Diary of a Poor Billionaire

CHAPTER 3: The Mysterious Caller

-Erick’s POV-

I don’t know how much tears I shed. I don’t know how long I’ve been crying. All I remembered was how devastated I was last night until I allowed myself to fall asleep.

No one was trying to bother me, not even my dorm mate Kevin. He must’ve sensed something happened that I needed space.

I still couldn’t accept that fact that Irah broke up with me. She had changed drastically. The Irah I used to know didn’t care if I was poor. Why? Was money now her new standard?

What’s wrong with me?

I did everything just to make her happy. I did many sidelines just to earn money to buy things she liked and to bring her in a restaurant. After doing my sidelines, I reached home late and another scolding and beating from my aunt was waiting for me. I endured all those beatings and taunts or otherwise, they would not give me my allowance. Were these still not enough? I never missed the chance to show her how much I liked her.

But things were going to be different now. With no Irah by my side, I felt hollowed. She used to be the one urging me to ignore those bullies back in high school. She used to make me feel I had worth even though I had nothing. I used to work very hard just for her. And now, all was gone.

If only I had money, Irah would still be by my side . . .

She was right, though. We couldn’t live without money. I could still feel bad for what I said to her last night. I wrongly accused her. I wished I could get back what I had said to her last night; I still love her after all.

Sigh.

But what is done, is already done. We could not live up to our past anymore. Our only choice was to move forward. It’s hard to accept, but it is what it is.

“You’re too early,” Kevin commented, interrupting my thoughts. I realized I hadn’t touched my food yet.

“Can’t help it,” I replied nonchalantly. “I’ve grown to be used to it.”

“Well, that’s great. You can be my alarm clock,” he said jokingly and then we continue our breakfast silently.

We took most of our morning arranging our stuff around. Kevin said we had two more dorm mates arriving today, so I cleaned the whole room while he arranged the beddings. Miss Jean, the caretaker who was specifically assigned to the second floor where our room was, had gone to her hometown today for her day off. So, we took the pleasure of cleaning our own room.

The room was neither too big nor too small for the four of us. Two double-deck beds on the right side, a small kitchen on the left side, a small balcony in front, a round table on the center and couches around it, and the toilet and bath besides the kitchen.

Once we finished our tasks, sweating and exhausted, we groomed ourselves and Kevin excused himself to fetch our dorm mates. I decided to go out for walk since I have nothing much to do at this moment.

I had no idea where I would be heading to. I just let my feet carried me anywhere. Sigh. If only there’s a way to ease my pain I felt since last night. Until now, I’ve been hoping that Irah would come back to me, but I knew better that she wouldn’t.

Somewhere ahead of me, I could hear laughter and chatters. Only then did I realize I was in Seattle University Park already.

This park was always filled with students. Some were varsity players who were conducting tryouts for aspiring athletes during weekends and summer breaks, some were just watching the tryouts, and others were simply strolling around the park.

Before they could see me, I retreat my steps. The last thing I wanted to do was to be noticed and being ridiculed by them.

But something round hit my back before I could get away. Though the impact was not too painful, I was still thrown outbalance because of its force.

“Oww!” I moaned. Burst of laughter was heard from the park as they saw me; a soccer ball was lying some feet away from me.

“Hey hillbilly, can you pass the ball?” a tall blonde guy shouted arrogantly. Surely, he was the one who hit me.

“Oh my! Erick, is that you?” a girl’s voice was heard and the tall blonde guy looked at her. Ugh. I wanted to forget Irah, and now I meet Penelope, her best friend, today. Great!

“You know him, Penelope?” the blonde guy asked.

“Yes,” replied Penelope disgustedly. “We’re both from Challenger High and he was famous for being very poor that he did what others wanted him to do just to earn money.”

I stood rooted there. Here I was again, being the spotlight of humiliation. And worst, it was Penelope who already knew everything about me. I knew she waited this moment to humiliate me and to gain admiration from others. I tried to calm myself, but I was not sure if I could stand myself being humiliated for the umpteenth times. I wished the ground would swallow me.

“Oh, a certified hillbilly! Well, in that case, pass me the ball and kiss my shoe in exchange for a hundred bucks. Deal?” the blonde guy said and laughed derisively. Others who heard him laughed as well. I looked at him reproachfully but he just ignored me like I was a joke.

“What? I am generous enough to offer you some money. C’mon, pass me the ball now,” he added when I stared at him incessantly.

“Can you at least say sorry for hitting me?” I replied coldly and tossed the ball at him. Why were they so arrogant? Penelope was right about me doing others’ favors for money, but that doesn’t mean I have to stoop so low that would tarnish my dignity.

“Sorry?” The blonde guy turned to the crowd and said, “Look who’s asking for apology. Haha!” The crowd laughed even more.

How could he be so unreasonable? He was the one who hit me, and yet he asked me to kiss his shoe. I tried to ignore them and turned to leave the place.

“Leaving now? I thought you are short of money. If you want, you can eat my s**t and I’ll give a thousand bucks.” Another burst of laughter, louder this time.

‘Just ignore them.’ I mumbled to myself as I leave the park. Good thing they didn’t pursue the matter further; now I could walk away with peace.

I already walked some distance from the park when my phone vibrated suddenly. I thought it was Kevin who called me, but I was surprised that it was an unknown caller.

“Hello.”

“Young Master, your dad wants to meet you today.”

What kind of prank is this?

“I’m not in a mood for pranks today. So, piss off.” I hanged the call, thinking it was nothing of importance. I was already pissed from the event earlier and now, a prank call was pestering me. Only God knows how I was extremely furious at this moment. I had just walked several steps when the phone rang again.

It was the same number again.

“What? Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about. My father is dead already. If you’re trying to scam me, you can get nothing. Understand?” I said fumingly. God, why do these people exist?

“Please listen to me, Young Master, or your dad will kill me.” He said; his voice sounded fearful.

“I’m listening,” I replied nonchalantly and tried to suppress my anger. I have no choice but to listen, otherwise he would continue to pester me. I guess nothing would harm me if I try.

“Young Master, your dad purposely hid his identity to you and your mom these past few years. He said that he did it for your own good and decided that it’s time for you to know the truth. He asked me to fetch you this afternoon to meet him,” he said without stopping.

“May I ask who my father you’re talking about is?”

“Mister Michael Moore.”

I was right earlier. This was totally bullshit. I smiled mockingly even though my caller could not see it. I laughed derisively.

“Haha! You’re telling me my father is Michael Moore, why not him who call me?” My smile widened. I wondered how he could make his way out.

“I’m telling the truth, Young Master. I took the courtesy to call you because Mister Moore was busy as of the moment,” he said.

“Busy my ass. If Michael Moore is my father, then give me a million dollars.”

“No problem, Young Master. Is that all? I will hang up now.”

The call ended. I just shrugged it off because I knew it was an obvious prank. If I hadn’t demand money, the caller would persist on calling me.

It was already lunch time, and I went back to my apartment since I had no cash left to buy food outside. At the same moment, a notification bell was heard from my phone.

I took my phone to see any notification.

What the—

My eyes almost popped out from shock. The notification was from the national bank. I counted four . . . five . . . six zeroes. One million dollars was transferred to my account!

My knees felt like lead. My brain felt muzzled. I heaved a big sigh from excitement.

‘So it’s true. Michael Moore is my father.’

All this time, I’ve been living in poverty without the knowledge that I had a very rich father. It felt so surreal, like a dream I wish would never end. Only it’s real, totally real!

I ran quickly to my apartment to get my ATM card. This card was of no use for a long time. The last time I used it was when I withdrew the money I saved for a year just to treat Irah to a newly-opened café.

Sigh. I thought of Irah again. How would she react if she knew I was a millionaire, perhaps even a billionaire?

I shrugged bitterly. Starting from now, I had no more connections with her.

I went straight to the ATM and withdrew ten thousand dollars. As I touched the cash, it still felt like I was dreaming. I never had some cash this big before, and the money I was holding now was still a petty amount compared to what I really have in total.

With my money in my hands, I decided to take lunch at E.M. Restaurant. Who could stop me eat at such a fancy restaurants when I could buy literally everything on a restaurant, let alone the restaurant itself? I thought no one could spoil my day. But when I stepped inside the restaurant, I had caught the attention of a group of people not far away from me. It was Penelope and some others who ridiculed me earlier in the park. They seemed to be almost finished eating.

“Been working part time? Or are you about to apply yet?” A burst of laughter filled the air.

By the looks of it, I knew I had the worst luck this day.