The Hidden Legacy; I Will Rise Through Every Pain

Secret Stash

Hearing those words made Andrew feel really relieved inside. He realized that overcoming the pain he had gone through was exactly what he needed to do.

Andrew wiped away his tears, determined to regain his composure. He looked at the holographic projection of his father and asked, "What should I do now?"

His father's hologram looked right into Andrew's eyes, showing a sense of purpose and wisdom. "First, you need to know that money can open doors and give you the power to make a difference in the world. And my son, you already have that power," his father explained.

Andrew's mind was filled with confusion. He didn't fully understand what his father meant, so he asked for more clarity.

"How? I don't understand?."

"This very ring possesses numerous things. Years ago, I foresaw the potential greed within our family, realizing they would seek to claim the entirety of our fortune if anything were to happen to me. So in other to counter that, I established a concealed stash fund stored in a highly secure vault accessible only by using this ring. I want you to go to the Golden Horizon Bank, find vault 1025, and employ the power of the ring on your finger to unlock it. Inside, you will discover three cards." His father explained.

Andrew nodded in response as he was determined to do as he was told.

***********

Few hours later, Andrew had gotten to the Golden Horizon Bank, after his father had properly directed him, he couldn't help but marvel at grandeur. The building looked really fancy, with its tall columns, shiny glass walls, and beautiful gardens.

When Andrew entered through the revolving doors, he found himself in a huge lobby. Everything was designed to impress, with high ceilings, shiny marble floors, and fancy lights. Well-dressed people and bank employees greeted customers from their stations.

"This place really lives up to its name," Andrew whispered to himself, amazed by the surroundings.

Andrew took a moment to look around. He noticed a special lounge area nearby, where important customers could have private meetings. And there were exclusive meeting rooms too, showing how much the bank cared about giving great service to its important clients.

With great care, Andrew walked towards the center of the bank, his eyes fixed on the directory that would show him the way to the vault. He knew the vault was where the bank kept its most valuable things, and it was really secure.

As he got closer to the entrance of the vault, Andrew looked at the rows of lockers, searching carefully for the one that had the special green ring. He knew it would have the number "1025" on it.

"There you are," he whispered to himself.

He walked towards the vault and he raised his right fist, he held the ring in his hand and inserted it into the designated slot, then turned his fist counterclockwise.

In response, the vault made a slight rotation and opened immediately, eliciting a sense of triumph in Andrew. "Finally!" he exclaimed, relieved that he had followed the instructions accurately.

Plunging his hands into the dimly lit vault, Andrew felt the texture of three cards and retrieved them with a surge of joy. The voice of his father echoed in his mind, reminding him, "Once you have the cards, you can proceed to the counter to access the funds."

Andrew tightly clutched the trio of cards as he made his way to the reception counter, his footsteps softly echoing on the marble floor. Behind the counter stood three impeccably dressed female receptionists.

The first receptionist possessed shoulder-length blonde hair and exuded confidence with her posture. She wore a tailored navy blue suit that accentuated her figure.

The second receptionist had jet-black hair styled in a neat bob, donning a crisp white blouse and a charcoal grey pencil skirt. Meanwhile, the third receptionist stood out with her kind eyes and warm smile, emanating a friendly and approachable presence. Her chestnut brown hair was neatly pulled back into a bun, and she wore a soft lavender blouse paired with a charcoal grey skirt.

Two of the receptionists exchanged subtle smirks, their expressions reeking of disdain. They cast disapproving glances at Andrew's worn-out jacket and slightly scuffed shoes. Despite feeling self-conscious, he refused to let their judgment deter him.

Aware that seeking assistance from those two judgmental receptionists would likely lead to further criticism, Andrew walked up to the third receptionist. With a warm smile, he extended his hand, drawn to her kind eyes and empathetic demeanor that set her apart from her colleagues.

"Good afternoon," Andrew greeted.

The third receptionist paused her paperwork and met Andrew's gaze with a sympathetic smile.

"Good afternoon. How may I assist you today?" Her tone conveyed a genuine willingness to help, contrasting sharply with the dismissive aura of the others.

Andrew explained, "I would like to access the funds associated with these cards, please."

The two receptionists exchanged judgmental glances, their disapproval of Andrew evident. One of them scoffed, displaying a lack of interest in him.

"And why do you believe you're entitled to access these resources? What is a person like you doing in a prestigious bank such as The Golden Horizon Bank?" she retorted, her tone derisive.

"Yes!" added the other receptionist, concurring with her colleague.

However, a compassionate receptionist intervened, asserting her point with respect.

"Please, let's treat all clients with respect and provide assistance to the best of our abilities," she firmly stated, leaving no room for argument.

Reluctantly, the disapproving receptionists fell silent, concealing their disapproval behind neutral expressions.

With gentle reassurance, the empathetic receptionist took the cards from Andrew's hand. She inserted them into the card reader, her fingers effortlessly gliding over the keyboard as she inputted the necessary information.

*Beeeep!*

Andrew held his breath, his gaze fixed on the screen, eagerly awaiting the outcome.

*Beeeep!*

A smile of approval spread across the receptionist's face as she removed the cards. She handed them back to Andrew, along with a slip of paper containing the access codes and a receipt.

"Andrew Everest, right?" the receptionist inquired.

"Yes," Andrew nodded, surprised to see the account already bearing his name.

"Please place your fingerprints on the scanner," the receptionist gestured to Andrew. He felt a bit timid, unsure if his fingerprints would work since he didn't have an account. He worried about the possibility of being arrested.

He placed his thumb on the scanner and, to his surprise, heard a sound.

*Beeeeeep!*

"To access the account, you will need to create a PIN," the receptionist conveyed warmly.

"Okay, yes please," Andrew replied politely.

"Mr. Andrew, please input the PIN you would like to use on the POS machine," she gestured to his right-hand side.

Andrew tapped the touch keypad of the POS machine and successfully entered his PIN.

"Done," Andrew affirmed with a sense of accomplishment.

"Would you like to link all three cards?" asked the receptionist.

"Yes, I would," Andrew replied.

She typed in some information and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Andrews. Your account verification is successful. Here are your access codes and the receipt."

Andrew felt relieved that everything had gone smoothly as he accepted the cards and paperwork, carefully not to display his eagerness.

"Thank you so much for your assistance," he expressed sincerely.

The receptionist nodded, her eyes gleaming with pride. "You're most welcome. If you require further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. Have a wonderful day," she genuinely offered.

Andrew returned the smile, turning away from the counter and leaving behind the judgmental glances of the other two receptionists. As he left the bank, he thought to himself, "I wonder how much is inside the account" He said as he left the bank heading home