From Pit to Palace: Charlie Emerged

Chapter 1

It was 11:00 AM that morning at Maple City University, and the school was on break after finishing two lectures. A young, handsome man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a shabby, worn-out uniform, emerged from the class, walking through the hallway.

The cuffs of his clothes were black, practically noticeable like they hadn't been washed for ages.

Despite Charlie Jordan's handsome appearance, the passing students avoided him like a plague, staring at him with disdain. Some spitting out, faces twisted with outer frowns.

"That's him. The popular campus trash picker I mentioned earlier. He's probably going to look for bottles to pick so he can sell them and have some money for himself," one female student said with a cold tone, telling her friend.

"Oh, yuck! He looks like it. But how could one feed himself with that?" the latter asked, slightly concerned.

"Heard he's working part-time in a bar too."

The passing students were muttering among themselves, their voices filled with disgust, and their faces twitched with disdain.

Charlie heard them and he bowed his head in shame, his eyes on the ground as if searching for something as he was heading towards the gate.

Ring....ring.

An old Android phone started to ring.

Charlie paused and pulled out his old, cracked phone from his pocket. He glanced at the strange number and frowned, but he hesitantly picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Sorry, am I speaking with Young Master Charlie Jordan?" A voice asked calmly with respect from the other line.

Charlie furrowed his brows, puzzled. He nodded, "I'm Charlie Jordan, not Young Master," he replied softly.

The man took a deep breath, relieved. "Oh, thank God, it's the right number. Young Master Charlie, if you are less busy, please, make your way to Pinnacle Group. You've got an inheritance to inherit. It just needs your signature put down, that's all."

Charlie looked down at the number and let out a cold chuckle. "Firstly you addressed me as Young Master and now? You're telling me I've got an inheritance to claim," he said, his face turning into a frown. "Buddy, I'm an orphan. I've been one for decades so which inheritance are you talking about?"

"Young Master Charlie, just come to....."

Before the man could complete his sentence, Charlie abruptly ended the call and let out an exasperated sigh while shoving his phone back into his pocket.

"These scammers are literally becoming idle nowadays. Instead of learning a skill or getting their hands to work, they sit down looking for whom to scam." He muttered to himself, sighing again. "He thinks I've got some bucks in my account."

Ring, ring!

His phone started to ring for the second time, but Charlie ended it without glancing at it.

Letting out the third sigh, Charlie headed toward the gate, and as he saw an empty bottle, a small smile crossed his lips, and he hastened his steps.

He knew better than to walk fast, because if he didn't, the man who usually came around to pick up recyclable items might get to it before him. And secondly, it was something he used to sustain himself by earning daily while waiting to get paid at the hotel where he works as a part-time worker.

Crunch!

Charlie had crouched to pick up the bottle of water when a red high heel stepped on it.

Charlie was momentarily taken aback. His eyes followed the figure's slender leg, and his eyes swung wide open. "M-Megan.....you! What are you doing here?"