From Rags To Magnate

"Aunt Susie, I'm doing fine in school. You don't have to send me money anymore. I'm healthy, and there's no need for you to visit, what with your work schedule being so full."

When the call was over, the smile and calmness Tristan Stanfield had just managed to show vanished.

He stared at the medical examination report he was holding, tears welling up in his eyes and a lump forming in his throat.

On the final page, the report stated, "Diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Hospitalization for treatment is urgently recommended!"

Leukemia!

Tristan couldn't believe what he was reading.

The thought that he could have leukemia was beyond him.

Leukemia. That meant blood cancer!

"Aunt Susie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you. But I... I had no other option. I didn't want to be a burden to you."

Tristan clenched his teeth, whispering in a low voice.

Teardrops trickled down from his eyes. As tears fell onto the examination report, the word "leukemia" became blurred.

His vision became blurry.

In that moment, Tristan wished more than anything that this was all just a nightmare, hoping to soon wake up.

Yet, this cruel twist of fate wouldn't spare him his feelings.

Indeed, this was yet another harsh blow in his life.

Tristan, whose parents died when he was a child, was left with nothing but a simple bronze ring.

His aunt, Susie Brooks, had taken him in, and through sheer determination, he had earned a place at Singve University.

He had dreams of graduating, securing a good job, working hard to earn money, and repaying his aunt for her love and support.

Just as he was starting to see a bright future ahead, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by his classmates.

The diagnosis was leukemia.

The cost of treatment could reach up to 500, 000, assuming that everything went smoothly and a suitable bone marrow donor was found.

Tristan took a deep breath, steeling himself with determination. "No, I cannot surrender!"

Throughout the years, he hadn't just relied on his aunt. He had worked part-time jobs while studying, saving money to lighten the financial load on his aunt.

The money he had saved was with his girlfriend, Ellie Harrison, for keeping it safe.

Thinking about Ellie made Tristan feel a warmth spread through him, and his gaze turned determined.

To him, Ellie was gentle and kind-hearted. Unlike other students who sneered at his need to work, Ellie had looked past what others thought and chosen to be with him.

Tristan believed Ellie was the beacon of light in his darkness.

With this thought, a spark of hope lit up in him.

He planned to get his savings from Ellie and then proceed to the hospital for a thorough check-up.

Could there have been an error in his diagnosis?

Without delay, he reached out to Ellie.

Yet, after several rings, the call unexpectedly cut off.

His brows knitted together in concern, and he tried once more.

This time, after a long wait, Ellie picked up.

"Ellie, where are you? I need to see you. There's something important we need to discuss," Tristan said.

Ellie sounded rushed and slightly irritated on the phone. "I'm at the library, swamped with studies. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Before Tristan could respond, she ended the call.

Tristan stood there, taken aback, and then let out a deep sigh.

Tomorrow?

How many "tomorrows" could he realistically count on?

Just then, two girls walked by, deep in conversation. He couldn't help but overhear their chat.

"Who's that girl we just saw at the entrance of the dorm? She managed to snag Kevin Vance."

"Oh, that's Ellie Harrison. She's my neighbor in the dorm. Really pretty, and she's got guts too. She went ahead and organized a whole ceremony to declare her feelings to Kevin, the rich heir."

The girls giggled and moved on.

But Tristan remained frozen, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

Ellie?

Kevin Vance, the wealthy heir?

A ceremony to declare her feelings?

A cloud of disbelief enveloped Tristan's mind.

Ellie was openly declaring her love for another man in public!

As Tristan thought about this, his entire body tensed, and a tingling sensation spread across his scalp.

"No!" he shouted and dashed toward the girls' dormitory.

The sound of the wind buzzed in his ears, yet all Tristan could hear was the pounding of his own heart.

Arriving at the girls' dorm, he was panting and nearly out of breath.

Bending over with his hands on his knees, Tristan struggled for air. He pushed through the gathered crowd and at last caught sight of Ellie, who had said she was at the library, standing at the entrance of the dormitory.

Ellie was in a white dress, standing within a heart-shaped outline of red roses.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shimmered with excitement as she clutched a bouquet of flowers.

Facing her was a young man in a white shirt, Kevin.

His hair was slicked back stylishly, with a Mercedes parked behind him, showcasing the aura of someone successful.

"Kevin!" Ellie said, beaming. "I love you! Will you be my boyfriend?"

With those words, she offered the bouquet to Kevin.

Kevin looked over the crowd with a self-satisfied air, clearly enjoying the attention.

The crowd cheered, urging, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Tristan was seething with anger.

Ellie, his girlfriend, was actually making a move on another guy right in front of everyone!

"Alright, yes, Ellie!" Kevin said, grinning, and planted a kiss on Ellie's cheek.

They embraced each other right away.

The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter.

It seemed as though Ellie and Kevin were a perfect match, receiving the good wishes of their peers.

"Ellie!"

Tristan's shout of anger cut through the noise, silencing everyone.

An awkward silence fell.

"What are you doing? You're my girlfriend!"

Battling his way through the crowd and struggling for air, Tristan moved forward and flung the bouquet to the ground. "How could you do this to me and declare your love for someone else?"

Ellie was rooted to the spot. "Tristan?"

"Your boyfriend?" Kevin, holding Ellie close, lifted his head in a show of superiority.

Tristan's eyes were filled with tears as he fixed his gaze on Ellie, demanding answers.

"Ellie! Talk to me! What's this all about? Who is he?"

Kevin's embrace provided Ellie with a feeling of protection, allowing her to regain her composure.

Looking scared, she acted as though she was terrified and cuddled up even closer to Kevin.

With discomfort on her face, she said, "Tristan, please, stop this. I can't return your feelings. Could you please leave me alone, alright?"

Tristan stood there in shock, disbelief written all over his face.

Leave her alone?

What was she talking about?

Ellie went on, "I'm grateful for your feelings toward me, but I've always been clear that it's Kevin I love. I'm asking you not to bring me any more gifts. I... I find it repulsive!"

With the emphasis on the last word, Ellie made it seem as if Tristan had done something utterly distasteful.

Tristan was speechless.

He noticed the scorn and contempt in Ellie's eyes for the first time.

It hit him then.

Ellie had been putting on an act all along!

He thought back on all the times he had carefully looked after her and how he had trusted her with all his savings.

Tristan forced a smile. "I see now. You've been playing me for a fool from the start."

At that moment, Kevin looked at Tristan with a smirk.

"Tristan, what's your problem? You should know your place. Consider it. What do you think you are, huh? You're just a poor orphan without any family! Did you really think Ellie's slight kindness meant she loved you? That's laughable!"

"You..."

Tristan's whole body shook, and he pointed at Ellie, his fingers trembling, lost for words.

Ellie kept up her act.

Her face went ashen, tears rolled down her cheeks, and she voiced her complaint.

"Tristan! I'm begging you, stop this. Kevin and I are in love for real. And don't be so harsh on Kevin. I get it, you're jealous of him. You're jealous of his wealth and good looks. But being jealous won't help you. You need to work on bettering yourself."

Witnessing Ellie's fake vulnerability, Tristan's rage boiled over, and he wanted to expose her lies.

He exploded, shouting, "Lies! You swore you'd be my girl! What about all the promises we made to each other?"

Kevin let out a derisive chuckle and hit his car key. The headlights of the Mercedes-Benz blinked.

He casually wrapped his arm around Ellie's waist and remarked, "Looks like this guy here's got some issues. Just ignore him; let's head out."

There was no deliberate sarcasm in his tone. He avoided any rash acts of violence.

Kevin didn't even give Tristan a second look from start to finish.

It was a complete snub.

Ellie nodded obediently and said, "I have one last thing to say to him."

She faced Tristan again, feigning bravery, and whispered, "Tristan, I'm asking you, don't bother me anymore, or I will call the police. You kept pursuing me before, and I tolerated it. But now that I'm with Kevin, I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

Seething with rage, Tristan shouted, "To hell with both of you! Ellie, you're a traitor!"

At this, Kevin couldn't help but sigh, feigning sympathy.

"It seems you've lost it. You were the one chasing after Ellie. She never agreed to be your girlfriend!"

With that, Kevin took Ellie by the hand, ready to get into the car.

Everyone around cast judgmental looks at Tristan.

Even Ellie's roommates, who had seen Tristan and Ellie together previously, all wore expressions of apathy on their faces.

"Tristan has lost it. Ellie was never into him, yet he wouldn't stop bothering her!" one onlooker said.

"Goodness! He must be dealing with some mental issues. What's this? Is he delusional?" another commented.

"In medical terms, this could be called delusional disorder. He's fabricating relationships in his mind."

These comments pierced Tristan's heart like daggers.

He rushed forward, grabbing the car door to keep it from shutting.

With eyes red from anger and struggling for air, he said, "Ellie! Damn it! We're over, and return my money! I need it for my health!"

Ellie tried but failed to shut the door.

Dropping her act, she showed annoyance and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "What money? Do you mean the cash from your jobs? I've spent it all."

Spent it all?

Tristan felt as if hit by a shockwave.

That money was crucial for his health!

Caught off guard, he loosened his grip on the car door, and Ellie managed to slam it shut.

"Ellie!" Tristan cried out without thinking.

Kevin rolled down the window, chuckled, and remarked, "Just so you know, I've promised to throw a birthday bash for Ellie in three days. Make sure you're there. It'll prove once and for all that you and Ellie have nothing to do with each other, just in case you try to start rumors."

He was accused of spreading rumors? Tristan felt an overwhelming rage.

This made it hard to catch his breath. "Cough!"

Tristan covered his mouth with one hand, sensing the scent of blood intensified.

When his vision cleared, he saw his hand covered in blood.

Blood!

Blood was indeed what Tristan was coughing up!

The last flicker of hope in him dimmed.

The reality of his leukemia hit him hard.

Kevin turned to look at Tristan, his laughter cold.

"Looks like you're really sick. Dying sooner might actually be a mercy for someone as broke as you. What a relief that would be. Ha-ha..."

As Kevin's laughter echoed, his car roared to life, kicking up dust as it stylishly drove away.

Tristan looked down to see his hands smeared with blood.

The bronze ring, a keepsake from his parents, was also stained with his blood. Unnoticed by all, the blood seemed to vanish into the ring as if absorbed by it.

Tristan remained standing, seemingly lifeless, as if his soul had been sucked away.

The crowd quickly scattered, fearing Tristan might collapse dead any moment in front of them.

Yet, unknown to them, Tristan was hearing something entirely unexpected.

A voice, mechanical and synthesized, announced, "Ding! The Magnate System is now active. Currently in a temporary bind. Your mission: spend a million within 4 hours. The spending must be on dining. Complete the mission, and you'll get a million in return. Failure to complete will result in the system being unbound."

Tristan stood frozen, confusion written all over his face.

The Magnate System?

A million dollars?

System?

Could this actually be happening?

Was someone playing a joke on him?

Tristan looked at the area and realized that the crowd had disappeared, leaving him by himself.

"System?" Tristan whispered.

But the electronic voice didn't answer him.

Instead, a notification from his bank popped up on his phone. "You've received a deposit of 1, 000, 000 dollars. Your new balance is 1, 000, 823.3 dollars."

Could this really be happening?

Tristan's eyes went wide.

The system was legit! He had received a million dollars!

A wave of excitement washed over Tristan.

This money was a lifeline!

With this sum, he could afford the treatment for his condition!

He was about to head to the hospital when he remembered the system's rules; he had to spend one million within four hours, but only for dining.

Spending it on hospital bills wouldn't count as a dining expense.

If he failed the task, he would lose the system's support.

What if the system took back the one million then?

Tristan pinched himself hard, trying to regain his composure.

He was too scared to gamble with this opportunity.

After all, he had been given a chance to survive and he wasn't going to waste it.

Besides, the system had made it clear that once he completed the task, he would get one million in return.

In other words, he could use the reward money for anything, including his medical bills.

The cost to treat leukemia was around 500, 000 dollars. With this one million, he would have more than enough.

After considering his options, Tristan's eyes sparkled with determination. Spending the money would be easy!

Seeing a path to recovery, Tristan was eager to get started.

He needed to spend one million on food in just four hours.

It seemed straightforward at first. But, after giving it some thought, he realized it was far from simple.

Most regular eateries couldn't handle such lavish expenditures.

In Aylbupool, the first place that popped into Tristan's mind was...

"Sir, to Breezy Hotel, please!" Tristan hailed a taxi outside the school.

Breezy Hotel, renowned for being Aylbupool's most opulent hotel, offered everything one could imagine.

Previously, just looking at its grandeur from a distance made Tristan feel somewhat out of place.

It catered to the elite. Situated in the city's heart, the hotel felt like a world apart. It was as though an unseen barrier existed between Tristan and those of high society.

Yet, today was different.

Tristan walked in with a million to his name!

Upon entering the hotel's grand lobby, however, he was met with a loud argument.

"Randy, it was Lillian working yesterday. She's to blame!"

A sharp voice filled the air.

Marlie Harrison stood, hands on hips, in a suit skirt, wearing a smug smile, and exuding an aggressive aura.

"She's the reason the customer managed to leave without paying! Maybe she even let it happen on purpose! She's been nothing but trouble for our hotel and needs to be fired! And she dares to compete for the lobby manager position against me. How disgraceful!"

Lillian Perez wore the same suit skirt, but her curvaceous figure and ample chest were impossible to miss. Her well-endowed chest nearly spilled out of the white shirt.

Her attire struggled to contain her, suggesting a mix of professionalism and allure that few could ignore.

Beneath the skirt, she wore black stockings, hinting at delicate skin and accentuating her straight, slender legs.

Despite being a regular suit skirt, it exuded a unique charm on her, captivating anyone who laid eyes on her.

Lillian's fists clenched tightly, her face flushing with anger and frustration.

"I didn't do it! I have no idea how this happened!"

Randy Webster, the manager, stood by, stroking his chin, lost in thought.

Witnessing the scene, Tristan's brow furrowed. He recognized Marlie.

She was Ellie's cousin.

Back when Tristan dated Ellie, Marlie frequently criticized him, always ready with a harsh word.

Despite Tristan's hospitality, Marlie never reciprocated with kindness, choosing instead to find fault and make his experience unpleasant.

Tristan harbored some resentment, though he had previously held back for Ellie's sake.

Now that he had seen Ellie's true colors and they had completely broken up, he would no longer show Marlie any respect.

"How much did the customer owe? I'll take care of it," Tristan said, stepping forward.

His offer caught everyone by surprise.

Lillian looked at him with wide eyes. "You..."

She paused, realizing she didn't know the man standing before her.

What made this stranger want to help her?

The thought puzzled Lillian.

Meanwhile, Marlie's expression darkened, and she couldn't contain her anger. "Tristan! Why are you even here? Do you think you belong here? Leave this place! And stop making a scene!"

Randy intervened, instructing, "Marlie! You need to show respect to our customers!"

Marlie quickly switched to a more ingratiating tone. "Randy, you're mistaken. This Tristan isn't a customer of ours. He's after my cousin, nothing but a broke student. He must be here looking for a job washing dishes."

She then glanced at Tristan with disdain.

"Tristan, let me make this clear. Don't expect any favors because you know me. I won't be of any help to you. Your shabby look doesn't even meet the standards for a security position here at Breezy Hotel!"

Tristan's frustration grew. He had always had issues with Marlie, and his patience was wearing thin. He responded sharply, "Hey! Let me set two things straight. Firstly, your cousin Ellie and I are no longer together because she betrayed me. And secondly, I do have money."

With that, Tristan pulled out his bank card, and slammed it forcefully on the table.

"How much did that customer owe? I'll settle it."

Marlie was shocked. She couldn't believe Tristan's audacity.

Furious, she pointed at him and criticized him. "What's gotten into you? Claiming to have money while you're out there doing odd jobs? Did Ellie's rejection drive you mad? Your wallet looks like it's on its last legs. And yet you claim to be wealthy? What a joke!"

Both Randy and Lillian observed Tristan's worn-out wallet, noting its tattered appearance.

Tristan didn't look the part of someone with financial means.

Randy seemed to take Marlie's side and cautioned Tristan with a stern voice, "Look... The customer who didn't pay left our hotel short by fifty thousand dollars. That's a significant sum."

Tristan bit his lip.

Given the four-hour deadline he was up against, replacing his wallet was the least of his concerns.

"I've told you, I can pay. Let's use my card!"

Tristan chose not to dwell on the matter of his wallet, and he tapped his bank card on the table, showing signs of impatience.

Truth be told, he was not entirely convinced himself.

Feigning urgency and adopting a confident demeanor were merely tactics to mask his doubts.

The system's existence could be genuine. And his phone had indeed shown a notification from the bank. But the what-ifs lingered in his mind.

What if his perception was clouded by his illness and frustration?

What if there was no system to begin with?

Tristan's heart raced with these thoughts.

Opting to pay for the unpaid bill seemed like the safest bet.

Should it turn out to be an illusion, at least he wouldn't end up in trouble with law enforcement called by the hotel manager.

For Tristan, this path held the least amount of risk.

If he was unable to pay the bill after a spending spree, the fallout could be dire!