2026-01-01 00:24:48The moment Nathan Rhodes’ body hit the cold marble floor, the entire hall erupted into chaos.
Gasps rippled through the restaurant. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Chairs scraped against the floor as people stood to see what had happened. Some thought it was a prank. Others assumed it was a medical condition. No one—absolutely no one—connected his collapse to the figures they had just heard being thrown around so casually.
The ladies were the first to react.
“Oh my God!” Bella exclaimed, standing up abruptly.
“What happened to him?” Ava asked, frowning.“Is he okay?” Melody added, though her tone carried more curiosity than concern.Amelia froze for a split second.
Her heart skipped—not out of worry, but out of shock. This wasn’t part of any plan she had imagined. She hadn’t expected Nathan to actually collapse.
“Help him up,” she said quickly, waving at the waiter. “Bring him to the lounge.”
The waiter and two security staff hurried over. With practiced efficiency, they lifted Nathan’s limp body and carried him into the exclusive VIP lounge, laying him carefully on one of the plush leather sofas. Someone brought a glass of water. Another waiter sprinkled water gently on his face.
“Hey… hey… wake up,” Bella urged impatiently.
Nathan groaned.
His eyelids fluttered.
For a brief, blissful second, he thought he was waking up from a nightmare.
His head throbbed. His chest felt tight. His heart pounded so loudly he could hear it in his ears. He swallowed and forced his eyes open, half-expecting to find himself back at his small apartment, staring at the cracked ceiling, realizing that everything—Glasgow Diner, the outrageous prices, Amelia’s friends, the million-dollar wine—had all been a terrible dream.
If it was a dream, he would cancel the date immediately. He would call Amelia and make up an excuse. He would never step foot in a place like this again.
But reality was cruel.
The first thing he saw was Bella’s perfectly contoured face. Then Ava’s sharp eyes. Then Melody’s bored expression.
And finally… Amelia.
She stood there with her arms crossed, her face filled with curiosity and mild annoyance rather than concern.
Nathan’s heart sank.
It wasn’t a dream.
His gaze drifted away from their faces, and that was when he saw the table.
Five bottles.
Not three.
Five massive bottles of Château Cheval Blanc 1947, each resting in silver ice buckets, condensation dripping slowly down the glass like mocking tears.
Nathan’s pupils dilated.
Five bottles.
That meant…
$2.5 million.
Just for wine.
His breathing grew erratic.
“What happened to you?” Amelia asked, tilting her head. “Why did you faint?”
Nathan opened his mouth to speak—but no sound came out. His throat felt locked. His heart was still racing far too fast.
Ava let out a laugh. “Please tell me he didn’t faint because of the bill.”
Bella chuckled. “That can’t be it. Amelia wouldn’t be dating a pauper, would she?”
The words stabbed Nathan like knives.
Melody crossed her legs leisurely. “Honestly, I’ve never even heard of him before. And I know everyone on campus. At ESU, you’re either a multimillionaire heir or a multibillionaire heir.”
She leaned forward slightly, studying Nathan. “He must be one of those low-profile heirs who don’t like attention.”
Nathan’s mind screamed.
‘No. I’m not. I’m nothing like that.’
Amelia felt her stomach twist.
She knew the truth.
She knew Nathan was poor. She knew he survived by running errands for rich students, carrying bags, fetching coffee, doing homework assistance for pay. She knew the only reason he survived at ESU was because of his scholarship and those errands.
Shame washed over her.
If only she hadn’t invited her friends.
If only she hadn’t tried to show off.
But she wasn’t about to take the fall for this.
Not in front of Bella. Not in front of Ava. And certainly not in front of Melody.
So she smiled.
“Yes,” Amelia said calmly. “Nathan told me before that he’s one of those silent billionaire heirs. He doesn’t like flaunting his wealth.”
Nathan’s head snapped toward her.
What?
When did he ever say that?
Amelia leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “Didn’t you, baby?”
Nathan felt his entire body go cold.
She straightened and turned to her friends. “Just watch. You’ll see how rich my boyfriend really is.”
Then she waved her hand. “Call the celebrity chef. And bring the bills. Let him clear everything immediately.”
Nathan’s ears rang.
In that instant, he understood.
This was a setup.
Amelia never intended for him to survive this.
Once he failed to pay, she would play the victim. She would accuse him of lying, of scamming her. She would cry. She would gain sympathy. And he would be labeled a fraud—maybe even arrested.
She would walk away clean.
Brilliant.
Cruel.
And devastating.
The doors opened, and the celebrity chef entered to thunderous applause. The atmosphere turned celebratory. The manager followed closely behind, holding a sleek tablet containing the final bill.
More appetizers were served. Expensive ones. Nathan didn’t even dare ask their prices.
The total had already climbed far beyond what he had calculated before collapsing.
The manager stepped forward, smiling professionally.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said respectfully, “thank you for choosing Glasgow Diner. It is our honor to serve such distinguished guests. We promise you the finest experience.”
Nathan didn’t hear a word.
His mind was stuck on Amelia’s lie.
Why would she do this?
Was I just a stepping stone?For the first time since they started dating, he truly saw her—not the gentle girl who smiled shyly at him in the library, not the one who laughed at his jokes—but a woman who was willing to destroy him to protect herself.
The manager tapped his shoulder gently.
“Sir,” he said politely, presenting the bill. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Nathan took the tablet with trembling hands.
He didn’t want to look.
He wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
But there was no escape.
He looked.
$8,943,600.
His vision went white.
His heart skipped violently. His chest tightened to the point of pain. For a moment, he truly believed he might die.
The manager smiled patiently. “How would you like to make your payment, sir?”
Nathan’s hands shook as he pulled out his card.
This was his last hope.
A miracle.
Anything.
He handed the card over silently.
The manager swiped it.
BEEP.
The receipt printed.
Insufficient funds.
The manager frowned slightly. “Let me try again.”
He swiped it again.
BEEP.
Still insufficient.
The ladies exchanged glances.
“What’s taking so long?” Bella asked.
“Is there a problem?” Ava demanded coolly.
The manager turned back to Nathan. “Sir, do you have another card? Perhaps you handed me the wrong one.”
Nathan swallowed hard. “That… that’s my only card.”
The manager hesitated, then checked the account balance manually.
His expression changed instantly.
Shock flashed across his professional mask.
“There’s… only twenty thousand dollars in this account.”
Silence.
The manager’s fingers moved again as he checked the account history.
Then his face darkened.
“Sir,” he said slowly, “this is a student account. Since it was opened four years ago, the total amount that has ever entered this account is under fifty thousand dollars. It cannot even receive more than one hundred thousand dollars.”
He looked up sharply.
“You are not wealthy.”
The words echoed like a death sentence.
The manager turned to the ladies and explained everything.
Their expressions shifted—from surprise… to disbelief… to disgust.
Bella scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Ava narrowed her eyes. “So what is this? A scam?”
The manager turned back to Nathan. “Why would you do something like this? Are you a criminal?”
Nathan’s voice trembled. “I—I planned a twenty-thousand-dollar dinner. Just for me and my girlfriend. I didn’t know… I didn’t expect…”
Before he could finish, Amelia gasped loudly.
“What?” she cried. “Twenty thousand?”
She covered her mouth, tears forming instantly. “Nathan… you scammed me?”
Nathan stared at her, stunned.
She continued crying. “You told me you were rich. You told me to invite my friends so you could spoil us! I trusted you!”
Her acting was flawless.
Everyone believed her.
Nathan shook his head frantically. “No! That’s not true!”
No one listened.
Ava stepped forward coldly. “This is fraud.”
She turned to the manager. “Call the police. Have him arrested immediately.”
Security moved in at once.
Melody pulled out her phone casually. “Don’t worry, Amelia. I’ll introduce you to my brother. Michael.”
Amelia’s breath hitched.
Michael.
Everyone knew Michael.
One of the biggest ballers on campus. Rich, powerful, untouchable.
Melody dialed. “Hey, bro. I’ve got a situation. Clear a bill for me and I’ll introduce you to that girl you’ve been asking about.”
Amelia blushed.
Nathan watched her.
Blushing.
For another man.
After condemning him.
He struggled against the guards. “Amelia… why?”
She walked up to him and slapped him hard across the face.
“Don’t ever mention my name with your filthy mouth again,” she hissed.
Tears streamed down Nathan’s face.
She leaned in and whispered coldly, “I’ve been looking for a way to get rid of you. I need a man worthy of me. Someone like Michael.”
Then she straightened.
“Take him away.”
The guards dragged Nathan toward the security room.
His phone buzzed violently in his pocket.
Calls.
Messages.
He couldn’t answer.
All he could do was cry.
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Chapter 163
The family mansion of the Lee Family wax gated and fenced by wrought-iron gates, that swung open as Melody’s town car rolled up the long driveway that led to the building. She was exhausted from another long day at Cloven Tower, reviewing Helping Hand cutbacks, and sitting through strategy meetings, pretending she didn’t feel the weight of every executive’s side-eye that was given to her. The last thing she wanted was more drama. But drama, was one thing that would always be waiting for her.Just before her, although she hadn't seen it before, a sleek black Lamborghini Urus was already parked at the top of the steps, with the engine still ticking as it cooled. Michael leaned against the hood, with arms crossed, and sunglasses pushed up into his perfectly styled black hair. The moment her car stopped he straightened, and a cruel smile curled his lips.Melody stepped out and started walking toward the grand entrance without a word, her heels clicking on the marble path as she stroll
Chapter 162
The visitation room felt smaller than it really was in reality. The thick glass between the two women did nothing to dull the hostility radiating from Icel’s side of the glass. Amelia gripped the black phone receiver tighter, her knuckles becoming whiter. She had come here for answers, and not games, but Icel was clearly enjoying herself with everything that was going on.She leaned closer to the glass, her orange jumpsuit hanging loose on her thin hour glass frame. “Why do you even want to know who owns DodgerCoin, princess?” she asked, with a voice dripping with mock sweetness. “And while we’re at it, what businesses are you into these days? Are you still trying to climb the same ladder that kicked you off?"Amelia’s jaw tightened. “It’s a private matter," she said. "You really don’t need to know.”Icel’s smile turned malicious, curving slowly and sharp like a blade sliding from the sheath it had been hidden in. “If it’s so private, then keep it to yourself. Don’t come crawling into
Chapter 161
Three days had passed since the merger papers between Cloven and the Lee enterprise were signed, and ESU campus felt different for some reason The whispers in the hallways had turned into those of open speculation. Students who at one point mocked Nathan Rhodes now watched him with a mix of awe and caution, there was something almost godlike to them.The Pauper King had swallowed one of the greatest family empires in the city, and everyone could feel the shift in power that had come of it. Students were uncertain of what would happen next, and so it was about this time, this exact moment, that Michael chose make his entrance.A sleek black Lamborghini Urus roared through the main gates of ESU, with security guards watching in awe as the chrome wheels gleamed under the morning sun. Heads turned instantly. Girls clustered near the steps of the business building let out excited cheers and whistles as the car cruised slowly past them in all of its glory.Michael sat behind the wheel in
Chapter 160
The trap house felt strangely smaller tonight to Michael. The air was thicker, and heavier. Above them fluorescent bulbs buzzed with insects if varied shape and sizes flying close to it, and some of them even dying from going too close, as the lights casted harsh shadows across the stained concrete walls. The chemical stench was still in the air. An acrid smell of burnt plastic, bleach and a ton of other things too numerous to mention, clung to every breath Michael Lee took in, burning the Inside of his nose. He was still not used to this life. His palms were slick with sweat as he stood at the round table, staring at a burner phone Caesar had just slid across the scarred wood.Caesar leaned back in his chair, with his prosthetic arm glinting under the light from the flouroscent bulb. The scar on his face twisted when he smiled. “Listen carefully, Michael and all of you. From here on, there’s no going back. Once the money moves from you, you’re blood in. There are no refunds, and e
Chapter 159
In a penthouse overlooking Central Park in all its beauty, one was supposed to feel like they had just won something glorious, something ever lasting, a victory like no other. Instead, Amelia Frank paced over the marble floor like she was a caged animal in heat, while the seven beautiful vixens lounged on the cream sofas that were across the living room of the penthouse. Donna, Avery, Gene, Golden, Bella, Rene, and Chloe watched her with a mixture of amusement and boredom, they lips looking like they were they were just a little push away from laughing disastrously.They had grown closer in the last weeks with Amelia, bonded by a single thread that still held them together: every one of them still felt that they had been betrayed in some way by Nathan.“I still can’t believe it,” Amelia spat, voice sharp enough to cut the glass that framed the high floor to ceiling windows. “The one person that I thought would never break, the one person who I thought hated Nathan the most, just han
Chapter 158
The hallway outside the business wing of ESU was filled up with whisperes from the students all clustered in various groups, as they stood with their phones out, and their voices low but with that same excitement that characterized gossiping students, especially with the recent news that was pervading across all walls of the school and beyond. “Did you see? The Lees folded. Cloven owns everything now," one student said with an electrifying tone to his voice. It almost seemed like the news was the best thing ever. "Those damn Lees would surely have their tails under their legs in school, wouldn't they?" “The Pauper King just swallowed another empire," another student said to his own group. "That Nathan is not slowing down isn't it? He is like a moving train, you better get off the way or get knocked into a sea of sharks. Loan sharks. Get it?" He laughed. His other friends thought he was being corny, yet laughed as well.Meanwhile, Melody kept her head high and her pace steady as alwa
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