The Inheritance - Book 1
Copyright© 2026 by Arise
Chapter 27
“We’re visiting her later. Tag along if you like.” Whitney hung up the call right after.
Richard was only starting to reveal his financial capacity. Until now, Whitney had no idea how much he had in his hand.
For this very reason, she was less domineering toward Richard now when talking to him.
However, she still looked down upon him even if he had won a two million lottery.
He was just a nouveau riche. How could he be compared out-and-out with a second-generation rich like Victor?
Richard decided not to go with them. Besides, Victor had already said that his car was fully occupied.
Hence, Whitney just gave Richard the address, and Richard took a cab there after buying some fruits and gifts.
Richard had been acquainted with Mila for almost two weeks now, and they seemed to be getting along very well. To him, she was like Naomi, one of the close female friends he had.
Not to mention, he had feelings toward her.
Therefore, he had to help her out when her family was in trouble.
The cab stopped outside the entrance of Paradise Ville.
Richard had learned that Mila’s family was quite an influential one. Her parents ran a profitable company. They were considered a big family, with all their relatives involved in all sorts of businesses.
By the time Richard arrived at Mila’s home, the mansion was already full of people. Apart from the elders of their family, the rest was Mila’s friends and classmates.
“Richard, you’re here!” Mila’s eyes were teary and red. She was sitting on the sofa, talking with Whitney.
Meanwhile, Whitney’s parents were lending a helping hand to entertain Mila’s classmates.
After all, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy due to capital constraints.
No one could be happy at this moment, not even Mila.
It was even more apparent to Mila’s on what true friendships were.
When they were rich, all kinds of people had tried to get close to them. Now that they were poor, not even one person came to visit.
The mansion which had always been lively was now quiet and dead. Apart from Mila’s friends, who else would want to come?!
“Yeah!” Richard, not knowing what to say to make Mila feel better, put down the fruits he had bought and greeted her parents.
“Why is he here?” Right then, he heard a mocking voice.
A handsome man came in hand-in-hand with a beautiful girl.
He sneered at Richard, somewhat contemptuously, his remark clearly pinpointing Richard.
Richard turned around and saw Kyle, Mila’s cousin.
He was a somewhat arrogant man.
Kyle’s family also owned some businesses. Thus, it was only natural that they would help Mila’s family. They had contributed a large fund to help Mila’s family, but it was of no use, and because of this, they were also not having a very good time now.
Kyle was in a bad mood since his family was also having a hard time, but when he saw the rich friends of his cousin today, he felt a little bit relieved.
Perhaps these people could help his cousin’s family overcome the crisis they were facing and even recover the funds of his family.
Under the circumstances where he was having a bad mood, Kyle would not feel any better when seeing the pompous ass, who had just won a lottery, he met that day.
He would not have much money, and his network would not be of any use. Why had he come here?
“Kyle, he is Mila’s friend. Watch your attitude!” Mila’s mother chided.
“Aunt, do you know who Richard is? He is a famous figure in Mayberry University. He was a pauper until just recently. After he won a lottery, he started to show off in different ways. I even heard that he sent condoms to his ex-girlfriend after being dumped by her. He is just a weirdo! Now that he is so eager to get close with Mila, I don’t dare say he doesn’t have a motive!” Kyle said scornfully.
Many of Mila’s classmates present looked at Richard sinisterly.
“Bah! Is there really such a lowly person? Does he think he is so great after winning a lottery?” “Absolutely! He can merely be considered an ignorant nouveau riche. Look at him. He is just a hillbilly!” Some girls covered their mouths and laughed.
“Shut up, Kyle!” Mila threw the cushion in her hands at Kyle angrily.
“Nonsense! Yes, Richard won a lottery. But, are you jealous of him?”
Hearing Kyle’s mocking words toward Richard, Mila felt sick. He even said that Richard had given his exgirlfriend condoms. That was just too disgusting. He was clearly insulting Richard, wasn’t he?!
Mila had always thought of Richard as her good friend.
“What do you mean, Sister? Are you saying that I’m talking nonsense?”
Kyle mocked him further as he laughed. “If you don’t believe in what I said, you can ask Victor Wright, the vice president of the student union, who is also his coursemate. Even Whitney knows about this. He really did run an errand to get his ex-girlfriend some condoms for the mere sake of ten dollars!” Mila frowned, and the way Mila’s parents and her friends looked at him changed totally.
“He seemed to be a decent man. I didn’t expect him to be so pathetic for the sake of money!” “Disgusting!”
They all murmured, judging him.
Richard took a deep breath and glanced at Victor who had been keeping mum since the beginning.
Victor had known it all along, and he was most probably the person who had told Kyle about this.
Among all of them, Richard bet he must be the one whom Victor hated the most.
Mila cast a questioning look at Richard, and Richard nodded. “Yes, I did.”
He had had no money then. So, was it wrong to earn some living expenses by running errands for other people?
Richard did not think it was shameful.
That night, Danny had tricked him into sending the condoms to Xavia.
It was a fact, and he did not intend to hide it anyway.
“Richard, you...” Mila stared at Richard, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Honestly, Mila had never experienced poverty, but in her mindset, she thought that a person would deem his dignity as something important no matter how poor he was.
She did not expect that Richard would do something like this.
Moreover, she had been defending Richard all this time.
Mila was shocked now that Richard had admitted it himself.