The warm light from the morning sun came in through the window and lit up the room.
Damon moved around under the covers, naturally turning away from the light, but he wasn't able to get to sleep anymore.
He rubbed his eyes and took a moment to get used to the new place. a guest room in one of Victor's many homes.
Damon couldn't help but shake his head at the thought; he wasn't entirely sure how many properties Victor had scattered around the country, or maybe even around the world.
Last night, he and Svetlana had shared a cab here after their late night.
They'd arrived to find that Ty was already back, apparently having wrapped up his night at the club early.
Damon hadn't seen the rest of the group yet, probably they'd come in during the night while he was out cold.
With a quiet sigh, Damon sat up, stretching as he adjusted to the morning.
It felt good to be in a comfortable place after everything he'd been through lately.
Damon stood by the window, his gaze distant, lost in the thoughts swirling through his mind.
Last night with Svetlana had left him with a sense of something deeper between them, a bond that felt closer than ever.
He could almost feel it, a tipping point, one small push, and their relationship would reach a new level.
But for reasons he couldn't quite explain, he hadn't made that move.
He chuckled to himself. Gotta man up, he thought, shaking his head.
There was an excitement in his chest, mixed with a touch of nervousness.
Then he remembered his system.
Winning The Supreme Fighter had unlocked a whole new set of notifications and potential rewards.
He figured it was time to check them out before heading out of the room.
'But first things first'
He decided to head into the bathroom for a quick shower to clear his mind.
He felt calmer after being in the warm water, and he was ready to see what the system had in store for him.
Damon finished getting dressed, but these clothes were still too tight for him.
As he settled into the bed, he let out a soft laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.
Damon pressed the wheel, and it sprang to life, spinning rapidly in a blur of gold.
His eyes tracked its movement as it whirled past sections marked with negative billions, making his stomach lurch.
He gripped the bed sheets, teeth clenched, and waved his hand in a futile attempt to influence the arrow.
His fingers passed right through the holographic screen.
The wheel began to slow, and Damon held his breath as it moved past the negative sections.
Relief washed over him as it crept closer to the billion coin mark.
He whispered under his breath, urging it to stop right there.
Finally, the wheel came to a halt, resting just between the billion and 10,000 coin markers.
Damon's face lit up as he saw the needle, convinced he'd landed on a billion.
He jumped from the bed, grinning wide, thinking he'd struck gold.
"Fuck yeah!" Damon exclaimed, his grin spreading from ear to ear as he punched the air.
Just imagining the things he could do with a billion coins made him feel unstoppable.
For a moment, he let himself indulge in the thought, thinking about how incredible it would be if the system's coins could somehow convert into real cash.
He could take care of his mom and maybe even buy a place for himself.
Still smiling, he looked back at the screen, ready to confirm his prize.
Then came the soft ding of a notification, cutting through his thoughts.
[Congratulations, you've won 10,000 coins]
Damon's face fell, his excitement deflating in an instant. He blinked, re-reading the message, as if somehow it would change if he just looked hard enough.
But the notification stayed the same, plain and unchanging.
"...My billion..." he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
He sat back on the bed and let out a long sigh. He was disappointed and couldn't believe it.
10,000 coins. It was still something, he supposed, but it wasn't the billion he'd seen so close, almost within reach.
Shaking his head, he painfully laughed softly at himself. "Figures," he muttered, trying to brush off the lingering disappointment.