Chapter 002

"Hahaha, I thought people claim you're very intelligent and most brilliant. Can't you pass without reading? I bet this final exam you won't make it to the top like other semesters because I want you to fail miserably. You won't be the best this time; I'm the next!" Rex admitted with a deep scowl, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Tearing my textbook won't solve the problem, but do you know how important it is to me? Rex, I won't let this go for belittling me and destroying my belonging." In frustration, Leander insisted, his expression stern and authoritative.

Rex nodded in agreement. "Go ahead, spoiled brat! Let's see what you can do,”

Irritated by his statement, Leander retaliated by lunging at Rex, seizing his pricey Rolex. With trembling hands, he smashed it against the wall until it shattered.

"Fuck you," Rex muttered through gritted teeth. Rex, trembling with anger, landed a feeble kick on Leander, who nearly lost consciousness from the impact and fell to the ground. The kick implies that Rex, who is well-fed has better stamina than Leander, who is poorly-fed.

Enraged, Camila stood up, her hand poised to slap Leander across the face. However, Rex stopped her before murmuring something into her ear. After a moment, Camila stormed away.

Breathing heavily, Rex's words dripped with venom. "Damaging my wrist watch only exposes the extent of your poverty. How much does that textbook of yours cost, huh? Certainly not worth a fraction of my watch," he spat out.

"Dude, it's your lucky day," Rex scoffed, his eyes gleaming with arrogance. "Um, you now have the audacity to speak against me? You, who always acts as my messenger? My friends are not around. If they were, you'd be in for a beating.”

Leander's frustration was evident. "It's not about being a messenger; it's about respect," he retorted, his voice tinged with anger.

Rex curled his lip, his eyes filled with contempt. "Respect? You think you deserve respect? You're unworthy of being in my presence, let alone having an opinion.”

With a smug smirk, Rex continued, "Had enough? Are you still itching for a fight, you jerk?"

In the next moment, Leander's eyes blurred, his heart pounding with fear as a group of students, all dressed in expensive attire, approached alongside Camila. They were allegedly members of the secret organization known as "The Golden Circle Society," rumored to be created for the elite students on campus. This group implied exclusivity, prestige, and a sense of being at the top tier based on their own interests. They also live luxurious lifestyles.

Exhausted but determined, Leander stood firm as other average students approached, their malicious intent clear.

"Leander, you've got guts to disrespect Rex! Feeling bold because campus rules tie everyone down?" taunted Sebastian, one of the group members, his breath tense.

Sebastian, boiling with rage, grabbed Leander's chin, yelling menacingly, “Look at me, go ask around about me, I'm ruthless. I don't care about who the fuck are you, who your guardians are. I swear, the day you step off this campus, I'll hunt you down and make you smell your own fear.”

Another guy, Brayden, a member of this group, removed a pair of his expensive Stuart Weitzman shoes, slamming it on Leander consistently.

To de-escalate the situation with Rex's loyal supporters, Camila pleaded with Brayden on Leander's behalf, “Please, leave him alone. Your prestigious group's involvement in this flirty job is absurd; there are still other options to punish him.”

After Leander pleaded for forgiveness, he quickly retreated from the gathering, his troubled heart weighing him down.

Inside his hostel room alone, nursing the bruises on his body, Leander replayed the day's events in his mind, the painful reality of his girlfriend's betrayal weighing heavily on him. He couldn't believe it.

"If I knew my true parents, I wouldn't have suffered so much. Everyone is belittling me all because of Rex's influence. With all the love I had for Camila, is she really supposed to let money and power come between us?" A pang of pain shot through Leander's spine, his words choked with emotion.

However, Leander was angered by Camila’s plea on his behalf. The Golden Circle Society isn't what everyone believes it to be. Having slept with multiple female students, the members are ready to defend each other, which is why Rex hasn’t faced any consequences.

Leander, determined to prevent Camila from suffering the same fate as other girls, yet he felt constrained

Suddenly, footsteps approached, followed by a sharp knock on the door, chilling him as he braced himself for trouble.

"Hello, Mr. Leander. There's an urgent matter that needs your presence," a deep voice boomed, breaking the eerie silence.

Summoning all his courage, Leander opened the door to find unexpected guests—the police. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as one of the officers flashed her ID and handed over an arrest warrant.

Frozen in shock, Leander could only stare at the letter as the officer explained, "We have reason to believe you're involved in a fraud case concerning an international corporation. The amount in question is £1.5 million.”

His mind raced, struggling to comprehend. How could a mere delivery driver be implicated in such a serious crime? It had to be a mistake.

However, as he read the words on the page, the reality sunk in. There was no error. The gravity of the situation hit him like a truck.

Still reeling, Leander denied the accusation, “Are you kidding me? I'm just a delivery driver, I don't know anything about the stolen funds. That's my job...”

“It's not that simple, Leander. You're not being convicted; you're still a suspect, understand?” interjected one of the officers.

"Well, I would go quietly with you to the station," Leander declared, his voice laced with innocence.

Amid the tension, Rex and his affluent friends, all being apprehended, smiled enigmatically, hinting at hidden truths. This puzzled Leander. A realization struck him that there might be more to Rex and his group excitement than he first thought.

Their wrists in handcuffs except Rex, the suspects were led out of the hostel by vigilant officers. Leander, however, and the other students boarded police vehicles, driven away soon after.

Soon at about 2:00 p.m, Leander, Rex, and the others were taken to the police department, facing an investigation panel.

Tension filled the air as the suspects prepared for interrogation, consumed by thoughts of the fraud case.

Approaching a desk, Leander's eyes narrowed in disdain. The sharply dressed middle-aged man, his gaze piercing before he spoke. "You're students from Etherium University, right?" His question lingered in the air, met with silence from the room, leaving him puzzled.

“Uh, where did you arrest us?” One of the students mused.

Nervously tapping his fingers on the polished oak table, the man's eyes widened in disbelief as he suddenly remembered the customary introduction he had forgotten.

"Sorry, please. My name is Mr. Rodriguez, a detective agent and an official of law enforcement," he introduced himself.

"Uh, we received intel that every IT student here has been linked to an alleged fraudulent venture. About a week ago, approximately £1.5 million went missing, and it was tied to a secret student group,” Mr. Rodriguez stated with authority, his expression frank.

Not quite long, a lady approached, the click of stiletto heels announcing her entrance as she drew attention. Her eyes quickly assessed the room's dynamics. "Mr. Rodriguez, Rex needs special attention," she said.

Mr. Rodriguez, initially hesitant, relented. "Ahh, no problem, you can go ahead," he replied.

Leander's surprise at Rex and his friend's sudden departure was clear from his furrowed brows, tight lips, and frustrated glare.

"That's cheating, she got bribed," Leander protested but was totally ignored.

The next moment, Leander spoke as he approached Mr. Rodriguez, his words muffled, "I'd be happy to talk to you amiably. The truth is, I don't belong to any secret group in the institution."

"Ok. I think from your profile, it seems you work as a delivery driver. Do you have any other occupations?" Mr. Rodriguez inquired, sniffing hard as he dabbed at the computer screen in front of him.

"Mm...hmm. Not at all," Leander shook his head disapprovingly.

"Got it. As an IT student, do you have a computer or phone?" Mr. Rodriguez inquired after a deep contemplation.

Leander's voice was soft but clear as he admitted, "No, I stick to my button phone; touchscreens and android devices are out of my financial reach at the moment.”

Mr. Rodriguez was confused. Was Leander the only IT student without a personal computer? But the fact was, he always borrowed Camila's.

"You must be kidding. Every other student has their own PC, what's your excuse?" Mr. Rodriguez demanded, suspicion lacing his tone.

Leander felt judged by Mr. Rodriguez's stern gaze. He beseech softly, "I'm.… I didn't do anything wrong, sir." Due to the fact that his excuses were feeble, this made Mr. Rodriguez think he was guilty of something.

"So can you just prove it?—"

Leander raised an eyebrow, his relaxed attitude speaking volumes. "Of course, it's a simple thing. You can check my account statement to confirm," he remarked with unwavering assurance.

"It's fine, now that you've chosen to proceed with... feel free to submit the statement of all accounts linked to your ownership," Mr. Rodriguez nodded in agreement.

"And you have 72 hours," he issued the ultimatum, his tone firm.

Leander's eyes widened in disbelief as he saw that as a tight deadline. "72 hours?" he repeated.

“If you fail to comply, further actions will be taken, and you'll bear the consequences,” Mr. Rodriguez warned sternly.

Moments later, Rex and his friends were eventually released after agreeing to sign a document. Despite the prevailing hostility, Leander was still exempt.

Leander was still there when Rex returned minutes later. Rex sighed, then burst into laughter at Leander’s nervousness. "You're still here, poor kiddo? Your need for my help comes after you disrespected me over a textbook," he taunted.

"To help, you gotta clean my shoes with your clothes and kiss it," Smirking, Rex insisted, his face smug as hell.

Left with no alternative, Leander complied.

Moments later, he realized his mistake, tears welling in his eyes as regret flooded his thoughts. After this, Rex went to meet Mr. Rodriguez, urging him to allow Leander to sign a promise to appear.

Mr. Rodriguez nodded in affirmation and slid some documents across his desk. After reading them, Leander grabbed a pen and scrawled his signature.

With a sly grin spreading across his face, Rex glanced at Leander and gave his shoulder a friendly pat. "I've bailed you out temporarily, but I'd love to see you struggle to clear your name out of this mess.”