Ethan was nervously pacing in the bookstore, overwhelmed by his predicament. He had falsely claimed his professor was funding his project, but now he faced the daunting task of making that lie seem like the truth.
He realized he couldn't keep up the facade indefinitely. David Turner, the person he was trying to impress, would eventually demand evidence of the funding. Ethan knew he couldn't afford to be exposed as a liar and lose this chance.
As he pondered his options, an idea suddenly struck him. "What if I just… show him the money?" Ethan thought aloud, stopping in his tracks.
It seemed straightforward enough. Ethan had a billion dollars in his bank account, with no limits on how much he could use. Why not just withdraw a significant amount and present it to David as proof?
But then, Ethan encountered another hurdle. How would he convince a bank to let him withdraw such a large sum of cash?
Walking into a bank and requesting hundreds of thousands of dollars seemed absurd. Ethan feared he wouldn't be taken seriously, ridiculed, or, even worse, suspected of criminal activity.
Despite these concerns, Ethan believed it was his best option. He knew he had to act quickly, as David wouldn't wait forever. Glancing at the clock, he realized the bank was already open, and he couldn't delay any longer.
Determined, Ethan was ready to move when his boss, Mr. Parker, and some colleagues walked in. Without hesitating, Ethan approached Mr. Parker.
"Mr. Parker, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ethan asked, trying to sound calm.
Mr. Parker looked intrigued but agreed, "Sure, what's up?"
"I'm resigning. Effective immediately," Ethan stated bluntly, adding, "And here's $1,000 as compensation for the short notice."
Mr. Parker was visibly shocked. "You're… what? And you're giving me $1,000?"
The coworkers were just as surprised. They all knew the monthly salary for anyone working there was around $750. Still, Ethan offered Mr. Parker $1,000 just to resign on the spot.
Ethan took out the money and handed it to his boss. "I need to leave now. I've got something urgent to take care of."
Still confused, the room fell silent until Mr. Parker accepted the money. "Well, I wasn't expecting this. You sure about this, Ethan?"
"Absolutely," Ethan confidently replied. "I've got bigger things lined up. Thanks for everything, Mr. Parker."
Without waiting for further discussion, Ethan grabbed his backpack and left the bookstore, his heart racing with adrenaline. He was heading to the bank, uncertain what awaited him but ready to face it head-on.
***
When Ethan walked into the bank, everything was quiet except for the low conversations of other customers and the background noise of machines working.
Ethan went to the counter, where a young woman in her twenties was typing on her computer. She hardly looked up as he approached, making Ethan's heart beat faster with anticipation.
"Good afternoon. How can I help you today?" she asked, sounding uninterested.
Ethan took a deep breath before speaking. "I'd like to make a withdrawal."
"Sure," she responded without looking up. "How much?"
"$500,000," Ethan managed to say calmly.
The woman stopped typing suddenly and looked up, a mix of disbelief and annoyance on her face. "Excuse me?" she asked, giving Ethan a skeptical look. She was clearly judging him based on his young appearance and casual dress.
"You heard me. I'd like to withdraw $500,000," Ethan repeated, trying to keep his voice steady.
A smirk appeared on her face. "Okay, buddy. Is this some kind of prank? Because I'm not in the mood for jokes today."
Ethan felt slightly offended by the staff member's dismissive tone. He noticed her nametag read 'Suzanne.'
"It's not a joke," said Ethan firmly. "I need the money in cash."
Suzanne's smirk turned into a frown, and she gave Ethan a long look before reluctantly agreeing to check his account. "Alright, fine. Let me check your account balance, and we'll see how long this little act lasts."
"Give me your ID," she demanded, her demeanor making the situation even more difficult for Ethan.
Despite feeling judged, Ethan knew his unusual request and appearance might have contributed to the skepticism. He handed over his ID, anxious about whether his plan would fall through.
Suzanne took the ID and started typing. Ethan watched as her indifferent expression slowly turned to shock, her fingers stopping mid-typing as she stared at the screen in disbelief.
"What…?" she whispered, her eyes wide as if she couldn't believe what was before her.
Suzanne glanced at Ethan, questioning the reality of the young man standing before her.
As a bank employee, she couldn't save $60,000 a year. Yet this young man didn't look like a millionaire with a billion dollars in his account?
Ethan watched her reaction with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. "Is everything okay?" he asked, sounding innocent.
This was a new experience for him, getting back at those who underestimated him, and he found it deeply satisfying.
"You—" She looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "You have over a billion dollars in this account."
"Yeah, I know," Ethan replied nonchalantly. "So, about that $500,000…"
Suzanne was momentarily lost for words, her face going white. She quickly recovered, though, apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cole."
She bowed quickly and added, "I-I'll need to call the manager. Please, wait here."
Without waiting for his reply, she rushed off, leaving Ethan at the counter, feeling the adrenaline of the situation.
Suzanne was kicking herself internally. 'Why did I react like that?'
She knew that if Ethan made a complaint, she could be in serious trouble with management. Though they would probably have reacted similarly at first, mistreating someone so wealthy was a serious misstep.
After Suzanne left, Ethan could feel the curious and envious stares of the other customers, whispers filling the air. A billion dollars? It was a figure most couldn't even fathom.
Some people started to approach Ethan, each with their own agenda, but he paid them no mind.
It wasn't long before a middle-aged man in a sharp suit came over, his face serious but trying to maintain a polite tone. "Mr. Cole, could you please come with me to my office?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of stress under the polite facade.