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."