2025-05-13 16:56:36The news spread like wildfire. “The beggar is back.” That’s what the school forums, gossip groups, and anonymous message boards all titled their threads. Every student with a phone had either seen the Clorox Bar video or heard about it. Max, bloodied and humiliated. Max, the delivery boy who dared to touch Gina. Max, now mysteriously back on campus.
No one expected him to return, not after that night. They all thought he was injured, or just maybe he was dead.
Yet there he stood, outside his dormitory door, his hand still on the bell after pressing it twice.
The door creaked open slowly.
“Max?” Roland’s voice broke into a whisper, shocked like he was seeing a ghost. “Bro! Where have you been?” Roland grabbed him by the shoulder, looking him over with wide, anxious eyes. “You look like hell.”
Max chuckled weakly. “Feels like it too.”
Roland pulled him in immediately, slamming the door shut behind him. “Man, I was going crazy. I called the hospital, the police—I even thought of calling Sister Grace from the orphanage.”
Just then, the sound of tires screeched outside the dormitory window. Sarah Vernon’s red BMW convertible parked hastily. Trisha Macy climbed out from the passenger side, both girls nearly tripping over each other in their rush up the steps. Moments later, the door flew open.
“MAX!” Trisha gasped, running straight to him, throwing her arms around his neck.
Sarah stood in the doorway, hands on hips. “You had better have a damn good reason for going ghost on us.” But there was a trace of relief in her voice.
Max sat down heavily on the couch as Roland, Sarah, and Trisha all gathered around.
“I—I was just tired of everything,” Max said. “Needed some space. I didn’t mean to scare you all.”
Sarah folded her arms. “We warned you about Gina. Told you she was a social climber. Told you she didn’t care.”
“I know,” Max said, eyes low. “You were right.”
“Well, no more gloom,” Sarah declared, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get you out. Clear your head. There’s a new Italian fusion restaurant that opened near the East Wing. Our treat.”
“No arguments,” Roland said, pulling Max to his feet.
They arrived at La D’Argento, one of the most expensive restaurants near campus. With glass-paneled walls, velvet chairs, and classical music playing in the background, it was where only the rich or bold dared to dine.
Just as their food arrived, the peace was shattered.
Jerry McCormick strode in like he owned the place, Nicolas Herrera and Arnold Bricks trailing behind him like hyenas. Jerry’s smirk widened when he saw Max seated near the window.
“WELL, WELL, if it isn’t the campus clown!” Jerry barked loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. “Back from your tragic little adventure? Or did you finally find a trash can cozy enough to sleep in?”
Max flinched but said nothing.
Jerry strolled to their table, arms spread in mock joy. “Ladies and gents, allow me to reintroduce Max—future Employee of the Month at Clorox bar.”
Snickers rose from a nearby table. Sarah's eyes narrowed.
“Didn’t you hear?” Jerry continued, spinning theatrically. “Our poor Max here was planning a grand gesture for the queen herself, Gina—yes, Gina! But he couldn’t even afford a decent handbag. Imagine!”
Then he pointed out the window.
“Take a look, Max. That’s what a real man looks like.”
Outside, Ethan sat on a shimmering Ducati bike, Gina pressed against him, both of them laughing while feeding each other ice cream. Cameras flashed as students passed by.
Sarah’s hands clenched under the table. “You’re sick,” she hissed.
“And now,” Jerry continued, “for the big reveal—let me introduce the legend himself!” He swept his hand dramatically toward Arnold Bricks. “Arnold Bricks! The heir to the Bricks fortune. Six international business awards, four national ones. His family is worth six hundred million dollars and he is worth over a hundred million dollars before the age of twenty-five.”
Nicolas leaned in, glowing with pride. “He’s the real deal. The next Elon Musk. Only sexier and richer.”
Roland rolled his eyes. “And what does this have to do with us?”
“EVERYTHING!” Jerry shouted. “Because Mr. Bricks here has decided to add a new treasure to his collection—Sarah Vernon.”
Everyone at the table turned toward Sarah, her face frozen in disbelief.
Arnold gave a lazy smile, licking his lips as though savoring something. “I’ve liked every post you’ve made for the past eleven months, Sarah. I even commented fire emojis. Didn’t you notice?”
Sarah gasped. “Wait—you’re that Arnold Bricks? The stalker from F******k? The one who said I looked ‘edible in red’? The one leaving those nasty comments about my boobs?”
Arnold laughed. “Guilty.”
Nicolas grinned and leaned into Max. “And guess what? Jerry here demanded a hundred grand from Arnold in exchange for helping him get Sarah. And Arnold paid. Up front”
Sarah’s mouth fell open. “You what?”
Jerry shrugged. “What? It’s business. And besides, now that we’re being honest, I was also the one who got Max fired.”
Max’s jaw tightened.
“I called your boss, Mr. Brandon. Told him you were unstable, potentially violent. And I arranged the delivery to Clorox bar myself. I personally requested you delivered it. I Wanted you to walk right into it.” Jerry chuckled. “All for entertainment. And now look at you—back to zero.”
The table was dead silent.
Until Roland exploded.
“You arrogant little parasite—!”
“Careful, Roland,” Jerry cut in with a sneer. “I could have you both thrown out of this school with a single phone call. You forget whose son I am?”
Sarah stood up, her voice cold as ice. “And you forget who our fathers are, Jerry. The Vernons and Macys donate over fifteen million annually to this institution. Don’t think you’re untouchable.”
Jerry waved her off. “Money talks. And Arnold’s willing to talk louder.”
Arnold leaned forward. “I’ll donate twenty-five million to this school—if Sarah agrees to date me.”
The entire restaurant seemed to pause.
Twenty-five million.
Even Jerry looked stunned.
Sarah stared at him. “You think you can buy people like…like…”
“Yes,” Arnold said simply. “Everyone has a price. Even you. And am willing to pay”
Jerry recovered quickly. “In fact, I’ll make the call now.” He pulled out his phone, dialing his father. “Let’s see if he agrees that this kind of generosity deserves a little… persuasion.”
Before he could hit ‘Call,’ Trisha stood up.
“You’re a disgrace, Jerry. And you too, Arnold. You think all women are objects you can bid for.”
“I’m just saying,” Jerry said with a smug smile, “if persuasion doesn’t work, Nigeria’s got voodoo. I hear the Igbo people there make love potions stronger than anything here. I’ll fly there myself if I have to.”
There was a loud gasp from a table nearby.
Roland stood up slowly, his body trembling—not from fear, but fury.
“That’s enough.”
Jerry turned to him with amusement. “What’s the beggar friend gonna do now? Cry?”
Jerry laughed. “Oh yeah? What are you gonna do?”
Roland boiled with anger but Trisha advised him to keep calm.
“Yeah
, boy. Keep calm!” Jerry added and proceeded to call his father.
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Chapter 10
Jacob scoffed so loudly it echoed through the entire room. The sound was mocking, theatrical. He leaned back on his chair, arms spread across its back like he owned the place. “Come on,” he said, his eyes darting around the room for validation, “you don’t expect us to believe that is a real Class 3X bag, do you?”Everyone’s attention shifted back to Max, who stood quietly beside Trisha, holding the now-unwrapped bag. The lights gleamed against its metallic accents, but the room was caught in a strange silence, waiting for someone else to say something.“Let’s be real,” Jacob continued, standing up this time, feeding off the silent tension. “You can get a fake copy for what—ninety bucks? Maybe less if you know the right streets.”Low laughter trickled around the hall.Max didn’t move. His eyes stayed low. The rain had stopped, but the wetness on his shoulders had soaked into the air around him.Trisha stepped forward. “Jacob, shut up.”It was sharp. Everyone turned toward her now.“I d
Chapter 9
Trisha’s heels tapped nervously against the marble floor. The party was in full swing, glittering lights reflecting off champagne flutes, laughter bouncing across the tastefully decorated event hall—but her mind was elsewhere.She stared down at her phone for the fifteenth time in ten minutes.No reply.No call.No Max.She frowned and dropped the phone on the table beside her. The anxiety clawed at her chest. Max wasn’t just a friend. He was different—sincere, pure, and honest in a way most people weren’t. She had expected him to be there early, maybe even waiting for her at the door with one of those shy smiles and a gift wrapped in paper too modest for the grand venue.Instead, she was met with silence.“Sarah,” she called. “Have you seen Max?”Sarah, dressed in a midnight blue gown, shook her head. “Not since class this morning.”“Roland?”Roland looked up from his seat, a glass of orange juice in hand. “Nope. Nothing.”Trisha sighed and adjusted the sash of her peach-colored gown
Chapter 8
Andrew emerged from the deputy manager’s office, grinning with pride. The deputy had promised him that the contract was as good as signed. With the change in Apex Imperium’s management, Andrew had seen an opening to squeeze his way in. He believed his charm and the deputy manager’s loyalty had secured his deal.“The new CEO signs it this morning,” the deputy had said. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s your contract—no one else’s.”Andrew strutted out of the office like he owned the building. He didn’t notice that, a few floors above, someone else was finalizing more significant documents than a mere contract. Max, still slightly rattled from his earlier encounter with the guards, was seated inside the manager’s office, pen in hand. His signature flowed across the pages: contract after contract, deal after deal. He was now officially the CEO of Apex Imperium, inheriting the Luckey family’s empire in full swing.Dorothy, the general manager, sat across from him with a professional smile
Chapter 7
The night breeze rustled lightly against the fabric of Trisha’s dress as the group strolled toward Sarah’s car. Their laughter still echoed faintly from the events inside the club, especially from the sight of Arnold—once the uncontested peacock of the campus—reduced to a janitor wielding a mop in shame. Trisha had even joked that someone should paint the scene and auction it off as a symbol of poetic justice.As they neared the car, Trisha’s phone vibrated. She instinctively pulled it out of her designer clutch, still riding the wave of amusement from the night. But the moment her eyes scanned the screen, the laughter died in her throat. Her expression soured.Sarah immediately noticed. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice lined with concern.Trisha swallowed, holding up the phone for them to see. “It’s the Fashion Class 3X bag,” she said in a low voice. “It’s... gone. Out of stock.”Max, Roland, and Sarah looked at each other, puzzled.“Out of stock?” Sarah echoed. “But I thought yo
Chapter 6
The moment Max’s voice cut through the music and murmurs, it was as though the entire club paused. Arnold slowly turned to face him, his eyes squinting in disbelief, as though he couldn’t quite process what had just been said.“What did you just say?” Arnold asked, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but his face betrayed his rising fury. Red crept up his neck and into his cheeks like boiling water.Max didn’t flinch. “I said it’s never going to happen.”The audacity of the statement sent a wave of gasps through the room. Even the DJ momentarily lowered the volume. All eyes were now on the two men—one, a self-declared king of the club, the other, a boy who had just spat in the face of that kingdom.Arnold’s jaw twitched. “Who the hell do you think you are?” he barked, his voice rising, teeth clenched.He turned to the rest of the room, arms outstretched. “Look at this fool,” he said with a twisted grin, trying to save face. “This nobody dares challenge me? ME?”He turned sharply bac
Chapter 5
The atmosphere in the restaurant was unnervingly quiet, so much so that it felt like no one else existed within its polished walls. The soft hum of ambient jazz from the ceiling speakers barely registered; even the waitstaff moved silently, gliding past with practiced grace as though trying not to disturb a funeral.At a round table tucked into a dimly lit corner, four students sat in heavy silence.Sarah and Trisha exchanged panicked glances, their hands clutching their phones like lifelines. Each glance at the screen reminded them how little time they had left—just two hours. That was all it would take for their entire world to fall apart. Everything they had built—status, friends, power—would be gone. With one phone call, Arnold Brick could dismantle their family influence like it was nothing but a sandcastle before the tide.“I can’t believe it’s come to this,” Sarah said quietly, her voice shaking. “Two hours, Trish. That’s all we have.”Trisha nodded, biting her lip. “He’s reall
Chapter 4
Dr. McCormick arrived at the restaurant less than ten minutes after receiving Jerry’s call. He burst in with urgency, his face tight with concern—but not for the right reasons. His suit jacket flapped as he made his way to the table where his son stood waiting, surrounded by Sarah, Trisha, Max, Roland, and, at the head of the table, Arnold Brick.“What’s going on here?” Dr. McCormick asked, eyes scanning the tense group.Jerry stepped forward with a satisfied grin. “Dad, you’re not going to believe this—Arnold Brick here just made an offer that could change the fate of the school.”Arnold didn’t rise, but he gave a nod of acknowledgement and crossed one leg over the other, calm and composed.Jerry continued, “He’s offering twenty-five million dollars to the school’s account. But there’s a condition. Sarah has to agree to date him.”Dr. McCormick raised his brows, taking a moment to process. “Twenty-five million?”Arnold clarified, “A wire transfer. Straight to the school's development
Chapter 3
The news spread like wildfire. “The beggar is back.” That’s what the school forums, gossip groups, and anonymous message boards all titled their threads. Every student with a phone had either seen the Clorox Bar video or heard about it. Max, bloodied and humiliated. Max, the delivery boy who dared to touch Gina. Max, now mysteriously back on campus.No one expected him to return, not after that night. They all thought he was injured, or just maybe he was dead.Yet there he stood, outside his dormitory door, his hand still on the bell after pressing it twice.The door creaked open slowly.“Max?” Roland’s voice broke into a whisper, shocked like he was seeing a ghost. “Bro! Where have you been?” Roland grabbed him by the shoulder, looking him over with wide, anxious eyes. “You look like hell.”Max chuckled weakly. “Feels like it too.”Roland pulled him in immediately, slamming the door shut behind him. “Man, I was going crazy. I called the hospital, the police—I even thought of calling
Chapter 2
The screen of Max’s cracked phone glowed dimly in the rain-soaked darkness, its light flickering like a dying star. It buzzed again in his trembling hand, the name Mr. Brandon blinking on the caller ID. With everything inside him screaming, aching, breaking, Max answered.“MAX!” The voice on the other end exploded with fury.“I…I delivered the…”“Don’t talk, just listen.” Mr. Brandon’s voice was sharp and cold. “What the hell did you do? The client’s furious. He said the package was smeared, bent, and you were late! He left a one-star review, called you ‘the definition of street trash’ and ‘a bumbling lowlife. Worst of all you punched our client?’ Max… that was a premium client. Our biggest. You just ruined our reputation for a damn package.”Max remained silent, water dripping down his brow and into his bruised eye.“You’re fired. Do not come back. Ever.”The call ended.Just like that, the little stability Max had left was gone. He stood still for a moment under the relentless rain.
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