Ethan sat quietly in the back row of the prestigious Ivy League auditorium. His faded denim jacket and worn-out sneakers stood out like a stain in a room filled with designer suits and gold watches. To his classmates, Ethan was just a charity case—a poor student who barely belonged.
Julian, the university’s most popular and wealthy student, loved making Ethan the target of his cruel jokes. “Hey, Ethan,” Julian sneered, walking up to his desk with his group of friends. “Did you buy that jacket from a trash can, or did your parents just give up on you?”
Julian forcefully shoved Ethan’s books off the desk, spilling papers across the cold marble floor. The classroom burst into laughter. Julian stepped closer, leaning in with a malicious grin. “You don’t belong here, pauper.”
Ethan didn’t flinch. He slowly stood up, towering slightly over Julian. His eyes weren’t filled with shame or anger—they were filled with calm pity.
“You think money makes you powerful, Julian?” Ethan spoke softly, his voice cutting through the laughter.
Before Julian could answer, a polished black limousine came to a stop right outside the glass windows of the hall. A middle-aged man in a sharp tuxedo walked briskly into the hallway, carrying a sleek black leather briefcase.
The entire room went silent. The man bowed respectfully to Ethan. “Young Master Ethan, your father has just finalized the acquisition of this university. He requests your presence at the board meeting.”
Julian’s face turned pale. Ethan picked up his single fallen notebook, looked Julian dead in the eye, and whispered…
(To be continued in Episode 2…)
