A Businessof His Own

Chapter Six: A Business of His Own

Ali sat on his bed, staring at his phone screen. The Shopify app displayed the numbers he had worked so hard for.

$10,326 in profit.

The past week had been a blur of marketing, ad optimizations, and late-night research. But it was worth it. He had finally completed the system's task.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated.

[Ding! Task Completed!]

[Congratulations! You have earned $10,000 in profit.]

[Reward: $20,000 + Special Business Asset]

Ali's heartbeat quickened. Special Business Asset?

A new notification popped up.

[New Business Unlocked: 312 Park Street Café]

You are now the owner of a small café in Brooklyn. Your next challenge is to turn it into a profitable business.

[New Task: Generate $5,000 in profit from the café within 30 days. Reward: $50,000.]

Ali's eyes widened. A café?

His balance had just increased to $42,000, and now the system had gifted him an actual business. This wasn't just about online money anymore. This was real-world wealth.

But before anything else, he had to convince his father.

A Father's Doubts

Ali found his father sitting in their small living room, sipping tea. His father, Raza, looked older than his years, his dark hair streaked with silver, his frame thinner than before.

Ali took a deep breath. "Dad, I need to talk to you."

His father raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Ali sat across from him. "I bought a café."

His father nearly choked on his tea. "You… what?"

Ali smiled slightly. "I own a café now. 312 Park Street Café."

Raza stared at him, trying to process the words. "How? Where did you get the money?"

Ali had expected this. His father was an honest man. He wouldn't accept anything that wasn't earned legally.

Ali pulled out his phone and showed him the Shopify dashboard. "Dad, I started an online business. I sell products—electronics, mostly. I use a system where I don't need inventory. Customers order from my store, I send the order to a supplier, and they ship it directly. I've been working on this nonstop, and I made over $10,000 in profit in the past week."

His father's expression remained skeptical. "Ali… this sounds too good to be true. Are you sure it's legal?"

Ali nodded firmly. "A hundred percent. It's called dropshipping. Big companies do it all the time—Amazon, Walmart. I just learned how to do it on a smaller scale. It's business, Dad. Real business."

Raza leaned back, rubbing his temple. "And this café? You bought it with this money?"

Ali hesitated for a moment. Should he tell him about the system? No. It was too complicated to explain. "I earned money from my business, and I got the café as a reward through a business deal." It wasn't a lie—the system had given it to him because he succeeded in business.

His father studied him for a long moment. "And how much do you have now?"

Ali exhaled. "My total bank balance is $42,000. And with the café valued at $80,000, my net worth is now $122,000."

His father blinked. "One hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars?"

Ali grinned. "Yes."

For the first time in years, his father was speechless. He put down his cup, staring at his son with something between disbelief and admiration.

After a long silence, he finally spoke. "And you want me to help you run this café?"

Ali leaned forward. "You worked in restaurants before, Dad. You know food, customer service, and management. I don't. I need someone I can trust. Someone who knows how to make a place like this work."

His father's fingers tapped against his cup. "Running a café is not easy, Ali. It's not like your online business. There are costs, employees, food suppliers—"

Ali cut him off. "I know. That's why I need you. I'll handle the marketing, the finances, and the strategy. You'll handle the operations."

His father shook his head. "It's a big responsibility."

Ali smiled. "So is being a father. And you did a great job with that."

His father exhaled, then gave a small, tired smile. "You've grown up."

Ali's smile widened. "I had to."