The Bullied Man's Hidden Legacy

The Fateful Night

The city's annual Economic Summit is a glamorous event that attracts students, business leaders, and the elite. While it's meant to be an informative and educational conference, the focus on appearance has become overwhelming recently, with attendees feeling pressure to wear expensive and luxurious outfits in order to appear successful and influential.

A white, luxurious tablecloth drapes over a round table, with a few wine glasses poised atop it. Nathanael Chapman's group of friends gather around the table, their laughter and conversation filling the air as they enjoy their drinks together.

"It's wonderful; let's give it our all today. Request a few more bottles of whisky."

From head to toe, Nathanael Chapman is always dressed in expensive, branded clothing.

Nathanael Chapman waved his hand in refusal:

"Wait, everyone. Let's stop drinking for a moment and play some games. It's not fun if we drink too much before the party starts."

One of Nathanael Chapman's trusted friends, sitting to his left, asked:

“Is Zachary coming today?"

Nathanael smiled and took a sip of his wine. “Definitely. He'll be presenting his pitch today, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were only because of Professor Swith's help. Regardless, he's only going to make a fool of himself."

Another friend said, "We can't do anything to him here with teachers around."

Nathanael said, "You're too naive. I didn't invite him here to beat him up. That would be too dull. I'm not interested in brawls anymore. I have a different, more enjoyable plan."

The accomplice who had asked the question still didn't seem to grasp Nathanael's plan. Another more astute person gently tapped the first accomplice on the head and said, "Nathanael already explained it to you, and you still don't understand? We're going to make Zachary look silly in front of everyone here. He'll show up wearing old, out-of-style clothes, and everyone in this fancy setting will laugh at him."

The MC stepped forward, a young woman in a stunning white dress. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to this evening's Economic Summit. Before diving into the night's festivities, I have some thrilling news to share. Our first event of the night will be a highly anticipated auction featuring some of the world's most prized works of art. These pieces are visually stunning and hold great historical importance and value. Many of you have eagerly awaited this moment, so let's get this auction underway without further ado!"

One of Nathanael's accomplices whispered, "The event has started. It seems like Zachary is too scared to come."

Nathanael confidently declared, "If Zachary dares to show his face, I'll give him a taste of what a pathetic appearance looks like."

The whole group erupted in laughter. Their heads tilted back in amusement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a unique item up for auction today. These sculptures were created by highly talented graduates 20 years ago. They may be now successful architects or anonymous artists. These well-preserved antique sculptures have intricate details that make them true masterpieces."

The MC cleared her throat and began bidding, "The starting bid is $100,000."

Almost immediately, a voice rang out, "$150,000."

Another countered, "$300,000."

All eyes turned to a well-dressed student in the corner, who confidently proclaimed, "$500,000."

Everyone was stunned and in awe, with murmurs of "He's Kamryn Bean. He's the son of the chairman of a convenience store chain."

One of Nathanael Chapman's accomplices quietly spoke to him, "We're being overshadowed."

Nathanael's expression showed a hint of dissatisfaction, "One million dollars!!"

Everyone's attention was again drawn away from Kamryn as all eyes turned to Nathanael, full of admiration.

Kamryn smiled, accepting his defeat.

The MC immediately announced:

"One million dollars! The first statue goes to Nathanael Chapman!!"

Nathanael smiled confidently, pleased with his victory.

Just then, a voice shattered the energetic atmosphere.

"Five million two hundred sixty thousand dollars!" came a voice from the back of the room, causing heads to turn in surprise. The speaker was a man dressed in shabby, casual attire, appearing out of place in the upscale surroundings. With his humble appearance, everyone was shocked to hear such a high bid come from him.

Nathanael Chapman's smile slowly faded as he also turned to see who was speaking, intrigued by the unexpected bidder.

As the room's gaze fell upon him, the man was revealed to be none other than Zachary.

Nathanael's expression turned from shock to anger. He had expected to humiliate Zachary in front of the crowd, but instead, Zachary had one-upped him most unexpectedly. Nathanael's fists clenched at his sides, and he gritted his teeth as he tried to maintain his composure.

Many people are shocked; it was indeed a masterful play.

"Who is he? Which company does he belong to? Why don't we know him?"

Zachary steps forward; he is dressed in casual clothing but with an air of a cunning businessman.

"Look, what is Zachary doing? How can he be so confident to lie like that? Let's expose him right now." Nathanael's friend said.

Nathanael stands up in anger, pointing at Zachary with his finger:

"Don't listen to him. His name is Zachary. He's just a poor student. He can't even afford his tuition. His phone was recycled from discarded items, the cheapest in the phone store. He can't even count the amount he bid in his lifetime. Look at his clothes! How could he afford to buy this?"