The sky was overcast, and rain threatened to pour at any moment as students shuffled through the University of Manila's wide gates. The usual buzz of campus life hummed in the background—laughter, chatter, and the occasional honk from jeepneys outside.
Leo Ramirez walked alone, clutching a plastic folder filled with notes and assignments. His backpack had a broken zipper, and his shoes were so worn the soles almost whispered against the pavement. Still, his steps were steady. He had endured worse.
His phone buzzed. A message from his girlfriend lit up the screen.
"Rooftop. Now."
No emojis. No heart. Just cold words from Belle Reyes, his girlfriend of two years.
Leo took a sharp breath and hurried up the stairs to the rooftop of the Business Admin building. The wind blew colder up there. Belle stood beneath a large designer umbrella, dry and pristine, while Leo arrived soaked with sweat and drizzle.
"You're late," Belle said, not even offering him cover.
"I came as fast as I could," Leo replied, forcing a smile. "What's going on?"
Belle didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked him over—the wet hair, the cheap jeans, the secondhand watch barely ticking.
"I can't do this anymore," she said flatly.
Leo blinked. "What?"
"I'm breaking up with you, Leo. Let's not drag this out."
The words hit harder than any slap.
He chuckled nervously. "Wait… what are you talking about? Did I do something wrong?"
Belle rolled her eyes. "Leo, be real. You can't even afford a decent meal. All your promises are just that—promises. I need someone who can give me stability, luxury… a future."
Leo felt like he was falling and no one was reaching out.
"You know I'm trying my best. I juggle part-time work and school. Just a little more time—"
"Time won't make you rich," Belle interrupted. "But Miggy? His dad owns three construction firms. He gave me this."
She held up her wrist, showing off a gleaming gold bracelet. Leo didn't recognize the brand, but it screamed wealth.
"I'm with him now," she said. "We've been seeing each other for a month."
Leo's world slowed.
"You cheated on me?" he asked quietly.
Belle didn't even flinch. "If that's how you see it. Look, you're a nice guy, Leo. But love isn't enough. Not in the real world."
She turned without waiting for a response, her umbrella vanishing down the stairs with her.
Leo stood there in silence, letting the first drops of rain hit his face. It didn't matter. Nothing did.
That night, he sat in their cramped rented apartment, staring at the ceiling. The house was quiet except for the soft snore of his mother sleeping in the next room, exhausted from her janitorial shift.
His chest felt heavy. His throat tight.
He had given Belle everything he could—his time, his heart, his loyalty. And in the end, he wasn't enough.
His phone buzzed again.
He picked it up, half-expecting Belle to send another cruel text.
But it was from an unknown number.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZED.]
Welcome, Leo Ramirez.
You have activated the Global Wealth Inheritance Program.
Status: ACTIVE.
Net Worth: ₱176,987,420,000.00
Leo stared at the screen, confused.
"Is this a joke?"
Another message came through:
You have been selected as the sole heir to the Ramirez Conglomerate.
Full transfer of assets has been completed.
Bank accounts, stocks, real estate, and international holdings are now under your name.
Starting balance in your local account: ₱100,000,000.00
Leo laughed dryly. "Right. As if."
He opened his GCash app out of curiosity.
₱100,000,000.00
He froze.
He refreshed the page.
Same amount.
Real. Verified.
His hands trembled.
He checked the rest of the messages. Attached were files—property titles, company shares, a full inheritance summary signed by international legal firms.
He dropped the phone, eyes wide in disbelief.
His grandfather… the one his father barely spoke about… the one who vanished from their lives long ago… had just left everything to him?
The Ramirez name that had once meant nothing to him was apparently tied to a multibillion empire—hidden in foreign markets, shell corporations, and decades of growth.
And he, the broke college student who just got dumped for being "poor," was now the richest man in the country.
No one knew. Not his mom. Not his professors. Not even Belle.
A slow smile crept across his face.
This wasn't the time for revenge.
Not yet.
He wouldn't flaunt it. He wouldn't announce it.
He'd rise slowly, in silence.
Let them keep mocking him. Let them think he's still the broke nobody.
He'll make them regret ever looking down on him.
Leo stood up, walked over to the cracked mirror on the wall, and stared at his reflection.
Same face. Same eyes.
But everything had changed.
"Turns out…" he whispered to himself, "I'm the richest man."