Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs novel Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Hopes and Dreams

I didn’t wake up to the usual soundtrack of financial desperation and instant coffee that tasted like liquid regret. No—I woke up to actual bacon sizzling and coffee that didn’t smell like it came from a gas station bathroom.

What the hell is happening?

The sound of my family laughing drifted upstairs, and for a hot second I thought I’d died and gone to some parallel universe where we weren’t broke as shit. Because my family laughing? Together? Without someone crying about bills first? That’s some Marvel multiverse bullshit right there.

I stumbled downstairs rubbing sleep out of my eyes, expecting to find out this was all some fever dream induced by too much internet porn.

But no—Mom was actually humming while she cooked, looking like she’d been body-snatched by someone who didn’t carry the weight of sixteen years of "choose between rent and food" on her shoulders.

Sarah and Emma were talking about college plans. Not "maybe if we win the lottery" college plans. Actual fucking college plans.

Jesus Christ, what did I do to these people? That felt refreshing to know they were moving on with my help.

"Morning, mijo," Mom said, turning around with this smile that hit different than her usual "I’m dead inside but trying to hide it" expression. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Morning," I managed, grabbing a plate and loading it with eggs that weren’t scrambled from a carton that expired last month. "What’s all this?"

"I went grocery shopping this morning." Her voice had this lightness that made my chest tight. "Real grocery shopping. Without checking prices or calculating every dollar. Like you told us we could do now."

Fuck. That feels good.

The way she said it—like she was announcing she’d discovered fire or something—made me realize how deep we’d been drowning without me even knowing it. This woman had been rationing her own food so we could eat, and now she was cooking breakfast like a normal person instead of someone playing Hunger Games with the grocery budget.

"I bought name-brand cereal," Emma announced, holding up actual Frosted Flakes like it was the Hope Diamond. "Just like you said we could. And it tastes fucking incredible."

My sister is having a religious experience over cereal. Christ.

"Language," Mom said automatically, but she was laughing. Actually laughing, not that tired fake laugh she usually gave us when we tried to cheer her up.

Sarah was scrolling through her phone with an expression I’d never seen on her face—pure excitement instead of the careful hope she usually wore like armor against disappointment.

"Pete, I’m looking at that UCLA psychology program like you suggested yesterday," she said, turning her screen toward me. "I could actually apply early decision now without worrying about scholarships."

The weight hit me like getting body-slammed by The Rock while he was having a bad day. My sister was planning her future around money I’d made from supernatural sex points, and she had no idea. But seeing the hope in her eyes—real, tangible hope instead of those "maybe someday if miracles exist" dreams—made every risk worth it.

She’s looking at me like I’m some kind of hero. Fuck, the pleasure of my happy family.

"Apply to wherever you want," I said, trying to keep my voice steady instead of cracking like Connor Hayes’ voice when he gets ratio’d in the comments. "Money’s not gonna be an issue anymore."

Good. Some secrets are better than the truth.

Volatility is like Madison—beautiful, dangerous, and capable of either making you a god or destroying your entire existence depending on whether you know how to handle her moods.

Love you too, Mom, but some mysteries are better than truth bombs.

This is what money actually buys. Not just stuff—hope.

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