THE HIDDEN QUADRILLIONAIRE HEIR SYSTEM

It was raining hard in Grand City. Not normal rain, but heavy rain, like sky was angry. Outside the small church on 5th street, a boy was sitting on the wet pavement. He was ten years old, skinny, dirty, wearing oversized shirt, no shoes, shivering. He had no name. No last name. No family. No memory of parents. The only thing he had was a strange ring on his finger, too big for him, black gold, with a golden lion head and crimson eyes. The ring was glowing faintly even in the rain. That boy was Dominic. A black car stopped. Old man came out, with umbrella. That old man was Romulo Sterling, 60 years old that time, owner of Sterling Group, one of the richest in Grand City. He saw the boy, saw the ring, and his eyes became wide, like he recognized the ring. He did not call police. He picked up the boy and said, "What's your name, son?" The boy said, "I don't know. I only know Dominic." Romulo said, "From now on, you are Dominic, you will live with us. You have no last name yet, but you will have one when you are ready." For fifteen years, Dominic lived in Sterling mansion. Not as heir, but as charity case, as adopted kid with no last name. He cleaned the garage, he carried books for Selene, he fixed bicycle, he did homework for guards. He was happy because of Selene Sterling, daughter of Julian, granddaughter of Romulo. Selene was same age, beautiful, kind. She called him "my Dominic" when they were kids. She gave him food when Julian said he should eat in kitchen with maids. For three years, from age 22 to 25, Dominic became boyfriend of Selene. Not official boyfriend in public, because Julian said no, he has no last name, no money, no future. But inside mansion, they were boyfriend. Dominic saved lunch money, worked overtime in Sterling warehouse, $12 per hour, carrying boxes, to buy gift. On Selene's 24th birthday, there was a small party in Sterling mansion. Big oak doors, chandeliers worth $50k, guests worth millions. Dominic was excited. He bought a necklace, small silver heart, $320, from discount store downtown. He saved for three months. He counted coins. Old lady at store said, "Your girlfriend will like it, young man, real love is not price." He put necklace in small velvet box. He went to mansion, wearing rented suit, $50, too big shoulders, short sleeves, but clean. He waited at the corner of living room, holding velvet box, sweating. Then Felix Cross arrived. Felix Cross, 28, heir of Cross Global Industries, $10 billion company, black Maybach S680 worth $200k, plate X-88-EC, handsome, rich, last name Cross, powerful. He came with gift for Selene, diamond necklace worth $100k, in big red box. Everyone clapped. Julian Sterling hugged him, said, "This is the man for my daughter, with last name, with future." Dominic tried to give his gift. He walked to Selene, said, "Selene, happy birthday, I have gift for you, $320, real silver, real heart." Felix saw it. He laughed. Loud laugh. He took velvet box from Dominic's hand, opened it, saw small silver heart, and threw it on floor. Then he poured red wine on Dominic's rented suit. Wine worth $500 per bottle, poured on $50 suit. "Look at this trash," Felix said. "Three hundred twenty dollars? You call this gift? You have no last name, no money, no family, no future. You are orphan. You will always be nothing." Selene was there, in red dress worth $30k. She did not pick up necklace from floor. She stood beside Felix and held his arm. She looked at Dominic with no warmth, like stranger. Julian Sterling came, booming voice, "Dominic, get out of my house. You are no longer welcome here. You are fired from warehouse. You are not Sterling. You don't even have a last name to put on marriage certificate. How can you marry my daughter? Get out." Two guards, Apex Security guards that time, still working for Sterling, grabbed Dominic and threw him out of heavy oak doors. Doors slammed. Loud sound. Outside, rain again, same rain as fifteen years ago when Romulo picked him up. Dominic was on wet pavement, wine stained suit, necklace on floor inside mansion, no one picked it up. He was John Doe again. He walked on river highway, wet, cold, no shoes now, lost one shoe when guards threw him. A black Maybach S680 came fast behind him, no headlight, plate X-88-EC, same car as Felix. It aimed for him. Dominic jumped, but car hit his shoulder, he fell to river side, bleeding, head hitting stone. Driver, ex-military, paid $200k through dark web, called Felix, "Done, body not recovered, river current strong." Felix paid $50k to Captain Harris, police captain, to close case as John Doe, body not recovered, accident. Dominic was in river, drowning, ring glowing bright gold, protecting him. He did not die. He floated to Safehouse 07, the black glass tower that stood dark for 39 years. Then system DING, loud, only he can hear. [Attribute Update Complete.] [Host Name: Dominic.] [Family question mark locked: Level 25] [Parents question mark locked: Level 50] [Heir Status: Level 1, 0/1000] [Health Points: 100/100] [Strength: 15] [Defense: 14] [Agility: 13] [Intelligence: 17] [Money Power: $10,000,000,000] [New Skill Activated: Combat Instinct Level 1 - You can see attack 0.05 seconds before it happens] DEN, the system who waited 39 years, woke up and said, "Welcome home, Young Master. I have waited for you. Your family is W Dynasty, 2000 years old, owns 41% of Grand City. You have no last name yet until Level 25, but you have $10 billion. What do you want to do first?" Dominic stood up in black marble war room, wet suit, bleeding, but eyes calm now, with new power. "I want to buy the companies that will help me," he said. "And I want to walk into Skyline Gala as a ghost they can't ignore." [DING!] [NEW MAIN QUEST: THE GHOST COMPANIES] [Objective: Acquire 3 ghost companies to control security, food, and media] [Reward: +400 EXP, +Family Clue 5%]