Alexander Hayes sat on the narrow bed in his prison cell with a huge smile on his face. Anyone passing by would probably think he had lost his mind.Who smiled like that inside a prison?But today was different. Today he was getting out after three years. Three long years. Today he would finally see her again.“Three years,” His lips curved into a small wry smile as he muttered softly. “Not bad, Alex. You survived.”The cell door suddenly clanged open.“Alexander Hayes,” a guard called.Alex stood up immediately.His movements were calm. Almost relaxed.But inside, his heart was beating a little faster with the excitement of seeing her again.“This way.”Alex followed the guard down the hallway. The familiar gray walls passed by one after another.He knew every corner of this place.Three years was long enough for anyone to memorize a prison.Finally they reached the release office.The officer behind the desk pushed a few papers forward. “Sign here.”Alex picked up the pen and his

Alex stood in front of Gold Crest Bank.The building was enormous with tall glass walls and shining stairs.Security guards were at the entrance wearing expensive suits.Everything about the place screamed money.Alex looked up at the massive sign above the door.“Gold Crest Bank.”He rubbed the back of his neck. “This place looks expensive.”People walked past him. Men in tailored suits, women carrying designer handbags, luxury cars pulled up in front of the entrance every few minutes.Bentleys.Ferraris.A silver Maybach stopped at the curb and a man stepped out while talking loudly on the phone about “two hundred million in shares.”Alex glanced down at himself.Faded hoodie, old jeans, worn sneakers.He sighed.“Yeah… I definitely look like I belong here.”A wry smile appeared on his face.He folded his arms and stared at the bank doors.“Maybe I should just go somewhere else,” he thought.But then he looked around the street. This was the only bank nearby.He could walk to anothe

The receptionist stood frozen.Her mouth hung widely open.Her eyes were locked on the screen of the machine as if she had suddenly forgotten how to breathe.The crowd behind Alex was no different.Everyone stood there in stunned silence.Even Alex himself was shocked.He stared at the screen again just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.800,000,000,000.00Eight hundred billion dollars.Alex blinked slowly.“Eight hundred billion…?” he repeated in his mind.For a moment he wondered if the machine was broken.Or maybe he had entered the wrong PIN.Or maybe—No.The number was still there.Eight hundred billion dollars.The machine had clearly announced it as well.Behind him, the receptionist still hadn’t moved.Her confident expression from earlier had completely disappeared.The arrogance.The mockery.The sharp tongue.Everything was gone.Now she looked like someone who had just been struck by lightning.Meanwhile the crowd that had been laughing a moment ago began whispering.T

As Andrew kept shouting for the manager, his voice grew louder, sharper—like he needed the entire street to hear him.“Manager!” he yelled again, pointing at Alex. “Come quick! We have a thief here!”The noise drew more attention immediately and more customers turned.Within seconds, the once elegant boutique turned into a scene of whispers and curiosity.Shortly after footsteps echoed from the back and the manager appeared.His expression was already filled with impatience.“What is going on here?” he asked coldly, scanning the room.Then his eyes landed on Alex.Then the shirt.Andrew stepped forward immediately, almost tripping over himself in his eagerness “Sir, this man is trying to steal.”The word spread through the crowd instantly.“I knew it.”“Look at him.”Andrew pointed at the shirt. “He picked up a Sanchez Maurino t-shirt worth one million dollars. And look at him,” Andrew added, gesturing at Alex’s clothes. “Does he look like he can afford that?”The manager looked Alex

Alex frowned and said, “That’s not fair. Why would you even let something like this happen when I didn’t do anything wrong?”The man leaned back in his chair and looked at Alex like he was looking at a stubborn child.“Not fair?” the man repeated slowly, his lips curling slightly. “Young man, this is not a place where fairness is discussed like a classroom topic.”Alex’s expression stayed calm. “Then what is it?” he asked quietly.The man sighed and waved his hand lazily. “It is a place where orders are followed. And the order came from the dean.”Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly. “So you just threw my things out because someone said so?”The man nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”He leaned forward and tapped the table lightly. “Let me explain something to you in a way even you can understand. When the dean speaks, we don’t debate. We don’t argue. We act.”Alex let out a slow breath.“So anyone can walk in here, say anything, and you just obey?” he asked.The man smirked. “Not anyone. The