satisfaction.

"That's it. I'm done. It was tiring, but damn, it feels good…"

After having his much deserved rest," it time to return home baby"

With that, he grabbed his laptop bag, left the hotel room, and headed outside.

---

Finding a quiet alleyway, Thomas checked the time.

Only a few minutes left.

He exhaled, then focused his thoughts.

"Return."

Ding! "The host is returning to the original timeline."

As soon as the system notification rang out, a powerful dizziness struck him.

The world around him blurred.

His consciousness wavered—

And then—

---

Back to 2025

The sensation of time-travel sickness hit Thomas the moment he opened his eyes.

His head felt heavy.

A strange sense of disorientation washed over him.

"Space-time confusion?" he muttered. "Or maybe I'm just too exhausted…"

Whatever it was, he'd deal with it later.

Right now, he needed rest.

Stepping out of the alleyway, he flagged down a taxi.

"Four Seasons Hotel."

The driver nodded, and the cab pulled into the street.

As Thomas gazed out the window, he saw the same city—but this time, through different eyes.

It was his world, but he had changed.

The neon lights, the hustle and bustle, the luxury cars speeding past—everything looked different when you were rich.

It was like gaining a new perspective.

For the first time in his life, Thomas felt like he was on top of the world.

---

The taxi ride took half an hour, but Thomas barely noticed the time passing.

His mind was still adjusting to this new reality.

Before, he had spent his entire life struggling, constantly thinking about how to survive.

Now?

Money was no longer a problem.

He was free.

As the car pulled up to the Four Seasons Hotel, Thomas paid the fare without hesitation and stepped inside.

The lobby was bright and grand, exuding an air of exclusivity.

He walked to the reception desk just as a tall woman was finishing her check-in.

She was facing away from him, so he couldn't see her face.

But based on her elegant posture and slender figure, she was at least a 7 out of 10.

Not bad.

As he reached the counter, the female receptionist greeted him with a warm smile.

"Good evening, sir. How may I assist you?"

Thomas glanced at her.

Her voice was pleasant, and her appearance was decent—probably an 8 out of 10.

He smiled.

"Presidential suite. Seven days."

For a brief second, the receptionist froze.

Then, she quickly regained her professional composure.

"Understood, sir. Let me process that for you."

Just then—

The woman who had checked in moments ago suddenly turned around.

Her gaze landed on Thomas, and her eyes widened slightly.

"Thomas?"

The slightly surprised voice made him turn as well.

His eyebrows lifted.

The woman in front of him was Isabella Monroe.

A former college classmate.

And one of the most well-known beauties in his department.

"No way…"

In college, Isabella had been on a whole different level—smart, beautiful, and always surrounded by guys.

They never had much interaction back then.

Yet, here she was.

Still just as stunning, dressed in an off-white mesh shirt, a black semi-transparent blouse, a designer blue coat, and over-the-knee boots.

She looked like she had walked straight out of a fashion magazine.

And she recognized him.

"Isabella," Thomas said with a smile. "Long time no see."

Her eyes flickered with curiosity as she folded her arms.

"Long time no see? That's an understatement. You disappeared after graduation. What have you been up to?"

Thomas smirked.

"Just keeping busy."

His casual response seemed to intrigue her.

In college, Isabella had been used to guys trying to impress her.

But Thomas's calm, indifferent attitude was different.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Busy enough to afford the presidential suite at the Four Seasons?"

She wasn't just making conversation.

She was testing him.

Thomas chuckled.

"You could say that."

As he handed his card to the receptionist, he noticed Isabella watching closely.

The moment the transaction went through, he saw it—

That subtle shift in her expression.

Before, she had seen him as just another classmate.

Now?

She saw him as someone worth paying attention to.

Thomas smirked inwardly.

Having money didn't just change what he could do.

It changed how people treated him.

And he was going to enjoy every second of it.

---

Once inside his luxurious suite, Thomas finally let himself relax.

It was done.

His wealth was secured.

He lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

A slow smirk formed on his lips.

"This is just the beginning."