From Pit to Palace: Charlie Emerged

Chapter 11: Do you know you're foolish?

Chapter 11

The person calling him at that moment was his employer from the bar where he did his part-time work. The man was arrogant and wicked. He doesn't pay his workers' salaries on time, but whenever one comes to work just a minute late, he'll always deduct a few bucks from their salaries.

Charlie had been so furious about it, but since it was the only way to support himself, he decided to stay.

“You arrogant fool! Don't you know how to add ‘sir’ when addressing me, huh?” The man barked from the other end.

Charlie chuckled but didn't respond.

“I'll pardon you for that,” the man continued, “Now tell me, why haven't you been coming to work? Or do you want to get fired?”

“Fired?” Charlie feigned shock.

“Yes! Or do you think we're joking here? It has been two straight days and you haven't shown up at work. I—”

“Do whatever is in your mind, old man,” Charlie interjected, his voice calm but rude.

“How dare you talk to—”

The man burst into rage from the other end, but Charlie wasn't done.

“Wait, old man. I'm not done talking,” Charlie cut him off. “Do you really think it's worth working under you? Three months. For the past three months, other employees and I have been working under you, yet you haven't paid us. Instead of settling us, you are rather calling to threaten me with firing me. Who does that, huh? You want us to continue working on empty stomachs?”

As Charlie said that, he felt a pang of emotion flood through him. Memories of the days when he went to the bar to work on an empty stomach, despite not being paid, crossed his mind.

“Isn't that an extreme level of wickedness?”

The man bulged and spoke out with fury. “Are you calling me wicked? In fact, you're fired! Let me see how you are going to pay your tuition fees. And yes, I don't want to see your face around these premises, begging for your unpaid salaries, or else, I'm going to break your legs! Nonsense!”

The man was about to end, but then Charlie faked respect at the deadline.

“Sorry, sir, please, excuse me,” he said quickly

“You think you can beg me now? No! I have made up my mind. You're fired and that's finally!”

“No, sir. I just have something to tell. Can you please, hear me out?” Charlie said calmly yet politely, a small smirk parting his lips.

Hearing Charlie's soft voice, the man's anger seemed to melt slightly.

“What's that?”

Charlie took a deep breath first before speaking up. “Not to waste your time. I just wanted to tell you that you're very very stupid!”

Before waiting for the man's response, Charlie sharply disconnected the call, giving no chance for the man to express his anger.

What the man didn't know was that the Charlie he knew before wasn't the same Charlie now. Charlie is now the heir of a trillion-dollar asset. He has power and can control the world if he wants.

Glancing and smirking at the man's number, Charlie muttered to himself, “He thinks I'm still that Charlie he usually orders around without paying? No, this is the new Charlie. I've emerged. From pit to palace.”

He squared up his shoulders, a hint of pride in his voice.

Just then his mind went to something. What the man said—-he (Charlie) shouldn't come for his three months’ unsettled salaries.

His smirk didn't disappear. Instead, it increased. “That? Those salaries aren't close to what I'm worth now. But I'm going to take them all. He's going to pay me.”

Then he checked the time. Realizing it was twenty minutes past 5 in the evening already, he flagged down a taxi to his house.

Twenty minutes later,

The taxi stopped in front of his house. He settled the driver, thanked him, and then walked to his room. Without hesitation, he pulled off his clothes, entered the bathroom, and started taking his bath.

Ten minutes later, he walked out, wrapped his old, white towel. He went to his wardrobe in search of his cream to oil his body, but after grabbing the container, he couldn't help but sigh.

There was nothing left inside the container. The cream was all finished.

“This poverty ends this night,” he uttered, then reached out to another outfit, and slipped it on.

He collapsed onto his bed, his stomach rumbling immediately. Truthfully speaking, he hadn't eaten anything since this morning. However, he had to man up, staying strong despite the hunger.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of the Amex Black Card that Donald had given him. He remembered him saying there was no limit to how he chose to spend.

He grabbed the card, staring at it, suddenly feeling the urge to go to a nearby restaurant to have a substantial dinner.

It was at that moment, he remembered something.

He paused, a cold, mischievous smirk escaping his lips.

It was the dinner party that Stella, his class representative, had brought up, inviting interested people to come along. Franklin and Megan, his ex-girlfriend, had laughed at him because he couldn't afford a place like that.

He had also challenged Franklin that they should treat their classmates to dinner, and he had agreed, but laughed, mocked, and even called him a face saver.

Nodding and smirking, Charlie mumbled, “I'll hold my hunger, wait until I get there to fill myself. And as for you, Franklin, wait until it's time only then will I show you what true humiliation really looks like.”

With that, he placed his head down on the bed, slowly trying to fall asleep as he awaited the time to clock 9, the set time for dinner at Prime Restaurant.