"Heavens, just give me something—anything—that could make me smarter. That's all I want. The rest I'll handle myself. I'll work for it. I'll do everything else." His voice was low, almost a plea, as he turned his eyes toward the window, where the sun was sinking beneath the horizon.
He knew it was nothing but wishful thinking. Call it his fantasy, call it him daydreaming, but wasn't everyone allowed to dream? It was the only way he could escape reality for a while.
For in his dream world—well, not always, but every now and then, even when awake—he found himself drifting into visions of a life far removed from reality.
There, he was different. There, he was intelligent and sharp. There, he was gifted with talent, always coming out on top—whether in school, college, or any challenge life threw at him. He was simply a genius in that world of dreams. He saw himself as an achiever who conquered everything through his own effort and hard work. Oh, how good it felt. Only he knew the sense of achievement that came with every small and big success there. But… sigh, if only it were real.
How good it would have been.
It's not like he never tried to replicate it—well, at least the academic success. But one look at thick mathematics, physics, biology, or chemistry textbooks, and he would feel a headache and sleepiness creeping in. Even when he pushed aside that feeling, he wasn't able to truly understand most of it. The concepts would bounce off his head like a bouncer, refusing to go in.
He shook his head and once again focused on the memories of world of dreams.
In that world of dreams, he had what he never had in reality—not that he was complaining or anything. His parents had given him everything he could ask for without reservation. But he was human, and there were many things he wanted at a personal level, like anyone else. Things he might never have in the future as well.
There, he had fame that surpassed even the brightest stars in the world. His name echoed everywhere. He was celebrated for his success, and many sought his favor, hoping to be lifted to the heavens just by being associated with him. He was that successful in that world, and it was all through his own hard work.
He had cars—so many that he lost count. Well, he could never remember the dream completely. Rare collections, luxury models, the kind others could only dream of seeing but almost never face to face.
He had houses and properties scattered across the world, too many to recall, yet he knew that wherever he wished to go, a home awaited him, with servants ready to attend to him around the clock.
Travel was never a concern either. Whenever he wanted to fly somewhere, his private jets were ready at a moment's notice to carry him anywhere, at any time.
When he wanted to go to the seas and enjoy the vast blue ocean, his fleet of luxury yachts—even superyachts—were ready to let him explore in style wherever he wished, whenever he wished.
Life in that world of dreams was abundance itself.
And again, he sighed. How good it would have been, if only it were real.
His mind drifted deeper, because that wasn't even the end of what he had there. To sustain such a life, he had built multi-trillion-dollar companies. And they were not just one.
Together, his companies were worth many trillions, because he was in almost every field imaginable—and he was the leader in each of them. Countries were his customers. One of the main sources of his power and influence was the overwhelming monopoly his company held in humanity's space technology programs as well as the energy sector. He had not only led both fields but brought them to new heights, making them work in synergy.
Telecommunications, automobiles, fast shipping, advanced medical fields and related technologies—these were the engines of his wealth, the pillars of his empire in that world of dreams.
In a literal sense, within just a few decades, he had practically become the ruler of the planet.
And he wasn't alone there. At his side was the girl he had loved since childhood—the one he never confessed to in reality because of the distance between their worlds. In his dream world, she was his wife. Together, they shared everything, whether the burdens in the early days or later the fruit of their labor—the ultimate success.
His parents were there too. His father, proud beyond measure, boasting to anyone who would listen, though still with his usual reservations, even as he jumped inwardly like a rabbit. His mother was happy simply seeing her son's success. Their faces always glowed with joy—a genuine joy, the kind he wished to see in the real world as well. He wanted to free them from their worries about his life, about his future. He wanted those worries to disappear in reality too.
Anthony smiled at the thought, then sighed. Because all of it—every triumph, every luxury, every bit of love and warmth he had there—existed only in his dreams, not in his reality.
Shaking his head, Anthony drifted again through his dream. Sometimes, the image of his ex appeared—the one who had left him. In the dream, she regretted it. Though in reality, she never would, even if he had all the success in the world. She wasn't a gold-digger.
The reason for their breakup was still unclear to him, but deep down he knew it was because of his own lack of ability. She had called their relationship impossible, ending nearly two years together in an instant. He didn't blame her. He couldn't. After all, he was the underachiever, not her. If anything, he thought, she made the right decision.
After all, who doesn't want a good life partner? And he knew he wasn't the right choice for her—or for anyone.
And like that, Anthony slowly drifted into the world of dreams, entering the very dream he had just been thinking about. He didn't know that his wishes were about to come true—and more. His life was about to take a complete turn for the better, though not without its own challenges.
Would he be able to utilize the world-shattering changes that would soon be placed in his hands? Would he be able to face the challenges that were coming his way? Would he be able to turn his dream into reality if he possessed the necessary talents and more to back it up?
Or would he be crushed under the weight of his own ambition?