Desmond was stunned and bewildered. He glanced at them again, becoming even more certain he'd never seen them before.
But since they claimed to know him, what choice did he have? Maybe they were telling the truth.
He remained silent, waiting to hear the man's response. Even though he waited, it didn’t mean he wasn’t ready to ran if something felt off.
He already had enough on his plate; he couldn't afford to let this become another burden.
“You are?” he repeated, seeing him silent.
“You'll find out when you come with us,” the man replied, offering the same response. Desmond could tell from his attitude that he wasn't going to say anything more.
"How frustrating!" Desmond groaned in irritation.
Since they insisted on keeping their lips sealed, he decided to do the same. He stood firmly, clearly indicating he wasn’t about to follow them anywhere.
He’d rather stay put than go with them.
What if they were kidnappers? They looked wealthy, but that didn’t ease his suspicion.
"Can I get your account details?" the man asked, seeming to read Desmond's thoughts. Puzzled and curious, Desmond gave him the information, wondering what he was planning.
"I don’t know what you're after, but whatever it is, it won’t work. I’m not going with you—" Desmond's words were cut off as his pocket suddenly began to buzz.
Desmond felt a heat of frustration as he fumbled with his phone, his eyes glued to the screen.
"What?" he gasped, staring at the string of zeros. "Two, three, four, six…" he counted, his eyes widening until a tear rolled down his cheek.
$150 million!
"Yes, it's $150 million," the man confirmed, intensifying Desmond's shock. How did he know?
Desmond tried to steady himself, casting a wary glance at the man. "How do you know about this?"
The man in the suit smiled, turning Desmond's suspicion into outright surprise. His attention darted back to his phone as he scrolled through the notifications, heart racing.
It felt like an eternity, but eventually, Desmond stopped scrolling, realizing the impossible was true—$150 million had been deposited into his account.
His face flushed with joy and disbelief. He had always been a hard worker, but his circumstances had kept his efforts unnoticed. Now, today, he had been credited with a fortune far beyond anything he could have imagined.
Hands trembling with excitement, he lifted his gaze to the man in black. "You sent this, didn’t you?"
The man’s knowing smile made it clear, though Desmond already had an idea of who was behind it.
"No, I simply passed on your details to my associates. They forwarded them to our leader, and he's the one who sent the money," the man explained politely.
"Really? Can you at least tell me who this leader is?" Desmond pressed, eager to know the identity of the person who had summoned him and sent such an enormous sum.
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to figure that out for yourself," the man responded apologetically.
"Alright," Desmond nodded. He had half-expected that answer, so it didn’t surprise him.
"Shall we go now?" the man asked. Desmond agreed, and they moved toward a row of sleek black patrol cars.
One of the men stepped forward to open the door for Desmond. Just as he was about to step in, his phone rang. He answered it, and as soon as the call ended, his expression shifted to one of confusion and alarm.
"Is everything alright?" the man asked, concerned.
"I'm sorry, but I can't join you right now. Something urgent came up," Desmond replied apologetically.
"Understood. I'll send you the address. Just give me your number," the man said, refraining from prying further, sensing that Desmond wasn’t about to explain.
After sharing his number, Desmond hurried off as the cars and helicopter disappeared down the quiet, dusty street.
In a rush, he flagged down a cab. The call had been from the bank, and although the message wasn’t clear, Desmond knew he had to handle the matter in person.
When the cab pulled up, Desmond paid the fare and glanced at the building in front of him. "Omcent Bank & Trust" was prominently displayed on the front wall.
With a sigh, he hurried inside. As soon as he entered, Desmond approached the receptionist.
“Hello, may I speak to the branch manager, please?” he asked politely.
The receptionist looked up with a neutral expression before responding.
"And who are you?" she asked.
“I’m Desmond Ice. I received a call—”
Before he could finish, the receptionist let out an exaggerated yawn. "Oh, so it’s you?" she said, her tone suddenly dismissive.
"I’m sorry, what do you mean?" Desmond frowned, baffled by her sudden change in attitude.
"You’re that Desmond Ice? Not a surprise, looking at you," she muttered, casting a judgmental glance at him.
"Can I see the branch manager now? He asked me to come here," Desmond repeated, ignoring her rudeness.
“He’s busy. He waited for you, but you were late. You can either sit and wait until he’s free or leave,” she said, her tone indifferent.
"Excuse me? Why wasn’t I informed of this earlier? Do you think I came all the way here for nothing?" Desmond’s voice rose slightly, frustration building.
"Look, you can leave or stay. It’s up to you. Just know that if you walk out, you’ll have to deal with the consequences," she said with a shrug, her attention shifting back to the book in front of her.
“I’m still talking to you!” Desmond snapped, slamming his hand on the desk, trying to get her to pay attention.
The receptionist glared up at him. "Could you stop shouting? This isn’t some cheap corner store where you can make a scene."
"Just let me speak to the branch manag—"
Before he could finish, a tall man in an expensive suit walked in.
"I’d like to see the branch manager," the man said confidently.
"Certainly, sir. I’ll take you to his office right away," the receptionist replied, her attitude suddenly polite and accommodating.
Desmond watched, stunned by the difference in her treatment of the man. He glanced at his own appearance and then at the man’s.
Was she judging people based on their clothes? She had told him the branch manager was busy, yet now she was happily directing someone else to his office.
His thoughts were a whirlwind until he realized the man had already left.
“I don’t understand why you let that man meet the branch manager while telling me to sit and wait. I was here before him!” Desmond was about losing his temper.
“Take a good look at yourself, and you’ll have your answer. You're hardly a customer worthy of being granted direct access to our branch manager,” the receptionist replied coldly.
“Then why was I called here in the first place?” Desmond's voice rose in frustration.
What nonsense is she talking about—barely a worthy customer?!
The receptionist rolled her eyes. “You can either sit down and wait or leave and deal with the consequences.”
“What consequences?” Desmond growled angrily, causing others nearby to glance over.
[What's happening here?]
[Why the loud argument?]
The curious crowd began to gather, eager to see what was going on.
“If I’m not worthy, then who is? Why can’t I see your branch manager directly? He’s not better than me,” Desmond snapped.
The receptionist looked him over and burst into laughter.
“Better than him? But you took out a huge loan. You're worthy, yet you look like this? Please stop with the jokes.” She laughed harder, tears forming from her uncontrollable amusement.
The crowd, stunned at first, soon joined in after processing her words.
[Haha, this is hilarious!]
[For a second, I thought he might be important, but honestly, the receptionist is right. His appearance says otherwise.]
[He even took a massive loan!]
[Taking a loan isn’t the issue—his attitude is.]
Desmond stood there, confusion written all over his face. Loan? Huge loan? What is she talking about?
“What’s with that lost expression?” the receptionist sneered.
After trying to make sense of her words and failing, Desmond’s became angry.
How could be treated like this by a worker?!
“Don’t throw around false accusations! You better watch your mouth!” he shouted.
“What’s going on here?” A firm male voice suddenly sounded from behind him, making him turn.
“Oh, branch manager! You’re here,” the receptionist exclaimed, her tone instantly happy.
Desmond eyes flashes on seeing the branch manager looking so calm and indifference.Didn't he hear what was happening here? Desmond chose to follow the reasoning that the branch manager didn't hear otherwise why was he so indifferent at such a situation.“Branch manager, that man Desmond, here's he.” She shouted at Desmond.The branch manager glanced at Desmond before speaking. “Hello, Mr. Desmond Ice,” he greeted, his tone indifferent.“Hello,” Desmond replied. “I received a call asking me to come here.”Despite his frustration, Desmond kept his tone calm.The branch manager nodded. “Yes, Mr. Ice, I did request your presence. It’s nothing major, just a matter concerning your outstanding debt balance.”“What?”“It’s regarding a loan.”“A loan balance? I don’t understand. I’ve never taken a loan from this bank.”He had already checked the sign outside and was certain he’d never had any dealings with this company.“You must be mistaken.”“No, Mr. Ice. Our records show you as one of our
After an hour-long drive, the car finally pulled to a stop outside an estate. Desmond, feeling confused, turned to the driver.“Why did you stop?” he asked, wondering if the car had run out of fuel or broken down.“We’re at the address. I can’t go any further, sorry,” the driver replied.“But–” Desmond glanced around, wanting to ask more questions but decided against it. He stepped out of the car.The estate was eerily quiet, the air thick with an unsettling stillness. Desmond could only admire the surroundings before remaining rooted to the spot.After standing there for a while, he began to walk towards the large green gate, but his steps faltered as security guards—or were they soldiers?—stood at the gate. Desmond blinked in confusion.He started to wonder if he had come to the wrong address. If this was the right place, why were soldiers guarding it?“Excuse me, is there a way to get inside?” he asked cautiously.The soldiers immediately turned their attention to him. Though calm,
“What?” Desmond gasped.He tapped his ears, unsure if he'd heard correctly.“You’re taking over from me. Everything I own is yours from now on,” the old man repeated, thinking Desmond hadn't understood.“I know, but... why are you saying this?” Desmond was still in shock, his breath unsteady.Perhaps he had misunderstood. His excitement started to fade, unsure if he'd heard right.The old man chuckled, reading Desmond's thoughts. "Don't worry, Desmond. I'm not joking. I'm completely serious. Sit down."Desmond, who had risen in surprise, quickly sank back into his chair, his heart racing.“You know, when I went to Biol Mountain, it was just for a vacation. I’m a military man. And now, all my military fortune will be yours.”“Military?” Desmond’s eyes widened. “So, those soldiers outside... and the photos... they’re because of your status?”The old man nodded.Desmond’s mind raced. The first shock hadn’t worn off, and now this... His head felt like it was going to explode!“You’re stil
The next morning, Desmond woke up with a sore body. After returning to bed the second time, he had struggled to sleep again, leaving dark circles under his eyes.He headed to the bathroom, which was just as luxurious as the room itself, and took a quick shower. The old man had mentioned they would speak today, and Desmond didn’t want to be late. Afterward, he went to the wardrobe, already stocked with clothes tailored for him, and chose a black top and white trousers before heading out.As he descended the stairs, he saw the same people from the living room the previous day, now gathered around the dining table for breakfast. He hesitated, unsure whether to join them or not.“Desmond, you're awake! Come over!” Rebecca called out, waving him over.He sighed and, feeling a bit awkward, made his way to the table. The old man was seated there as well, so Desmond greeted everyone before quietly joining them for the meal. He was surprised by the silence that hung over the table—was it becau
“Plop!”The moment Desmond stepped into an ice cream shop, the brown envelope in his hands slipped to the ground. He nearly stumbled as his eyes fixed on the man and woman seated nearby, ice cream in front of them."It's my birthday today, Abigail, and I have something to say..." The man paused."Will you marry me?"A collective gasp filled the room, followed by excited cheers. In unison, everyone began chanting, "It's a yes, it's a yes, it's a yes."They all eagerly wanted the lady to accept his proposal, their voices growing louder with each chant.Desmond, an ordinary laundry business owner, had come to the ice cream shop to satisfy his wife's craving. No matter how hard he had to work, he always made sure to provide for her.But now, here she was… the same wife he worked tirelessly for… being proposed to by another man.As if things couldn't get any worse, he heard her response.She nodded almost immediately. "I'll marry you, Jackie." The man pulled her in for a deep kiss the mome
Abigail, who had just read it aloud, was initially confused, then shocked, but her emotions quickly changed to joy and happiness."What did you just say? Let me see." Felicia snatched the paper from Abigail's hands. She checked it and saw that Abigail hadn't misread it.A sly smile crept across her face as she looked at the shaken Desmond. "Heh, what were you saying before? That we used you? Yes, we used you, and this is our reward." She waved the paper at him.Desmond remained silent, but inside, he was burning with anger. He was now completely ruined.Earlier this morning, Desmond had considered going to his lawyer to transfer everything he owned to Abigail. She had always doubted his love, constantly asking him to prove it.He happily went ahead with the transfer, never expecting that within hours, he would be filled with regret.But what was the point of regret now? The deed was done, and it couldn't be undone.When Desmond was in the process of transferring everything to Abigail'
"Yes, it's me," replied the man Desmond had called Luis Alberto.Desmond's face immediately furrowed. How could he not recognize one of his greatest bullies? From their school days, Luis had disliked him simply because Desmond's family was wealthier than his.It wasn’t until Desmond’s family business collapsed, his father passed away, and his mother disappeared that Luis’s hatred became more obvious.He constantly made things difficult for him, leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to humiliate him.Luis had wanted Desmond to kneel and apologize to him in front of everyone.Even though Desmond's life had taken a turn for the worse back then, he never did as Luis demanded. He would never bow or apologize to him."Why are you calling?" Desmond asked directly."Nothing much, just wanted to hear the sound of your defeated voice. Isn't it satisfying to see the little nonsense business you had snatched away by the very ones you cherished?"Luis's mocking tone rang through the phone. If D