🏫 Elite School & Growing Ambition
Since her visit to Jörg von Mettmann's house, Ruja had become increasingly aware of the vast gap between the rich and the poor. It wasn't just about money—it was about how they thought, how they spoke, and how they saw the world.
At school, she remained the smartest student, but now she was quieter. She observed, studying how the wealthy kids interacted. They laughed without worry, discussing vacations in Switzerland or the new cars their parents had bought them.
Meanwhile, Ruja still returned to her small apartment, helped her mother cook, and watched her father come home exhausted from work.
At the dinner table, her mother asked,
"How was school today?"
Ruja gave a short reply,
"The usual."
But in her mind, a plan was beginning to take shape.
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🎭 Entering the Inner Circle of the Wealthy
Now Ruja knew that to enter their world, she had to be accepted. And that required strategy.
She started dressing more neatly, mimicking the way the rich kids spoke, and even studying the topics they discussed.
In the school cafeteria, Ruja sat alone, listening to Jörg and his friends talk about their fathers' investments.
One of them, Sebastian, said,
"My dad says that if you want to be rich, you have to enter the financial world. Stocks, bonds, real estate—that's what grows wealth."
Jörg added,
"But you need big capital. Money makes money."
Ruja, who usually stayed silent, finally spoke up,
"Not always. Trust is more important than capital. If people trust you, they'll give you their money to manage."
The table went silent.
Sebastian frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Ruja gave a small smile.
"Look at banks. They don't have their own money, yet they hold billions of euros from their clients. Trust is more valuable than capital."
Jörg nodded slowly.
"That makes sense..."
From that day on, Ruja was no longer just a poor immigrant girl who was ignored. She was starting to be seen as one of them.
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🎉 Invitation to an Exclusive Party
A few weeks later, Ruja received an invitation to Sebastian's birthday party at his family's luxurious villa.
When she arrived, she saw the kind of wealth she had only imagined.
Uniformed servants, a buffet table filled with expensive food, and soft classical music playing in the background.
Sebastian greeted her with a smile.
"You made it! Come on, we have a game going on."
In one of the rooms, a group of rich kids sat on an expensive sofa, playing poker with real money on the line.
Ruja smiled. This was her chance to prove herself.
She sat down and said,
"Can I join?"
One of the boys chuckled.
"Do you have money to bet?"
Ruja pulled a €50 bill from her pocket and placed it on the table.
"Let's see who lasts the longest."
They exchanged glances before finally allowing her to play.
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🃏 Gambling & Valuable Lessons
At the beginning of the game, Ruja played cautiously. She wasn't aggressive but quietly observed her opponents' expressions and betting patterns.
After a few rounds, some of the kids started losing and left the table.
It was down to Ruja, Jörg, and Sebastian.
Sebastian smirked.
"You're pretty good at this. But this is the final round, and I'm going all-in."
He placed €500 on the table.
Jörg matched his bet with the same amount.
All eyes turned to Ruja.
"Are you in or out?" Sebastian asked.
Ruja looked at her cards. She knew her chances of winning were slim.
But she also knew this wasn't just about winning or losing. It was about building a reputation.
So she smiled and said,
"I'm in."
She placed her last money on the table.
The dealer revealed the final cards.
Sebastian grinned. "Flush."
Jörg sighed. "Straight. Damn, I lost."
All eyes were now on Ruja.
She looked at her cards and took a deep breath.
"Two pairs."
Sebastian laughed. "I win!"
But as Ruja handed over her cards, she still smiled.
Sebastian noticed her expression and frowned.
"Why don't you look disappointed?"
Ruja looked at him sharply.
"Because I just learned something more valuable than money."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"And what's that?"
Ruja stood up and said,
"How you all think about risk. And that's more useful than winning a single poker game."
The rich kids fell silent.
Jörg gave a small smile. "You're interesting, Ruja. I like the way you think."
From that night on, Ruja wasn't just accepted—she became the center of attention in their circle.
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🔮 Conclusion & The Next Step
Now, Ruja was no longer an outsider. She had entered the world she had always aimed for.
But she knew that to truly master this game, she needed more than just acceptance.
She needed power.
And to get that, she would create something bigger.
Something that would make these wealthy people willingly hand over their money to her.