From Pit to Palace: Charlie Emerged

Chapter 14: Payment time.

Chapter 14

Everyone stared at Charlie in incredulity and murmurs began to fill the table.

“Is he really eating the food? I thought he was just bluffing when he was placing those orders,” Rachel murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Thought as well. Do you think he's really going to win against Franklin?” Erika asked, blinking in shock.

“Oh, just shut up and eat!” Franklin spouted. “How dare you say this trash picker is going to win me? Are you both sick in the head?”

The two quickly apologized, but Franklin glared at them briefly before taking a breath, throwing the thought off.

Then he leaned back on his seat, a smirk plastered on his face as he turned to look at Charlie. “Hey Charlie, are you really being serious here? You ordered outrageous foods and even drinks, and you want me to believe you can pay for all these?”

Charlie didn't respond. He continued eating, holding his chicken and gently tearing it apart.

Franklin observed him closely. His expression was calm and unreadable, betraying no hint of fear, as he savored the chicken.

He couldn't help but wonder where the sudden confidence came from. He winked in surprise. Is he for real? Can he really pay for all that he has ordered? His mind kept swirling with the possibility that Charlie might be capable.

And if he does, that means, he won't be able to humiliate him as he has planned. Franklin made sure that everything he ordered didn't exceed the amount of money his father was sending, so he could humiliate Charlie.

But the latter ordered outrageously, as if it were the most common thing to do.

Although that single act slightly crushed his pride, he wasn't moved, knowing Charlie can't pay for it.

“As I know rightly, your trash picking job can't fetch you so much money or how do you plan on paying? Become Prime Restaurant's cleaner afterwards?” He asked, his voice filled with mocking.

Charlie finally looked at him, a smile playing on his face. He sipped his drink before replying. “Why did you suddenly become antsy? Afraid to continue the challenge?” He asked softly.

“Restless?” Franklin scoffed. “Who says I am?”

“Then concentrate on your meal. When we're done, you will know whether I can pay for what I have ordered or not. Stop bothering yourself.”

Franklin's smirk faltered at Charlie's words. His words dropped with something strange that almost put him into another thought, but he dismissed it, calling it mere words.

Megan, on the other hand, had paused eating, staring at Charlie in disbelief. Isn't this her ex-boyfriend, the notorious campus trash picker? The guy that she had left because he had nothing?

Has he suddenly become rich?

For a moment as she murmured about it, she felt a pang of regret if truly Charlie was now wealthy, but then, she trashed the thought from her mind as it had come.

“He thinks living all this fake life can make me feel jealous or regret, and consider returning to him?” She scorned under her breath. “He's such a joker! Let's finish having our meal and I'll see how he'll cover the bills for everything he has ordered.”

Soon, everyone finished eating.

Franklin straightened and hurriedly waved to the waitress. “How much is the cost of everything I ordered?” He asked, his eyes fixed on her.

“Yours, sir, arrived at…” She quickly looked down at the tablet in her hand, where she had summed up both Franklin's bills and Charlie's all separately, and said, “$11k.”

All eyes widened.

But Franklin proudly pulled out his card and handed it to the waitress, keeping a calm expression. “Charge it.”

When they were still eating, his phone had dinged, and a call followed. It was his father.

He knew he had sent the money and was calling to inform him, however, he rejected it and even switched off his phone when the call from his father kept coming persistently.

He didn't want anyone to know he was getting money from his father for tonight's meal.

It would be so embarrassing to hear.

“Okay, sir.” The waitress stepped away and returned with a card reader. She inputted the amount then said, “Sir, please, your pin.”

Franklin first of all looked at Charlie and grinned. “Watch as mine process easily. We'll see how you go about yours. Haha. It's not all about who orders the highest. It's about who can actually pay. And everyone knows who that person is. Me!”

With that, he pressed his four-digit, stepped back, his shoulders squared up.

The device beeped, producing a loud noise.

Payment failed! Insufficient balance!

The waitress looked up, a hint of disappointment on her face as her gaze fell on Franklin.

Franklin, unaware of what had just happened, frowned at her for the look and blurted out. “Why are you looking at me that way? Payment successful, not so? Now, hand over the card and go over to that trash picker, let's see what he has got.”

The waitress gently shook her head. She was about to speak when Franklin interrupted, his voice rising in annoyance. “Why are you still reluctant? I say, hand the card over!”

The waitress shook her head again. “I'm sorry, sir, but you've got an insufficient balance here,” she politely said, despite Franklin's arrogance.

“What did you just say? Insufficient balance? Are you out of your mind?”