Chapter 78: We’re Moving Out

A sharp, collective gasp echoed through the small room. Why wouldn’t they? It was a whooping sum of one million dollars.

"Ten thousand credits?!" Bradford blurted out, his hands trembling so violently he nearly dropped his glasses. "Brianna, that’s... that’s far too much!"

"Your father’s annual salary doesn’t even come close to a fraction of that!" Valerie added.

"I know," I said, forcing a gentle, well-rehearsed reassuring smile onto my lips. "I told him it was too much, but he insisted it was his sincerity to me. If I ever feel like he’s just toying with me, I don’t have to put my feelings into it. But he wanted me to accept his sincerity, no matter what."

It was a simple, easy explanation, but hearing the staggering amount only made them look more overwhelmed. Ten thousand credits was a life-changing fortune in a district like ours. It was enough to pay off the ruthless loan sharks completely, buy proper food for months, and leave plenty to spare.

We could change our lives overnight.

"Brianna, I understand..." Bradford began, his voice raspy as he swallowed hard, looking down at the credit card in my hand. "You have truly been blessed, but... are you certain you want to use these credits for us? It’s... yours. He gave it to you."

"Yes, Brianna," Valerie chimed in, stepping forward as tears welled up in her eyes. "You could buy yourself pretty dresses... and then you won’t get pushed around at school for not being able to afford..."

Her words caught in her throat, her shoulders wracking as she broke down, burying her face in her hands.

I looked at the four of them standing in our cramped, dimly lit living room. Even when presented with a fortune that could end all their suffering, their first instinct was still to think of their daughter.

My chest tightened slightly, a quiet warmth blooming through the cold space in my soul. I gave them another soft smile.

"It’s fine," I said gently. "If I don’t spend it with my family, what’s the point, right? Edgar wants me and my family to be comfortable, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do."

I turned directly to Bradford, my tone turning firm and decisive. "Father, first thing tomorrow morning, take what you need and pay off the loan sharks completely. I want that debt gone."

Then, I shifted my gaze toward my brothers, a small smirk curling the edge of my lips. "As for you two... you should start looking around the upper district for a nicer house."

Jordan blinked, his jaw dropping. "Wha—? Why?"

"Because," I said, brushing past them toward the stairs, "we’re moving out."

"Moving out?!" Jordan practically yelled, his eyes wide as saucers as he looked around our cramped, squeaky living room. "Brianna, are you serious?!"

"Dead serious," I said, pausing on the third stair to look back over my shoulder. "This place isn’t safe. Edgar knows it, that’s why... We have to be careful and comfortable, family. Don’t you want that too?" I asked quietly.

Bradford looked at the old, cracked walls of the living room, his eyes softening as he took a deep, shaky breath. "Of course we do, honey. We’ve always wanted a better life for you children."

"Then it’s settled," I said, a small, genuine smile finally softening my face as I looked down at them from the stairs. "First thing tomorrow morning, Father, you go straight to the loan office and clear that debt down to the last copper. And... I’m coming with you."

"You don’t have to do that, Brianna—" Bradford started, but I cut him off gently.

"I do, Father. I want to see that contract burned with my own eyes."

And also, I was worried for his sake. In the meantime, I would have to play the daughter bodyguard.

Valerie wiped a tear from her cheek, a faint, disbelieving smile breaking through her worry. "A real house... in a quiet, safe district?"

"And actual space so Jayden and Jordan don’t have to sleep on a bunk bed that groans every time they breathe," I added, my smirk returning.

Jayden let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head as he bumped his shoulder against his twin. "You heard her. We’re looking at listings tonight."

I reminded them that they shouldn’t reveal we were the ones buying the house. They could simply say they were running errands for Edgar Morningstar.

Jordan tilted his head, looking utterly baffled. "Why?"

I sighed, palming my face. Is he really this dumb?

"Because they will look down on us and refuse, thinking we’re just window shopping and can’t actually pay for anything," Jayden said, his voice dropping into a heavy, bitter tone. It sounded like a situation he had been through more times than he cared to count.

At his words, Bradford and Valerie bowed their heads in silent agreement. They had all lived through that humiliation.

What did a family of Omegas have to offer in a world ruled by prideful Alphas? How much could a janitor and his low-caste children possibly earn to afford a decent home in a secure district?

We were Omegas—and one human—useless and unwanted even among our own kind.

In their eyes, we didn’t belong anywhere near a nice neighborhood, so getting brushed off or turned away at the door was second nature to us.

"Now do you get it?" I asked, looking pointedly at Jordan. "So please, be careful, brothers. Use Edgar’s name as your shield."

"Got it," Jordan muttered, scratching the back of his neck, his earlier excitement replaced by a sober, determined look. "We’ll say we’re handling property acquisitions for the Morningstars."

I nodded, satisfied. I knew I should inform Edgar about using his name in advance so that if any real estate broker tried to verify the claim, my brothers wouldn’t get caught in an awkward lie.

Would he get mad? He shouldn;t.

He could just assume this was another part of his ’investment’ with me carrying his name around.

With that settled, I headed back up to my room, closing the door softly behind me.

I set the leather-wrapped casing on my desk and carefully unrolled it. The twin silver daggers caught the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains, gleaming with a sharp, lethal elegance. I stood there, studying the refined curves of the blades, completely speechless for a moment.

I was... moved.

I knew Edgar was my investor—a calculating Alpha who didn’t do anything without expecting a solid return—but was it normal for anyone to be this meticulous?