CHAPTER 35: CAUGHT IN A DILEMMA

Liam lay back into the sofa, his gaze drifting up toward the high ceiling as his thoughts tangled into a dense knot.

The interface of the System Store still floated in his mind, each glowing item and its jaw-dropping description replaying like a slideshow he couldn’t turn off.

The future...

It suddenly felt closer than ever, like he could reach out and grab it. With the things in that store, he could practically rewrite the rules of the world.

He could build technologies centuries ahead of anything in existence, improve himself beyond natural limits, and even create defenses so impenetrable that no one could touch him.

But the obstacles? Those loomed just as large.

The more he thought about it, the clearer they became: the suspicion that would follow if he used something too obvious; the questions from governments and corporations; the massive cost of each item; and the simple fact that his current assets—while impressive—would not last forever if he started spending recklessly.

He rubbed his forehead, exhaling a slow, heavy breath. The excitement that had been bubbling earlier was now tempered by the sharp edge of reality.

The cost alone made him pause. Even the cheaper items in the store were the kind of purchases that would raise eyebrows if they were translated into real-world money.

If he bought points to get them, the spending would have to be explained somehow. And the more valuable the item, the more people would notice if its effects were visible.

This was no longer just about "what can I buy?" but "how do I sustain this long-term without burning everything too fast?"

And that’s when it hit him.

The trust.

He had been on the fence about Daniel’s earlier suggestion. Setting up a trust felt... official. Heavy. Like planting his flag in a world he hadn’t fully decided to claim yet.

But now? With the system store open, the need for structured asset management wasn’t just a good idea—it was critical.

If he could build a trust and a holding company around it, he could move money more discreetly, protect his assets, and use the corporate structures as both a shield and a tool.

He could turn wealth into something fluid—something that could flow between projects without attracting too much attention.

He reached for his phone almost without thinking, scrolling through to Daniel’s number.

As he pressed "call," he half expected Daniel to be tied up in meetings or unavailable for the rest of the day. Private bankers always sounded busy in movies—jetting from one client to another, managing billions.

But to his mild surprise, Daniel picked up almost immediately.

"Mr. Liam," Daniel’s voice came through, calm and professional as ever.

"Daniel," Liam greeted. "Hope I’m not catching you at a bad time."

"Not at all. You can call me anytime."

"Anytime?" Liam asked, a little skeptical.

"Of course," Daniel replied without hesitation. "I’ve been permanently assigned to you. Think of me as your direct point of contact for anything you need—financial or otherwise."

Liam paused for a beat, letting that sink in. Permanently assigned. He could literally just call and have things set in motion.

"In that case," Liam said, "I want to go ahead with creating the trust we talked about earlier. And I’d like you to come over so we can discuss the details properly."

There was the faintest sound of pages turning on Daniel’s end. "Understood. I can be there within the hour."

"Good. I’ll be waiting."

When the call ended, Liam set the phone down on the coffee table and glanced out the massive windows.

Afternoon sunlight was spilling across the manicured lawns outside, the kind of serene view that might lull someone into a nap. But Liam wasn’t in the mood for rest.

He called for Evelyn and asked her to make him a glass of orange juice. While he waited, he went over some ideas in his head while he waited.

The trust wouldn’t just be a legal entity—it would be the foundation stone for everything else. It would allow him to protect his holdings, to make certain purchases invisible, and even to employ staff under its name instead of his own.

Though there’s a misunderstanding around Liam’s identity and background, he has no idea how long that would hold. But he has to start building a name for himself before things goes awry.

***

Exactly forty-seven minutes later, the gentle buzz of the gate intercom pulled him from his thoughts, and Mira answered the door.

"I appreciate you making the time," Liam said, leading him toward the study.

"Always," Daniel replied smoothly. "Especially for something as important as this."

They sat across from each other, and Daniel placed the briefcase on the table, flipping it open to reveal neatly organized documents and a sleek tablet.

"All right," Daniel began, "we’ll structure this as a discretionary trust. You’ll be both the grantor and the primary beneficiary, but the trust will own all key assets. The trustee will be an entity we control on your behalf, which keeps you insulated from direct exposure."

Liam nodded. "And the holding company?"

"That will operate under the trust. It will own your properties, your vehicles, your investments—anything you want shielded. This means transactions can be handled at the company level, keeping your personal name out of it."

Daniel’s tone was steady, professional, but Liam could tell he was making an effort to keep it simple. He appreciated that.

"What about confidentiality?" Liam asked.

"Absolute," Daniel said. "We’ll use jurisdictions with strict privacy laws for registration. Any public records will show nothing beyond the company’s name and a corporate service address. Even if someone tries to dig, all they’ll see are layers of protection."

They went back and forth for nearly two hours. Daniel explained the benefits of asset segregation, the tax advantages, and even the ability to create sub-companies for specific ventures. Liam asked questions about operational control, reporting, and the process for moving assets into the structure without drawing attention.

By the time they wrapped up, the sun outside had begun to sink, casting warm golden light into the room.

Daniel closed the briefcase and stood. "I’ll begin drafting the necessary documents tonight. We should be ready to move within the week."

Liam nodded. "Appreciate the speed."

When Liam offered dinner, Daniel smiled politely and declined. "Tempting, but I should get started while the day’s still fresh in my mind."

Liam saw him out, the dark sedan gliding away down the driveway. He sighed and walked back into the house to eat dinner.

After dinner, he went up to his room, retiring for the night.

He changed into a loose t-shirt and lounge pants, then sat on the edge of his bed with his phone in hand.

For a few seconds, he just sat there, the decision looming in front of him like a doorway. He’d told himself he would wait until later to decide—and now it was night.

Taking a slow breath, he willed the System Store interface to appear.

The sleek black-and-blue menu materialized instantly.

His thoughts lingered on the Molecular Enhancement Nannites. It was the most expensive thing he could buy right now with his starting points.

If he got it, he’d be physically and mentally transformed, able to handle almost anything the world could throw at him afterward.

But if he combined it with the Omni-Science package... The thought alone made him sit a little straighter. The problem was, that would mean dipping heavily into his real-world funds to buy more points. It was possible, yes. But was it the right move now?

His thumb hovered over the Purchase button.

For a moment, the temptation was overwhelming. He could do it. Right now. Change everything.

And then he pulled his hand back.

Not yet.

He closed the interface with a quiet sigh and leaned back into the pillows, staring at the ceiling.

"I’ll think more on it and decide what I actually want to do with the knowledge first before purchasing it," he murmured to himself.

A/N: I made a mistake in the last Chapter. The exchange rate for irl money to SP is $10,000 to 1 SP. Not $100,000. I’m sorry if it caused any inconveniences for those that had already read the Chapter. Thanks for reading!!!