CHAPTER ONE

A boys' dormitory at a well-known university, around nine o'clock in the evening. The hallway buzzed with the noise of students finishing up their day. Ethan Reed sat on his bunk, a couple of textbooks spread out in front of him. His clothes were faded, and his sneakers looked like they had been through several rough semesters. He was focused, ignoring the hunger gnawing at his stomach.

Blake from the neighboring dorm burst in, interrupting his thoughts.

“Hey, Reed!” Blake's voice dripped with mockery. “I need my laptop and a bottle of water. Now.” He threw a few crumpled bills on the ground, not even glancing at Ethan. “That should cover it.”

Ethan looked at the money, his eyes tightening with resentment. Before he could respond, his roommate Mike stepped in.

“Come on, man,” Mike said, his voice pleading. “You don’t have to do this. We can lend you some cash.”

Ethan forced a smile, trying to hide the frustration and helplessness. “It’s fine, Mike. I need the money.” He bent down and picked up the crumpled bills, his pride crumbling with each coin he counted in his head.

Blake smirked, leaning against the doorframe. “That’s the spirit. Knew you were good for something, Reed.”

As Ethan turned to leave, Blake shouted, “And don’t forget to be quick about it. I’m not paying you to slack off!”

Ethan bit back his retort and hurried out. As he reached the dormitory entrance, he bumped into Nathan Scott, a wealthy student known for his arrogance.

“Well, well, well,” Nathan drawled, a grin spreading across his face. “If it isn’t our favorite errand boy. I’ve got a little job for you, too.”

Ethan clenched his fists, knowing that refusing Nathan would only make things worse. “What is it?”

Nathan dangled a small box of condoms in front of him. “Take this to Lucas at East Grove. He’s waiting. I’ll give you ten bucks.”

Ethan’s eyes flickered to the box, then back to Nathan’s mocking face. “Why don’t you take it yourself?”

“Because, unlike you, I have better things to do.” Nathan shoved the box into Ethan’s hand. “Unless you’re too proud to earn ten bucks?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, pocketing the box. “Fine.”

“Good boy,” Nathan sneered. “Make sure you hurry. Lucas is… expecting it.”

Ethan ignored the laughter that followed him out of the building and made his way to East Grove. As he approached the area, he noticed the familiar silhouette of Vanessa Young, his ex-girlfriend. His heart sank as he saw her leaning close to Lucas Cole, Nathan’s friend.

“Vanessa?” Ethan’s voice was barely above a whisper, but she turned, her eyes widening in shock and guilt.

“Ethan, what are you doing here?” Vanessa’s voice wavered as she tried to step away from Lucas.

Lucas snorted, his arm still draped casually around Vanessa’s shoulders. “What do you think? He’s here to deliver the goods.”

Ethan felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he handed the box to Lucas. “So, this was the plan all along? To humiliate me?”

Vanessa’s face flushed red as she looked between Ethan and Lucas. “It’s not what you think—”

“Not what I think?” Ethan’s voice cracked with disbelief. “You dumped me three days ago because you ‘needed space’! And now I find you here with him?”

Lucas laughed, pulling Vanessa closer. “What did you expect, man? She needed more than space. She needed someone who could give her what she wants.”

Ethan’s eyes flashed with hurt. “And you think he’s better than me? A guy who uses people and throws them away?”

Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears, but there was a hardness in her expression. “You don’t understand, Ethan. Lucas can give me things you never could. I can’t live on ramen noodles forever.”

Ethan took a step back, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. “Is that all I was to you? A stepping stone?”

Lucas chuckled, the sound grating on Ethan’s nerves. “Look, man, she’s moved on. Maybe you should too. Or, if you’re into it, you could stay and watch.”

The insult stung, and before Ethan could say anything, Vanessa turned to him, her voice cold. “Just leave, Ethan. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Tears burned in Ethan’s eyes as he turned and walked away, his heart shattering with every step. He returned to his dorm, his mind spinning with humiliation and rage. As he stepped inside, he realized that everyone was already laughing, whispering about the night’s events.

Nathan leaned against the wall, smirking. “You’re quite the romantic, Reed. Vanessa chatted with Lucas for half an hour online, and she was interested. You? A whole year, and you were still stuck in the friend zone.”

Humiliation turned into blinding rage. Ethan lunged at Nathan, but Nathan’s friends grabbed him, holding him back as Nathan laughed.

“Get a grip, man! It’s not my fault you’re worthless!”

Ethan struggled against the hands restraining him, his voice a roar. “You think this is funny? You think you’re better than me because you have money?”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed, his smile fading. “You’re a joke, Reed. Always will be.”

Ethan’s roommates pulled him away, their voices a chorus of concern and anger. “Come on, man, don’t waste your energy on them.”

That night, Ethan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, tears streaming down his face. “Why?” he whispered to the darkness. “Why does this always happen to me?”

He cried himself to sleep, finding some small comfort in the silence that followed.

The next morning, his phone buzzed incessantly. Bleary-eyed, he reached for it, his heart racing as he saw multiple missed calls and messages from a foreign number. Then his eyes widened as he read a bank notification.

“Deposit of $1,000,000 to your account.”

He shot up in bed, his heart pounding. “What the…?”

He dialed the bank, his hands shaking. “I need to confirm a transfer.”

“Yes, Mr. Reed, the deposit of one million dollars is confirmed. Is there an issue?”

Ethan hung up, his mind reeling. Before he could process what was happening, his phone rang again. It was his sister, Emma.

“Ethan,” she said, her voice breathless with excitement. “It’s time you knew the truth. We’re rich, Ethan. Filthy rich.”

Ethan blinked, his mind struggling to catch up. “What are you talking about?”

“Our family owns properties and assets worldwide,” Emma continued. “We control 80% of Africa’s gold and oil mines. Mom and Dad kept it a secret to teach us the value of hard work.”

Ethan felt like the ground was shifting beneath his feet. “This… this can’t be real.”

“It is, Ethan. The million dollars is just the beginning. More will come next month.”

Ethan sat back on his bed, his heart racing. Everything he thought he knew about his life was crumbling. The world he knew was slipping away, replaced by a reality he could barely comprehend.

He hung up the phone, staring at the ceiling, his mind whirling with confusion and disbelief. He had been living in poverty, struggling for every dollar, only to find out he was the heir to a massive fortune.

“Who am I?” he whispered to himself, his voice breaking. “Who have I been all this time?”

As the sun rose outside, Ethan knew one thing for sure: his life would never be the same again.