Max pedaled furiously, his heart pounding as he arrived at the pool party fifteen minutes later. The sound of loud music and laughter filled the air, but he had no time to focus on that. His only mission was to find Amanda. Pushing through the crowd, he tried to keep calm, but a group of familiar faces spotted him."Hey, look! It's the campus charity case," one of the guys sneered, pointing at Max like he was a circus act."What's up, Rags-to-No-Riches?" asked someone else with a mean grin. Are you here to bring us food or take away our trash?"Everyone in the group started laughing. A third person spoke up and said, "Nah, man. I think he's just here to look through the trash himself." "You need to get dressed, right?"He clenched his hands and ground his teeth, but Max didn't stop. He had to find Amanda. Even though the words hurt, he wouldn't back down.At that very moment, Johnson's words boomed over the loudspeaker, making everyone pay attention. "You look more beautiful than an

Max managed to duck, but he was too hurt to keep his balance."Hey! Leave him alone!" Peter yelled.The party was chaos now. People were shouting and pushing to see the fight. In the corner, Max's friend Peter was on his phone."Police? Yes, there's a fight..." Peter said quickly.Just when things looked bad for Max, police sirens wailed outside. Blue lights flashed through the windows."Everyone freezes!" Police officers rushed in.Later at the police station, Max sat in a cold chair. His head was clearing up, but he was worried. The police took his name and fingerprints, then left him waiting.The police stared at him with wide eyes and ran off like he saw a ghost.Max looked around, expecting someone to come question him soon.” How long we need to wait here?”But after the officers took his fingerprints and noted down his name, no one came back.Suddenly, a new man walked in. He wore a plain black suit that probably cost more than Max's car.Everyone in the room seemed to back away

Max sat across from Richard in the grand study, trying to process the magnitude of what he’d just learned.“So... I’m really a Montgomery?” he asked, his voice tinged with awe.Richard smiled, rising from his chair.“There’s no doubt about it.”He walked to a shelf, pressed a hidden latch, and revealed a secret room.Max followed him inside, his breath catching as he took in the sight: walls lined with ledgers, monitors displaying company logos, and a central table stacked with documents.“These are our holdings,” Richard explained, gesturing to the displays.“GlobalTech Industries, Royal Crown Hotels, StreamLife, and many more.”Max’s eyes widened as recognition dawned.“Wait—these are some of the biggest names in the world. We own them?”“Correct,” Richard said with a hint of pride.“Our wealth spans continents. The Montgomery family controls assets worth trillions. And now, so will you.”Max’s head spun.Just that morning, he’d been worried about rent.Now he was being handed contr

Max turned around and saw a striking figure approaching—a woman he instantly recognized as Emily Rose, his college classmate.Noticing the tension between Max and the security guard, she stepped forward without hesitation, intent on helping him out.She knew Max often took on odd jobs to make ends meet, and seeing him in such a situation here took her by surprise.But her kind heart couldn’t bear to watch him be treated unfairly.Emily was a regular at the venue, a VIP guest well-known to the staff.As soon as she approached, the security guard immediately recognized her, his expression shifting from tension to a polite respect.“Ms. Rose! Oh, my apologies! I… I didn’t know you were here,” he stammered, trying to regain composure and plastering a fake smile on his face. “It’s an honor to see you.”Emily looked past him, her gaze focused on Max. “And why, exactly, are you stopping this gentleman from entering?”The guard hesitated, the confident sneer fading from his face. “Uh, well

Amanda joined in, rolling her eyes. “It’s probably a piece of plastic from a toy store. Come on, Max. You’re really out here trying to fool people?”The other shoppers had started to take notice, their whispers creating a soft buzz of judgment in the air. Max stood quietly, the black card held loosely between his fingers."Max," Emily whispered urgently beside him, "you don't have to do this. Let me—"Johnson cut her off with an exaggerated gasp. "Emily, dear, don't tell me you actually believe this circus act? Look at him! He probably colored a regular card with a Sharpie!""The craftsmanship is quite poor, if you ask me," Amanda chimed in, examining her reflection in a nearby mirror. "You can practically see the marker strokes."Emily's face flushed as she reached for her purse. "I can handle this," she said quietly to Max. "There's no need to—""To embarrass himself further?" Johnson interjected, slapping his knee. "Oh no, please let him continue! This is better than dinner theater