Suddenly, I Am Rich

”How was your work, Gray? Grandfather said you should be busy. I’m glad that you didn’t forget our promise to Lily.”

”Of course, Selina. I wouldn’t break my promise. Not with Lily,” Gray muttered with a smile on his face as he greeted her.

When Friday arrived, Gray left work earlier than usual. He reminded himself to hold back on his work a little. Fortunately, Joel and Mara were understanding. It helped that Joel already formed a team in just a day, so their workload had eased a little.

Though, before doing that, he made sure that Joel and Mara had things under their control.

”Is Lily upstairs?”

”Yup. She’s all excited when I told her I’m going down to see you,” Selina chuckled as she remembered how Lily looked before leaving her in the unit.

”Anyway, you bought so many things,” She quickly helped Gray when she noticed that his hands were full of takeout boxes and plastic.

Selina shifted one of the bags into her own hand, holding it easily as the two of them made their way to the elevator.

”But you didn’t have to buy this much. I also had bought some food upstairs,” she muttered as she eyed the take-out box of chicken and pasta. Just by looking at it and he already knew they would eat a lot again today.

Gray gave a small shake of his head, careful with the cake box he held close to his chest.

”It’s Lily’s sleepover. You know her. Food is all she likes.”

”Oh, right,” Selina chuckled as she nodded. ”How can I forget Lily’s likes?” Selina muttered, though her lips curved into a smile.

The elevator doors slid open, and the two stepped inside. Gray’s gaze stayed on the small white box in his hands, making sure it didn’t tilt even a little.

The cake he bought was Lily’s favorite. It was a cake filled with whipped cream and strawberries. Knowing that she had been doing good, he thought that it was just the perfect treat for her.

After all, it has been months since he last bought her one.

When the elevator chimed and the doors opened again, Selina walked ahead and glanced back at him.

”I’ll knock.”

Gray nodded.

*Knock

*Kno—

It didn’t even take two knocks before the door swung open. Lily practically burst open the door, her hair slightly became messy from bouncing around while waiting.

”Brother!” she exclaimed out loud, her eyes instantly darting to the boxes in his arms. She didn’t even spare a glance at him.

”Woah! So much food!”

Lily reached out, almost as if she wanted to grab everything at once, her grin stretching from ear to ear.

”My brother is really the best!” she cheered, hopping on her toes before tugging Selina’s arm to help pull them inside. ”Come in, come in! Sister Selina, look at all this!”

Gray chuckled softly as he stepped in, carefully placing the cake down first before setting the rest of the takeout on the table. Lily was already circling the bags like a curious puppy, peeking inside one after another with wide eyes.

Her excitement filled the room, bright and unrestrained, making all the weight from work suddenly seem distant for Gray.

”Is this fried chicken, brother?” Lily’s eyes lit up the second she spotted it.

Gray let out a small laugh.

”What else would it be? You practically put it in the rules for tonight and said you wanted chicken.”

”Right! I did!” Lily grinned in success. She was already grabbing plates from the cabinet. ”Sleepover night means chicken, soda, and no vegetables allowed!”

”What a bad rule.” Gray shook his head as he playfully glared at her. Still, he was smiling. ”I guess I’ll let it slide for tonight.”

Lily stuck her tongue out playfully, already bouncing on her feet with excitement.

Gray just shook her head and laughed at it.

It had been a long week for him. He was filled with resumes, planning, endless talks about staffing, and even more talks with the construction materials. Everything he experienced was surely enough to make anyone’s head spin.

But here, right now, with Lily talking about the food and humming happily, that heaviness seemed to disappear off his shoulders completely.

Dinner didn’t take long to set up with Lily’s eagerness. The smell of fried chicken filled the place, and soda cans hissed open one after another.

”Cheers before we eat!” Lily raised her can, her eyes sparkling.

”Cheers.” Gray and Selina momentarily glanced at each other before laughing.

After a second, Lily was already munching on a drumstick.. There was some grease on her fingers, her cheeks puffed out as if she were in some eating contest.

”Slow down,” Gray muttered, though his lips twitched with amusement. He passed her a napkin. ”Nobody’s taking it from you.”

”I’m just happy,” Lily said between bites. She flashed him a grin before sipping her

soda. ”It’s been a while since we ate together, that’s not breakfast!”

”Then tonight is special, isn’t it?” Selina smiled softly at that.

”Yes, Sister! Really special!”

Gray just shook his head and sighed. He wanted to say that they just ate breakfast together last Sunday, but knowing Lily, their talk wouldn’t end if he said that. And so, instead of arguing, he just let her talk all she wanted.

Lily’s chatter filled their ears anyway. She kept pointing at her favorites, humming when she liked something, and laughing at her own silly jokes.

By the time they were full, their plates were already cleared and the boxes of chicken were almost empty, Lily clapped her hands with a grin.

”Now for the next part!”

Gray raised a brow, wiping his hands with another napkin. ”Next part?”

”Yup!” Lily quickly washed her hand before running into her room, her little footsteps making a sound across the floor.

She came back almost immediately, holding something behind her back with exaggerated mystery.

”Tada!” she declared, pulling out two folded sets of pajamas. One was pale blue with little clouds, the other one was pink with smiling strawberries.

Gray blinked.

”...What’s this?”

”Matching pajamas!” Lily announced proudly. ”One for Sister Selina and one for you, brother!”

”Do we really need to wear this?” Gray’s expression shifted, it was in the between of amusement and disbelief.

”Of course!” Lily puffed out her cheeks, hands on her hips. ”It’s my sleepover, so I make the rules tonight, brother. Pajamas are required!”

Selina covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. ”Just wear it, Gray. It looks cute.”

Gray let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair in mock defeat.

”Alright, alright. You two win. I’ll take a shower first and then... wear this.” He lifted the pajama set with a resigned look. It looks too childish for his taste.

”Okay, brother!” Lily beamed, shoving the pajamas into his arms and giving him a push toward his room. ”Go, go! Don’t take too long!”

Shaking his head, Gray chuckled under his breath as he walked away.

He took a warm shower to soothe his body after a long day. By the time he stepped out, steam clung faintly to his skin. Gray had only wrapped a towel around his waist because he wasn’t expecting anyone on his room.

He rubbed at his damp hair with one hand, thinking absently about how ridiculous he’d look in those cloud pajamas Lily picked.

But when he pushed the bathroom door open and walked into his room, he froze.

He completely froze.

He wasn’t alone just like he was thinking. Instead, there was a woman standing beside her bed.

It was Selina. She wa holding the folded pajama set Lily had given her. Her eyes widened the instant she saw him. He was bare-chested, with water still trailing down his skin, and a towel as his only cover.

”Oh—!” Selina gasped softly, her cheeks turning red in an instant.

Gray blinked, equally caught off guard.

”...Selina?”

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A/N: Thank you for all the readers who have dropped Golden Tickets for the first week of the month!

JungleDan, Jean_Laparra, Peter_Nordh, NY0LIPS, Idakimachu, ebonysmith12, Cyberknife999, DaoistvNLUw, Gypslife, Nako_Gambo_2081, Ikras.

Really really appreciated it!

3 more Golden Tickets to go in the top 200!

Let’s accomplish that and I’ll publish an additional Chapter by tomorrow!