Chapter 1

“Yes, sir. I am… Matthias Claude.”

The unassuming delivery guy checked the caller’s phone number once more and like what he saw at first, it’s an unregistered caller.

“Inheritance?” he repeated to clarify if he heard him right.

“Yes? What are you saying, inheritance? Do you take me for a fool?… Try your joke elsewhere.”

Outside the tall Cerena Hotel, Matthias hung up the phone angrily and blocked the calling number after hearing the caller's exaggerated deception.

He looked around and saw the high-rise buildings which made him look like a small man.

Matthias chuckled at the ridiculousness that the man said. 

How ridiculous it really is! A man told him that he's going to inherit trillions of industries!

Is that even possible for an orphan like him? He’s not even inside any drama.

Laughing, Matthias concludes that it’s just another scamming system to take money from other people like himself. 

But what can they get from a poor college-sophomore like him who doesn’t even have a decent amount of savings? 

At best, they can only get a few hundreds from his part-time delivery service salary that he always ends up using all up for his daily expenses. 

Remembering his job, Matthias instantly looked at the takeout he’s holding.

Delivering! He still had takeout to deliver!

Matthias glanced at his worn watch.

Fuck! It's already twelve o'clock! He's going to be late for the delivery!

He rushed into the hotel in a hurry, like an Olympic sprint champion. Five minutes later, outside Room No. 1408, Matthias stood panting by the door.

But because this five-star hotel didn't allow him to take the lift for fear that he might offend those distinguished guests. Matthias had to climb the stairs there.

Tok! Tok!

He knocked on the door and a middle-aged man came to open the door quickly.

He wore only his boxers and had thin hair, looking like a potbellied manager of a company.

"Boy, what's wrong with you? You're already three minutes late! Your tip is gone." The middle-aged man's dissatisfied tone sounded in front of Matthias.

"Sorry, sir. I've tried my best, but..."

Matthias was explaining anxiously, but he stopped suddenly, looking straight at the beautiful figure behind the man beside the bed.

His eyes filled with shock and disbelief so that the takeout in his hand fell on the ground.

"Bastard! What are you doing? Are you Parkinson's?!"

"Aira???"

Roar of the man and the tentative inquiry of Matthias sounded at the same time.

Isn’t that Aira? His girlfriend.

What is she doing here?

On the other hand, Aira wasn’t expecting Matthias presence in the hotel either which made her jump out of the bed and cover her body. 

“M-matthias? This…uh I’m…”

“What are you doing here?” Matthias growled at her almost naked girlfriend.

“I’m drunk… I just asked for help and then he… him, uh… Mister…”

Matthias interrupted Aira from saying more of her nonsense. 

“Say no more, Aira,” he said with an obvious scowl on his face. “Do you expect me to believe that?” he asked, looking angrily at Aira and at the man.

Ashamed, Aira pursed her lips and walked behind the man, who opened the door. 

Matthias stared at the huge man again. 

“Bastard, what the heck are you doing? You dropped the food, bastard! Is that what customer service is about now? Huh?!,” the man said, flexing his yellow teeth that’s rotten from smoking too much.

Matthias did not answer the question and just looked down at the fried chicken and splattered sauce on the floor. 

Cheating? 

He glanced at Aira once more and chuckled, seeing her nervously hide behind the unknown man, Matthias snapped and shouted at her.

“Aira!” he blurts out, his hand forming a solid fist to contain the intense anger he's feeling towards his ‘lovely’ girlfriend.

“Is that the type of guy that you like?” Matthias said, smiling wryly that eventually turned into a creepy smirk. 

Aira tried to explain again, feigning an innocent face. “No. What are you saying? I’m…I’m…”

But Matthias won't believe it.  After all the effort and time that he gave her, he's placed aside without hesitation in front of wealth. 

“So, in the end, money is the only thing that can make you open up your legs,” he declared proudly.

“You always hate it when I try to touch you but for someone with money, you're willing to strip any time even if he's an old man,” he sarcastically said. “I bet you even f*cks with senior citizens.”

Stripped of shame and self-respect, Aira hugged the man in front of Matthias and started mocked his poor boyfriend. 

"It's your fault, don't you know?" she spat out. "You're poor and what you give me is just enough for me to have something inside my stomach."

"Bitch…" Matthias unconsciously muttered amidst the tension and Aira's sudden change. But aside from that intense anger, the pain that he's feeling from his tightening chest is more unbearable. 

Turning red from the comment, Aira slapped him continuously until the older man stopped her from hitting her boyfriend. 

“That’s enough, Aira. If you want to punch him then let me do the honor to discard this beggar–”

“No!” Aira interrupted. Then with ferocity, she faced Matthias again.

“This guy needs to know what he lacks and yes, it’s money,” she scoffed like a deranged millionaire. “The only thing that you have is that handsome face of yours,” she directly said to Matthias.

“Other than that, you were nothing but a beggar. And so what if I slept with someone older than me? At least that’s much better than to sing love with you in your worn down apartment. Hahaha, see how worthless you are? Compared to this man who owns a construction company, you’re just an insect to me, Matthias.”

Matthias clenched his jaw. “So, you have admitted your adultery with this…potbellied old man?” he said in astonishment. 

And as if to prove her point, Aira even kissed the irritated man in front of Matthias, adding more fuel to his burning anger. 

“Yes, Matthias. Because you don’t deserve me as much as this rich man deserves me,” Aira reasoned out as she lovingly touched the fat filled biceps of the man.

“Ha! What a mess. Of course that’s to be expected from a gold digger like you.”

Gritting his teeth, Matthias recalled the things that he did to satisfy Aira’s demand. “I even bought you that bag even though I need to take several jobs at the same time just because you wished for it. I paid for your fees first before my own, Aira. And you’re still not satisfied?”

Annoyed, Aira broke the hug from his new man to confront Matthias again. “I did not ask you to do that.”

“You did.”

“Well, is it my fault that you can’t afford those things?” Aira said with a smirk.  “First of all, haven’t you thought about it? Why would I date a cheap guy like you? Yes, you’re handsome but that’s the end of it. And I regret dating you just because you’re handsome. Having said that, let’s break up.”

Feeling satisfied with what he witnessed, the man spoke to Matthias with his bossy tone. “Heh, if you’re done, you can leave now,” he said and threw a couple of paper bills on the floor, directly to the spilled sauce. 

“And don’t come again unless you want me to call your boss to fire you. Your face makes me lose my appetite. Right, baby?” the man added as he pulled Aira closer to him.

Aira also smiled wickedly to her now ex-boyfriend Matthias, “But before that, please apologize to both of us for ruining our mood.”

“I won’t,” Matthias firmly said, still in a state of shock and confusion on what’s happening, along with the raging unexpressed anger he’s feeling. 

“Come on, it’s just a simple begging like what beggars like you should do,” Aira taunted.

Losing his last piece of rationality, Matthias quickly lunged to the couple to punch the man on his face.

But although the man backed away like a coward, Aira was quick enough to stop him and threaten him that she’ll call the security on Matthias.

Depressed, Matthias did not go back to the shop and went straight to his cheap apartment. Thinking back on what happened, a weak laugh escaped his mouth. 

Aira is correct. His small room is nothing even when compared to the room that man can rent in the hotel.

Slamming his body to his thin cushioned bed, Matthias closed his eyes and counted the days he wasted, chasing after Aira. 

He admits it. Aira did not only break his heart but his wallet as well since to gain her favor, he spent all of his hard-earned money on her, thinking that she’ll stay forever.

He’s in the middle of reminiscing about the sweet days with his ex-girlfriend when his phone suddenly beeped with a new notification that sent waves of shock to his already tired body.

“F-five million d-dollars?” he mumbled, unbelieving the amount of money that was deposited in his bank account.

His thoughts raced, trying to find the reason behind that notification. 

Is this a joke? Did someone enter a wrong account number?

He scratched his head and sighed frustratingly, when will this whirlwind of events end? He just wanted to rest.

But amidst that self-pitying and puzzlement, a loud knock on his door momentarily stopped his whole world.