Chapter 24: Secretly A World Record Holder

BANG!

The starter pistol echoed across the track, and May exploded out of the blocks like a launched missile.

Her drive phase was flawless, her stride locked into a brutal, effortless rhythm as her spikes hammered into the track. The speed was terrifying. Chloe let out a scream, jumping up and down beside me, shouting her name, while the nutritionist practically dropped his clipboard, his eyes wide as saucers as we all cheered her down the home stretch.

She flew past the finish line, cutting through the air before easing into a slow jog, her chest heaving as she turned back around.

Marcus stood completely frozen, staring down at the digital timer in his hand. He didn’t say a word for five whole seconds. He tapped the screen, checked the secondary laser sensors on the lane barrier, and then slowly looked up at us, his face pale with disbelief.

"Marcus?" I called out, walking over with my hands in my pockets. "What’s the time?"

"This... this isn’t just a personal best," Marcus stammered, his voice shaking as he held up the digital display. "She just ran a 10.38... She broke the women’s 100-meter world record by nearly a full second."

Silence hung over the track for a split second before Chloe let out an absolute roar, sprinting down the track to throw her arms around May.

"YOU DID IT! YOU’RE A WORLD RECORD HOLDER!" Chloe yelled, spinning her around.

May stood there breathless, looking from Chloe to Marcus, and then straight at me. The realization hit her, and tears of pure, raw joy welled up in her eyes. The same girl who was binge-eating in a dark apartment two months ago had just run faster than any woman in human history.

I walked up to her, a slow, dark smirk pulling at my lips as I adjusted my watch.

"I told you," I said softly, looking at her sculpted, elite frame. "Unbranded. No corporate logos. Just raw power."

"Get some water, May," I said, patting her shoulder as she laughed through her tears. "Because next month, we aren’t just winning a regional meet. We’re about to shock the entire world."

The moment May stepped off the track, my vision blurred slightly as the system interface snapped into high contrast, running a rapid, glowing financial audit across my line of sight.

[Transformation Target: May — Final Status: Elite Performance / World-Class Athlete]

[Aesthetic & Athletic Score: 9.5 / 10.0]

[Status: Complete & Unlocked]

[Total Investment Audit:]

Initial Private Coaching & High-End Nutrition: $35,000

Private Jet Charter & HQ Travel: $25,000

High-End Exotic Rental: $3,500

Custom Pro-Grade Apparel & Management Setup: $11,500

[Total Capital Expended: $75,000.00]

[Applying System Multiplier: 30X]

[CASHBACK UNLOCKED: $2,250,000.00]

A sharp ding echoed in my head, followed immediately by my phone vibrating furiously in my pocket. I pulled it out and tapped the banking notification:

ALERT: Incoming wire transfer received from [SYSTEM TRUST/OFFSHORE].

Amount: +$2,250,000.00

New Liquid Balance: $2,773,000.00

I stared down at the screen, a slow smirk spreading across my face. Over two point seven million dollars liquid, sitting right in my primary account. Transforming May from an isolated, emotional eater into an unbranded world-record holder didn’t just pay back every single cent I spent on private jets, custom gear, and elite trainers—it scaled my wealth to an entirely new tier.

May walked back over to me, wiping sweat from her forehead with a towel, still glowing from her record-breaking run.

"How do I look for the regional meet?" she asked, a confident, radiant smile on her face.

"Like a gold medal and a multi-million-dollar statement," I said, sliding my phone back into my tailored suit jacket. "Get rested up. Next month, you run for real."

While May kept grinding on the track to lock in her form for the upcoming regional meet, I spent some time checking in on Chloe. Her final exams were still a bit down the road, but she wasn’t slowing down for a second. She had just taken a massive CBT practice test—a brutal, timed computer-based exam covering complex legal frameworks and data models—and crushed it completely, coming out dead top of her class.

I watched her close her laptop with a tired but satisfied grin, stretching her arms above her head. The dedication was impressive, but seeing both of them push themselves to the absolute limit for months made me realize something.

We had the drive, we had the results, and sitting on over $2.7 million in liquid cash, we definitely had the capital.

"Hey," I said, leaning against the kitchen island and looking over at Chloe. "Call May over."

Chloe looked up, curious, as May walked in from her cool-down session, wiping her neck with a towel.

"You crushed that CBT test, and May literally broke a world record on our private track," I said, a relaxed smile on my face. "Exams are still weeks away, and May’s race isn’t until next month. We’re taking a break."

May blinked, surprised. "Wait... a real break? Like, no training?"

"Not forever," I smirked, adjusting my watch. "Just a few days. Remember that beach you said you always wanted to go to? Pack your bags. We’re getting out of the city."

Chloe’s eyes lit up immediately, and May gasped, a huge smile breaking across her face. After all the intense workouts, strict meal plans, and late-night studying, a luxury getaway was exactly what they both needed before the final push.

I pulled May toward me, but even with the break sitting right in front of her, she hesitated. She was so locked into her athlete mindset that taking time off felt like slipping up.

"I don’t know..." May muttered, looking toward her running shoes. "If I miss a few days of track work now, what if my timing slows down?"

Chloe walked over and shook her head with a laugh, grabbing May by the shoulders. "Girl, you literally broke a world record by a full second. Your body needs to rest so you don’t burn out before the actual race. We are going!"

Seeing Chloe jump in brought a smile to May’s face, and her shoulders finally relaxed. She looked at me, gave a soft nod, and agreed to come along.

Before we packed for the flight, a familiar glowing ping flashed across my vision.

[System Notification: Unclaimed Milestone Reward]

[May’s Wardrobe Overhaul Available]

[Note: Athlete profile requires high-end, tailored aesthetic alignment for post-transformation prestige.]

Right. Her old clothes were literally hanging off her new athletic body like bedsheets anyway. Before heading to the airstrip, I took her straight to an elite luxury boutique quarter in the city. I spent high-end capital ensuring she was fitted for tailored beachwear, designer sportswear, sleek casual fits, and stunning evening dresses that perfectly hugged her sculpted frame.

When she stepped out of the dressing room in a fitted white linen set, she looked in the mirror and stood there in awe—her confidence shot through the roof.

Shortly after, we boarded the private jet and flew out to an exclusive, secluded private island resort.

The moment the helicopter landed near our private cliffside villa, May ran straight toward the edge of the terrace overlooking the crystal-clear turquoise ocean and endless white sand. The sea breeze caught her hair as she took in the view, completely speechless.

She turned back to me with a radiant, emotional smile. "It’s... it’s even better than I imagined."

"Told you," I said smoothly, walking up beside her as Chloe went inside to check out the infinity pool. "No pressure, no junk food stress, no track timers for the next few days. Just enjoy it."

The private yacht cut smoothly through the deep turquoise water, spraying a cool ocean mist into the warm sun.

May was lounging near the deck, wearing one of her new designer bikinis that perfectly complemented her toned, athletic frame. There wasn’t a single trace of hesitation or self-doubt left in her. She leaned back on the plush leather seating, sipping a chilled tropical drink and laughing with Chloe, completely relaxed as she soaked in the sun. Watching her laugh so freely—confident in her own skin for the first time in her life—was proof that every single dollar and every strict rule had been worth it.

I walked over to the edge of the yacht’s bow, leaning against the polished railing and looking out into the open, endless ocean.

The ocean breeze hit my face, and for a quiet moment, it all truly sank in.

Not long ago, this kind of life was just an impossible dream. Now, I was standing on a private luxury yacht, surrounded by elite assets I had built up from scratch, with over two point seven million dollars liquid in my bank account and system multipliers constantly scaling my net worth. No financial stress, no corporate bosses telling me no, and total control over my own destiny. I had achieved real, absolute financial freedom.

Chloe walked up beside me, holding her glass, and leaned against the railing to look out at the horizon.

"Crazy, isn’t it?" she asked softly, a warm, genuine smile on her face. "Looking back at where we started... you really changed everything for us."

"We’re just getting started," I replied, a calm, dark smirk pulling at my lips as I took a sip of my drink. "Enjoy the sun today, because when we get back to the city, we take over everything."