“Useless boy, when will you stop being the punching bag of this world?”John muttered the words to himself as he dragged his aching body through the rusted gate of the hostel. His school uniform clung to his skin, torn at the sleeves, stained with dried blood, and splattered with mud. A swollen lip, a bruised cheekbone, and a knee that stung with every step—those were the free souvenirs he collected after yet another brutal encounter with campus bullies.It was always the same: taunts in the hallway, punches in the empty corners, and mockery from the shadows. Nobody ever stood up for John. Not even the lecturers. Especially not the girls. He was the nameless face everyone passed without a second glance.His room, barely bigger than a janitor’s closet, smelled of sweat, pain, and desperation. He threw his bag onto the creaky old table, unbuttoned his shirt with trembling fingers, and slumped onto his tiny bed.But the world wouldn’t even let him breathe.RIING! His phone buzzed harshl

The golden lights of the elite level glimmered like a dreamland. Tall wine glasses clinked gently as laughter bounced off the polished marble walls. Expensive suits, lavish dresses, and fragrance strong enough to command attention filled the air with an aura of high society. The campus’s most influential students were seated in splendor, basking in status, fame, and wealth.John stood at the entrance.He took a quiet breath. He wasn’t here to impress anyone. He wasn’t here to announce his rise. He was simply here for Anna. That was it. His heart beat slowly and steadily under his chest, even though everything around him felt too surreal to touch. He had spent his entire life looking up at people in this room. Now, he was inside it.As he stepped in, his eyes scanned for Anna.Each step he took was cautious, not from fear, but from the weight of being somewhere he never thought he'd be welcome. The crowd was familiar, but not friendly. These were the same students who’d mocked him for

John lay still on his bed, eyes wide open, the soft whirr of the ceiling fan above him doing nothing to calm the storm in his mind. The night before felt like a dream—too surreal to be true. The insults, the humiliation, the meal, Mr David’s warning, and the black card. That black card.He reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and stared at it.Solid. Real. Heavy with power.His other hand reached for his phone, the screen lighting up as he opened his banking app. His balance still sat there, unshaken, glaring at him in raw digits.$30,000,000.00He blinked. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another. Not tears of pain, not of sadness. These were tears of joy—the kind he hadn’t felt in years, maybe his whole life.He remembered the days he cleaned floors with bleeding fingers. The nights he cried himself to sleep on an empty stomach. The times he was spat on, slapped, mocked… like he was nothing. But now—now everything had changed.The door creaked open. Collins stepped in,

The grand hall, once filled with excitement, now fell into a thick, uneasy silence as the back doors swung open.Mr. Jack's voice boomed through the mic: "Everyone, stand in honor of a great personality entering this event."All students rose instantly, hearts pounding, eyes wide, phones slowly raised to capture the moment. Nobody could guess who it was—but everyone knew this wasn’t just another parent or sponsor.As footsteps echoed in the hallway, the shadows at the entrance split, revealing two men, each more intimidating than the last.The first man, dressed in a custom black suit, gold-framed glasses, and a stoic expression, was Mr. Raymond—a name that needed no introduction. He was the richest man in the country, the patriarch of the feared and powerful Raymond Empire, whose influence stretched across industries and governments alike.Beside him was Mr. David, the infamous Mafia leader—the same one who had struck fear into Jerry and the others the night before. He was still wea

The classroom door flung open with a loud creak that silenced the entire room. Rose stormed in, her face boiling with self-righteous fury. Behind her were two stern-faced school security officers. Every eye turned to her, then to John. She didn’t waste time.“Take him to the HOD’s office,” she barked.The officers marched toward John like soldiers on a mission. Collins stood up in shock, but before he could speak, one of them pointed a warning finger at him. John, confused and calm despite the tension, stood without resistance.“What’s going on?” he asked.“You’ll find out soon enough,” Rose said coldly as she turned and led the way.Inside the Head of Department’s office, John stood face to face with Mr. Harrison—the HOD—Rose’s father. A man known for his disdain toward students from lower social ranks. The room reeked of arrogance and corruption. Rose stood smugly at her father’s side like a soldier who’d just dragged in a war criminal.Mr. Harrison didn’t even wait for John to take