The Hidden Duke Heir

Chap 08

"Is that true, Charles? You stole someone else's gold card?" The university president asked.

"No, Sir. I never stole anyone else's card. That card is my own, Sir!" Charles argued.

The university president stared at Deon, asking him to explain what happened and why he dared to enter the president's room without knocking.

"Deon! Explain! Don't let all this be just your tricks!"

"I'm sure that he stole someone else's wallet while working at the hotel, Sir! He works as a bodyguard there, and I'm sure he must have stolen it while working. Otherwise, how could he have the card? Besides, he also had dinner at a 7-star hotel yesterday. How could he pay for the bill if he didn't steal it?" Deon explained at length.

"Charles, show me the card you have."

"Here, Mr. Samuel."

The university president, Samuel, received a gold card from Charles. He looked at each side of the card; he scrutinized whether the card was indeed Charles' or not.

Just for information, gold cards cannot be owned by everyone. It doesn't mean you can have a gold card even if you have money. People who have the card must be people who have a wealth of billions of dollars and above. Even as far as Samuel knows, Deon, who has come from a wealthy family for generations, can only have a silver card.

"This seems to be Charles' card. It says here that the owner is Charles Duke."

Samuel showed the name on the card. And the people who were there could see that it was Charles who was on the card.

"No way, sir! I'm sure that he must have stolen the card. How can a poor man like him have a gold card? Or maybe .... this card is fake?"

Samuel frowned as he examined the card again. It could be a fake, right? However, Samuel also knew that Charles was not a student who came from a rich family. Samuel was also not sure if Charles could have a gold card.

"Check again, Sir! I'm sure that card doesn't belong to him! If he didn't steal it, then it must be a fake. I'm Charles' ex-girlfriend, and I know what he does daily, Sir. He never had a job other than being a bodyguard. And last night, he ate at a fancy hotel. Do you think that's normal?" Isabella chimed in. She didn't want Charles to get away scot-free. She resented her ex-boyfriend for being humiliated last night by being kicked out of the restaurant with Deon.

"But looking around, this card seems genuine," Samuel muttered. On the one hand, he was sure that Charles would not be able to have a gold card. But on the other hand, the shape and name on the card looked very genuine. There was no way anyone could forge a gold card so good that there was no slightest flaw to indicate that it was fake.

"It could be that the card belongs to a person with the same name, sir." One of Deon's friends chimed in.

"Well, that's right; I'm pretty sure that card doesn't belong to Charles, Sir. Trust me; I wouldn't accuse someone without evidence." Deon tried to negotiate. He continued to present various possibilities, the point of which was the same, Charles could not possibly have the gold card.

"Oh yes, Sir. As far as I know, Charles did not pay the tuition fee this semester. He requested a waiver for payment, Sir! He asked to be given a few days longer than the stipulated time. Isn't it possible that someone with a gold card like this could be delinquent in paying tuition fees?" Isabella told Samuel a fact that might make him even more convinced that Charles was a thief and a liar.

"Is that right, Charles? You are asking for a payment waiver?"

Charles nodded. He was indeed in arrears with the tuition payment, but he would pay it soon. "That's right, Sir. Today I intended to pay off everything, but I was already brought here."

"Look, Sir. Where did he get the money to pay the tuition? Don't tell me he stole other friends' money. He waited for everyone to come to class and stole, and then paid his tuition. And I'm sure that the card was just a diversion so that he wouldn't get caught stealing."

"Deon! I may be poor, but I'm not a thief!" Charles shouted angrily at being slandered.

"I didn't steal, Sir. This card is real; I didn't steal the money of my classmates or anyone else. How else can I explain?" Charles was frustrated; he didn't know what else to say because Samuel didn't believe him initially.

"Deon, Charles, you better ...."

Before Samuel had finished speaking, a student who was in the same class as Charles and Deon entered with hurried steps.

"What's wrong?" Samuel asked the student.

"Euna lost money in class, Sir. It's quite a lot, around 20 thousand dollars!"

Hearing the report, Samuel suddenly looked at Charles. He suspected Charles, according to what Deon had said earlier.

"Charles, did you steal your friend's money?"

Charles shook his head. His heart was racing as everyone stared at him. He never had a thought of stealing, let alone doing it. Never at all!

"No, Sir. I never steal!"

"How can anyone who steals confess, Sir? Jail is of no use at all if every criminal confesses." Deon looked sarcastically at Charles.

"Bullshit! Deon! I've tried to be professional by not mixing personal problems with lectures! I don't want to find trouble because my purpose here is to learn! But what are you doing? If you feel humiliated because you were kicked out of the hotel restaurant last night, then don't blame me! Blame your own mouth for insulting the hotel manager!" Charles was breathing heavily after saying what he had been holding in his heart.

"You!"

Deon did not accept the embarrassing incident, being reminded by Charles again. He didn't want his friends to know he was kicked out of the restaurant by a poor man like Charles.

"Never mind, Sir. You'd better call the police. A poor person is still a poor person, Sir. The character of the poor is unlikely to change. When they see money, they will immediately take it. Especially when the amount is big."

Isabella nodded, supporting her boyfriend's opinion. "That's right, Sir. A poor person like him would immediately want to steal when he sees a lot of money."

Samuel massaged his forehead, which felt dizzy from watching his students' arguments. "Charles, return the money, or I will call the police."

Hearing the order from Samuel, Deon immediately smiled widely. His attempt to embarrass Charles had finally succeeded.

"I didn't steal, Sir! Here, look! Look in my bag."

Charles handed over his bag to be searched but was immediately thrown by Deon. "No need, sir. It's better to go straight to the police."

Deon has brainwashed Samuel's brain; he believes that the character of poor people cannot be changed. In his brain, poor people always look for opportunities to get money. Therefore, Samuel believes Deon's words more than Charles's.

"Call the police, Deon. Ask them to come here quickly. I don't want the university's name to be ruined because of a thief here." Samuel gave the order.