Ethan wasn’t the type to make quick decisions; his wishy-washy personality often led him to seek excuses to avoid taking action. However, now that he had returned to the start, that backward attitude was thrown out the window.
The journey from Bracken Ridge to Brisbane Airport took only thirty minutes, even with moderate traffic. The airport buzzed with activity—a sight Ethan hadn’t witnessed in a decade. The cheerful chatter, the sound of rolling luggage, and the announcements echoed through the terminal, wrapping around him like a warm embrace.
“Immediate direct flight to America, one adult, economy—purpose is vacation, no extra baggage! Here’s my passport and credit card!” he blurted out, breathlessly, as he approached the counter.
The receptionist blinked, momentarily taken aback by his enthusiasm, but quickly regained her composure, maintaining a friendly smile.
“Flight to America? Unfortunately, most flights are fully booked. The earliest available seat is in two hours. Would you prefer that one or the next in six hours?”
“The earlier one, please,” he replied, excitement bubbling within him.
“Just to confirm, it costs AUD 4,350.00 for this last-minute booking. Will that be fine?”
'Expensive!' Ethan thought, the urge to shout rising within him. However, he kept his friendly poker face intact, reminding himself that in just a few days, money would no longer be a concern.
“Of course! If you want, you can come with me too, miss? Want to join me on a short vacation?” He added a flirty grin, though he suspected it would fall flat.
“... Here’s your receipt. Please sign here.” The receptionist’s voice remained businesslike, ignoring his attempt at charm.
Though he had predicted this reaction, it stung a little. After confirming his flight details, he found a nearby seat and occupied himself with his phone, scrolling through internet to finish his "other matters."
---
The flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles spanned a grueling 14 hours. By the time he landed, it was already 5 a.m. local time on the same day. It felt a bit funny—like he had traveled two hours back in time.
After navigating through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Ethan successfully availed himself of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allowed him a stay of up to 90 days for tourism without a visa. Thankfully, he had filled out the required Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) just hours before his flight. Despite the last-minute rush, everything went smoothly.
Without a hitch, he entered Los Angeles and stepped outside the terminal at precisely 8 a.m.
He hailed a cab and requested, “Take me to the best hotel you recommend for a tourist.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The driver nodded, and soon they arrived at the well-known "Celestial Heaven Resort." After a quick check-in, he booked a single room for a week—his planned stay duration.
Once settled, he called for room service to arrange regular food deliveries while he switched on the television, tuning into the news. He focused intently on a singular topic—the key to his future fortune.
After a full 15 hours of waiting and taking notes, he felt a sense of triumph as the details flashed across the screen.
“Hmmm… 3... 15… 29…” he murmured, memorizing the winning numbers.
With adrenaline coursing through him, he activated his ability, rewinding time to the moment he had started watching the news. Wasting no time, he grabbed a pen and paper, prepared beforehand, and jotted down the numbers he had memorized.
“Good!” he exclaimed, a wide grin breaking across his face. “With this, I’m halfway there!”
With his notes in hand, he dashed out of the hotel, wallet and phone tucked away, and sprinted to the nearest outlet. There, he filled out two tickets with the same winning numbers and submitted them, excitement coursing through him.
“Done!” he cheered quietly, his heart racing.
After that, he returned to his room, where he planned to continue watching TV obsessively for the next two days. It was strange behavior, but he needed to be thorough if he wanted to “save” the world.
Around 11 p.m., the crucial information flashed on the screen. He quickly memorized the new set of numbers and activated Rewind once more, back to the moment he returned to his room. With another sheet of paper ready, he diligently wrote down the combinations, grinning like a madman.
“Hehe! I’m rich!”
From the staff's perspective, Ethan seemed to be in and out of his room, but they didn’t mind; they had seen stranger guests. Still, it struck them as odd.
Ethan ran to the next closest location, purchasing two more tickets and double-checking every digit he jotted down.
“Mwahahahahaha!” he cackled, reveling in his newfound power and impending wealth. His plans were coming together flawlessly.
He had checked the winning combinations for both the P*werball and M*ga M*llions, securing tickets for both draws. He was confident—after all, he had confirmed there were no winners for either draw. The former was drawn at 10:59 p.m., while the latter followed at 11 p.m. the next day. Together, his winnings would exceed a staggering $3.75 billion.
Ethan couldn’t help but drool at the thought. But his preparations weren’t over yet. He hurried to an electronics shop, purchasing a new smartphone, a local provider’s postpaid Nano-SIM, a laptop, a drawing tablet, and other accessories.
Though it was a big expenditure, thankfully, his credit card’s limit still managed to cover it all.
Returning to his room for the second time, he quickly set up both devices and began browsing the internet, determined not to waste a moment. He had already noted down the names of prominent companies from the TV, so his search was efficient. Once he gathered enough information, he sent offer emails to each company, requesting meetings for Wednesday evening.
Why delay? He needed to handle the processing of claiming his winnings first, so he would push back the meetings slightly. He planned to visit the California Lottery District Office on Tuesday morning and return again on Wednesday for the second lottery win. Though it might draw some attention, he was willing to take that risk.
After sending the emails, he turned back to the television, where breaking news flashed across the screen.
[Two P*werball Winners getting $980 million each!]
“... Heh!”
Of course, the two winners were determined by the number of winning tickets—and both tickets belonged to him! He had truly become a billionaire in the blink of an eye!
With excitement bubbling in his chest, he picked up his phone and dialed the number he had saved earlier. It was time to schedule his visit to the district office!