THE HELLISH SYSTEM

Chapter six

I stood in front of the receptionist’s desk at the hospital, my fingers tightening around the sleek black card that had mysteriously appeared in my wallet. The Hellish System had given me fifty thousand dollars, and now, it was time to use it.

"How much is my hospital bill?" I asked, my voice steady but cold.

The nurse behind the counter barely spared me a glance. "You were here overnight. The total comes to $3,200, including the emergency treatment and tests."

I exhaled slowly. That was a lot of money for a single night, but with my current balance, it was nothing.

I slid the card across the desk.

The nurse's fingers hesitated over the card before swiping it through the machine. She glanced at the screen, her brows furrowing. "It… it went through?"

I smirked. "Of course it did."

Her eyes flicked to my hospital gown, then to the worn-out sneakers I’d managed to retrieve from the storage locker. I could see the disbelief on her face.

"Do you need a receipt?" she asked hesitantly.

I shook my head. "No. I’m done here."

I turned on my heel and walked out of the hospital without another word.

By the time I reached my dorm, the entire campus was buzzing with whispers and hushed conversations. I could feel their stares burning into my back as I strode through the halls. Something was off.

Then I saw it.

A giant whiteboard was propped up in the middle of the courtyard, right in front of the administrative building. Students crowded around it, their voices rising in amusement and disbelief.

At the top of the board, written in bold red letters, were the words:

[ STUDENTS WITHDRAWN FROM SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. ]

And below that? Just one name.

Ethan Summerville. The only name.

My stomach twisted into a knot. My fists clenched at my sides as a wave of laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Yo, look who finally showed up!" Paul’s mocking voice rang out from the front. "Ethan, bro, how does it feel to be famous?"

The crowd burst into more laughter.

I forced myself to stay calm. This was all part of their game. They wanted me humiliated. They wanted to see me break.

Selena, standing next to Frank, flicked her golden hair over her shoulder and smirked. "Wow, Ethan. You really had us fooled. Thought you were some genius or something, but turns out, you were just a fraud."

Her friends giggled beside her, whispering to one another.

Frank crossed his arms. "Man, I almost feel bad for you. Imagine thinking you belonged here. Guess reality finally caught up to you, huh?"

My jaw tightened. The air around me felt suffocating.

I needed answers.

Without another word, I turned and marched toward the administrative building, pushing past students as they continued to whisper and snicker behind me.

" What does he think he is doing?"

" I am sure Ethan is going to beg the school board."

" What a joke."

I didn’t stop until I reached the Dean’s office.

The Dean, an older man with silver-rimmed glasses and a perpetually disinterested expression, barely looked up from his papers when I entered.

"I assume you’re here about your scholarship," he said dryly.

I gritted my teeth. "Why was I the only one removed?"

The Dean sighed, finally setting his pen down. "Mr. Summerville, your academic performance was in question, and after reviewing your latest records, the decision was made to revoke your scholarship. Given your… recent incident, the board found it appropriate to cut ties."

I scoffed. "Recent incident? You mean the part where I was beaten unconscious by two students?"

His expression didn’t change. "Regardless, the decision is final."

I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. "Is there a way for me to stay enrolled?"

The Dean adjusted his glasses. "Yes. If you can pay your tuition fees upfront."

I stiffened. "How much?"

"$20,000."

The words hit me like a hammer to my bone. That was alot of money.

A slow silence stretched between us.

I could hear my own heartbeat thudding in my ears.

"Twenty thousand?" I repeated.

The Dean nodded. "That’s the price for students who aren’t on scholarship. If you can afford that, you’re welcome to continue your education here. If not…" He shrugged. "Then I suggest you start packing your things."

I felt my nails dig into my palm.

Twenty thousand.

For a normal person in my position, this would be a death sentence.

But I wasn’t normal anymore.

I turned and walked out of the office without another word.

The moment I stepped back outside, all eyes were on me again.

Paul, Frank, and Selena were still standing near the board, their faces smug with amusement.

"Let me guess," Frank sneered. "They told you to get lost, huh?"

Paul laughed. "Bro, there’s no way you’re getting twenty grand. You can barely afford a pack of ramen."

Selena crossed her arms. "Honestly, I don’t even know why you’re still here. You lost. Just accept it and move on."

I tilted my head, studying each of their faces. The satisfaction in their expressions. The way they fed off my suffering.

They expected me to crumble. To break down. To beg.

I exhaled slowly, then looked directly at Frank.

"Do me a favor," I said, my voice calm but firm. "Go to the administration office and ask them for the university’s bank account."

Frank’s smile faltered. "What?"

I turned to Selena. "You too go and check. See if I’m bluffing."

Paul frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

I pulled out my phone and held it up. "I’m paying my tuition. Right now."

The crowd went dead silent.

" Is that some joke?"

" Does he look like someone who can afford his own tuition fees?"

Frank’s face twitched. "Yeah, right."

Selena let out a sharp laugh. "You? Paying twenty grand? Don’t make me laugh."

I smirked. "Then go check."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Students exchanged glances, shifting uncomfortably.

Paul narrowed his eyes. "You’re lying. There’s no way you got that kind of money."

I didn’t respond. I just kept my gaze steady. Unwavering.

Because I wasn’t lying.

The Hellish System had given me the money.

And now, I was about to prove them all wrong.