The Family Cashback System

Amelia Grace Hart was exhausted.

It had been a long day at work, and all she wanted was to get home, take a shower, eat something, and sleep.

She had barely stepped through the front door when her phone rang.

It was her mother.

Amelia frowned slightly and answered.

"Mum?"

Her mother's voice came through the phone, trembling.

"Amelia..."

Something about her voice immediately made Amelia sit up.

"What happened?"

"It's your father."

Amelia's heart dropped.

"What happened to Dad?"

"He collapsed."

For a second, Amelia couldn't breathe.

"What?"

"He was taken to the hospital."

Her bag slipped from her shoulder.

"Is he okay?"

"He's awake."

Her mother quickly added the words, as though she knew exactly what Amelia was thinking.

"They gave him emergency treatment. He's awake and talking."

Amelia released the breath she'd been holding.

"Then why are you crying?"

Her mother's eyes filled with tears.

"The doctor said he needs surgery."

Amelia swallowed.

"How much?"

Her mother hesitated.

"100,000 dollars."

Amelia stared ahead.

"$100,000?"

Her mother nodded.

"The surgery needs to be done as soon as possible."

Amelia immediately reached for her phone.

"I'll see what I have."

She opened her banking application.

Her savings stared back at her.

$52,347.

That was everything.

Every dollar she had managed to put aside.

She knew it wasn't enough.

But she couldn't simply sit there.

She started calling people she knew.

Nobody had enough.

She tried another person.

Still nothing.

Eventually, desperation pushed her toward something she had always tried to avoid.

Loan apps.

She borrowed from one.

Then another.

Then another.

Then another.

By the time she was done, she had managed to borrow $60,000 from 5 different loan apps.

Her hands shook as she looked at the amount.

$52,347 of her own money.

$60,000 borrowed.

$112,347.

She transferred $112,000 to her mother's account.

Her remaining balance was only $347.

She stared at it for several seconds.

Then she closed the application.

She didn't tell her mother about the loans.

She couldn't.

If her mother knew, she would never agree to accept the money.

At the hospital, her father was awake when Amelia arrived.

He looked weak.

But he smiled when he saw her.

"You're here."

Amelia sat beside him.

"Of course."

His eyes moved toward her mother.

"Did you get the money?"

Her mother nodded.

"Yes."

He looked confused.

"How?"

Before her mother could answer, Amelia spoke.

"I handled it."

Her father's eyes widened.

"You?"

Amelia smiled.

"Don't worry about it."

He stared at his daughter.

He knew Amelia wasn't earning a huge salary.

He knew she had always been careful with money.

Yet somehow, she had found $112,000.

"Amelia..."

"It's fine, Dad."

He reached for her hand.

"Thank you."

His voice cracked.

"I don't know what I would have done."

Amelia squeezed his hand.

"Just get better."

Her father nodded.

"I will."

The surgery was scheduled.

The family waited.

Amelia sat quietly beside her father while her mother stayed nearby.

Her mother kept looking at her.

Not accusingly.

Just suspiciously.

Finally, she asked,

"Amelia?"

"Yes?"

"Where did you get that money?"

Amelia looked at her.

"I told you. I had it."

Her mother didn't completely believe her.

She knew her daughter didn't have much.

But she also knew Amelia wasn't going to explain herself.

So she didn't ask again.

Amelia looked down at her phone.

She was exhausted.

Her father's surgery hadn't even started yet.

Then suddenly-

Ding.

She froze.

A notification had appeared on her screen.

[Family Cashback System activated.]

Amelia stared.

Another notification appeared.

[Host detected.]

Her eyebrows knitted together.

"What?"

The screen changed.

[Congratulations, Amelia Grace Hart.]

[You have been selected as the Host of the Family Cashback System.]

She stared at the words.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

No response.

Then another message appeared.

[Initial qualifying expenditure detected.]

[Recipient: Father.]

[Amount spent: $112,000.]

Amelia's eyes widened.

She immediately looked around.

Nobody else seemed to notice anything.

Then the next notification appeared.

[Initial Cashback Multiplier: 2×]

Amelia's breathing stopped for a moment.

[Cashback Reward: $224,000.]

She stared at the number.

224,000 dollars.

Another notification appeared.

[$224,000 has been credited to your account.]

Amelia immediately opened her banking application.

Her balance had changed.

$224,347.

She blinked.

She refreshed the screen.

The number remained.

She had spent $112,000.

And somehow, the system had returned twice what she had spent.

Amelia stared at her phone in disbelief.

Then another notification appeared.

[Beginner Family Mission unlocked.]

Her eyes narrowed.

[Mission: Family Care.]

[Objective: Do something meaningful for an eligible family member.]

Amelia stared at the screen.

"What exactly am I supposed to do?"

The system gave no answer.

For several seconds, she simply sat there.

Then she looked toward her family.

Her mother was sitting beside her father.

Her father was still recovering from surgery.

And somehow, Amelia had just received $224,000.

She slowly smiled.

Whatever this system was...

She had a feeling her life had just changed.