Riches in Disguise novel Chapter 6

"You guys are really loyal to Joshua." I felt a mix of admiration and confusion.

Sure, Joshua had money, but was that really enough to make them fawn over him like this?

Unable to make sense of it, I went online to search for some answers. "Is it common for college students to be so superficial?"

One of the top replies, with over 30 thousand likes, said, "Yes, it's pretty common. For one, smart people started building networks for future jobs. And second, those who get into good universities usually have high ambitions, so it's natural for them to gravitate towards the powerful."

I scoffed at that reasoning. Building connections and following the strong? That's what led me to use my allowance to start a foundation to support students in need.

Just as I was thinking about this, Mike called me.

"Mr. White, there's something I need to report. One of the students we've been supporting for the past six years has been diagnosed with leukemia. She's currently receiving treatment at the Welsington Hospital."

I frowned. "Who is it?"

"A girl named Jane. She's just started her senior year of high school. Her dream is to get into your university so she can personally thank you for your help.

I could tell from Mike's tone that he had a good impression on Jane, and he probably hoped I'd step in to help.

"How much does the surgery costs?" I asked immediately.

"The surgery alone will be around three hundred thousand dollars, but with other expenses, it could go up to four hundred thousand dollars."

I had that amount saved, so I replied without hesitation, "I'll visit the hospital tomorrow and personally cover the surgery. There's no need to go through the foundation for this."

"Yes, sir. I'll send you the address and room number."

After hanging up, I read through Jane's file and sighed.

Both of her parents had passed away, and she had been raised by her grandmother, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness when Jane was 13. Now, at 18, Jane had been struck by leukemia.

Why did misfortune always seem to find the same people?

Just as I was lost in thought, the door to the dorm flew open, and Joshua stumbled in, reeking of alcohol.

I stood up immediately and glared at him. "Joshua, who gave you the permission to wear my shoes?"

Zack and Louis, who had already climbed into bed, sat up in shock, staring at Joshua at disbelief.

Joshua, still reeking of alcohol, lazily kicked off my shoes and tossed them at me. "It's just a pair of shoes. What's your problem? They're knock-offs anyway! I only wore them because I noticed my shoes weren't clean when I left. You should be thankful that I even bothered to wear them."

Zack heaved a sigh of relief and quickly jumped in to defend Joshua. "Yeah, exactly! You should be grateful. Honestly, you should thank Joshua. Your shoes were knock-offs, but now that he's worn them, they've got some value!"

I couldn't help but laugh at how shameless Zack had become—a complete sycophant at Joshua's feet.

I decided I wasn't going to tolerate Joshua any longer.

Grabbing him by the collar, I demanded, "Apologize! And pay for my shoes. I don't want them back after you've worn them."

Joshua, clearly drunk, swayed but couldn't break free. He grumbled, "Let go of me!"