Chapter 7: Breaking the Monopoly
Nathan didn't trust Jordan's warning.
Whenever Jordan smiled like that, it meant trouble.
For the next two days, Nathan kept an eye on sales and rumors around school. His underground snack business was running well, but something felt off.
Then, during lunch, he overheard two freshmen talking.
"I heard Jordan's dad owns vending machines downtown."
"Yeah, and guess what? He's getting one installed here in school."
Nathan's stomach dropped.
A vending machine?
If Jordan's family owned vending machines, that meant Jordan wasn't just trying to beat Nathan in school—he was trying to wipe him out completely.
The School's New Rule
By the end of the week, the school principal made an announcement:
"Due to unauthorized selling, we will be installing a vending machine in the cafeteria for students' convenience. Any student caught selling snacks will face detention."
Nathan clenched his jaw.
So that's his plan.
Jordan had used his dad's connections to pressure the school into installing vending machines, making it nearly impossible for Nathan to continue selling.
And to make things worse, Jordan stood across the cafeteria, arms crossed, smirking at him.
This wasn't just about business anymore—this was war.
Finding the Weakness
Nathan wasn't about to give up. If Jordan wanted to crush his business, he'd have to fight back smart.
That weekend, Nathan went to a local mall and studied vending machines.
How often were they restocked?
What snacks were inside?
What problems did customers have?
After a few hours, he found three weaknesses.
1. Vending machines don't take requests. If students wanted a snack that wasn't available, they were out of luck.
2. Machines break. If a student lost their money to a faulty machine, they had no choice but to accept it.
3. They can't move. Jordan's machine was stuck in one place.
Nathan grinned. That's it.
The Comeback Plan
On Monday, Nathan launched a new strategy.
1. Custom Orders: He started taking requests for snacks that weren't in the vending machine.
2. "Guaranteed" Service: If a student's snack got stuck in the vending machine, Nathan would replace it instantly—for half the price.
3. Mobile Sales: Instead of selling from one spot, Nathan's middlemen delivered snacks to students wherever they were.
Within two days, students stopped using the vending machine.
Jordan noticed.
And he wasn't happy.
Jordan's Next Move
At the end of the week, Nathan checked his balance.
[Balance: $189.50]
He was nearly at $200, but more importantly—he had survived Jordan's attack.
But Jordan wasn't done yet.
That afternoon, Nathan's best friend rushed up to him.
"Dude," he said, out of breath. "Jordan's dad just made a deal with the school."
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"
"The school's banning all outside food sales. You can't sell anything at all now."
Nathan's stomach tightened.
This wasn't just competition anymore. Jordan had turned the school against him.
Nathan took a deep breath.
But he wasn't backing down.
If the school wanted to ban selling snacks, then Nathan would just have to find a new way to make money.
And this time, he'd think even bigger.