The Charismatic Student Heir

007

The lobby exploded with whispers the moment everyone noticed Marcus from Jane's screech. Heads snapped toward him, eyes narrowing, mouths curling.

“Is that Marcus?”

“He looks like he crawled out of the gutter.”

“Why’s he here? Broke people shouldn’t enter this place.”

“Maybe he came to beg for leftovers.”

Laughter rolled through the room, sharp and cruel. Phones tilted toward him like they were recording a wild animal.

A girl even hissed, “Someone call security. Poverty is contagious.”

Marcus clenched his jaw but kept walking. He didn’t look left or right.

He wasn’t here for drama. He wasn’t here for anybody.

He just wanted breakfast and quiet.

But the universe hated him today.

Fred swallowed hard. His fear lasted all of two seconds before he smothered it with arrogance. His shoulders lifted, and that sinister smirk came crawling back onto his lips.

“Well,” he said, licking his teeth, “seems the universe forgot to take out its trash.”

She let out a slow, amused laugh.

“Wow,” she sneered. “I am quite impressed how you survived though, you long stance fighting with life must have built in some die hard resistance."

More whispers and the mocking laughter from the crowd increased.

Marcus kept his face blank, even as the insults crawled under his skin like ants but he didn't bother.

He was no longer the bothered by their low condescending mockery. Not when his status had changed from what it used to be

Fred’s grin widened, wicked and cold.

“Marcus,” he called out loudly, “did the thugs forget to break your neck? I paid good money for that.”

The class erupted, some clapped, some whistled and some recorded.

He wasn't even ashamed to state his crime in public because his father was rich and the justice system bent to their will.

Just like he had attacked another student and nothing had being done about it. Or even when he was driving drug and almost killed somebody.

Jane stepped a little forward, smirking like a proud villain.

“Look at you,” she said. “Still breathing. Still useless. Still poor.”

Marcus didn’t reply. He just wanted to walk away. But Jane wasn’t done destroying him.

“Stop,” she snapped, eyes narrowing. “Where do you think you’re going? I'm not done with you.

You survived fine, but that doesn't explain why you are here. And you have just a few seconds to do that before you're thrown out!" She sneered.

He sighed, tired. “I came to eat. That’s all. Should it bother you?”

The room went silent for one sharp second, then everyone burst into louder laughter.

“You?”

“Here?”

“To eat?”

“Does he even know how much a bottle of water costs here?”

A guy cackled, slapping his table. “The lowest meal here is a thousand dollars! Brokie must be delusional!”

"He must have hit his head so hard last night to think that this's another regular one dollar noddles shop."

While the laughter peaked, the hotel manager rushed in, sweating, excited.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies for the disturbance!” he announced. “This entire restaurant has been reserved by a private VIP company. Their boss wants a quiet morning.”

Everyone turned to Fred.

His expensive clothes.

His Rolex.

His smug posture.

The manager didn’t even ask questions or check the details that bad being sent to him.

He ran straight to Fred and bowed.

Fred was the most luxurious looking amongst everything there and was the only one that looked like they could afford such luxery. And from the way that everyone spoke, his family definitely had connections.

“Sir, welcome! We’ve prepared everything. Your breakfast, your wine, your privacy. Please forgive us, we didn’t recognize you immediately.”

The room lit up with admiration.

“Fred?! A VIP?!”

“Knew it!”

“Boss Fred!”

“He’s a king!”

Fred praises rolled on the lips of everyone that was present them.

He first stared confused, then he quickly dismissed it as their chants smothered his heart.

Jane slided his hands into his shaft and whispered into his hearings.

"I would chose you over and over again!" If was loud enough for Marcus to hear and sinister enough to shatter his heart once more.

But Marcus didn't bulge. He was already more than way done with that.

Even though Fred knew he didn’t book anything, knew he couldn’t afford it, he didn’t reject the praise.

He lifted his chin and smiled like a god.

“It’s just a little booking,” he said. “Nothing big that my damilr cannot pull without stress."

Jane clung to him proudly, throwing Marcus a mocking wink.

“See, Marcus? That’s what a real man looks like.”

Fred placed his hand on the manager’s shoulder and pointed at Marcus like pointing at trash.

“Before anything else… remove that eyesore.”

The manager nodded instantly, already furious at Marcus for daring to exist in a place like this.

“Yes, sir. I’ll throw him out right now.”

The crowd cheered, throwing everything at arm's length at Marcus.