The glass doors of the luxury boutique swung shut behind them as Emily and Max stepped onto the bustling sidewalk.The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the designer shopping bags they carried, and a gentle breeze ruffled Emily's perfectly styled hair."I have to say," Emily began, her lips curving into an amused smile, "when I first spotted you in those clothes earlier, I was all set to play fairy godmother. But it seems my charity services aren't needed after all, Mr. College Student."The way she emphasized the last words made Max chuckle. The shopping bags in his hands rustled as he shifted his weight, designer labels catching the sunlight."About that..." Max started, preparing to explain his true identity.The weight of his American Express Black card seemed heavier in his pocket after the day's events."No, really," Emily continued, her eyes twinkling with genuine interest."Most college students I know are surviving on ramen noodles and student loans. But here you ar
Max sat down in the soft chair.The yellow light from the restaurant's general lighting lit up his table. He looked down at his plate and was amazed by the wonderful smell of his carefully prepared food.It was the most expensive thing he had ever eaten, and each bite made him dream of the kind of wealth he had dreamt once, which has become now into reality.But his pleasure was cut short by a sudden commotion nearby.The voices grew louder and more angry, sharp, and mean.Max turned his head and saw a young man standing over a girl who looked about twenty years old.Her uniform was simple, her hands trembling as she tried to keep her head down, tears already glistening in her eyes."You stupid girl!" The man barked, and his voice was filled with disdain."Do you even know how much these shoes cost?"The girl said, "Sir, I'm so sorry." I meant not to—"He cut her off with a sneer and asked, "Didn't mean to? You poor little beggar didn’t mean to, of course. But you never know where you
"let go of my hand right now, you worthless piece of trash, or you'll regret ever stepping foot in this restaurant." The man hissed, his face twisted with fury.His efforts to escape Max's hold just made him seem more pitiful.Max's face remained still, his grasp solid. "Not happening unless you guarantee to leave the waitress alone. I will not tolerate your horrible actions."The man's lips curved into an unpleasant grimace."You worthless nobody; you have no clue what you are getting engaged with. These shoes?" he snarled, and continue,"Maurice Laurent personally made these; they are not some cheap department shop trash. There only are three pairings in the whole earth!"His voice soared dramatically so that every customer may hear his declaration."Every pair is worth more than what this inept waitress would earn in a decade of miserable living!"Whispers and gasps floated about the eatery. Many customers got out their phones to quickly capture what was happening right before the
“How dare you insult my shoes!”The man sneered and looked at Max's shoes with a look of pure disgust on his face. "What are those on your feet? Did you get them for a low price?"Max looked down at his worn-out shoes. They weren't brand new, but they had served him well for years. He turned around and looked back at the man. "They are fine.""'Just fine,'" the man said again, his face twisting into a grin. "Maybe to someone like you. But real men—real men with money—don't wear rags.” He put out his leg and showed off his shoes, which sparkled in the diner lights because they were shiny. "These? Ten million dollars is how much they're worth.”A lot of people gasped, and whispers went around the room. Everyone looked at Max, whose quiet appearance stood out against the man's flashy clothes. Some people leaned in close and asked, "Is he really that poor?Perhaps he's just trying to get the waitress's attention."As the conversation went on, the waitress hovered nearby and watched wit
Before Max could finish his meal, a shadow walked across the table. He looked up and saw that it was the same waiter he had saved hours before. She was beautiful and tall, and even in her simple outfit, she stuck out."Excuse me, sir," she said, her voice a little shaking. "Just... Again, I want to thank you for what you did earlier.”Max put down his fork and looked at her. "Don't thank me.Anyone would have done the same thing.”Even though she was worried, her lips were pressed together in a thin line, showing how grateful she was. She replied, "No, not just anyone.You did step in even though you didn't have to.I have no idea how I'll ever repay you."Max smiled in a small, comfortable way. "You don't have to pay me back. Are you okay now?"She gave an uncertain nod, and her fingers moved around on the hem of her apron. "Thank you, I am. Just so you know, my name is Molly.”Max put out his hand. "Max."The move made her eyes widen a little, but she took his hand in hers anyway, and
Max was in the big study of the Montgomery estate.Richard looked at him with a loving but calculating look as he sat in a soft leather chair."You need to go to the dinner this Saturday," Richard told her in a strong, authoritative voice."It’s not just a dinner; it’s an event that will shape your role as the family’s heir."Max leaned against a shiny wood desk with his arms crossed."Dinner?" What's the reason?"Richard gave a smile and tapped the desk."We are announcing the next big business deals for the Montgomery family."It's also a chance to meet important people in our network, like CEOs, government leaders, and, of course, other powerful families. Now is the time for you to shine."Max made a face. He didn't feel completely at ease with the thought."Grandfather, I'm still getting used to everything. There's a chance I'm not ready to meet such important people.Richard laughed, and the sound was warm and firm."Max, you live on as the Montgomery heir. Being ready is a must.
The clock on the dorm room wall ticked past 8 PM. Max hunched over his desk, surrounded by textbooks and notes, when Peter burst through the door, his phone clutched tightly in his hand."Max, dude! You gotta check this out!" Peter exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.Max glanced up from his studies, his expression weary. "What's going on?""Johnson Kingsley's throwing this insane pool party. It's all over FTF," Peter explained, waving his phone. "The livestream's blowing up!""That's great, Pete," Max replied, his tone lackluster. He turned back to his books, his scholarship weighing heavily on his mind.Peter frowned, stepping closer. "Come on, man. Don't you want to see what's happening?"Max shook his head. "Can't afford to waste time. These grades won't keep themselves up.""Fair enough," Peter shrugged, flopping onto his bed. He scrolled through his phone for a moment before sitting bolt upright. "Holy crap! Max, you're not gonna believe this!"Despite himself, Max's cur
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