Rise Of The Imprisoned Student

CH-5

The receptionist stood frozen.

Her mouth hung widely open.

Her eyes were locked on the screen of the machine as if she had suddenly forgotten how to breathe.

The crowd behind Alex was no different.

Everyone stood there in stunned silence.

Even Alex himself was shocked.

He stared at the screen again just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

800,000,000,000.00

Eight hundred billion dollars.

Alex blinked slowly.

“Eight hundred billion…?” he repeated in his mind.

For a moment he wondered if the machine was broken.

Or maybe he had entered the wrong PIN.

Or maybe—

No.

The number was still there.

Eight hundred billion dollars.

The machine had clearly announced it as well.

Behind him, the receptionist still hadn’t moved.

Her confident expression from earlier had completely disappeared.

The arrogance.

The mockery.

The sharp tongue.

Everything was gone.

Now she looked like someone who had just been struck by lightning.

Meanwhile the crowd that had been laughing a moment ago began whispering.

Their voices were no longer mocking.

Now they sounded confused.

Shocked.

Uneasy.

“What… did it say?”

“Eight hundred billion?”

“That’s impossible.”

One man rubbed his eyes and leaned forward to look again.

“Did the machine just say Eight hundred billion dollars?”

A woman who had earlier insulted Alex’s clothes now stared at him with disbelief.

“But… look at him.”

“He’s wearing a hoodie that looks like it survived a hurricane.”

Another man muttered nervously, “Maybe the machine made a mistake.”

Someone else quickly replied, “Machines in banks like this don’t make mistakes.”

More murmurs spread through the crowd.

“That means…”

“He actually has that money?”

“But how?”

A woman whispered loudly, “We were just mocking someone worth Eight hundred billion dollars.”

Another man swallowed nervously.

“That’s more money than most people in this city combined.”

Someone else added quietly, “The receptionist just insulted one of the richest men in the entire world.”

The whispers grew louder.

“You heard what she said earlier.”

“She told him he didn’t even have five hundred dollars.”

“She said he should search garbage bins for food.”

“God… she’s finished.”

At that moment, a sharp voice suddenly cut through the murmuring.

“What is going on here?!”

The crowd parted slightly.

A tall man in an expensive suit walked toward them with an annoyed expression.

It was the bank manager.

He looked around at the gathered crowd with irritation.

“I could hear shouting all the way from my office,” he said sternly. “What is the meaning of this disturbance?”

The receptionist was still too shocked to respond.

Before she could gather her thoughts—

Alex spoke calmly.

“I came here to withdraw some money,” he said.

The manager looked at him.

Then at his clothes.

His eyebrows frowned slightly.

But Alex continued speaking before the manager could say anything.

“However,” Alex said calmly, “your receptionist told me I was too small and too poor to bank here.”

The crowd shifted awkwardly.

Alex continued. “She said this bank only serves millionaires and that people like me shouldn’t even step inside.”

The manager turned slowly toward the receptionist.

Then his eyes moved to the machine screen.

The moment he saw the balance displayed there—

His eyes widened.

For a second he thought he was seeing things.

Eight hundred billion dollars.

His heart skipped a beat.

That number was absurd.

Even the wealthiest clients in the bank did not have even up to half of that amount. They didn't have that much.

The manager turned sharply toward the receptionist.

His face turned red with anger.

“Are you insane?!” he shouted.

The receptionist flinched violently. 

“How could you say someone with this amount of money is not worthy to bank with us?!” he roared.

The crowd stepped back nervously as his voice echoed through the hall.

“Do you even understand what you’ve done?!” He pointed angrily at the machine screen. “That amount is the largest balance in this entire bank!”

His voice grew even louder.

“No client here has anywhere close to that amount!”

The receptionist looked like she was about to cry.

“But— but I—”

“SHUT UP!” the manager shouted.

Before she could react—

SLAP!

His hand struck her across the face.

The sound echoed loudly through the bank hall.

The receptionist stumbled backward in shock.

Her cheek turned red instantly.

“You idiot!” the manager yelled furiously.

“You nearly drove away the most prestigious customer this bank has ever had!”

The crowd gasped.

The manager pointed angrily toward the exit. “Pack your things immediately and leave!”

The receptionist’s eyes widened in horror. 

“Y-you’re fired!” The manager’s voice was cold and merciless. “Get out before you destroy this bank’s reputation any further!”

Tears immediately filled the receptionist’s eyes.

She panicked.

“Manager please!” she cried desperately. “I’m sorry!”

She pointed weakly toward Alex. “I didn’t know he was this wealthy!”

Her voice trembled. “I judged by his clothes! I thought he was poor!” She wiped her tears quickly. “I thought someone dressed like that could never afford to bank here!”

Her voice broke. “But now I know I was wrong!” She bowed repeatedly. “Please manager!”

“Please don’t fire me!”

“I’m begging you!”

The manager looked coldly at her for a moment.

Then he spoke slowly. “There is only one way you can keep your job.”

The receptionist looked up with desperate hope.

“Apologize to him,” the manager said, pointing toward Alex. “And if he accepts your apology… you can stay.”

He crossed his arms.

“But if he refuses…” He stared at her coldly. “You’re finished.”

The receptionist immediately turned toward Alex.

Without hesitation—

She dropped to her knees.

The entire crowd gasped.

“I’m sorry!” she cried repeatedly. “Please forgive me!”

Her forehead almost touched the floor as she bowed. “I judged you wrongly! I spoke arrogantly! I insulted you!”

Her voice trembled with fear. “Please forgive me!”

She kept bowing over and over. “Please don’t destroy my career!”

The entire hall fell silent.

All eyes turned toward Alex.

Alex looked at her calmly.

Then after a moment he spoke. “Fine.”

The receptionist immediately looked up with hope.

“You can keep your job,” Alex said calmly.

Relief instantly flooded her face. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” she said repeatedly.

Alex then continued. “But prepare a withdrawal for me.”

“How much?” she asked quickly.

“One hundred thousand dollars,” Alex said.

The receptionist immediately jumped to her feet. “Yes! Right away!”

Her attitude had completely changed.

She rushed toward the counter so fast she nearly tripped.

Within minutes she returned with the money prepared.

She held it carefully with both hands.

“Sir… how would you like it packed?” she asked respectfully.

Alex shrugged slightly. “Put it in an envelope. In a way I can easily put it in my pocket.”

“Yes! Of course!” The receptionist nodded quickly. “Right away!”

She hurried again to prepare it properly.

When she returned, she handed the envelope to Alex with both hands like it was something sacred.

“Here you are, sir.”

Alex took the envelope calmly.

Meanwhile the crowd watched everything in stunned silence.

Their earlier arrogance had completely vanished.

The same people who had mocked him earlier now looked at him with disbelief.

“That man…”

“He really has Eight hundred billion.”

“And we just insulted him.”

One man whispered nervously, “I called him a beggar earlier.”

Another woman muttered quietly, “I told him to search garbage bins.”

The crowd slowly stepped aside.

They created a path.

No one dared block his way.

Alex simply walked forward calmly.

The crowd parted silently as he walked toward the entrance of the bank.