The Rise of Alexander Black (the Errand Boy)!

Chapter 6

Alex sat stiffly in the massive executive chair, the black leather cushioning swallowing his wiry frame. The contrast between the opulence of the room and his comical clown costume made him feel like a misplaced joke in a billionaire’s office. Still, he sat up straight, eyes locked on the man across the sleek mahogany desk—the President of Heritage Finance Bank, Mr. Godwin Taylor.

A soft knock came on the door. Gwen stepped in, heels clicking sharply against the polished floors. She carried a crystal flute filled with a golden, bubbling liquid.

“Dom Pérignon,” she said with a charming smile as she handed the glass to Alex. “The most expensive champagne in the building.”

“Thank you,” Alex said, his voice unsure. Her fingers lingered slightly as she passed him the drink, and when their eyes met, she smiled again—this time, slower, deeper, as if she could see something beneath the clown paint.

Taylor cleared his throat. “Thank you, Gwen. You may excuse us.”

She nodded and exited, leaving a trail of subtle perfume behind.

“So, Mr...?” Taylor began, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses.

“Alex,” he answered. “Just Alex.”

“Alright, Alex. What brings you here today? What can Heritage Finance do for you?”

Alex leaned forward and placed his glass gently on the desk. “I need answers. I received a credit alert this morning. A hundred million dollars was deposited into my account. I don’t know who sent it or why.”

Taylor arched a brow. He pulled his laptop closer, his fingers dancing rapidly over the keyboard. After a moment, his eyes narrowed. “Well... you weren’t lying. It’s there. Clear as daylight.”

He tilted the screen slightly toward Alex.

“I’d like to believe it’s legit,” Taylor said. “But this sort of money doesn’t just fall from the sky. Are you, by any chance, involved in any... questionable dealings?”

Alex scoffed. “If I were into fraud, would I be here? In person? Reporting it to the bank?”

Taylor leaned back. “Fair point.”

“I’m a student,” Alex continued. “A poor one at that. I’ve been living off scraps. My parents passed years ago. I sold everything they left behind just to keep my education going. Before this, I didn’t even have $10,000 to my name.”

Taylor sighed, then returned to typing, running several internal checks and crypto trace software. A few minutes passed in silence before he looked up again.

“Well... The funds originated from a crypto wallet. Anonymous. It looks like someone liquidated a serious amount of Bitcoin and wired it to your account through one of our crypto bridges. My guess? Could be a mistake. Or—worse—it could be an attempt to use your account as a laundering channel. Either way, we have nothing to trace the origin back to.”

Alex’s shoulders slumped. “So, what do I do now? Take it out and get arrested in a week?”

Taylor shook his head. “No. What you do is what you’ve already done—report it. You’ve done your part. But here’s the catch: in cases like this, when money is moved illegally, the sender rarely comes to claim it back. Doing so would expose them. They simply abandon it. You could be sitting on money no one will ever come for... unless they’re desperate or dangerous.”

Alex swallowed. “So, I should... keep it?”

“Legally, no. But practically?” Taylor looked him in the eye. “Here’s my advice: don’t touch more than 5%. The rest? Invest. Turn it into real, traceable assets. That way, if someone ever does come for it, you’re not empty-handed. You can return what’s left and keep the profits you made off your investments.”

Alex blinked. “So it’s like... a ghost investor handed me a startup loan?”

Taylor smirked. “Precisely.”

Alex leaned back, absorbing the words. His mind began racing. “I’ve been running an errand website on the side. It’s basic now, but I had a dream—to turn it into a luxury online store. Not just gadgets and fashion, but everything the super-rich love, from yachts to rare collectibles.”

Taylor nodded slowly. “Interesting. You know... there are several luxury brands trying to get loans from us. Strong products, good margins, but the board shut their applications down. You could invest in them. Make them your supply chain.”

“That’s a brilliant idea,” Alex said. Then, after a pause, “But there’s something else.”

Taylor raised an eyebrow.

Alex took a breath. “My dad used to say that his biggest dream wasn’t to be rich—it was to own a bank. He said power didn’t lie in making money, but in controlling the flow of it.”

Taylor chuckled. “Wise man.”

“So... How much would it take to buy a controlling share in this bank?”

The room went still. Taylor blinked. Then laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

Alex shook his head. “I’m serious.”

Taylor hesitated, then tapped a few keys. “Well, to have controlling power, you’d need at least 23% of the shares. That puts you ahead of any current shareholder.”

“How much does that cost?”

“Approximately... $45 million.”

Alex smiled. “Then I want 46%.”

Taylor sat back, stunned. “That would cost you around $90 million.”

“I know,” Alex said confidently. “You said to invest fast, didn’t you?”

Taylor chuckled in disbelief. “You really are something else.” He stood and extended his hand. “Welcome to the boardroom, Mr. Chairman.”

They shook hands firmly.

“Now,” Alex said, “I want those businesses you mentioned to be granted the loans. Also, put together a top-tier team—branding, logistics, supply chain management. I want my store to go live in thirty days.”

Taylor paused. “There might be a problem. Several directors blocked those loans. They hold significant shares.”

Alex grinned. “Tell me their percentages.”

Taylor rattled off numbers. Alex did the mental math quickly. “If we combine your shares and those of the minority shareholders who supported the businesses, plus my 46%, we outvote them.”

Taylor’s eyes widened, then nodded. “You’re right. We can push it through.”

They spent another hour discussing Alex’s plans—how to build a seamless luxury e-commerce platform, how to brand it for exclusivity, how to manage logistics through private courier networks. Taylor promised to draw up all necessary contracts and send them to Alex by the evening.

As Alex rose to leave, Taylor’s voice turned stern. “One more thing, Alex.”

Alex turned.

“Be careful. A hundred million dollars doesn’t just vanish from someone’s wallet. If this was dirty money, and they can’t claim it legally, they may try other methods. And if they’re dangerous...”

Alex nodded. “Understood.”

Outside the office, Gwen was seated at her desk, head bent slightly as she typed. She looked up the moment she saw him.

“So... how’d it go?” she asked, her tone flirtatious.

“Better than I expected.”

She stood, took a step closer. “Still interested in that little... information exchange?”

Alex gave a half-smile. “Very much. And about that date—I’m looking forward to it.”

She handed him her card, her fingers grazing his once more. “Then don’t keep me waiting, Mr. Chairman.”

Alex left the bank building not as the poor, mocked clown he was hours ago—but as the new owner of the very institution people used to gatekeep success from people like him.

But in the shadows of his victory, the storm was already brewing.

Someone, somewhere, had lost $100 million...

And they weren’t going to forget.