CHAPTER ONE

Maximillian was a student at Paranova University, the most popular university in Rumblet City. He was one of the lucky ones who could get into the elite university because of his intelligence. Even so, he was not special because his background was unlike any other student there.

Maximillian was an orphan, he lived in an orphanage and was poor. When he entered Paranova, he decided to leave the orphanage and live on his own. He worked part-time to support himself, even though it was exhausting.

"Thank you." Said Max afer he gave the delivery order to his customer. "No problem. Are you the new delivery boy?"

"Yes, I am. I've only been working at Ostin Restaurant for a week." "What's your name?"

"Max."

"Okay, Max. Get used to the atmosphere of this place. Gym customers usually order food from where you work."

"Yes, sir." Max smiled as the tall, fit man and left. "Looks like he's the owner of this gym. He's nice and friendly." Max was happy. For a poor man like him, being treated well by people was a special thing. He appreciated everyone who treated him well, even though he was often looked down upon for being poor and orphaned.

Max walked out of the gym to deliver his next order, but he stopped when he heard a familiar voice. Max turned around and his eyes locked onto a woman walking past him with a man he also recognized.

"Tiffany?" Max squinted, making sure he wasn't mistaken. He followed the petite woman to the lat pulldown machine.

Max wanted to go over and say hello to Tiffany, his girlfriend, but he stopped with widened eyes when he saw Tiffany and the man kissing briefly. The look in their eyes told him what kind of relationship they had, how they felt about each other.

"Tiff?" Max called out to Tiffany and the woman was surprised to see Max's presence. "Max? What are you doing here?"

"I was working and saw you here, but you came in with Zaco and... kissed? No, you kissed him?" Tiffany looked at Zaco as if talking to him. Then she replied to Max with, "Yes, I kissed him." "But why? You're my girlfriend, Tiffany."

"Yes, and then?"

"And then? Are you allowed to kiss other guys as long as you have a boyfriend?"

"Why not? Did I sign a contract not to kiss other men while being your girlfriend?" Tiffany asked back more boldly, as if she didn't feel guilty and it made Max dumbfounded. " Anyway, Max, I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time. Let's break up."

"What?"

"Didn't you hear? We're breaking up! I like Zaco and I want to be with him." "But why? We were fine yesterday, why do you suddenly want to break up?"

"You are the only one who thinks we were fine, but I don't. Do you know what it's like to be your girlfriend for six months? It's suffocating!" Tiffany said, looking at Max very coldly. "You know who you are, right? You even got into Paranova at the pity of the foundation."

"I got into Paranova on a scholarship! And I fought hard for that scholarship!"

"Yes, in the end scholarship is just a nicer word to called donation. Get over it, realize who you are. You don't deserve me!"

Max was hurt, but he loved Tiffany very much. "What do you like about Zaco?" Max asked, making Tiffany almost laugh at him.

"What do I like about Zaco? Do you realize what you're asking?"

"I mean, Zaco is popular, he's also the quarterback of the town football club, but he's a playboy! He can't be as loyal to you as I am!"

"F*ck loyalty, what I want is to date a handsome, rich and popular man, and you don't even fulfill a single point! You idiot!"

Max saw Zaco silently laughing at him, which made him even more annoyed and held back Tiffany who was about to leave.

"Tiff, you can't do this to me! I love you! I would do anything for you! I'd be handsome, rich and popular for you!"

"Haha!" Tiffany laughed, getting louder and sounding distinctly mocking. "You even have trouble just to make sure what food you’re gonna eat for tonight, Max, forget about your dreams of being with me. You're dreaming too high, that's not good either."

Tiffany swatted Max's hand away. "Also, I asked you out on a date because it was a bet," Tiffany said, leaving Max stunned and in complete shock. "I had to date you for a month, but amazingly, we lasted six months.

Don't get it wrong, I never liked you. I kept you because you were fun to watch, like a dog that craves affection and follows its master around just for a pet."

Tiffany hugged Zaco's muscular body and left Max, but out of annoyance, Max ran over and pulled Tiffany's hand.

"Hey, let go!" Tiffany said, but Max was very upset and hurt. "I won't let you go, Tiff, even if I die."

"Then die!" Max took a few steps back as Zaco pulled him off Tiffany and punched him in the face. "Stop bothering my lover, you bigot!"

"She's my girlfriend!" retorted Max, standing up and fighting back, but Zaco was very good at fighting. He dodged Max's weak punches and punched Max's nose until it bled.

"Was my punch not hard enough to wake you up?" asked Zaco, "then take it from here!" Zaco attacked Max with several hard punches, leaving Max cornered and people started running to stop them.

But just as the gym owner arrived and was about to restrain Zaco, the man first gave Max a punch so hard that Max fell and hit the metal lats pulldown machine behind him.

Max was lying on the floor and his vision was blurry. He heard Tiffany's panicked voice, and people came to help him.

"Hey, is that blood?" "Yes, it's blood!"

"Hurry and call an ambulance or he'll die!"

Just as he was about to close his eyes, Max saw Tiffany who greeted Zaco with a tight hug as if to protect him. Even though Max was about to die here, Tiffany was still protecting the real villain.

The pain in his heart even outweighed the pain in Max's head right now.