Caden’s girlfriend stabbed him in the back on his twentieth birthday. Heartbroken and embarrassed, he cried his eyes out until he vomited blood and fainted.
A droplet of his blood stained the ring he never took off his finger. Like magic, the bloodline detector that had been inactive for twenty years was finally activated.
The system showed Caden a lot of jaw-dropping things about his origin. In the blink of an eye, he went from being a poor student to a big shot who owned several investments and businesses.
He soon went on to become the richest young man in the world.
All those who humiliated him in the past, including his backstabbing ex, came crawling to his feet.
“Tristan, I’m breaking up with you.” Ellie Harrison crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Tristan Stanfield coldly.
“What?! Why? Ellie, what did I do wrong? Why are you doing this to me?” Tristan ran his fingers through his disheveled hair in distress.
They had been together since high school. After graduating, they were both accepted into Singve University. In the eyes of their classmates and teachers, they were the perfect couple.
Tristan had thought that this was just the beginning of the rest of their happy lives together, but unexpectedly, Ellie broke up with him—on his birthday!
“Tristan, I don’t have feelings for you anymore. Just leave. I don’t want to see you again!” Nose wrinkled in disgust, Ellie fanned her face as though she was trying to drive away a pesky fly.
“Ellie, tell me the truth. Are you seeing Kevin Vance? Is that what this is about?” Tristan’s eyes turned bloodshot, anger surging in them.
Three days ago, he saw Ellie get in Kevin’s car. At the time, he thought his eyes were deceiving him and comforted himself that a pure girl like Ellie wouldn’t betray him. However, reality slapped him hard in the face.
“So what? Tristan, man up and quit pestering me. Kevin will be here soon. I don’t want him to think that we’re still together.” As Ellie spoke, she retreated a few steps back, as though she was afraid of being associated with Tristan.
“Kevin’s nothing but a playboy! He won’t value you the way I do. He just wants to play with you! I’m the only one who truly loves you! Ellie, please don’t break up with me. We can work this out!” While Tristan spoke, he reached out and tried to hold Ellie’s hand.
But Ellie withdrew her hand and looked at Tristan with unmasked disgust. “Don’t touch me! Tristan, I never wanted to be with you. I feel like I wasted my time. You don’t have a house or a car. You can only work for others and struggle for life after graduation. I don’t want to suffer anymore. Just look at the necklace Kevin gave me—it’s worth a hundred and twenty thousand dollars! It would take you a few years of hard work to be able to afford this necklace! He can give me the life I want. Can you? You can’t, because you’re just a penniless loser!”
“Money, money, money! Is money really so important to you?” Tristan flew into a fit of rage.
“You’re the idiot if you can’t see that money is everything!” a voice sounded from behind them.
Clad in his designer suit and wearing a luxury wristwatch, Kevin walked over with a mocking smile.
“Kevin, didn’t I tell you to wait for me in the car? I said I’d come to you once I break things off with this loser.” Ellie wrapped her arms around Kevin’s neck and batted her eyelashes at him flirtatiously.
Kevin slipped his arm around Ellie’s waist, making sure to stroke her ass while he was at it.
Ellie didn’t shy away from his touch. Instead, she moaned with pleasure, encouraging him to touch her some more.
Seeing this, Tristan felt as though his heart had been ripped into pieces. In a rage, he balled his hand into a fist and was about to throw a punch at Kevin.
Reacting fast, Kevin lifted his foot and kicked Tristan in the chest, sending him flying into the air before landing on the ground. Before Tristan could prop himself up, Kevin slapped him across the face and stomped on his chest.
“Tristan Stanfield, listen up. Ellie’s mine now. I’m going to take her to Breezy Hotel for lunch, then we’ll get a room at night. You loser, I really want you to see how she moans like a slut under me.”
Hearing Kevin’s words, Tristan wriggled his body fiercely to break free, but to no avail.
Kevin looked condescendingly down at Tristan as though he was an ant. Then, Kevin pulled Ellie into his arms and smiled at her obscenely. “Babe, I bought you some sexy panties for later. We’re going to have a lot of fun tonight! This loser could never satisfy you, but I can!”
After saying that, Kevin licked his lips hungrily. Without warning, he shoved his hand into Ellie’s collar and rubbed her breasts wantonly.
Ellie’s breathing quickened. Her cheeks turned as red as a tomato and her eyes turned dull with lust.
Still struggling on the ground, Tristan felt a surge of mixed emotions—anger, heartbreak, and disgust. The feeling was so overwhelming that he felt dizzy.
He had been with Ellie for three years, but he never even held her hand.
In his eyes, Ellie was as pure and holy as a goddess.
Unexpectedly, she turned out to be such a slut.
Anger was the emotion that triumphed over all. Tristan clenched his fists and pounded on the ground as he watched the two walk away. He roared, “Money, money, money! If I become rich one day, I’ll make you pay the price!”
The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, choking him. He couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of blood. The next second, his vision went black, and he passed out on the sports field.
The blood stained the ring on his finger. In an instant, the ring seemed to absorb the blood.
The ring used to belong to Tristan’s parents, and he had worn it since childhood.
Twenty years had passed, but this was the first time the bronze ring emitted a strange light.
After some time, Tristan gradually came to.
He slowly opened his eyes, only to find himself lying on a bed in the school infirmary.
Just as he was struggling to get up, his finger accidentally touched the bronze ring.
A tinny sound suddenly rang in his brain.
“Ding! You’ve activated the Magnate System…
First novice task activated: consume one million dollars! Once the mission is accomplished, hidden achievements will be activated and you will be rewarded by the system.
Task time: 24 hours.
The system’s payment is in progress…”
Hearing the strange, robotic voice in his brain, Tristan was dumbfounded. He looked around blankly, wondering if someone was playing some sort of trick on him.
Just then, Tristan’s phone vibrated. When he glanced at the screen, he saw that it was a notification from the bank.
“Your account received a transfer of $1, 000, 000. Your current balance is $1, 000, 078.”
Stunned beyond belief, Tristan’s hand went numb and the phone dropped onto the bed. “Am I dreaming? I’ve become a millionaire?!”
Six years ago, he was the best of the best but was framed, incapacitated, and imprisoned. His wife suffered because of him. Six years later, he is now the God of War with immense wealth and power. Standing at the pinnacle of martial arts, he holds her hand in his and rules the world.
In Erudia, a private jet landed at North Hampton Airport, where all international flights experienced an eight-hour delay because of it. At the private passageway were five men in suits and leather shoes, standing as straight as a javelin. Every now and then, they would raise their wrist to look at the time, for a big shot was coming to town. The upper-class society of North Hampton had learned about his arrival, but no one had the capability to get an inch closer to the private passageway. Even the richest man in North Hampton who came to pay homage was chased away. Finally, there were movements coming from the passageway. “God of War!!!” the mass cried out, their eyes filled with awe and veneration at the sight of the undefeatable legend of Erudia. He, who was dubbed the God of War, was the one and only Five-Star God of War in the history of Erudia. Once, he’d inflicted a crushing defeat on the strongest battalions in eighteen countries. He was an overbearing and formidable man. He who overwhelmed the world with his unparalleled power had even created the Five Great Wars Regiment, Cavalry Regiment, and many more. … Setting foot on his homeland, Levi Garrison was overcome with emotions. Once upon a time, he used to be an orphan who was abandoned on the streets of North Hampton and then adopted by the Garrison family. However, the Garrison family had never been fond of him. His adoptive parents, who had a tendency to beat and scold him, treated him like an outsider. As for the outsiders, they treated him as a nobody. But he didn’t care a stiver. He had always been proud of his surname since he was a child, and he strived to bring glory to this family when he grew older. At last, Levi had established Levi Group, the largest dark horse in North Hampton’s business community. With billions of assets, it ranked among the forefront of North Hampton, pushing the declining Garrison family to the top. However, not only did the Garrison family showed no signs of appreciation, they even harbored dissatisfaction towards him. Jealous of his success, they regarded him as a thorn in their flesh and coveted Levi Group. No matter his wealth and power, unless they were in control, he was just an outsider in the Garrison family’s eyes. Eventually, on Levi’s wedding night, the Garrison family plotted a frame-up against him by getting him drunk before tossing him onto his sister-in-law’s bed. They wanted to create the illusion that he was doing something untoward to her and was caught in bed by his brother and adoptive parents. That night, the Garrison family had brutally broken his limbs and left him on the road like a wild dog. Not only was he handicapped, but he also had to take the flak for something he didn’t commit. From an upstart in the business world, he had become the target of disdain overnight. And the next day, he had been punished for several crimes and sentenced to six years in prison. He could never forget the ruthless and sinister faces of everyone in the Garrison family and the ridicule of his friends, classmates, and business partners. More so, he could never forget the disappointment on his newly wedded wife, Zoey’s face. He had regarded the Garrison family as his home and devoted himself to the family. Yet, they treated him like trash. It felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heart every time he thought about this. How he hated the Garrison family! But who would have thought that Levi had been secretly transferred away from prison to join the military? In a few years, he dominated the military world and became the one and only Five-Star God of War. Now that he came back, the Garrison family ought to stay on their toes. “How’s it going, Azure Dragon?” Levi asked. Azure Dragon, the commander of the Five Great Wars Regiment, took a step forward and said respectfully, “Sir, I’m afraid your wife, Ms. Zoey Lopez will remarry at ten o’clock tonight!” Ever since Zoey’s husband was sent to prison on their wedding night, she had been living like a widow. Only God knew how much pressure she was put under. And right now, the person Levi couldn’t wait to see the most was Zoey. After a moment of hesitation, Azure Dragon continued, “To add on, Sir, the Garrison family is holding a successful listing celebration banquet at the Crystal Palace Hotel tonight! Many people had invited the God of War just now, including the Garrison family, but I didn’t accept nor refuse directly.” “What time?” Levi asked tersely. “Eight o’clock, Sir.” “Okay. Tell the Garrison family I will attend the banquet!” Since the time for the two events didn’t clash, Levi gladly accepted the invitation. The celebration banquet for the public listing of Garrison Group was held at North Hampton’s Crystal Palace Hotel. With the help of Levi Group, they had become a rich and powerful family in one fell swoop. The hall was bustling with noise and excitement, and sounds of glasses clinking could be heard ringing in the air every now and then. “God bless the Garrison family,” said Joseph, the head of the Garrison family. “The younger generations are the stars among men. Garrison Group is now listed and has become an upstart in North Hampton!” Joseph’s three sons and daughter welcomed their guests with bright smiles on their faces. The younger generation of the Garrison family was all the smugger and prouder because, after today, the Garrison family would become a powerful family, and they would become one of the top rich kids. Most of the guests who attended today’s banquet were from the top circle in North Hampton. “Garrison, do you know what happened today?! Your celebration party is nothing compared to that.” They were gossiping about the major event that had happened today. “Yeah! I heard that a big shot has arrived in North Hampton!” “The richest man in North Hampton wanted to meet him but was shooed away. Apparently, he’s not qualified enough!” “So? Jesse Nielsen had been waiting for five hours in advance at the airport!” Joseph nodded. “Yes, I know about that too. I even sent someone to invite this big shot to the celebration party!” “No way! Why would this big shot attend such a party?” No one believed it. In fact, as an upstart, Joseph was just trying his luck. “Dad!” shouted Jaycob, the second eldest son of the Garrison family could be seen running over. “The big shot has accepted our invitation to attend our celebration banquet! He’s on the way!” “Jesus! God has indeed blessed the Garrison family!” Everyone in the Garrison family could barely conceal their delight as this was their chance to reach the sky in a single bound. The grandchildren of the Garrison family gathered together, sunshine flooding their souls. Levi’s brother, Bryan, and sister-in-law, Victoria, smiled. “Well, it all starts with Levi’s imprisonment that the Garrison family is at where we are today…” “Right, speaking about Levi, do you guys know today’s the day that kid gets out of prison?!” somebody asked abruptly. “Really? Isn’t that bad luck? Why did he have to be released on such a big day?!” “Please, please, please don’t come back! He’s the Garrison family’s biggest disgrace!” Victoria’s lips tugged into a sneer. “Speaking of which, Levi is the crowning glory of the Garrison family’s status today.” “That’s what he’s supposed to do!” Bryan said. “He should contribute to the Garrison family for raising him, an orphan! His multi-billion Levi Group means nothing. To put it bluntly, he’s just a dog raised by the Garrison family!” Someone gave a chortle. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been interested in Levi’s wife for a long time now. She’s still widowed, and I’m so going to marry her!” The man’s remark caused gales of laughter. “Everyone, stop what you’re doing. I have an important announcement to make,” Joseph said and went on to announce that the big shot was coming. A thunderous applause was heard. But when the applause had died down, there was still someone clapping. The sound was loud and clear, approaching from afar. On the red carpet, a man came clapping, looking bold and energetic. His stride gave off a majestic and imposing aura, which made the mass hold their breaths. “It’s Levi!” Bryan and Victoria exclaimed. Suddenly, all eyes were riveted on him. “I forgot this little brat got out of jail today!” Levi’s adoptive parents spoke in unison. Ignoring the astonished gazes darted at his way, Levi walked step by step towards Joseph. “A little bird told me that the company is now listed. How are you feeling, Joseph? Are you happy?” Levi flashed him a meaningful smile. “How dare you show up here, you insolent brat! And what did you just call me?” Joseph’s fury sprang to life. “Who let him in? Didn’t you know he just got out of prison? How inauspicious!” Bryan rose to his feet. “What the hell are you doing here, Levi?” Levi sized him up. “Why can’t I be here?” “Well, for starters, you’re an orphan! The Garrison family has raised you, but you were ambitious and ungrateful. You had inordinate ambitions for your sister-in-law, and you wanted to take possession of the Garrison family! You’d even tried to kill your parents when things go south! Have you no conscience? Do you have any sense of morality left in your heart?” “You’ve lost your reputation in North Hampton, and everyone knows that. Have you no shame to have the brass neck to come round here?”
Unexpected Fortune: The Long-lost Heir Returns Home
Protagonist
Horace Warren
Author
Joshua Damiani
Number of Chapters
458
Publishing platform
MoboReader
Poverty is a terrible disease. Most humans want to be wealthy.
Are you also one of them?
Well, I’m one of those few people who don’t love money. I believe that there was more to life than money.
Money can’t buy happiness. At least, that was what I thought until life happened.
My mother became terminally ill and life became more unbearable for me.
It was the lowest point of my life. To make matters worse, my so-called girlfriend dumped me for a rich guy. She wrote me off by saying I would never make it.
I plunged into an abyss of despair and hoped that I had enough money to treat my mother and also prove my ex-girlfriend wrong.
It was at this time that my mother ordered me to break the jade bracelet she had never taken off her wrist since I was born.
Like magic, it triggered an alarm and my biological father found me. I was actually the long-lost heir of a wealthy family. In the blink of an eye, I went from being a pauper to being the heir to a trillion-dollar business empire.
I became famous and influential. My tears were wiped away overnight.
I was on top of the world!
All the people that looked down on me now wanted to be associated with me.
The wicked girl that broke my heart also tried to reconcile with me.
Do you think I would take her back?
Or would I find my one true love?
Do you want to find out how I went missing and found my way back?
“Hey, Amaia. This is the cellphone I bought for you. Take a look and tell me if you like it.”
The city square of Rinas was crowded with people.
The neon streetlights illuminated the streets as night fell. Many fashionably dressed young men and women had come there to enjoy the weekend.
Horace Warren’s appearance there drew the attention of the people close by. They stared at him curiously as he walked up to a girl.
He opened the delicate gift box in his hand. A new cellphone was inside.
Since the beginning of the new semester, Horace had worked a part-time job after school. He had saved most of the money and survived on very little. He was finally able to buy a new cellphone for his crush on the day of their graduation.
With a loving smile, he stretched the opened box to her.
He was expecting to see her face lit up with surprise and happiness.
Much to his surprise, Amaia Todd just glanced at the cellphone, hissed, and turned her face away without saying anything.
“Amaia?” Horace called out her name in confusion.
Amaia flipped her hair and looked at him with an icy glare. “Horace, please don’t contact me anymore. I don’t want to have anything to do with you!”
“Wow!” All the onlookers were surprised. Some of them widened their eyes. Others opened their mouths and even whispered to the people beside them.
From Amaia’s words, they guessed that the young man was courting this lady but was refused decisively. People liked to watch such a dramatic scene.
“Why? Did I do anything wrong, Amaia? Please tell me what my offense is so I would apologize and never repeat the same mistake.”
Horace felt a pang of pain in his heart when he heard her words. He was confused. He had been planning for today for the whole semester. This was far from the response he hoped to get.
Everyone in their class knew that he had been chasing after Amaia for a long time.
He was head over heels in love with her, so he took good care of her. Every day, he bought her breakfast and helped her take notes in class.
Horace made sure she didn’t stress herself in school. He provided everything that she asked for just to make her happy.
Amaia had been indulging him and accepting all his gifts. She even flirted with him sometimes.
Although she never said yes to him, they were already a couple in the eyes of their classmates.
Today was their graduation day. Since they would be out of high school, Horace thought that it was best to profess his love to her.
The confession of his love would make their relationship official.
He had the evening completely mapped out in his mind. But he didn’t expect that Amaia would respond like this.
“Stop contacting me because I have a boyfriend!” With a bitchy expression, she added coldly, “I don’t want my boyfriend to think something is going on between you and me. You’d better not contact me anymore!”
“Your boyfriend? I thought I was your boyfriend!” Horace looked at her with confusion written on his face.
“Bah! Don’t flatter yourself, Horace. You were just my friend!”
Eyeing him from head to toe, she continued, “I was only being nice to you. Take a look at yourself. Do you think you are worthy enough to date me? Tsk, tsk, tsk!”
“But… But I love you and bought this as a token of my love.”
Horace’s mind was a mess. He held out the phone again with trembling hands.
He had worked his butt off and saved for a whole semester just to afford this cellphone.
He wanted it to be a token of his love for her.
Amaia slapped his hand with disgust.
The brand new phone fell to the ground. The sound it made when it crashed hurt Horace. He felt as if it was his heart that was thrown away.
“How dare you give this to me now?” Amaia questioned him.
She then added, “Yes, I said I wanted a new phone, but it was at the beginning of the semester. You didn’t buy it until our graduation. Are you fucking serious right now?”
Amaia flipped her hair back again. Pursing her lips arrogantly, she took out a rose gold iPhone from her pocket and showed it to him.
“See? This is the latest iPhone. My boyfriend bought it for me. It costs more than one thousand dollars. That amount is chicken feed to him. Can you rub shoulders with him?”
Horace was short for words. His heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. He squatted to pick up the broken phone.
It was at this moment that a young man who seemed to be Horace’s age-mate walked up to them.
“Hey, baby. You came early. Let’s go. I’ve already booked a room!”
When Amaia saw him, her face lit up. She did a little jump like a child and then said to Horace, “Look, this is my boyfriend!”
The moment Horace set eyes on the man, he recognized him. He was also his high school classmate, Addy Moran. He was one of the popular boys in school because he was from a rich family.
Amaia ran over excitedly and held his arm. She stood on her tiptoe and whispered something to him.
Addy looked at Horace with interest and walked up to him. With a sinister smirk, he queried, “Have you realized how dumb you are, Horace? I once told you to matchmake me and Amaia. I offered to pay you ten thousand dollars, but you outrightly refused. She’s my girlfriend now. You’ve gotten no girl and no money. Do you regret it now?”
This was a big lie. Addy hadn’t asked him to matchmake him and Amaia. He wanted him to drug her so he could sleep with her. Addy had thought Horace would jump on the offer because he was from a poor family. But to his surprise, he received a big no that was accompanied by a hot reprimand.
Addy took delight in seeing the betrayed expression on Horace’s face.
“Anyway, heed my warning. Stay away from my girlfriend, or I’ll beat the living daylights out of you!” he uttered seriously while pointing at him.
He then patted Amaia’s butt playfully and took her hand, intending to leave.
“Stop right there!” Horace shouted before they could walk away.
Addy and Amaia turned around and stared at him with complacent expressions. They wanted to see what he planned to do.
In the blink of an eye, Horace threw the broken cellphone and it hit Addy’s forehead hard.
“Take the phone with you!” he shouted angrily.
“Fuck! You bastard! How dare you?” Addy cursed as he held his forehead. The pain was too much that he staggered backward and fell to the ground.
Amaia was also taken aback. Pointing at him, she yelled, “What the fuck! Horace, what’s your problem? Have you gone mad?”
Addy stood up and punched Horace in the face.
“Son of a bitch!”
The heavy punch dazed Horace, but he quickly recovered.
Not to be outdone, he gave Addy a kick in his abdomen. His dusty shoe made a clear footprint on the expensive suit.
“Oh my goodness. They are fighting! They are fighting!”
The onlookers had thought the quarrel would end a while ago. They were shocked when Horace started the fight.
The scene was becoming dangerously violent, but they totally lived for it. They all cheered the warring men by clapping and whooping. No one attempted to break the fight.
Amaia was also shocked at how things were getting out of hand. She was in a daze, but she soon came to her senses. She screamed, “Stop it, Horace!”
She charged toward him and kicked him with her pointy high heels.
The two young men were neck on neck. Horace didn’t think anything of Amaia’s last command until he felt the sharp pain on his side as if he had been stabbed.
Before he could recover from the pain, Addy pushed him down ruthlessly.
“You swine! I’ll teach you an unforgettable lesson today!”
He seized the opportunity to rain blows and kicks on his opponent who was lying on the ground.
Amaia also gave him kicks occasionally.
Horace was no match for them. The blows were becoming more and more intense, so he took a fetal position and covered his head.
The excitement in the square died down at this moment. The onlookers were afraid that Horace would die if things went on like this.
Some men quickly stepped forward and pulled the couple away. They persuaded them to let him go.
Addy wasn’t having any of this. He broke away from their hold and kicked Horace hard. But they seized him again. “You loser, don’t let me set my eyes on you again. If I do, I will beat you to death!” he shouted breathlessly.
Then he spat on him and left with Amaia.
Horace lay on the ground as he gasped for breath. His whole body was on fire due to the blows he just received. He stared blankly at the sky.
‘Poverty is a terrible disease!’ Horace knew that Amaia threw his affection away because he didn’t have money. The rich ruled the world. And he finally realized this.
At this moment, his face was pale and he felt as if a knife was driven into his heart.
He had loved Amaia for three whole years.
In high school, he practically worshiped the ground that she walked on. He provided her with everything she needed.
All his efforts and resources went down the drain tonight. His dignity also went with them.
As a morally upright young man, he believed in treating women right. He thought he could win Amaia’s heart by being sincere and treating her like a queen.
He didn’t expect that she would help to beat him to a pulp after everything.
‘Amaia, is money more important to you than my genuine love?’ Horace queried her in his heart. ‘Why was I born poor? If I were a rich man, Amaia would’ve treated me well.’
At the thought of this, Horace smiled with tears in his eyes. “Oh, I am such a loser. I was just beaten, but I still managed to fantasize about being rich!” He teased himself pitifully.
Now that Horace was lost in thoughts, the onlookers sighed sympathetically and began to leave.
There was no point waiting since the show was over.
Horace was left lying on the ground and staring in a daze.
He was there for a long time before he finally got up painstakingly.
His bones cracked and his heart beat faster than normal. The pain in his body was intensifying. He took a deep breath.
Amaia and Addy had shown him no mercy. However, the most painful kicks were from Amaia because of her high-heeled shoes. It had sent tingling pain to every spot it landed.
How heartless!
With his back bent, Horace took a shaky step and was about to return home.
He froze when his phone suddenly rang out.
He took it out and looked at the screen. The call was from a stranger.
His phone was old and the screen was cracked, but it was still working fine.
“Hello? Please am I on to Mr. Warren?” A respectful middle-aged man’s voice came from the other end of the line as soon as he answered.
‘Huh? Did he just say Mr. Warren?’
No one had ever addressed him like this before. He reasoned that this person must be a fraudster.
Horace rolled his eyes with displeasure. He then replied weakly, “I’m Horace Warren. Please don’t waste your time. I haven’t gotten any money for you. Call someone else.”
He hung up the phone before the caller could respond.
But his phone rang again in less than two seconds.
Horace saw that it was the same number.
He was already having a bad day, so he angrily declined the call.
However, the caller didn’t give up. His phone rang off the hook.
This fueled Horace’s anger. He decided to blacklist the number immediately.
But for some reason, he ended up clicking the receive icon. Perhaps it was because he badly needed to talk to someone about his suffering.
“Mr. Warren, please listen to me…”
The man on the other end of the line urged him not to hang up as soon as he answered the call. However, Horace interrupted him.
“Dude, I don’t know who you are. But I must say that I admire your persistence. If you had called me yesterday, you could have duped me of a thousand dollars…”
“Mr. Warren, I am not…” The middle-aged man sounded embarrassed when he heard this statement.
Horace cut him short again. “I paid my mother’s medical bills today and bought a cellphone with the remaining money. I wanted to give it to the girl I loved as a present. Unfortunately, she rejected it and humiliated me in the presence of a huge crowd in the city square. I then had a fight with her boyfriend. Guess what. I lost!”
The caller fell silent and listened attentively. Horace poured out his heart to him.
With a peal of sad laughter, he concluded, “I’m nothing but a poor loser. If you intend on duping me or selling goods to me, I advise that you find someone else.”
Horace took a deep breath. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.
Just when he was about to hang up the phone, the caller said, “Mr. Warren, you have suffered a lot. It might interest you to know that you aren’t a poor loser. You are one of the noblest persons in the world. I’ll transfer one hundred million dollars to your account once I get off this call. Use it to solve your problems first.”
The man named Raul Warren then hung up the call. His blood was boiling and he clutched the phone in his hand tightly to suppress his anger. He turned to his men and commanded, “Prepare the convoy. I need to go to the city square to pay homage to Mr. Warren now!”
Meanwhile, Horace was staring at his phone in confusion. He didn’t understand the man’s last statement.
“Me? One of the noblest people in the world? One hundred million dollars? That was ridiculous! That man must be insane!” he muttered with disbelief.
Horace’s phone suddenly vibrated, and the screen lit up again.
A message had popped in the middle of the cracked screen. It read, “Bank Account ××××××1235 just got credited with 100, 000, 000 dollars.”
From Worthless to Wealthy: A Poor Man’s Rise to Success
Protagonist
Brian Tennant
Author
Eldin Waterfield
Number of Chapters
339
Publishing platform
MoboReader
“Get lost, you church rat. I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to date you. Don’t show up in front of me again. I’m done!”
Brian’s girlfriend insulted him and broke up with him at school.
He had just caught her cheating on him. Instead of apologizing, she humiliated him in front of everyone.
Were poor men unworthy of respect? Nonsense!
Brian was unwilling to accept that.
He swore to make a fortune and have his revenge.
On the same day, he received a call from his family housekeeper.
“Congratulations, Mr. Tennant! Your trial has ended. You will no longer live a life of penury. The funds for your upkeep yearly have been deposited in Citibank. Go there and check them.”
Brian felt that the money in question was only a few thousand dollars. He didn’t see the reason why he had to go to the bank to check.
To the best of his knowledge, his family’s business was only worth about ten million dollars.
But he soon realized that he was wrong. There was a lot of cash, gold, and jewelry when he opened the vault assigned to him in the bank.
It turned out that his family had a trillion-dollar empire!
Brian Tennant was busy doing his part-time job, cleaning the tables in the canteen of Everin University.
He wore an apron and a pair of rubber gloves now, which were part of job requirements.
He also collected all the plastic water bottles on the table and stuffed them into the large plastic bag next to him.
“Ten more bottles and the bag will be full. Then I can sell them for twenty dollars! I’ll finally have enough money to buy some food tomorrow. Perfect!”
Not far away, Jeanne Hall saw what Brian was doing and frowned tightly.
She looked to Kim Percival, who was sitting opposite her, and asked with disgust, “Kim, who’s that loser? Why is he so poor?”
Kim was a popular finance student who came from a wealthy family. It was said that his family’s net worth had already exceeded about ten million dollars.
“Poor? Don’t judge a book by its cover. You know the popular girl, Rosy Stevens, right? That’s her boyfriend. He gives her a three-thousand-dollar allowance every month.”
Jeanne did a double take. She looked at the man slaving over the bottles in disbelief and asked, “Are you kidding me? How could Rosy be with him?”
Kim wrinkled his nose in disdain and snorted, “Because he’s a thick-skinned ass-kisser in front of Rosy.”
Seeing the confusion on Jeanne’s face, Kim smiled mischievously. “Here, let me show you.”
He stood up and deliberately scattered his leftovers on the floor. Then he shouted at Brian, “Hey, Waste! Come here and clean up this mess.”
Without thinking too much, Brian hurried over and squatted down to clean up the scattered leftovers.
Suddenly, he felt a stream of cold liquid drenching his hair.
He looked up in shock. It turned out that Kim had poured a bottle of drink over his head.
Brian stood up immediately. With clenched fists, he glared at Kim, blue veins bulging on his forehead.
Kim rolled his eyes unhurriedly. Instead of being afraid, he patted Brian on the cheek and sneered, “What’s the matter? Do you want to hit me?”
Brian’s eyes were blazing with fury. But before he threw a punch at Kim, he thought about his situation.
It had taken him a lot of effort to get this part-time job in the canteen. Apart from the salary, he was allowed to collect bottles and sell them for extra money.
If he hit Kim here today, he would likely lose his job. Then he wouldn’t be able to pay his own tuition, not to mention pay the medical fees of Rosy’s mother.
Brian took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and forced a smile. “No… No, I don’t want to hit you.”
“Ha-ha!”
Seeing this, both Kim and Jeanne burst into laughter in unison.
“You are such a fucking loser! Go and buy me a lottery ticket. You can keep the change as a reward. Then send this package to Room 1024 of Galaxy Hotel, got it?”
Kim took out a hundred-dollar bill and tossed it at Brian’s face. Then he slipped his arm around Jeanne’s waist and the two left, laughing all the way.
Brian picked up the package Kim left expressionlessly and picked up the hundred-dollar bill off the floor.
It was better to send the package to the hotel first and then go to buy a lottery ticket for Kim.
When Brian thought about the change he’d get after buying one lottery ticket, his displeasure vanished in an instant.
He trotted all the way to Room 1024 of the hotel in high spirits.
Just as he was about to knock at the door, he heard a woman’s pleasured moans from inside the room.
Brian’s hand stopped midair. His cheeks turned as red as tomatoes with embarrassment. But soon, he realized that something was wrong.
Why did the woman inside sound like Rosy?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He raised his fist and pounded on the door twice, shouting, “Open the door!”
“Who’s that? What a bummer!” the girl complained loudly.
“Don’t worry, babe. Maybe it’s just the courier. I asked Kim to buy me some sex toys. I’ll make it up to you later.”
Seconds later, the door was opened.
Brian’s eyes suddenly widened and his mind went completely blank.
“Get lost, you church rat. I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to date you. Don’t show up in front of me again. I’m done!”
Brian’s girlfriend insulted him and broke up with him at school.
He had just caught her cheating on him. Instead of apologizing, she humiliated him in front of everyone.
Were poor men unworthy of respect? Nonsense!
Brian was unwilling to accept that.
He swore to make a fortune and have his revenge.
On the same day, he received a call from his family housekeeper.
“Congratulations, Mr. Tennant! Your trial has ended. You will no longer live a life of penury. The funds for your upkeep yearly have been deposited in Citibank. Go there and check them.”
Brian felt that the money in question was only a few thousand dollars. He didn’t see the reason why he had to go to the bank to check.
To the best of his knowledge, his family’s business was only worth about ten million dollars.
But he soon realized that he was wrong. There was a lot of cash, gold, and jewelry when he opened the vault assigned to him in the bank.
It turned out that his family had a trillion-dollar empire!
Brian Tennant was busy doing his part-time job, cleaning the tables in the canteen of Everin University.
He wore an apron and a pair of rubber gloves now, which were part of job requirements.
He also collected all the plastic water bottles on the table and stuffed them into the large plastic bag next to him.
“Ten more bottles and the bag will be full. Then I can sell them for twenty dollars! I’ll finally have enough money to buy some food tomorrow. Perfect!”
Brian murmured to himself, cheering himself on. He glanced at the almost full plastic bag with excitement.
Not far away, Jeanne Hall saw what Brian was doing and frowned tightly.
She looked to Kim Percival, who was sitting opposite her, and asked with disgust, “Kim, who’s that man over there? Why is he so poor?”
Kim was a popular finance student who came from a wealthy family. It was said that his family’s net worth had already exceeded about ten million dollars.
“Poor? Don’t judge a book by its cover. You know the popular girl, Rosy Stevens, right? That’s her boyfriend. He gives her a three-thousand-dollar allowance every month.”
As he spoke, Kim stared at Brian sourly.
Jeanne did a double take. She looked at the man slaving over the bottles in disbelief and asked, “Are you kidding me? How could Rosy be with him?”
Kim wrinkled his nose in disdain and snorted, “Because he’s a thick-skinned ass-kisser in front of Rosy.”
Seeing the confusion on Jeanne’s face, Kim smiled mischievously. “Here, let me show you.”
He stood up and deliberately scattered his leftovers on the floor. Then he shouted at Brian, “Hey, you! Come here and clean up this mess.”
Without thinking too much, Brian hurried over and squatted down to clean up the scattered leftovers.
Suddenly, he felt a stream of cold liquid drenching his hair.
He looked up in shock. It turned out that Kim had poured a bottle of drink over his head.
Brian stood up immediately. With clenched fists, he glared at Kim, blue veins bulging on his forehead.
Kim rolled his eyes unhurriedly. Instead of being afraid, he patted Brian on the cheek and sneered, “What’s the matter? Do you want to hit me?”
Brian’s eyes were blazing with fury. But before he threw a punch at Kim, he thought about his situation.
It had taken him a lot of effort to get this part-time job in the canteen. Apart from the salary, he was allowed to collect bottles and sell them for extra money.
If he hit Kim here today, he would likely lose his job. Then he wouldn’t be able to pay his own tuition, not to mention pay the medical fees of Rosy’s mother.
Brian took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and forced a smile. “No… No, I don’t want to hit you.”
“Ha-ha!”
Seeing this, both Kim and Jeanne burst into laughter in unison.
“You are such a fucking loser! Go and buy me a lottery ticket. You can keep the change as a reward. Then send this package to Room 1024 of Galaxy Hotel, got it?”
Kim took out a hundred-dollar bill and tossed it at Brian’s face. Then he slipped his arm around Jeanne’s waist and the two left, laughing all the way.
Brian picked up the package Kim left expressionlessly and picked up the hundred-dollar bill off the floor.
It was better to send the package to the hotel first and then go to buy a lottery ticket for Kim.
When he thought about the change he’d get after buying one lottery ticket, Brian’s displeasure vanished in an instant.
He trotted all the way to Room 1024 of the hotel in high spirits.
Just as he was about to knock at the door, he heard a woman’s pleasured moans from inside the room.
Brian’s hand stopped midair. His cheeks turned as red as tomatoes with embarrassment. But soon, he realized that something was wrong.
Why did the woman inside sound like Rosy?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He raised his fist and pounded on the door twice, shouting, “Open the door!”
“Who’s that? What a bummer!” the girl complained loudly.
“Don’t worry, babe. Maybe it’s just the courier. I asked Kim to buy me some sex toys. I’ll make it up to you later.”
Seconds later, the door was opened.
Brian’s eyes suddenly widened and his mind went completely blank.
Jared Chance is furious that someone has tried to make an advance on his girlfriend. In the end, he ends up behind bars after his attempt to protect her.
Three years later, he is a free man but finds out that that girlfriend of his has married the man who hit on her back then. Jared will not let things slide.
Thankfully, he has learned Focus Technique during his time in prison. At that, he embarks on the journey of cultivation and is accompanied by a gorgeous Josephine.
Who would have thought this would enrage his ex-girlfriend?
“I’m finally out,” Jared Chance exclaimed as he forcefully took a deep breath of fresh air. Behind him was Horington Prison, where he had been locked up for the past three years. Today was the day he was released. “Hmm, I wonder how my parents are doing.” With a torn canvas bag on his back, Jared hurried home right away. Over the last three years, his parents never visited him. Hence, he was worried about them. On the way home, Jared kept looking at the bronze-colored ring he was wearing. There was a lifelike dragon carved on it. On top of the dragon’s head was a special symbol. The ring was given to him by Draco, a friend from prison. Draco was a strange man. He would constantly ramble on about how he was the leader of the Dragon Sect and knew everything, including astrology, geography, medicine, and many more. Not only that, he even claimed that he could bring back someone from the dead. Everyone treated Draco as a madman and ignored him accordingly. Only Jared would chat with him and share his food occasionally. Draco would tell Jared all sorts of strange stories about the Dragon Sect and Dragon Island. These were names that Jared had never heard before. Moreover, Draco would get Jared to accompany him in his meditation and martial arts training. Given how bored Jared was in prison, he gladly went along with it. At the end of three years, Jared had learned a plethora of martial art techniques and medical skills from Draco. On the fateful day of Jared’s release, Draco gave the ring to Jared and told him to go to Nameless Island within the Eastern Sea on the fifteenth of July that year. There, he was supposed to flash his ring and someone would pick him up. When that happened, Jared would be bestowed with a wonderful opportunity. Considering how much he had learned from Draco, Jared naturally took his words seriously and promised to do as he was told. Nevertheless, there were still a few more months to go before July. Before he knew it, Jared had arrived at the entrance to his home. When he saw the dilapidated house in front of him, he felt a sense of bitterness, as he had no knowledge of how his parents held up during the three years. Due to my rash actions, my parents must have suffered a lot. Thinking back to what had happened three years ago, Jared was filled with anger. Back then, he and his girlfriend, Sandy Gibson, were at the stage where they were talking about marriage. They were classmates at university and had been in a relationship for two years. One day, when he was walking Sandy back home, both of them ran into Leyton Scott, who was drunk. Leyton was a rich kid in Horington, well-known for all his misdeeds. When he saw how pretty Sandy was, he harbored lecherous intentions against her and began touching her physically. As a famous rich kid, Leyton didn’t even bother to look at Jared. Consequently, Jared was incensed when he saw his girlfriend being taken advantage of. Picking up a brick from the ground, he smashed it onto Leyton’s head. One didn’t need to be a genius to guess the outcome. Considering how powerful Leyton was, he called the police, who arrested Jared. Because of that, Jared was sentenced to three years in prison for assault. After hesitating for a long time, Jared knocked gently on the door. “Who is it?” When the door opened, a hunched-back old lady with a headful of white hair popped her head out. Reaching out one hand as if to feel something, she asked, “Who is it? Who’s knocking on the door?” The old lady’s eyes were closed shut. It could not be more obvious that she was blind. Jared was stunned the moment he saw her. His eyes widened in shock while his entire body trembled slightly. He could not believe that the old, wrinkled lady was his mother, Hannah Thompson. How did Mom end up in such a state in just three years’ time? “Mom, it’s me. Jared!” Jared called out emotionally as he stepped forward to support her. “Jared? Is it really you?” As Hannah used her hands to feel Jared’s face, tears could not help but roll down her cheeks. “Mom, it’s me. It’s really me.” Tears were also welling up in Jared’s eyes. “Mom, what happened to you?” Jared was baffled as to how his previously healthy mother turned out this way after just three short years. “Um, it’s a long story. Come in first before we talk.” Hannah pulled Jared into the house. Seeing how empty their decrepit house was, Jared was shocked beyond belief. Although they were not rich, his father had a steady job. Therefore, they previously led a simple yet comfortable life. “Mom, what happened to our house?” Jared questioned in horror. Hannah let out a sigh. “After you left…” His mother then related everything to him. After Jared was sent to prison, the Scott family didn’t look past the matter. Instead, they demanded a million in compensation. Left without a choice, Jared’s parents sold the house they bought for his marriage and borrowed a lot of money. Even then, it was not enough. Finally, they had to pay the last three hundred thousand in installments. Thus, Jared’s father lost his job and could only find work as a street cleaner. As for his mother, she cried all day long until she went blind. That was also the reason why his parents never visited him. While listening to his mother, Jared gradually clenched his fist as his eyes glowed with murderous intent. He had not expected the Scott family to show his family no mercy. “Mom, did Sandy not help you at all?” Jared asked in a puzzled tone. Sandy and I were about to be married. Furthermore, I was jailed defending her honor. Hence, there’s no way she can sit idly by and watch my parents end up in this state, can she? Letting out a sigh, Hannah replied, “Let’s not bring that up. Not only did the Gibson family ignore us, but they also didn’t even return the betrothal gift when I asked for it back. They claimed it wasn’t their fault that the wedding fell through because you went to prison. That’s why they refused to return it.” “When your dad argued with them, he was even beaten for it.” The more Hannah talked about it, the more depressed she became. In the end, her tears just would not stop.
Jared Chance is furious that someone has tried to make an advance on his girlfriend. In the end, he ends up behind bars after his attempt to protect her.
Three years later, he is a free man but finds out that that girlfriend of his has married the man who hit on her back then. Jared will not let things slide.
Thankfully, he has learned Focus Technique during his time in prison. At that, he embarks on the journey of cultivation and is accompanied by a gorgeous Josephine.
Who would have thought this would enrage his ex-girlfriend?
“I’m finally out,” Jared Chance exclaimed as he forcefully took a deep breath of fresh air. Behind him was Horington Prison, where he had been locked up for the past three years. Today was the day he was released. “Hmm, I wonder how my parents are doing.” With a torn canvas bag on his back, Jared hurried home right away. Over the last three years, his parents never visited him. Hence, he was worried about them. On the way home, Jared kept looking at the bronze-colored ring he was wearing. There was a lifelike dragon carved on it. On top of the dragon’s head was a special symbol. The ring was given to him by Draco, a friend from prison. Draco was a strange man. He would constantly ramble on about how he was the leader of the Dragon Sect and knew everything, including astrology, geography, medicine, and many more. Not only that, he even claimed that he could bring back someone from the dead. Everyone treated Draco as a madman and ignored him accordingly. Only Jared would chat with him and share his food occasionally. Draco would tell Jared all sorts of strange stories about the Dragon Sect and Dragon Island. These were names that Jared had never heard before. Moreover, Draco would get Jared to accompany him in his meditation and martial arts training. Given how bored Jared was in prison, he gladly went along with it. At the end of three years, Jared had learned a plethora of martial art techniques and medical skills from Draco. On the fateful day of Jared’s release, Draco gave the ring to Jared and told him to go to Nameless Island within the Eastern Sea on the fifteenth of July that year. There, he was supposed to flash his ring and someone would pick him up. When that happened, Jared would be bestowed with a wonderful opportunity. Considering how much he had learned from Draco, Jared naturally took his words seriously and promised to do as he was told. Nevertheless, there were still a few more months to go before July. Before he knew it, Jared had arrived at the entrance to his home. When he saw the dilapidated house in front of him, he felt a sense of bitterness, as he had no knowledge of how his parents held up during the three years. Due to my rash actions, my parents must have suffered a lot. Thinking back to what had happened three years ago, Jared was filled with anger. Back then, he and his girlfriend, Sandy Gibson, were at the stage where they were talking about marriage. They were classmates at university and had been in a relationship for two years. One day, when he was walking Sandy back home, both of them ran into Leyton Scott, who was drunk. Leyton was a rich kid in Horington, well-known for all his misdeeds. When he saw how pretty Sandy was, he harbored lecherous intentions against her and began touching her physically. As a famous rich kid, Leyton didn’t even bother to look at Jared. Consequently, Jared was incensed when he saw his girlfriend being taken advantage of. Picking up a brick from the ground, he smashed it onto Leyton’s head. One didn’t need to be a genius to guess the outcome. Considering how powerful Leyton was, he called the police, who arrested Jared. Because of that, Jared was sentenced to three years in prison for assault. After hesitating for a long time, Jared knocked gently on the door. “Who is it?” When the door opened, a hunched-back old lady with a headful of white hair popped her head out. Reaching out one hand as if to feel something, she asked, “Who is it? Who’s knocking on the door?” The old lady’s eyes were closed shut. It could not be more obvious that she was blind. Jared was stunned the moment he saw her. His eyes widened in shock while his entire body trembled slightly. He could not believe that the old, wrinkled lady was his mother, Hannah Thompson. How did Mom end up in such a state in just three years’ time? “Mom, it’s me. Jared!” Jared called out emotionally as he stepped forward to support her. “Jared? Is it really you?” As Hannah used her hands to feel Jared’s face, tears could not help but roll down her cheeks. “Mom, it’s me. It’s really me.” Tears were also welling up in Jared’s eyes. “Mom, what happened to you?” Jared was baffled as to how his previously healthy mother turned out this way after just three short years. “Um, it’s a long story. Come in first before we talk.” Hannah pulled Jared into the house. Seeing how empty their decrepit house was, Jared was shocked beyond belief. Although they were not rich, his father had a steady job. Therefore, they previously led a simple yet comfortable life. “Mom, what happened to our house?” Jared questioned in horror. Hannah let out a sigh. “After you left…” His mother then related everything to him. After Jared was sent to prison, the Scott family didn’t look past the matter. Instead, they demanded a million in compensation. Left without a choice, Jared’s parents sold the house they bought for his marriage and borrowed a lot of money. Even then, it was not enough. Finally, they had to pay the last three hundred thousand in installments. Thus, Jared’s father lost his job and could only find work as a street cleaner. As for his mother, she cried all day long until she went blind. That was also the reason why his parents never visited him. While listening to his mother, Jared gradually clenched his fist as his eyes glowed with murderous intent. He had not expected the Scott family to show his family no mercy. “Mom, did Sandy not help you at all?” Jared asked in a puzzled tone. Sandy and I were about to be married. Furthermore, I was jailed defending her honor. Hence, there’s no way she can sit idly by and watch my parents end up in this state, can she? Letting out a sigh, Hannah replied, “Let’s not bring that up. Not only did the Gibson family ignore us, but they also didn’t even return the betrothal gift when I asked for it back. They claimed it wasn’t their fault that the wedding fell through because you went to prison. That’s why they refused to return it.” “When your dad argued with them, he was even beaten for it.” The more Hannah talked about it, the more depressed she became. In the end, her tears just would not stop.
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university.
That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out.
I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend.
With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted.
But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face.
Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings.
But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down.
Trevor Sanderson, in a blue basketball uniform, walked through the gates of the gym.
As soon as he entered the gym, he picked up the empty water bottles and soda cans left by the crowd that watched the last game.
“It would be great if the university held a basketball match every day.
I could easily make fifty bucks by gathering these bottles and cans.
If I make that much every day, I can buy Sylvia an iPhone for her birthday.”
Trevor raised his head and looked at the cluttered gym with excitement.
While he was in the middle of collecting bottles and cans, a group of tall male students strode out of the locker room.
The one walking in the middle of the group had red hair named Bernard Collins and a cigarette in his mouth.
He picked up a sock and threw it at Trevor.
Before Trevor could dodge, the sock landed directly on his face, and a pungent sourness hit his nostrils.
“I asked everyone on the team to save their dirty clothes for an entire week so that you could earn more money. It smells great, doesn’t it?”
Bernard waved his hand, and the others tossed their dirty laundry toward Trevor.
“It’s better for this kind of trash to get out of our school before it’s too late!”
“This guy has disgraced the school!”
“I think he’s not picking up trash, but he’s deliberately spoiling our fun!”
“Wimp!”
“I…”
Trevor shook the dirty sock off his face and flushed.
He could not offend Bernard.
After all, he was but a mere college student from a poor family.
He could only work part-time on weekends and offer his errand and homework services to his schoolmates to make money.
It was the only way he could afford to go to college.
If Trevor had a choice, he would not do business with someone as obnoxious and self-important as Bernard.
But since he had to make money to put himself through college, all he could do was swallow his pride and keep his anger at bay.
He took a deep breath, picked up the sock Bernard threw, and tossed it into the bucket.
“Fifty bucks for all of them,” he said.
Bernard took out his wallet, pulled out some dollars, and threw them at Trevor’s feet.
With a smug smile, he said, “Here’s fifty-five and another errand I want you to run. I want you to pick up a parcel at the school gate and take it to the locker room. It’s for Dennis Cooper, the leader of the basketball team.”
After saying that, Bernard turned around and left with the rest of the group with excitement.
Trevor picked up the money from the floor and clenched it in his fist.
“I don’t like dealing with that jerk Bernard and his friends, but as long as I can make money off them, I’m fine.”
After Bernard and his teammates left, Trevor carried on picking up empty water bottles and soda cans around the gym.
After filling up his trash bag, he went to the recycling center outside the school to sell what he had collected.
Then, he rushed to the school gate to get the parcel for Dennis and then made his way back to the locker room.
Along the way, Trevor carefully counted the money he earned today.
He was tired, but he felt that it was worth it.
He could not wait to save enough money to buy gifts for his dear girlfriend.
Trevor was about to open the door to the locker room when a woman’s groan stopped him in his tracks.
“What? Why is that voice so familiar?”
The woman on the other side of the door squealed with delight.
Trevor’s face turned red as his heart started thudding against his ribcage.
He suddenly came to the horrifying realization that the voice was so similar to his girlfriend Sylvia Farrows’.
“Oh, Dennis, I love it when you touch my breasts like that. Just like that. Don’t stop.”
“Come now, Sylvia. Hey, I bought you some sexy lingerie today. Put it on later, and we’ll have some more fun.”
When Trevor heard their conversation, he could not deny it any longer.
The corridor of the hospital was bustling. Many doctors and nurses came and went, attending to their patients’ needs.
Mathews Larson squatted on the floor, leaning against the cold wall. His sobs echoed through the corridor.
The doctor’s words still lingered in his mind, loud and clear. “Your mother has kidney failure, and she needs to undergo an operation immediately. You need to prepare at least one hundred thousand dollars for the operation. If we don’t do it soon, I’m afraid she can only live for a month at most.”
These words were like a knife piercing through the deepest part of Mathews’ heart.
When he was ten, Mathews was abducted and sold by human traffickers. Later, he was able to escape. However, he was just a kid, wandering on the street and having no way to support himself. It was Rosa Astley who found, saved and adopted him.
When he escaped, he had an accident and hit his head. As a result, he lost his memory. And he was still very young, so he couldn’t remember anything about his family, even his biological parents.
Since then, Rosa had been his only family.
Rosa only finished junior high school, so she made a living by working as a servant. But she worked very hard to support Mathews.
Mathews dreamed of changing his fate and giving Rosa a better and happy life, so he studied hard and did his best to get into Nouis University. He thought everything was finally getting better, but Rosa suddenly suffered from kidney failure and had to undergo a kidney transplant.
“No, I can’t let Mom suffer like this. I must find a way to raise one hundred thousand dollars.”
Mathews wiped away his tears, gritted his teeth, and stood up.
One hundred thousand dollars was like an insurmountable mountain, but he must do this.
He walked into the ward and looked at Rosa on the bed. She was in a coma, and tubes were attached all over her body.
There was only one thought in Mathews’ mind now. He had to save Rosa, who had been a very good mother to him, at all costs.
He tucked her in and walked out of the ward.
While in the corridor, he took out his phone with his trembling hand and dialed a number. “Mrs. Coleman, my mother is seriously ill, and she is in the hospital now. I want to borrow one hundred thousand dollars from you. But I will definitely pay it back in the future.”
On the other end of the line, Patty Coleman shouted angrily, “What did you say? One hundred thousand dollars? How dare you make such a request! Your mother is just a servant. How can her life be worth one hundred thousand dollars?”
Patty was Debby Coleman’s mother, and the latter was Mathews’ fiancee. The Coleman family ran a catering company with more than ten million dollars in assets. Rosa had been a servant of the Coleman family for ten years.
It was understandable if Patty didn’t want to lend him money since Rosa was just their maid. But did she really have to say such harsh words?
People would have feelings for a dog they had raised for ten years, let alone a woman working for them for that long.
Mathews gritted his teeth fiercely to suppress his anger. Then he said humbly, “Mrs. Coleman, I beg you. Even if I’m still studying, I will work hard to pay you back.”
Patty sneered, “You? A loser like you? How long will it take for you to earn one hundred thousand dollars by doing part-time jobs? By the way, you must break off your engagement with Debby within this month. Don’t wait until your mother dies. Otherwise, people will say that the Coleman family is inhuman.”
After saying this, she hung up the phone without giving Mathews any chance to retort.
At this time, the heart rate monitor next to Rosa’s hospital bed alarmed rapidly. The nurses and doctors rushed in and pushed her into the emergency room.
Upon seeing this scene, Mathews felt like he had lost the most important thing in his life. He hurriedly followed them, but he could only wait anxiously outside the emergency room.
Ten minutes later, the doctor walked out of the emergency room and approached Mathews. “The patient’s condition is getting worse. This time, we have managed to revive her and she is fine now. But if we can’t do the operation before five o’clock this afternoon, you can start preparing for her funeral.”
Mathews felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and his limbs turned cold. Then a painful and unspeakable emotion surged in his heart.
Just now, the person closest to him almost left the world, but there was nothing he could do.
He felt he was such a loser.
Mathews slammed his fist against the wall, and his knuckle bled at once.
He roared, “Why don’t I have money? Why am I born poor?”
Five years ago, a kind-hearted lady tried to give him a hand. But his desires, aroused by drunkenness, got the better of him as he forced her to have sex with him?-by the time he had woken up, the lady had left.
It had been five grueling years for him as he exhausted all the possibilities to find the lady. It was only until recently that he finally got a hold of the information he had been looking for.
How would the relationship between him and the strange lady play out?
The entire city of Channing was on high alert. A military aircraft was making its landing at the Channing International Airport. Hundreds of soldiers from the special forces aligned themselves into neat rows at the airport. Each soldier was dressed in full battle gear. None of them could tear their adulatory eyes away from the aircraft that had just landed. There was a sense of eager anticipation in the air. Nathan Cross made his way down the aircraft’s stairs after he had exited. His black combat boots creaked with every step he took. “Attention!” “Salute!” The strident voice of the officer pierced through the air with a note of authority and discipline. The troops raised their right hand uniformly to give their salutes while greeting him concertedly, “Welcome to Channing, Sir!” He was their general, whose actual name was Nathan Cross, although they liked to refer him as the Ares of the North. That was because he had never lost a battle in his distinguished military career, since the day he had joined the army as a young chap. His track record for the past five years had been jaw-dropping when he had led the troops to several significant victories in the north. He had repeatedly defended the borders from invading enemies. The country owed it to his tactical genius and strategic astuteness for the peace and prosperity that it was enjoying today. With a tall and muscular physique, Nathan Cross was an attractive man. His luminous eyes sparkled like diamonds in the dazzling sunlight. Nonetheless, he seemed a little displeased. Knitting his brows together, he muttered to Colin Dunne, captain of the National Guards, “Didn’t I tell you to keep a low profile?” “That’s what I’ve been telling the Channing’s authorities, Sir. I’d never expected that they would make such a fuss about it,” Colin Dunne replied abashedly. “Send the troops back and inform them to lift the red alert status, reverting everything to its usual course. The same goes for you – I don’t need you to follow me around. I have my own arrangements.” “Yes, Sir!” Colin Dunne clapped his heels together and saluted. Nathan Cross strode out of the airport alone, accompanied by a sudden myriad of strange emotions that tugged at his heart, which was a huge departure from his usual calm demeanor. Five years ago, the grief from his mother’s passing had forced him into a drunken stupor and left him sleeping on the streets. A kind-hearted lady took pity on him and tried to give him a hand. But his desires, aroused by drunkenness, got the better of him as he forced her to have sex with him. By the time he had woken up, the lady had left. It had been five grueling years for Nathan as he exhausted all the possibilities to find the lady. Unfortunately, all his efforts had come to naught. It was only until recently that he finally got a hold of the information he had been looking for. His sources had informed him that her name was Penny Smith, and that she was still unmarried. She had given birth to a daughter, Queenie Smith, a corollary of their one-night stand. It pained him to think about the dreadful life that the two had to face over the past few years. Penny, Queenie, I know it must have been hard for both of you. Now that I’ve found you, I assure you that there will only be joy and happiness in your lives from now on, he solemnly vowed. I shall give you the wonderful lives that you both deserve. … In the meeting room of Diva Limited, Penny Smith was amidst a discussion with her client, Derek Harvey. Dressed in a smart suit, Penny appeared business-like, yet stunningly attractive. However, her face was full of rage as she glared at the fat, pudgy man in front of her. “I’m sorry, Mr. Harvey, but I’m unable to oblige your request. I’m not one of those who would give myself away merely for the sake of a contract,” she rejected him indignantly. With that being said, she stood up and turned to leave the meeting room. Derek Harvey stretched out his flabby arms to block her from leaving. “Don’t be mad, Ms. Smith.” His lips widened into a nauseous grin, like a hungry wolf baring its fangs. “All I’m asking is for you to put on your company’s latest lingerie design for couples so that I can get a better sense of how they look on one’s body.” Leering, he tried to persuade her, “Just a small feast for my eyes, that’s all I ask!” “Why don’t you just model them for me? I’ll place an order for fifty million immediately if I like what I see. That’s my stance, take it or leave it.” “And to top it off, I’ll give you a big fat tip of one million as well. How does that sound to you?” “Please stop harassing me and show me some respect, Mr. Harvey!” “Respect for you?” Derek Harvey shrilled at the top of his voice. “Who would respect someone like you after they’ve found out about your dirty past, our beloved daughter of the Smith Family? Every member of Channing’s upper class would cover their mouths and giggled at this open secret. Stop pretending like you’re like some pure and innocent virgin in front of me!” A shiver ran down Penny Smith’s spine. Her face immediately paled when he brought up that ugly incident – it was the ghost that would haunt her for the rest of her life, a perpetual shame that would forever plague the reputation of the Smith Family. Just the mention of it was torture to her. She had never expected Derek Harvey to use it, trampling all over her dignity. “I don’t see the need to explain my personal life to you,” her beautiful face turned frigid, “And I’ve decided to call off our business cooperation with you. There’s nothing left to discuss, goodbye!” With his eyes pinned on Penny’s alluring body, Derek Harvey refused to relent. He darted his eyes over to the lingerie samples on the table and threatened, “No woman can escape from me once I have my eyes on her, Ms. Smith. Don’t blame me for getting rough if you insist on defying me.” His words still resounding in her ears, Penny was instantly cornered by two bodyguards with crooked smiles on their faces. “What are you trying to do?” Penny immediately grew alert. Her voice was thick with rage and fear. “I’m just trying to have some fun with you, Ms. Smith. Don’t you know how much I adore you?” Derek Harvey smiled his obnoxious, lewd smile, “But since you are such a pig-headed fool, I’m afraid that I’ll have to resort to physical means to make you submit to my demands.” A pang of horror shot through Penny when he uttered those words, making her cheek twitch with fear. Abruptly, she dashed for the door in a bid to escape. The two bodyguards grasped her wrists and held her back. “Help! Someone help me, please!” Penny screamed at the top of her lungs. “Hehehe, save your breath, my dear. I’ve picked this hour for our meeting as all of your staff have already left for home.” Derek Harvey flashed a grotesque grin, “You can shout all you want, nobody will come to save you.” Tears welled up in Penny’s eyes as she plunged into despair, feeling like a trapped animal. She had never expected Derek Harvey to be such a vicious monster. “Oh baby, why are you crying? Daddy is here…” Derek Harvey pressed closer to her with a sneer on his repugnant face, spinning his nasty web around Penny, who had been pinned down by his bodyguards. Bang! A thunderous thud reverberated around the room. The meeting room’s door was booted open with such force that it flew off its hinge and landed with a thud right under the nose of Derek Harvey and his men, leaving them in shock, mouths agape. A man walked into the room. His strong, lean body looked as fit as a professional athlete, while his exquisite looks appeared good enough to grace the cover of magazines. He was Nathan Cross. Penny gave a start the moment she saw Nathan – it’s him! She had fought back her tears even when Derek Harvey had almost molested her, yet the sight of Nathan made her tears run like rivulets down her cheeks. A sharp pain stung Nathan’s heart upon seeing Penny cry like a baby, melting the layers of ice within him. Five years ago, she had saved him in a chance encounter. Yet, in his inebriated state, he had taken her by force and had non-consensual sex with her. Over the past five years, Nathan had never stopped looking for her. Her face filled his dreams every night; she was incontestably the most unforgettable woman he had met. Now that they found each other again, the inexplicable look in their eyes spoke a thousand words. Derek Harvey’s voice snapped both of them back to their senses. “Who the hell are you?” His eyes were narrowed and full of menace as he assessed Nathan, who was dressed in civilian clothes. “Come with me!” Nathan beckoned to Penny with his gaze fixed on her. He did not answer Derek Harvey’s question, nor did he spare him a glance. Penny shook her head fervently. Her tears were streaming down like waterfalls. This was the man who had raped her five years ago, bringing shame to her family as he turned her into the laughingstock of the entire Channing. Her own resilience amazed her – she survived the scathing tirade of mockery and insults that the others had launched at her. Yet the same man who was now standing in front of her had not shown the slightest bit of compassion to her plight. The first sentence he had uttered was a condescending order to leave with him. What do you take me for, a slave? Derek Harvey had been so close to laying his hands on Penny, but Nathan’s sudden appearance thwarted his grand scheme. His eyes bulged angrily while his flabby chin quivered with rage when he heard that Nathan was going to take Penny away with him. “How dare you meddle in my affairs, you punk!” He snarled, “Quin, Luke, I want you to smash his legs and make sure that he’ll never be able to walk again!” “Yes, boss!” The two towering bodyguards spread their claws and lunged at Nathan Cross. Boom! Bang! With two firm kicks, Nathan sent them flying backward, and they landed heavily on the floor. The force had broken their ribs, leaving two huge indentations in their chests. Both the men fell unconscious. With the two bodyguards taken care of, Nathan sauntered towards Derek Harvey with his cold killer stare. “How dare you? What do you think you’re doing?” Derek Harvey tried to put up a brave front, even though he knew he had been completely overpowered by Nathan. “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Derek Harvey, the boss of Mingda Corporation!” “No one dares to touch me in the whole of Channing, knowing that I’ll beat the shit out of them should they even harm a hair of mine.” Nathan stood directly in front of him with a disinterested look. “Are you done with your nonsense?” His reply astounded Derek Harvey, who was under the impression that everyone would shun away with fear when they heard his name. But this guy seemed impervious to his threat. Unwarily, Nathan raised his leg and stomped on Derek Harvey’s left leg with brutal force. Crack, came the sound of his fractured bone. Nathan had broken Derek’s left fibula, which sent Derek Harvey rolling and writhing in pain on the floor, wailing like a banshee. With an unconcerned look, Nathan turned and walked towards Penny, who was watching with eyes as big as saucers. “Come with me?” His tone had softened. “No way!” She bit her lip resolutely; it was impossible to forgive a monster like him who had utterly ruined her life. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere since I first met you five years ago. I shall never let you leave my sight again.” With that being said, he scooped her up and strode out of the room.
