From Pit to Palace: Charlie Emerged

Chapter 7

Everyone couldn't help, but laugh their asses off.

Duke turned to Charlie, concern etched in his voice. "What do you think you're doing, Charlie? You're going to pay for six people? That's a whopping sum of three thousand dollars! Where will you get that from, man?" He whimpered.

"I think this has to stop," Stella said, stepping forward. "I came up with this just for fun, but what is all this?" She looked at Charlie, disbelief in her eyes.

She believed he was only trying to save face, but he went too far. "You are going to pay for me, Duke, yourself, and three other persons? Do you know how much that is? That's $3k! Where would you get that from?" She inquired with a sigh.

Charlie didn't respond to her, nor did Duke. He fixed his gaze on Franklin. "How about that? Are you gonna try it or back out cowardly?"

"Is he so arrogant right now!"

"I wonder what's giving him so much confidence!"

"He's just trying to preserve some slight reputation. Franklin will beat him!"

Those whom Charlie had selected to be treated by Franklin at the dinner party were saying.

Pompously stepping forward, Franklin spat to the ground. "Do you think I would get scared off because of those empty words of yours, huh?" He sneered, staring at Charlie. His composure was calm and unreadable, like he had never said anything, shaken.

However, he shook it off and hesitantly added. "I wonder what's giving you such confidence, but I agree. But what if we do it this way to add a little fun to it?"

"What's that?" Charlie didn't flinch.

"Anyone we're treating to meals tonight will eat whatever they please and at the end, we'll pay off the bills, but whoever can't, will lick the other's shoes? Is it that perfect?"

Charlie smiled and simply answered with an approving nod. "Nice idea. We'll go with that."

Franklin turned to everyone. "Heard that? He agreed. If he backs out, he's a coward because I'm already a winner!"

Duke and Stella exchanged glances, speeches about what to say. They both swallowed hard, simultaneously.

Just then....

Ring, ring.

Charlie's phone started to ring. He pulled it out and when he saw the caller ID, he stepped away, walking out of the class to answer it.

Franklin, who noticed his cracked screen couldn't help, but chuckle. "He's challenging me, but look at the kind of phone he's using. Old. Broken. Probably nothing can be seen on the screen."

Meanwhile, as Charlie got outside, he looked left and right, ensuring no one was eavesdropping on him as he picked it up. It was still the same man and he had saved his contact right after he found him a little genuine.

"Hello?"

"Young master Charlie, would you still be able to make it to Pinnacle Group today?" the familiar voice inquired.

Charlie glanced at the time and realizing it was just 3 pm, he nodded even though the man could not see him. "Yes, I'll be there."

"Oh, that's good, young master Charlie," the man's excited voice rang out. "I'd be waiting for your arrival and please, don't forget, it's on the thirtieth floor. Just make use of the elevator, it'll get you there. That's where I am."

Just as the call ended and Charlie took to his heels to flag down a cab after pocketing his phone, Duke rushed out of the class, stopping him.

"Charlie, I know you were only trying to save face, which every normal human would do, but you went too extreme, I must admit," he said before taking a deep breath, his voice reassuring now. "But don't worry. I'll support you. I'll lie to my parents that I need to buy textbooks, they'll definitely send some bucks and once they do, I'll give it to you. You're not on this alone. I'm right behind you!" His voice was firm.

Charlie couldn't help but admire his support. However, to Duke's surprise, Charlie patted his shoulder softly with a smile. "Thanks Duke, but no need to extort money from your parents. It's bad. Our good Lord frowns at it."

"Then how are we going to do it? I can't watch you get humiliated!"

"Don't worry, I'll treat the six people. Just sit back and watch."

Without waiting for his response, Charlie started walking toward the gate. He was going to the Pinnacle Group to see this mysterious man.

Duke stood there, watching his retracting figure in puzzlement. For some moment, he couldn't blink. He stared in Charlie's direction even when he was out of sight.

"What has come over him?" Duke murmured with a sigh. "Is it really that painful that that slut left him?" He shook his head. "I pray he recovers sooner."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, a cab halted in front of a towering, glassy building and Charlie stepped out. He settled the driver and began walking inside the compound.

This was Pinnacle Group.

The place where the mysterious man had insisted that he come see him so he could claim his inheritance, which he knew nothing about.

The place was undoubtedly exceptional. The structure screamed wealth, and merely looking at it, any poor man would be scared to go closer to avoid getting humiliated.

Porsche cars were neatly parked in parking lots.

Charlie gasped seeing everything, but his mission here didn't elude his mind. To see the mysterious man who kept calling him young master Charlie and urging him to come claim his inheritance.

Stepping inside, the receptionist at her desk couldn't help but glare at Charlie as soon as her eyes fell on him.

Charlie wasn't dressed in any luxurious clothes. His clothes were worn out, cuffs dark, but he undoubtedly was a handsome guy.

He was just a sharp contrast to everything inside the place.

"Young man, please, we aren't in search of a cleaner for the meantime, please, leave," the receptionist said while glaring at Charlie with contempt.

Charlie felt a pang of embarrassment surge through him. Honestly speaking, he was the odd person here. Completely out of place.

He bit his lips nervously, scratching his nose. "Sorry, but I'm not in search of any job here."

"Then who are you? And what are you looking for?"

"I'm Charlie Jordan, a student of Maple City University. I'm looking for someone," he replied.