Chapter 6

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows at Duke. "What did you hear?" He asked, his voice soft.

"Megan broke up with you after everything you did for her. Is it true?" Duke answered with wide eyes.

Charlie let out a sigh, his voice barely above a whisper as he responded. "Duke, I don't want to talk about that, please, bring up something else."

Duke covered his mouth in astonishment. "So, it's true. After everything, the sacrifice you made to keep her happy and she heartlessly did that to you just to be with that rich brat. I can't believe it." His face tightened as he glared toward Megan who was chatting with her friends. Gritting his teeth, he mumbled under an annoying breath, "She's a slut!"

Duke then remembered something and he turned to Charlie, wrinkling his brows. "Man, what did you say came over you? Or is it because Megan broke up with you that you can't think straight? I didn't ask for money and you sent me $500 when you're the one who needs it. Don't you think you're taking Megan's breakup too extreme?"

Charlie sighed. "Taking her breakup to extremes?" He scoffed, letting out a cold chuckle. "No, I'm not. Besides, I'm glad she revealed her true colors before now, or who else would know what she might have done in the future?"

"Then why send me the money? What is it for?"

"You talk a lot, Duke," Charlie joked with a dramatic frown. "I told you to just keep it."

Duke opened his mouth to retort, but a familiar female voice came out, interrupting and cutting him short.

There was absolute tranquility in the class.

Everyone turned to face her.

It was the class representative, Stella McDonald. She was the second prettiest girl in the class, following Megan. But the only sharp contrast between them was that Stella, although from a well-to-do family, treats everyone in the class equally.

Unlike Megan who was so arrogant and pompous.

Stella was loved by everyone because of her nature; however, some still despised her, tagging her as overdoing it.

Charlie liked her because of the way she treated him, too.

Stella standing in front of everyone, cleared her throat, keeping a composed nature. "Hello everyone," she started calmly, addressing her course mates, "this is a message from the maths lecturer. He said the test for today has been canceled till further notice."

Everyone jumped up in excitement, clapping their hands.

"Yay! Thank God he canceled it, I wasn't even prepared for the damn fucking test!" One unserious student loudly said, his voice echoing.

People burst into laughter.

"Me too! But I was definitely going to pass, you know, through malpractice." Another added.

The laughter increased. Some started gathering their things leaving the class.

But Stella spoke up, "Guys, since the maths class has been canceled and it's the only class we were supposed to have today, why don't we go home, have some rest, and then by 9:00 pm, we can all go to a restaurant and have some fun. The rule is simple: you'll pay for whatever you eat."

She paused, looking at everyone. "What do you guys think?"

"Great!" One person clapped. "That's a perfect idea, Stella! You're so full of brains!"

Stella blushed at the compliment, but she didn't say a word. She remained silent, waiting for others to drop their own point of view.

"That's a nice idea wonderfully come up with," Franklin agreed, his voice loud. "Prime Restaurant will be a perfect place for this," he proudly added, his shoulders squared up.

Everyone gasped, utterly speechless.

Prime Restaurant is an expensive restaurant in Maple town, and the least expensive meal there costs $500 per plate.

Stella quickly shook her head, disagreeing politely. "Franklin, we know you are capable of dining there, but for the sake of others who can't afford it, let's not go to Prime Restaurant. It's quite outrageous. Let's explore other alternatives, please."

For Stella, she was capable of affording meals there, but she only interceded so that everyone could attend and have fun.

However, Franklin was suggesting an expensive place that just a few people could afford.

Franklin chuckled at Stella's words and he turned back, facing Charlie. A cold smirk parted his lips. "Stella, are you afraid it's only this pathetic loser who wouldn't be able to afford it? Because I can tell he's the only person who can't afford $500 unless he picks trash for decades."

Everyone burst into laughter, enjoying Charlie getting humiliated.

"Yeah, Franklin is right! I can afford $500 so I'm coming!" One said while laughing at Charlie.

"Me too!"

"I can afford it so I'm coming along!"

Soon, almost twenty people had shown interest, agreeing with the location Franklin had chosen except for Charlie and Duke.

Franklin turned to face Stella, "You see? Everyone here can afford it except him. He's so miserable that he can't afford as little as $500 to get a meal for himself. What a worthless thing!"

Duke's fists tightened at his sides as he stood beside Charlie who listened to Franklin's taunting words with indifference. "Watch your mouth, Franklin!" Duke barked. "I can't have you humiliate my friend that way! You can be rich, yes, but that doesn't give you the right to insult and make fun of him!"

Franklin turned and let out a smug laugh. "Oh, poor Duke. Why are you angry just now?" He mocked. "Does the truth hurt that much? Or am I not telling the truth?"

"Whatever!" Duke interrupted angrily. "You've got no right to talk down on him!"

Franklin's smug laugh didn't flatter. "Oh, what a friend standing up for his poor friend. But aren't you ashamed, seeing yourself with such a popular campus loser like him, Duke? Do you think it's worth staying with someone as miserable as him who can't even afford to get a meal worth just $500 for himself when others are doing so? Don't you see it as a shame?"

While this was going on, Charlie was just busy thinking about what had happened earlier today. Everything was just feeling surreal to him, but after the confirmation, he believed it to be true.

The man was real. The money was also real.

He couldn't, but anticipated going to see the man today since the maths test had been canceled.

Still in the argument, Duke stood his ground, defending Charlie. "If that's the case, I'll pay for him. We're coming!"

At that moment when Duke's words dropped, a voice said calmly. "No, you don't have to. I'll pay for myself ." Charlie's voice came out.

Since the money was real and the man seemed genuine too, Charlie had reasoned about it and had decided to use the money to save face. He won't let Franklin humiliate him like this in front of everyone.

Everyone turned to him with a shocked expression. Laughter ceased. Arguments halted.

For a moment, there was a hush that filled the room.

But then Franklin broke into laughter, this time, louder, breaking the silence. Soon others joined, finding it entertaining.

"You?" Megan finally spoke up after a long time of silence, pointing at Charlie, clearly amused. "You are going to pay for yourself? Where would you get such money from? Or are you just trying to save face?"

"Maybe, he'll use the whole of today to go pick up trash to meet up," Megan's friend mocked.

Charlie simply chuckled, his expression unreadable. He ignored them, looked around, and silently counted the number of people in the class. There were just eleven persons, including himself, making it round off the figure of twelve remaining since others had left in a hurry.

Turning to Franklin, Charlie started, "We're eleven persons, including myself, making it twelve left in the class. What if we do it this way?" He pointed at Duke, Stella, and three other persons despite their sharp taunts toward him. "I'll cover whatever they'll eat while you cover the rest of the six. How about that?"

Chapter 7

Everyone couldn't help, but laugh their asses off.

Duke turned to Charlie, concern etched in his voice. "What do you think you're doing, Charlie? You're going to pay for six people? That's a whopping sum of three thousand dollars! Where will you get that from, man?" He whimpered.

"I think this has to stop," Stella said, stepping forward. "I came up with this just for fun, but what is all this?" She looked at Charlie, disbelief in her eyes.

She believed he was only trying to save face, but he went too far. "You are going to pay for me, Duke, yourself, and three other persons? Do you know how much that is? That's $3k! Where would you get that from?" She inquired with a sigh.

Charlie didn't respond to her, nor did Duke. He fixed his gaze on Franklin. "How about that? Are you gonna try it or back out cowardly?"

"Is he so arrogant right now!"

"I wonder what's giving him so much confidence!"

"He's just trying to preserve some slight reputation. Franklin will beat him!"

Those whom Charlie had selected to be treated by Franklin at the dinner party were saying.

Pompously stepping forward, Franklin spat to the ground. "Do you think I would get scared off because of those empty words of yours, huh?" He sneered, staring at Charlie. His composure was calm and unreadable, like he had never said anything, shaken.

However, he shook it off and hesitantly added. "I wonder what's giving you such confidence, but I agree. But what if we do it this way to add a little fun to it?"

"What's that?" Charlie didn't flinch.

"Anyone we're treating to meals tonight will eat whatever they please and at the end, we'll pay off the bills, but whoever can't, will lick the other's shoes? Is it that perfect?"

Charlie smiled and simply answered with an approving nod. "Nice idea. We'll go with that."

Franklin turned to everyone. "Heard that? He agreed. If he backs out, he's a coward because I'm already a winner!"

Duke and Stella exchanged glances, speeches about what to say. They both swallowed hard, simultaneously.

Just then....

Ring, ring.

Charlie's phone started to ring. He pulled it out and when he saw the caller ID, he stepped away, walking out of the class to answer it.

Franklin, who noticed his cracked screen couldn't help, but chuckle. "He's challenging me, but look at the kind of phone he's using. Old. Broken. Probably nothing can be seen on the screen."

Meanwhile, as Charlie got outside, he looked left and right, ensuring no one was eavesdropping on him as he picked it up. It was still the same man and he had saved his contact right after he found him a little genuine.

"Hello?"

"Young master Charlie, would you still be able to make it to Pinnacle Group today?" the familiar voice inquired.

Charlie glanced at the time and realizing it was just 3 pm, he nodded even though the man could not see him. "Yes, I'll be there."

"Oh, that's good, young master Charlie," the man's excited voice rang out. "I'd be waiting for your arrival and please, don't forget, it's on the thirtieth floor. Just make use of the elevator, it'll get you there. That's where I am."

Just as the call ended and Charlie took to his heels to flag down a cab after pocketing his phone, Duke rushed out of the class, stopping him.

"Charlie, I know you were only trying to save face, which every normal human would do, but you went too extreme, I must admit," he said before taking a deep breath, his voice reassuring now. "But don't worry. I'll support you. I'll lie to my parents that I need to buy textbooks, they'll definitely send some bucks and once they do, I'll give it to you. You're not on this alone. I'm right behind you!" His voice was firm.

Charlie couldn't help but admire his support. However, to Duke's surprise, Charlie patted his shoulder softly with a smile. "Thanks Duke, but no need to extort money from your parents. It's bad. Our good Lord frowns at it."

"Then how are we going to do it? I can't watch you get humiliated!"

"Don't worry, I'll treat the six people. Just sit back and watch."

Without waiting for his response, Charlie started walking toward the gate. He was going to the Pinnacle Group to see this mysterious man.

Duke stood there, watching his retracting figure in puzzlement. For some moment, he couldn't blink. He stared in Charlie's direction even when he was out of sight.

"What has come over him?" Duke murmured with a sigh. "Is it really that painful that that slut left him?" He shook his head. "I pray he recovers sooner."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, a cab halted in front of a towering, glassy building and Charlie stepped out. He settled the driver and began walking inside the compound.

This was Pinnacle Group.

The place where the mysterious man had insisted that he come see him so he could claim his inheritance, which he knew nothing about.

The place was undoubtedly exceptional. The structure screamed wealth, and merely looking at it, any poor man would be scared to go closer to avoid getting humiliated.

Porsche cars were neatly parked in parking lots.

Charlie gasped seeing everything, but his mission here didn't elude his mind. To see the mysterious man who kept calling him young master Charlie and urging him to come claim his inheritance.

Stepping inside, the receptionist at her desk couldn't help but glare at Charlie as soon as her eyes fell on him.

Charlie wasn't dressed in any luxurious clothes. His clothes were worn out, cuffs dark, but he undoubtedly was a handsome guy.

He was just a sharp contrast to everything inside the place.

"Young man, please, we aren't in search of a cleaner for the meantime, please, leave," the receptionist said while glaring at Charlie with contempt.

Charlie felt a pang of embarrassment surge through him. Honestly speaking, he was the odd person here. Completely out of place.

He bit his lips nervously, scratching his nose. "Sorry, but I'm not in search of any job here."

"Then who are you? And what are you looking for?"

"I'm Charlie Jordan, a student of Maple City University. I'm looking for someone," he replied.

Chapter 8

The receptionist stepped forward, but did not get closer to Charlie because of his outfit. "Looking for someone in here? No, that can't be! It's the wrong address. Please, leave right now!"

"No, it's not!" Charlie retorted firmly. "This is Pinnacle Group, isn't it? I'm at the right place. This is where the man says I should come."

The receptionist furrowed her eyebrows. "Which man are you talking about?" She demanded and continued, not giving Charlie the chance to reply. "I'm warning you, kid; leave this place now or I'll have the security guards throw you out!" She shouted, her voice rising now.

But Charlie remained stubborn. "No, I'm not leaving unless I see him!"

His life was about to change, and he wasn't ready to chicken out because of this receptionist's threat or arrogance.

Charlie gritted his teeth and rushed toward the elevator.

Seeing him going that way, the receptionist quickly yelled. "Stop right there, you pervert! Security security! Get him before he gets in!"

Immediately, ten security guards rushed in. "What's going on?" The senior security guard asked hastily.

"That fool is trying to force his way into the elevator. Don't know what he's looking for, but I sense he's here to steal. Don't let him! Get him!"

The security guards' faces turned red with fury as they turned toward Charlie, following the receptionist's direction.

Charlie flinched at their sights, but as they charged toward him, he ran to enter the elevator without realizing someone was coming out of the exact elevator.

She was a beautiful woman dressed in a luxurious outfit. Her skin was fair and smooth, her hips perfectly fit in her blue skirt. Her hair cascaded neatly down her back.

She was carrying a glass of tea, sipping it stylishly. But then Charlie collided with her and the glass fell out of her hand, sending the liquid to pour on her.

"Yuck! How dare you, you pervert!" She yelled, clearly irritated by Charlie's figure. "And what is someone like you doing here?" She demanded. The woman was no other than the manager by the name, Sarah.

"I'm so so sorry, ma'am, I was in a hurry to see someone, and I didn't know you were in. I could help you if you want." Charlie reached out for a nearby napkin to clean the woman's stain.

But Sarah stepped back. "Don't touch me with that filthy hand of yours!" She yelled, irritated. Turning around, she yelled at the security guards who had stopped mid-step when they saw Charlie collide with their manager. "Will you just stand there and watch? Get here now and throw this trash out of here! Now!"

Seeing the security guards charging toward him, Charlie couldn't help, but push the manager aside and stormed into the elevator, quickly pressing the 30th floor.

"Hey, stop right there!"

Before the security guards could get to the place, Charlie was gone.

They balled their hands into fists, their faces tightening.

The senior security approached the manager cautiously and said, respectfully. "Apologies for what just happened, Miss Sarah..."

"Shut up!" Sarah interrupted, cutting him off, "and get him! He's ascending to the 30th floor."

The senior security guard froze, eyes wide with shock. "30th floor? That's the General Manager's office and he had commanded that no one should be seen there."

"That's why you need to run after him!"

"No," the senior security guard shook his head. "We can't or we will all be dead! We'll wait to receive a call from Mr. Donald James himself. Without that, we can't go in there."

Meanwhile, inside the elevator, Charlie was breathing heavily from his previous encounter. He tried to steady his breath.

Although he felt fulfilled, he knew the aftermath if this man turned out to be false. He'd be dead once he got down.

Soon, the elevator came to a stop and Charlie stepped out.

He glanced around and was taken aback by the place. It was just one room that was seen in the area.

He had no option but to walk to the door and reluctantly knock on it.

"Please, come in," a voice said, ordering Charlie to enter.

Charlie took a deep breath before twisting the doorknob and entering. Immediately he entered, he was greeted by the luxurious scent of the place.

An old man around the age of sixty quickly rushed forward, bowing his head in recognition. "Young master Charlie, it's you. Welcome!"

Charlie didn't delay. "Are you the one who has been calling me?"

"Yes, young master Charlie."

"Go on. Why am I here?"

"Let me quickly introduce myself. I'm Donald James, the General Manager of this place."

"So which inheritance have you been talking about that I need to come claim?" Charlie frowned slightly.

"Okay." Donald took a deep breath and started. "Young master Charlie, two years ago you saved an old man who almost suffocated to death, do you remember?"

"I saved an old man two years ago?" Charlie blinked, furrowing an eyebrow.

Donald nodded with a smile. "Yes, you did. Try to remember." He urged.

Charlie closed his eyes slightly, as if trying to recall past memories. Just then he opened it and said, "Yes, I remember now, but I can only remember just one. He goes by the name George White, if I am not mistaken."

'Oh, yeah!" Donald shouted with excitement. "That's his name, Mr. George White, but he's late now."

Charlie felt a pang of sadness surge through him. He didn't know the old man from anywhere, but he had helped him two years ago when he came across him almost suffocating.

"Sorry about that," he couldn't help but sympathize.

Donald's face twisted with sadness, but he quickly smiled faintly waving his hand. "Mr. George was such a nice man, but it's fine. Everything happens for a reason. But that's not why I called you here."

He walked to his desk and returned, holding a brown file. The late Mr. George White was the chairman of Pinnacle Group, and before his passing away, he left a will. Since he had no child, he stated that you'll be the heir of all his assets."

He placed the paper down, holding up a pen. "Please, come and sign right here."