I had been dating Lily Foster for three years, and she strictly insisted on splitting every expense.

When my mother needed surgery and I was short twenty thousand dollars, she looked troubled. “Aaron, we agreed on financial independence.”

I went everywhere trying to borrow money, while she turned around and bought her brother a Ferrari outright.

When I confronted her, she answered without a hint of guilt. “That’s my money. What does it have to do with you?

“And besides, you’re a man. You can’t always expect a woman to support you, right?”

Her brother drove the sports car right up in front of me, showing off.

“My sister said it herself—your money is her money, but her money is still hers.”

I laughed.

Because just a moment ago, I had activated the “Malice Cashback” system.

For every trace of hostility someone directed at me, I would receive a hundredfold cash return.

Lily stood in front of me, frowning in disgust. “What are you laughing at? You look like an idiot.”

[Ding! Received 20 hostility points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $2,000 has been credited.]

The notification sound from my mobile banking app overlapped with the system chime in my head.

I glanced at the deposit alert—$2,000 credited—and the smile on my lips deepened.

It wasn’t much, but just enough to cover my mom’s hospital deposit.

Lily Foster’s frown deepened, the disgust in her eyes barely contained.

“Aaron, what the hell are you doing? I’m talking to you about something serious!”

[ Ding! Received 40 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $4,000 has been credited. ]

I smiled again.

So, her hatred toward me was actually worth something.

“It’s nothing,” I said, looking at her calmly. “I just think you’re right. It’s your money; you can spend it however you want. It’s none of my business.”

Lily froze.

She had probably expected me to either argue angrily like before or beg her in humiliation.

But this time, she got it wrong.

“Y-you understand, that’s good,” she said, clearly thrown off, her expression stiff.

“But speaking of which, what are you going to do about your mom’s surgery?”

There was a trace of barely hidden schadenfreude in her tone.

Before I could respond, her precious brother Marcus Foster pulled up beside me in his bright red Ferrari and honked.

The sharp roar of the engine drew the attention of everyone nearby.

“Hey, Aaron, still couldn’t find anyone to lend you the money?”

Marcus rolled down the window, elbow resting on the door, wearing a punchable grin.

“Why not beg my sister? If she’s in a good mood, maybe she’ll toss you a few hundred bucks.”

[ Ding! Received 60 Malice Points from Marcus Foster. Cashback of $6,000 has been credited. ]

My phone buzzed again in my pocket.

I looked at the total balance—$12,000—and felt an unusual calm settle in.

“No need.”

I walked past the front of the car and headed straight toward the hospital.

Behind me, Lily’s furious voice rang out. “Aaron! Where are you going? I’m not done talking!”

[ Ding! Received 100 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $10,000 has been credited. ]

I didn’t look back.

My phone buzzed again. I glanced at my balance.

It had climbed to $22,000.

My mom’s surgery fees were covered.

I went straight to the billing counter and paid $20,000 in one go.

The nurse at the window looked up at me, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

After all, just yesterday, I had still been struggling to come up with the deposit.

After finishing the paperwork, I went to my mom’s room.

She lay weakly in bed. When she saw me, a faint light flickered in her clouded eyes.

“Aaron… the money…”

“Mom, don’t worry. It’s all taken care of. Just focus on getting ready for the surgery.”

I held her dry hand, my voice steady.

She looked at me, her eyes reddening.

She knew my situation. Over the past three years, trying to keep up with Lily’s so-called financial independence, I had lived on the edge.

“Son, did you…”

“Mom, don’t overthink it. The money came from a proper source.”

I didn’t want her to worry, so I brushed it off.

After staying with her for a while, my phone rang. It was Lily.

The moment the call connected, her voice came crashing down in a barrage of accusations.

“Aaron! Where the hell did you go? Do you not care if your mom lives or dies?”

I walked to the end of the hallway, my voice cold. “What is it?”

[ Ding! Received 20 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $2,000 has been credited. ]

“What kind of attitude is that? I’m asking you—how are you going to get the cash?”

“It’s handled.”

There was silence on the other end.

A few seconds later, Lily’s sharp voice cut through again. “Handled? Where did you get $20,000 from?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“None of my concern? Aaron, have you been hiding money from me behind my back?”

For the past three years, she’d had full access to my bank account. She called it “handling our finances together,” but I had to report every major expense I spent to her first.

And now she was turning around and accusing me of hiding money.

[ Ding! Received 200 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $20,000 has been credited. ]

I looked at the cashback notification on my phone and felt a hint of irony.

“Whether I’ve been hiding money or not, you’d know better than anyone.”

“Drop the attitude! Aaron, I’m telling you, if you want to be with me, you have to be honest! You’d better explain where that money came from!”

“A friend lent it to me.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue.

“Which friend? Since when do you have friends with that kind of money?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know.”

I hung up.

[ Ding! Received 400 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $40,000 has been credited. ]

Nice.

Just like that, my bank balance had already passed $60,000.

My mom’s surgery went well.

To make sure she received better care, I used the cashback money to upgrade her to a private VIP room.

At first, she didn’t want to, but I talked her into it with a few words.

“Mom, money comes and goes. Your health is what matters.”

After settling everything, I stepped out of the room and ran straight into Lily.

She was clearly here to confront me, with her clingy little brother Marcus trailing behind her.

“Aaron!”

The moment she saw me, she strode over. Then her eyes landed on the VIP room sign behind me, widening instantly.

“You… you put your mom in a VIP room?”

Her voice was full of disbelief.

“Do you know how much that costs per day? Have you lost your mind?”

[ Ding! Received 160 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $16,000 has been credited. ]

“See? I told you something was off with him,” Marcus chimed in.

Marcus fanned the flames from the side. “Funny how you’re always stingy with my sister, but suddenly generous enough for a VIP room. That money’s definitely shady.”

[ Ding! Received 100 Malice Points from Marcus Foster. Cashback of $10,000 has been credited. ]

I looked at the two of them and couldn’t help thinking they were like walking ATMs.

“I’m spending my own money. What’s the problem?”

“Your money?”

Lily let out a sharp laugh. “Your money is my money. We’re about to get married—everything you have is marital property. If you keep spending like this, how are we supposed to live?”

The same old argument.

“We’re not married yet,” I reminded her.

“And besides, haven’t we always kept our finances separate? I spend my money. What does that have to do with you?”

I threw her own words back at her, exactly as she had said them before.

Lily’s expression instantly darkened.

“You… you’re comparing yourself to me? When I spend money on a car, it’s an investment. It helps my brother keep up appearances so he can close deals. And you? You’re wasting money on something this pointless!”

[ Ding! Received 300 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $30,000 has been credited. ]

Spending money on my own mother was a waste.

Buying her brother a Ferrari was an investment.

She was the only one who could say that kind of irrational logic out loud.

I couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore. I turned and started to walk away.

“Stop right there!”

Lily grabbed my arm. “We’re settling this today. Where did you get the money? Did you take out some kind of loan?”

Her face was full of urgency.

I understood. She wasn’t worried about me; she was worried any debt would drag her down later.

“Relax. I didn’t borrow it.”

“Then where did it come from?”

I looked at her, pausing on purpose. “I won the lottery.”

Both Lily and Marcus froze.

“How much?” Lily’s voice trembled.

I raised a finger.

“A hundred thousand?” Marcus blurted.

I shook my head.

“A million?!” Lily’s eyes practically burned.

I shook my head again.

Looking at the greed on her face, I said slowly, “After taxes… twenty million.”

The air went still.

Lily and Marcus stared at me, stunned.

[ Ding! Received Shock Value from Lily Foster… ]

[ System Notice: Shock, envy, and jealousy do not generate cashback. Only pure malice, resentment, and hatred qualify. ]

I see.

That clicked into place.

“T-twenty… million?” Lily’s voice came out dry, like it was forced through her throat.

Her expression shifted from shock, to wild excitement, to naked greed.

“This is amazing! We’re rich! We’re finally rich!”

She was so excited she could barely form a sentence.

“Man, Aaron, that’s insane!”

Marcus snapped out of it and lunged forward, trying to pull me into a hug. I stepped back, dodging him with clear disgust.

“I knew it! My brother-in-law’s destined for greatness. It was only a matter of time before you made it big!”

The flattery was so shameless it was almost impressive.

“Aaron, quick, where’s your card? Give it to me!” Lily reached straight into my pockets.

“We need to plan this money properly! First, we’ll get that luxury condo downtown, then upgrade my car—and oh, my parents too, we should get them a better place…”

She was already lost in her own fantasy.

I looked at her coldly.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

My voice wasn’t loud, but it landed like a bucket of cold water, instantly killing her excitement.

“What?”

“I said, you’re getting ahead of yourself.”

I repeated it, word by word. “This money has nothing to do with you.”

The smile froze on Lily’s face.

“Aaron, what do you mean? Don’t forget, we’re together! Your money is my money!”

“Is it?”

I pulled my arm out of her grip. “When my mom needed $20,000 to save her life, what did you say? Financial independence?”

“That… that was different,” she stammered, avoiding my eyes. “I was tight on money back then…”

“Tight enough to pay for a Ferrari in full?”

“I told you, that was an investment!”

I nodded. “Then so is this. I’m investing in my mom’s health and in my own future. It has nothing to do with you.”

I didn’t wait for a response. I turned and walked straight toward the elevator.

Behind me, Lily’s furious scream rang out.

“Aaron! You ungrateful bastard! Get back here!”

[ Ding! Received 1,000 Malice Points from Lily Foster. Cashback of $100,000 has been credited. ]

[ Ding! Received 600 Malice Points from Marcus Foster. Cashback of $60,000 has been credited. ]

The pleasant chime of the system echoed in my head as I pressed the elevator’s close button.

The doors slid shut slowly, sealing off her twisted, furious expression.