2025-07-14 11:44:46John lay still on his bed, eyes wide open, the soft whirr of the ceiling fan above him doing nothing to calm the storm in his mind. The night before felt like a dream—too surreal to be true. The insults, the humiliation, the meal, Mr David’s warning, and the black card. That black card.
He reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and stared at it.
Solid. Real. Heavy with power.
His other hand reached for his phone, the screen lighting up as he opened his banking app. His balance still sat there, unshaken, glaring at him in raw digits.
$30,000,000.00
He blinked. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another. Not tears of pain, not of sadness. These were tears of joy—the kind he hadn’t felt in years, maybe his whole life.
He remembered the days he cleaned floors with bleeding fingers. The nights he cried himself to sleep on an empty stomach. The times he was spat on, slapped, mocked… like he was nothing. But now—now everything had changed.
The door creaked open. Collins stepped in, a soft grin on his face. John quickly wiped his tears, shoved the black card beneath his blanket, and turned off his phone, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Collins flopped onto the bed next to him, laughing softly. “Bro, what was that yesterday? You, eating like you owned the world while the rest of us were sweating bullets?”
John chuckled nervously. “Man, I figured if we were going to die, I might as well die on a full stomach.”
Collins burst into laughter, hitting his leg playfully. “You’re mad, John. You really are.”
John smiled but quickly changed the subject. “For real though, can you imagine what would’ve happened if that mystery guy hadn’t paid the bill?”
They both laughed at the thought of Mr David lining them up and shaving their heads or making them mop the entire restaurant on their knees. Slowly, their laughter faded, and sleep crept in. They drifted off with smiles on their faces, the darkness of the night washing over them gently.
The next morning, John was shaken from sleep by shouting.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!” Collins and James screamed in unison as they barged into the room.
John sat up, confused. “Wait, what?”
“It’s your birthday, you dummy!” Collins laughed, grabbing his arms and pulling him up from the bed.
John’s mouth hung open. He had completely forgotten. Everything that had been happening had pushed his birthday far from his mind.
James handed him a small box. “Open it.”
Inside was a shiny wristwatch and a pack of colourful T-shirts. John looked at them like they were gold bars. It was the first time in his life that someone had given him a birthday gift.
Collins grinned and tossed a paper bag at him. “Check that out.”
Inside were brand-new sneakers and a pair of stylish trousers.
John was speechless. “You guys…”
“Don’t get emotional now,” James teased. “You still owe us a party!”
Before John could even react further, the door knocked again.
Collins jumped up. “Oh! That’s the next surprise.”
He walked over, opened the door, and Anna stepped in, holding a cake.
John stood still, stunned.
Anna smiled, her long curls bouncing slightly as she walked in. “Happy birthday, John.”
Collins came behind John and gently covered his eyes as Anna placed the cake down.
John opened his eyes, still in disbelief.
“You guys didn’t have to…”
“We wanted to,” Anna interrupted.
The celebration was simple, but for John, it was the most special moment of his life. Friends. Smiles. Genuine laughter.
But as soon as the cake was cut and eaten, Anna stood up.
“I have to go prepare for the SFR event,” she said with a warm smile. “See you there?”
John nodded. “Definitely.”
The Student Fund Raiser (SFR) event was one of the most anticipated events on campus. Rich students showed off their wealth. It was where status was defined. Where the bold came out to flex their financial muscles. But John… had plans of his own.
He had decided that today, he was going to make a statement. One that no one would ever forget.
He wasn’t just going to donate—he was going to shatter records.
After dressing up in his new clothes from Collins and James, the three friends walked together toward the event hall. John looked fresher than ever before. The plain-looking cleaner was now standing tall with style and quiet confidence.
As they approached the venue, murmurs spread.
“Is that… John?”
“No way, he looks different.”
“Since when does he wear new clothes?”
A few students laughed as he passed, still unwilling to accept any version of him that wasn’t poor and pitiful.
Just then, Jerry and his clique walked in behind them, and the room exploded with cheers.
“Jerryyyyyy!”
“My guy!”
Flashing watches, silver cards, designer belts, the whole package.
Moments later, the doors opened again.
Noel.
As soon as he entered, the crowd lost it.
“Noel’s here?!”
“He never shows up!”
“Something big’s about to go down.”
Everyone knew Noel and Jerry were the two wealthiest boys on campus. If both of them were at the event, then the battle for the top donor position was about to be war.
Even the DJ picked up on the vibe, switching the track to something intense and thrilling. Students danced and vibed, but the real tension was around who would donate the most.
John and his friends kept it calm, sitting quietly at their table. The announcements began shortly afterward, and the grouping process was set in motion.
Each group would enter the “secret room” one by one and make their donations privately—no one would know who donated what until the final reveal.
As John stood to join the line, the room erupted in laughter again.
“Is he serious?”
“John? In the donation line? With what money?”
“He must think this is a joke!”
But Jerry wasn’t laughing. His eyes narrowed.
He pulled out his phone and texted one of the event principals.
“Make sure John and Anna are placed in the same group.”
He smirked.
After all the groupings were announced, the tension in the hall dropped. It was revealed that Jerry and Noel had ended up in the same group.
Everyone buzzed with excitement.
“Perfect!”
“This group’s going to break the record!”
“Noel and Jerry together? No one else stands a chance.”
Group after group entered the secret room. Quiet, formal, suspenseful. Each student made their contribution, and the room waited patiently.
Only two groups remained now.
Anna’s group—where John had been quietly placed—and the group with Noel and Jerry.
The tension shifted subtly.
Anna stood. She looked graceful, but firm. Her father, one of the school’s largest contributors, had also arrived earlier, seated at the back of the room with dark shades and a strict expression.
Whispers rippled through the hall as people noticed him.
“That’s Mr. Thompson…”
“Anna’s dad…”
“He doesn’t play around.”
Supporters of Jerry and Noel’s group started to worry. If Anna was involved, anything could happen.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Showdown in the Shadows: A King Among Pretenders
Anna and Collins returned to John’s classroom with big smiles and a food pack in hand. They had stopped by a nearby restaurant to pick something up for him, hoping it would brighten his day after everything he had been through. But as they stepped into the class, the chairs were empty. The place was silent. No sign of John.Just as Anna turned to leave, a student walking by casually said, “You’re looking for John? They just arrested him. School security carried him to the HOD’s office for questioning or something like that.”Before he could even finish, Anna had already pulled out her phone. Her fingers were trembling slightly as she dialled John’s number.“John, where are you?” she asked immediately.“I’m home,” John replied calmly.She frowned. “You’re not serious. We were told you were arrested. Prove it—send me a video now.”John, still in his lounge, quickly switched the camera to selfie mode and recorded a short video, waving at the camera with a smirk. He sent it to her.Anna w
Framed and Fallen: The Rise of the Young Master
The classroom door flung open with a loud creak that silenced the entire room. Rose stormed in, her face boiling with self-righteous fury. Behind her were two stern-faced school security officers. Every eye turned to her, then to John. She didn’t waste time.“Take him to the HOD’s office,” she barked.The officers marched toward John like soldiers on a mission. Collins stood up in shock, but before he could speak, one of them pointed a warning finger at him. John, confused and calm despite the tension, stood without resistance.“What’s going on?” he asked.“You’ll find out soon enough,” Rose said coldly as she turned and led the way.Inside the Head of Department’s office, John stood face to face with Mr. Harrison—the HOD—Rose’s father. A man known for his disdain toward students from lower social ranks. The room reeked of arrogance and corruption. Rose stood smugly at her father’s side like a soldier who’d just dragged in a war criminal.Mr. Harrison didn’t even wait for John to take
Retaliation in Silence
The night air was still thick with echoes of disbelief and unanswered questions when John returned quietly to the hostel. The party in the hall raged on without him, but the energy had clearly shifted. Many students left early—some out of fear, others out of shame, and a few out of curiosity about who John truly was.Anna, Collins, and a few close friends had also left. They said nothing to each other as they walked back to their rooms, lost in thought. What had just happened that evening was more than a revelation—it was a shake-up that had changed the very hierarchy of the campus.John didn’t say a word to anyone as he entered his room. The lights were off. He didn’t turn them on. He just sat at the edge of his bed and stared into nothingness.He could still hear their voices—the whispers, the grumbling, the disbelief.“He’s a Raymond?” “So that’s where the money came from…” “But he used to sweep the lounges.” “I think he’s dangerous.”John didn’t flinch. He had made peace with h
The Revelation
The grand hall, once filled with excitement, now fell into a thick, uneasy silence as the back doors swung open.Mr. Jack's voice boomed through the mic: "Everyone, stand in honor of a great personality entering this event."All students rose instantly, hearts pounding, eyes wide, phones slowly raised to capture the moment. Nobody could guess who it was—but everyone knew this wasn’t just another parent or sponsor.As footsteps echoed in the hallway, the shadows at the entrance split, revealing two men, each more intimidating than the last.The first man, dressed in a custom black suit, gold-framed glasses, and a stoic expression, was Mr. Raymond—a name that needed no introduction. He was the richest man in the country, the patriarch of the feared and powerful Raymond Empire, whose influence stretched across industries and governments alike.Beside him was Mr. David, the infamous Mafia leader—the same one who had struck fear into Jerry and the others the night before. He was still wea
The Echo of Power
The hall was hushed with anticipation as Mr. Jack adjusted the mic on the centre stage.“Noel and Jerry’s group, you may proceed,” he announced.With that, the crowd stirred like a tide crashing forward. It was time.Whispers shot across the room like electricity. Bets were made. Predictions were exchanged. Excitement was in the air. Most students were split into two sides—Team Noel and Team Jerry. Others, just curious spectators, leaned in, eager to see who would come out on top.Each group member walked confidently toward the secret donation room, leaving cheers behind them. They entered one by one, the tension building like steam in a kettle. Four went in first. Quietly. Swiftly. Then, Noel stood up, adjusted his cuffs, and moved toward the room.The whole room stood in applause.“Noel! Noel! Noel!”Seconds later, Jerry followed, tossing a smug grin toward John and Anna’s table. His new girlfriend blew him a kiss, and his entourage stood with pride.This was their moment. Their vic
The Rise of the Forgotten One
John lay still on his bed, eyes wide open, the soft whirr of the ceiling fan above him doing nothing to calm the storm in his mind. The night before felt like a dream—too surreal to be true. The insults, the humiliation, the meal, Mr David’s warning, and the black card. That black card.He reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and stared at it.Solid. Real. Heavy with power.His other hand reached for his phone, the screen lighting up as he opened his banking app. His balance still sat there, unshaken, glaring at him in raw digits.$30,000,000.00He blinked. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another. Not tears of pain, not of sadness. These were tears of joy—the kind he hadn’t felt in years, maybe his whole life.He remembered the days he cleaned floors with bleeding fingers. The nights he cried himself to sleep on an empty stomach. The times he was spat on, slapped, mocked… like he was nothing. But now—now everything had changed.The door creaked open. Collins stepped in,
You may also like
Rise Of The Sole Heir
Estypen76.9K viewsThe Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
Kaiser Ken81.5K viewsSavvy Son-in-law
VKBoy221.7K viewsHarvey York's Rise to Power
A Potato-Loving Wolf4.0M viewsThe Supreme Power Behind a Wheelchair
Nameless Swordman688 viewsThe forgotten heir
Empire2.0K viewsThe Last Voyage
Lazy Pen13.0K viewsThe Young Student Trillionaire
Youngblood414 views