Ultimate Cash System
Chapter 164: Invitations.

Chapter 164: Invitations.

The morning sun had barely risen over the Manhattan skyline when Lukas’s phone buzzed on the glass coffee table. The suite was silent, empty now that Annie and Bella had left hours earlier for Princeton. Lukas stirred from his place on the couch, hoodie still draped over his shoulders, and grabbed the phone.

Henry.

He swiped to answer.

"Luke," came Henry’s sharp, no-nonsense tone. "Just got off the phone with Vince McMahon’s office. He officially sent in an offer."

Lukas sat up straighter. "Finally? What’s he saying?"

"Five hundred grand per appearance," Henry said flatly.

Lukas blinked, then scoffed. "That’s a downgrade. I asked for a million."

"And now he’s countering with half. I told his assistant it wouldn’t fly, but I figured I’d warn you. You’ll probably get a direct call."

"If he’s bold enough to call, I’ll be ready," Lukas muttered, irritation already bubbling under his skin.

Sure enough, ten minutes after Henry hung up, the phone buzzed again. This time, the caller ID read: Vince McMahon.

Lukas stared at it for a beat, then answered with a composed, "Hello."

Vince’s iconic, booming voice erupted. "Lukas, my man! Did you hear about the offer you got? What do you think?"

"Disappointed, frankly," Lukas replied, his tone calm but cold. "We both know I asked for one million. Now you’re halving it?"

"Five hundred thousand per appearance is more than generous," Vince said, his voice switching to the classic promoter’s persuasion. "You’re young, fresh. Think about the exposure. We’re giving you a platform to be a star, not just a player."

"Exposure doesn’t pay my bills, Vince," Lukas said sharply. "I’ve seen what your stars go through. You want me in the ring with a mic and storyline? That costs."

"We’re building something big. Stone Cold, The Rock, and Undertaker—they’re about to explode. You’d be walking into a golden era. Front row. Scripted, safe, with legends."

"Then you should be able to pay for that privilege," Lukas replied. "My number was a million. But after this morning? It’s two million now."

Silence.

"Two million? Per appearance?" Vince said, voice lowering.

"That’s right," Lukas said, rising to his feet and walking slowly to the window. The skyline glowed with the first golds of dawn.

"Kid, you’re talented, but don’t push your luck."

"I’m not lucky. I’m valuable. You made a lowball offer, and now you pay the price. Two million, Vince. Non-negotiable."

Another silence followed, this one heavier.

"You’re serious."

"Dead serious."

Vince exhaled through the receiver. "You’ll regret walking away from this."

"Maybe. But not as much as you’ll regret lowballing me."

Click.

Lukas ended the call.

He stared out at the quiet city. The suite was still, the world calm. But inside him, everything was clear.

He wasn’t chasing the spotlight. The spotlight was chasing him.

He tucked the phone into his pocket and muttered, "I don’t perform for crumbs."

A moment later, Jay and Roy entered the room, still dressed in their suits, coffee in hand. Roy gave him a glance.

"That Vince?"

Lukas didn’t turn. "Yeah, he called."

"And?"

Lukas turned back to them, eyes sharper now. "He blinked. I didn’t."

Roy raised his cup. "Cheers to that."

Jay smirked. "So what now?"

Lukas grinned. "Now we wait. And we train. Because the world is paying attention. And the next call? That’ll be worth every dollar."

Outside, the sun climbed higher, lighting the sky with a new fire. And inside, Lukas stood ready to claim his place in the history he was writing, one unshakable demand at a time.

Just as Lukas tossed his phone onto the coffee table after hanging up on Vince McMahon, it buzzed again. He blinked, glancing at Jay and Roy, who were lounging nearby with half a sandwich each still in hand.

"Who’s next? Donald Trump?" Lukas muttered sarcastically.

He picked up the phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was an unknown number with an Oregon area code.

"Oregon?" Lukas raised an eyebrow, then answered. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Mr. Lukas. This is Melanie from Nike’s Athlete Development Department," a calm, professional voice said. "Do you have a moment to talk?"

Lukas sat up straight, surprised. "Yes, I do. Go ahead."

"We’ve been following your story for the past few months. Your charity event created a lot of internal buzz in the industry, and after your recent televised appearances, our board thinks you’re exactly the kind of figure we want to represent our brand heading into the new millennium."

Lukas leaned back slightly, trying to stay composed. "That’s... flattering."

"We’re prepared to offer you a $2 million endorsement deal for a campaign we’re rolling out globally—’Move With Purpose.’ Your image, story, and momentum are perfect for what we’re building. The contract includes your own sneaker line, scheduled appearances, and a custom ad campaign starting this summer."

Jay and Roy had stopped chewing. They leaned in as Lukas made a wide-eyed gesture at them.

"Two million, huh?" Lukas repeated, trying not to sound overly eager.

"Yes. All-inclusive. Of course, this will be structured over a 12-month campaign, but with a generous advance. We’d like to fly you to Beaverton to meet the creative team."

Lukas stood up and walked over to the window, heart beating fast but voice calm. "Alright. Send the paperwork to my manager, Henry. He handles all my business deals. If he likes it, I’ll be there."

"Perfect. We’ll send everything over by noon. Thank you, Mr. Lukas. We’re excited to work with you."

The call ended, and for a moment, Lukas just stood there, soaking in the moment. He had just turned down Vince McMahon’s $500K wrestling offer and immediately got a $2 million deal from Nike. It felt unreal.

Jay whistled. "Two million from Nike? That’s how you answer lowball offers."

Roy nodded. "This kid’s on fire."

Lukas turned around, grinning. "Alright, boys. First thing we do? Buy more sandwiches. I suddenly feel like a walking investment."

The three of them burst into laughter as Lukas’s phone buzzed again—this time, from Henry. No doubt, the man had already received the offer. Everything was moving faster than he expected.

The year 2000 was shaping up to be something legendary.