The morning sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, but for Jackim Jackson, there was nothing beautiful about the day ahead. The 19-year-old walked along the cracked pavement, his faded sneakers barely holding together as he made his way to Emerald City University. The once-white shirt he wore had lost its color, and his black jeans, though neatly ironed, had seen better days.
The city buzzed with life—luxury cars glided past him, businessmen hurried into skyscrapers, and students with expensive backpacks laughed as they walked into the grand gates of the university. Jackim, however, was just another shadow among them.
Stepping onto campus, Jackim moved past the Student Plaza, where a group of wealthy students gathered around a gleaming black sports car. Laughter erupted from them, and Jackim instinctively knew what was coming next.
"Hey, look who's here," a sharp voice called out. Derrick Langdon, the son of a wealthy real estate mogul, smirked as he crossed his arms. "The campus beggar."
Jackim clenched his fists but didn't react. He had heard it all before.
"I wonder what it's like to wake up every morning and still be broke," another student, Felix Carter, added, shaking his head. "Man, I'd rather die."
Their laughter burned, but Jackim kept walking. He had no time to waste on them.
Just then, a girl walked past Derrick's car, glancing at Jackim before smirking. Lisa Harrington, one of the most popular girls in the university, turned to Derrick and laughed. "Why does he even bother coming here? He looks like he belongs on the streets."
Jackim didn't flinch. He had learned to endure.
At the cafeteria, Jackim sat at his usual corner table, eating a simple meal of dry bread and black tea. Across the room, he spotted Sophia Bennett, his girlfriend—or rather, the girl who had once promised to love him.
Today, she was laughing with another guy. Not just any guy—Bryan Calloway, the heir to one of the city's biggest corporations.
Jackim felt a tightness in his chest as he watched Bryan drape an arm around her.
As if sensing his gaze, Sophia turned toward him. For a moment, their eyes met. Then, with a smirk, she leaned into Bryan, whispering something in his ear before laughing.
Jackim clenched his fists.
She wasn't the same girl who once held his hand and told him she didn't care about money.
Bryan's voice rang out across the cafeteria. "Hey, Jackson! Sophia told me you were too poor to even take her on a real date. Guess I should thank you for letting her upgrade, huh?"
Laughter erupted around them.
Jackim felt his throat tighten, but he forced himself to swallow the pain. He grabbed his tray, finished his meal in silence, and left.
He would remember this.
A Shattering Blow
The day dragged on, each moment reminding Jackim of his place in this world.
At lectures, nobody wanted to sit next to him.
At the campus library, students whispered when he walked by.
When he applied for part-time jobs, managers looked at his worn-out clothes and shook their heads.
By evening, exhaustion weighed on him. On his way home, he stopped by a small newspaper stand, staring at the latest lottery ticket results.
His breath caught in his throat.
"No way..."
A Fateful Change
His heart pounded as he checked again. He had won.
It wasn't a massive jackpot, but it was enough to change things slightly. Enough for him to finally breathe.
Jackim walked away in a daze, gripping the ticket like it was his lifeline. He had spent his last few coins to buy it, expecting nothing.
A small fortune. Enough to stop starving.
Enough to make a difference.
But deep inside, a strange feeling stirred. This win… it felt like just the beginning.
Fate had never been kind to him. Why now?
As Jackim disappeared into the darkening streets, he had no idea that this moment would set off a chain of events that would change his life forever.
He had won a small sum. But soon… he would inherit a fortune from an unknown benefactor.
One that would shake the entire city.
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