From Campus Pauper To Billionaire King

Chapter 2

Ryan staggered back slightly, his hand flying to his stomach as he struggled to regain balance. His eyes were now filled with rage.

Students rushed forward immediately, grabbing Ethan from behind before he could swing again.

“Hold him!”

Two guys locked his arms tightly.

Ryan didn’t waste the opportunity. His fist flew, and the first punch landed squarely on Ethan’s cheek.The second split his lip open.

The crowd roared.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Phones were raised higher. Some students climbed on a high chair just to get a better view. Someone shouted “Pathetic loser”

The two boys holding Ethan tightened their grip as he struggled violently.

“Let me go!” he yelled, trying to loss free.

Ryan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and laughed breathlessly. “Hold him steady.”

He stepped forward and drove another punch into Ethan’s ribs.

Ethan bent forward and groaned in pains, but the boys behind him held him upright.

Laura went straight and gave Ethan a big slap that echoed in the room. 

Ethan’s head bent to the side.

“Now, since you have enough strength to fight my man,” she said coldly, “you will have to pay for ruining my gift.”

“Laura” Ethan called out with a weak voice. But she didn't flinch.

“You will go on your knees,” she continued. “And eat that cake.”

Some people's eyes widened in shock.

“Make him eat the cake now!” Laura ordered the two guys.

They kicked the back of his legs and he dropped to his knees. He was weak at this point. They grabbed his hair and tried forcing his head down.

“No…” he tried resisting, but they overpowered him and put his face into the smashed cake.

As the crowd began chanting,

 “Eat! Eat! Eat!

They raised his head to catch some breath and forced it down again. Laughter erupted. Some recorded closely, while some turned away uncomfortably.

The humiliation went on, until Laura lifted a hand. “Stop. That's enough. I believe he has learnt his lessons.”

They released him and Ethan collapsed forward, coughing, cake sticking to his face and hair.

Ryan walked over slowly and squatted in front of him.

His chest rose and fell aggressively from adrenaline.

Their faces were inches apart.

“You see,” Ryan said quietly, his breath hot and heavy, “this is the difference between us.”

He grabbed Ethan’s chin roughly and forced his face up.

“Can you buy her Gucci? Birkin? Luxury vacations? Private dinners? Huh! You fucking can't.”

He jabbed a finger into Ethan’s chest.

“These are the things I’v already gotten her and will still get more. Things your small change can't and will never afford.” Ethan's eyes burned. “And here you are dragging her with me.”

He leaned even closer.

“Know your place you poor little thing.” He continued. “And for laying your poor dirty hands on me, you will regret it.” 

He stood up and extended a hand toward Laura. “Let’s go.”

Ethan forced himself to look at Laura through blurry vision.

Tears mixed with icing on his face.

“Even with the little jobs I do…” His voice trembled despite his effort to stay strong. “I still try to make you happy.”

Laura folded her arms.

“Where have I gone wrong, Laura?” Ethan continued. “I thought you loved me. I thought we had a thing after two years of our relationship. So you now want to leave me because of money?”

“Oh please. Stop with that love speech.”

Her tone was sharp now.

“What’s love without money? Like real money.” She snapped. “Nobody truly loves a broke boy. And you don't expect me to.”

Those words precised through Ethan's heart.

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“That’s harsh…”

“She’s right though…”

“He should’ve known…”

Ethan felt smaller than he ever had in his entire life.

“It’s high time you find your match. That’s if there's any. We are done.”

The finality in her voice crushed whatever was left inside him.

Ryan smirked, wrapping an arm around Laura's waist again.

“Laura please don’t leave me, I promise to do better, please.”

The words left Ethan before he could stop them.

Ryan chuckled darkly.

“Do better for yourself, boy.”

He turned away casually, guiding laura with him.

She didn’t resist. She didn’t look back.

Not even once.

Ryan deliberately smacked her ass just to trigger Ethan.

Ethan's friends, James and Michael came immediately they saw the videos. They pushed through the crowd.

“What the hell is going on?” James barked.

“You okay?” Michael asked urgently.

Ethan didn’t answer.

His eyes remained fixed on Laura’s back as she disappeared through the door beside Ryan.

“Ignore them, bro.” James said.

 “James is right. They're not worth it.” Michael added.

But Ethan couldn’t hear them properly.

The sound around him felt distant.

Like he was underwater.

The same Laura who once said, As long as they're together, they'll figure things out.

His chest tightened painfully.

James brought out a tissue and started wiping his face. 

“You’re bleeding badly, bro.”

Michael handed him a handkerchief.

“Press this against the wounded area.”

The cloth soaked red almost instantly.

Students began to leave. The party was over.

James and Michael helped Ethan out of the house.

As they walked toward the hostel, James shook his head. “Why fight over a girl like that? It’s not worth it. Now see what they turned you into.”

Ethan's phone vibrated, but he ignored it.

It became persistent and annoying, he decided to grab it.

An email notification flashed across the screen.

SCHOLARSHIP TERMINATION – IMMEDIATE EFFECT

His heart skipped. For a second, he couldn’t breathe.

Slowly, with shaking fingers, he opened the message.

Due to reports of violent misconduct and behavior deemed unbecoming of a scholarship recipient, your scholarship is hereby terminated.

You have 24 hours to vacate the school premises.

His vision blurred and his phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor.

Michael bent down quickly, picking it up.

James leaned over his shoulder.

They read and froze.

“No way…” Michael whispered.

“They can’t do this,” James said, voice rising.

Ethan didn’t speak.

He just stood still, staring at nothing.

“It’s okay, man,” Michael said carefully. “This isn’t the end of the world.”

“Yeah,” James added quickly. “We’ll figure something out. Just… clean up first. And maybe talk to Ryan. Apologize and let him clear things up.”

Ethan’s head snapped toward them.

“I will do no such thing.”

His voice fear and rage.

Jamess frowned. “Then what better option do you have?”

Silence.

Ethan looked at both of them.

“You guys have lectures now, right?”

They hesitated… then nodded.

“Yeah.”

“You should go,” Ethan said quietly. “I’ll be fine. I just need some time alone.”

They exchanged a look.

“You sure?” Michael asked.

Ethan forced a nod.

“I’ll see you later.”

After a moment, they grabbed their bags.

“Call us if you need anything,” James said before leaving.

Ethan sat down on a pavement. He has nothing left. No scholarship. No money.

No future.

He pulled out his wallet and was just left with fifty dollars.

He let out a bitter laugh. “Guess I’ll try my luck playing a lottery with it.”

He shoved the money back into his wallet and began to move towards the road.

A small lottery kiosk stood across the street.

He began to cross without watching. A horn blared so loud. He

adlights flashed toward him.

The next thing, Something slammed into him with crushing force.

His body lifted off the ground. His wallet flew from his hand and everything went black.