Suddenly, I Am Rich

Over the next few days, things only got stranger for Gray.

Every morning when he woke up, the little followers number on his social media account kept climbing up. At first, it was 700. Then a thousand. By the end of the week, it had crossed several thousand.

He didn’t even know what to make of it anymore.

His feed was filled with people either tagging him, reposting articles about him, or making small clips with his name in the caption. Some just used his pictures, ones he didn’t even remember posting.

”Damn... I don’t even remember some of these pictures,” He shook his head and made a face as he saw his old, ugly pics. He couldn’t help but sigh. The Internet was really unpredictable in these kinds of things.

The only good thing was that he was able to accomplish his mission. However, it gave him another one. It was a level up on top of that.

[New Mission Alert!]

[Mission: Build your own following!]

[Objective: Gain 50,000 followers.]

[Reward: +2 Influence |$15,000]

Gray exhaled as the same mission screen appeared right before his eyes.

”Great. Just great. It’s like I asked for any of this.” He shook his head.

Though when he accomplished his last mission, he was thankful for the skill he had acquired. For him, it was very helpful.

[Social Resonance: Your words carry an unusual weight. In conversation, others feel more connected to you, as if you understand them on a personal level. You became a person who is good at persuasion, has charisma, and is reliable in social interactions.]

”Man... this is either going to save me. This is really the reason why I drown in attention.” Gray rubbed his temple and let out a low laugh.

Still, he had to admit... things weren’t all bad.

The construction of his second branch had finally begun. After weeks of meetings, budgeting, and back-and-forth planning, Stoneworks had already started drilling the ground.

Gray visited the site almost every other day, walking around with a helmet on and quietly watching as the foundations of the early phase of construction took shape.

It was still early, but seeing the progress gave him a sense of satisfaction.

And his first store, too, was doing good. Their online orders were pouring in like never before. It wasn’t hard to guess why.

It was because of his sudden burst of popularity that made people curious about him and his store.

Joel had even called him one morning to share the news with him.

”Boss! I swear, the online orders of our store really doubled this week! We had to schedule overtime just to keep up! It’s insane.”

”That’s good news, Joel. Just make sure the team isn’t overworked. Hire part-timers if you have to.” Gray rubbed his temple and let out a low laugh.

”Yes, boss.” Joel’s voice had carried so much joy that Gray could almost see him smiling on the other line.

Everything was really going well for Gray. His first branch was doing good, his second branch was already moving forward, and his own self was also getting a good amount of publicity.

And, after a week, his guesting on the Prime Daily Show already arrived.

The schedule was set at night, which meant Gray had to leave work early. He was working at the grocery store that day. He was supposed to stay from morning to night, but Joel and the staff were more than eager to cover for him when they found out about his schedule.

They even cheered him on like they were proud. Some even say that they will watch the show after their shift.

Gray tried to laugh it off, but he couldn’t help but be nervous on the inside.

After bidding goodbye to them, he found himself in the backseat of the car. They were headed toward the studio of the Prime Daily Show. Mara sat beside him, scrolling through her tablet as she communicated with the team of the show.

”They asked us to come three hours early,” she explained to him why they had to leave early. ”They will you with your wardrobe, briefing, touch-ups, and maybe a quick rehearsal if you’re lucky.”

Gray leaned his head back against the seat.

”So it’s the reason why we had to leave now, even if it’s only 3 pm...” He deeply sighed. ”Why that much? It’s just an interview.”

”It’s not just an interview, Gray.” Mara finally glanced at him, giving him the same look she used to give back in college whenever he forgot his deadlines. ”This is the one that will put you out there. Think of it as... the cover letter for how the whole country sees you.But no pressure, you know...” she jokingly looked at him.

”Right, no pressure,” he muttered and sighed. He knew well how big a pressure this was.

When they finally arrived, a small team was already waiting at the entrance. Studio staff greeted them with bright smiles, leading them through spotless hallways that smelled faintly of coffee and bread.

Gray was ushered into a green room that looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. There was a big mirror on the side, surrounded by lights. On the other side, there were racks of suits. There were also trays of bottled water and snacks lined neatly at the corner.

”Mr. Adams,” one of the assistants greeted him, bowing slightly before ushering him toward the wardrobe section. ”We’ll begin with your attire, then hair and makeup. After that, our segment producer will brief you on the flow of the show.”

Gray blinked at the sudden efficiency. He glanced at Mara, who only grinned at him like she’d been waiting for this moment.

”Welcome to the big leagues, boss,” she teased. ”Good luck.”

Gray sighed, rolling up his sleeves as if he were about to dive into a battlefield.

”Yeah... Good luck to me...”

The next hour felt like it belonged to someone else’s life and not his.

Gray was measured for his suit before he could even sit down, the tailor circling him with a tape measure while rattling off numbers. They slipped a dark navy jacket onto his shoulders, one that fit better than anything he owned. They also adjusted his cuffs until they looked like he was born to wear them.

”Is the suit too tight?” the assistant asked him after they were done.

”A little...” Gray tugged at the collar and gave a helpless shrug.

After the wardrobe, they proceeded to sit on the chair in front of the mirror. Bright lights framed his reflection, and Gray stared at himself while a stylist ran a comb through his hair, fixing messy strands of hair he didn’t even know were out of place.

They also put on a bit of powder on his face. They dabbed it on his skin until his face looked smoother and less tired. They also added some brown powder to his eyes, which was said to give an in-depth look to his eyes on camera.

”Hold still, Mr Adams,” the stylist said when Gray kept wincing once in a while.

”Yeah, sure. I’m just not used to all this.” Gray muttered, trying not to flinch when she brushed near his eyes.

By the time they were done, Gray barely recognized himself.

’Is this me?’ his eyes momentarily widened as he saw his reflection in the mirror. He looked so composed, and his skin was definitely brighter than it was.

However, before he could catch his breath, another knock came at the door. A man who was wearing a headset entered, holding a clipboard.

”Mr. Adams? I’m Carlo, one of the segment producers. I’ll run you through tonight’s flow.”

Gray straightened instinctively and nodded to accommodate him.

”Alright.”

”So, Mr. Adams, the host will welcome you first. After that, there’ll be light banter to break the ice, then we move into the core segment. Expect questions about your business, your sudden popularity, and of course, your connection with other business people in the industry.” Carlo smiled warmly, but he was fast as he laid out the details of the upcoming interview.

”There will be nothing too controversial because we want you to be comfortable. But if there’s anything you don’t want addressed, now’s the time to say it.”

Gray hesitated for a moment.

”Just don’t ask any questions about my family,” Gray answered.

Out of all the things happening to him, his top priority was making sure Lily wouldn’t be affected by any of this.

”Understood, Sir. The host is professional, you’ll be in good hands.” He tapped his clipboard. ”One last thing, mr. Adams. You’ll be on camera for at least thirty minutes. Smile when you can, and keep your answers short but thoughtful. We’ll cue you if needed.”

”Thirty minutes, huh? That’s longer than it sounds.” Gray exhaled.

”I promise you it’ll just fly by.” Carlo offered a reassuring grin before excusing himself.

The door shut again, leaving Gray staring at his reflection. His hands pressed against his knees. He bounced lightly to calm himself.

On the side, Mara stood up. She slowly walked to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

”You’re gonna be fine, Gray.”

”Yeah,” he whispered under his breath. ”I hope so too.”