Harem Tycoon System

Chapter 4: New Face, New Life

Dark. Empty. No feeling. No sound.

Then, suddenly—

Ding!

A strange notification echoed in his mind, right as he took his first breath after death. Cold air rushed into his lungs, sharp as a knife. His heart—supposed to have stopped—was now beating with a brand-new rhythm, while his nerves lit up, bringing sensations he'd never felt before.

He opened his eyes. Blinding white light flooded his vision, piercing his newly formed retinas.

"Where... am I?" His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.

Ding!

[Welcome, Host. You have been reincarnated into this world with a new body.]

[Harem System has been installed. Main Mission: Restore the fractured Greystone family by building wealth and power through connections with extraordinary women!]

Ethan squinted at the strange floating screen in front of him. Reincarnation? A system? Was this some kind of joke? Maybe a side effect of cardiac arrest?

But before he could process it further, a flood of information crashed into his brain like waves against the rocks. A new name, a new identity, and—most importantly—the system’s abilities now embedded within him.

Host Profile: Lucas Greystone. Level: 1 (Broke Beginner). Status: Head of the Greystone family—no money, no assets. Attributes: Charisma (5), Intelligence (7), Strength (6), Endurance (5), Manipulation (4). Free Points: 0 (Earn points through interactions and completing missions). Main Mission: Rebuild family ties and become a financial king.

[WARNING: Failure to build wealth within 30 days will result in system deletion and permanent death!]

[SYSTEM ACTIVATED!]

Ethan—no, Lucas—freaked out at everything he was seeing and hearing. None of this made sense. Too much information at once overwhelmed his mind, and before he knew it, he blacked out again.

*

An hour later, Lucas slowly regained consciousness. But something felt... off. He forced his heavy eyelids open, taking in the dimly lit, luxurious room. The bed beneath him was soft, and the air still carried the sterile scent of a hospital. The floating screen and robotic voice were gone.

"Was I hallucinating? Or was that just a dream?"

But that wasn’t what confused him the most. He felt different. His body was heavier, his muscles tighter. When he lifted his hand, he saw something shocking—

That wasn’t his hand.

"This... isn't me?" he whispered.

Ethan had been a medical student—malnourished, skinny, struggling just to get by. His body had always been weak due to financial hardships. But now, while the face in the reflection was still his, the body was completely different. It was well-built, athletic—like someone who actually went to the gym.

Lucas tried to sit up, but his body was still weak. He lifted a hand to his face, feeling the unfamiliar texture of his skin. And then—memories of the accident crashed into him like a freight train.

"I was hit… by this guy. Lucas Greystone. We both died, but..."

He froze, staring at his hands—Lucas' hands. The realization hit like a storm. Ethan was no longer himself. He had become Lucas. This body, this identity—it all belonged to the man who had taken his life.

Lucas looked around the VIP hospital room, his mind racing. A week had passed since the accident, but to him, it felt like a never-ending nightmare. His body had been moved to this room, and during that time, he had been trapped in darkness.

"This… is Lucas' body," he muttered, still struggling to accept the impossible.

He wanted to reject this insane reality, but before he could, the robotic voice returned. Lucas panicked, clutching his head, but the voice wouldn’t go away. Instead, it started feeding him more information.

Lucas Greystone was a man surrounded by controversy. Faint memories started surfacing, as if fragments of Lucas’ life still lingered in this body. Thanks to the system, glimpses of Lucas' past flashed before his eyes—wild parties, poker tables overflowing with cash, a parade of beautiful women, and Caroline—his still-legal wife.

Lucas was the complete opposite of Ethan in every way. While Ethan had lived by principles of hard work and integrity, Lucas had spent most of his life drowning in vices—drinking, gambling, and indulging in debauchery.

But for Ethan, this was a second chance.

"Lucas is dead. But I... I got his life," he thought, a mix of emotions swirling inside him. "And this system in my head… is this real?"

Just then, footsteps approached. The sharp sound of high heels against marble echoed in the silent room. The door swung open, and a young woman stepped in, her posture firm and unyielding.

She had long, dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders. Her face was stunning, but her expression was ice-cold, radiating barely concealed hatred. Her eyes met Lucas’.

Caroline.

Lucas recognized her instantly. She was his wife—the only relationship that had somehow survived despite being in shambles. But the way she looked at him made it clear—she saw him as nothing more than an unwelcome stranger.

The robotic voice chimed in again.

[Primary target detected! Build a good relationship with the target to achieve your mission.]

Lucas groaned internally. "Why the hell do I have to fix Lucas’ family issues? I have my own life, my own goals. My research... my dreams..." He wanted to fight back, to escape.

"You’re awake," Caroline said flatly, her voice devoid of warmth.

Lucas tried to sit up, but his body was still too weak. He swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.

"...Can you get me some water?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Caroline let out a dry chuckle, her eyes full of disdain. "Water? After everything you’ve done, you still have the nerve to ask me to serve you?" she sneered.

Lucas fell silent. He didn’t fully understand Lucas and Caroline’s past, but from the way she looked at him, it was clear—their relationship was beyond broken.

But beneath Caroline’s hatred, Lucas saw something else. Fear. As if she wasn’t sure what he was going to do next.

Caroline spun on her heel and stormed out of the room. As the door shut behind her, Lucas took a deep breath. More of Lucas' memories surfaced, clearer than before.

Lucas was not a good man. He remembered flashes of violence—angry words, slaps, even threats. The damage he had done wasn’t just physical; it had left deep scars on Caroline’s heart.

But in the middle of all the darkness, one thing stood out—Emma.

Lucas and Caroline’s daughter.

He could feel how much Lucas had loved her, even if he had failed in every other aspect of his life. It was the only genuine part of Lucas’ past, the only thing worth holding onto.

"Emma… she’s the only one who still believed in him."

That realization hit harder than anything else. Lucas had destroyed almost everything, but his love for Emma had been real. Maybe, just maybe, that was the one thing worth saving.

When Caroline returned with a glass of water, Lucas looked at her with guilt, even though the sins weren’t his to bear.

"Caroline," he said softly, trying to start a conversation.

But deep down, he had one pressing question. How do I get out of Lucas’ body and return to my own as Ethan? Should I trust the system’s words? If I succeed in fixing Lucas’ broken relationships... will I get my life back?