Chapter Twelve

Ethan watched as Carter collapsed to the floor, defeated. The crowd went wild, some clapping, others whispering. The air buzzed with excitement, and Ethan finally felt the weight lifting off his shoulders. He had done it. He had actually won. He looked around to see the faces of many of the students smiling at him while some still were in doubt. Many wonder how Ethan had managed to pay that much money when they knew he was broke and couldn't afford his tuition fees. 

The auctioneer nodded in approval, then announced, "And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" His voice carried across the room, sending another wave of cheers through the crowd.

Elena rushed up to Ethan, her smile wide and genuine. "You did it!" she said, throwing her arms around him. "I knew you would."

Ethan held onto her, the relief making his knees weak. "I couldn't have done it without you," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Meanwhile, Carter struggled to get back on his feet, his face pale and eyes full of rage. Sophia moved away from him, disgust clear on her face. "You've ruined everything," she hissed. Mark just shook his head, looking at Carter like he was someone he no longer recognized.

But Carter wasn't ready to give up. He glared at Ethan, clenching his fists. "You think this is over?" he spat. "I'll make you regret this. You'll see."

Ethan met his gaze, his own resolve hardening. "I'm not scared of you, Carter," he said calmly. "Not anymore."

The tension thickened as Carter stormed off, followed by Sophia, who didn't spare him a second glance. Mark lingered for a moment, then turned and walked away too, leaving Ethan standing victorious.

Ethan's phone buzzed again. Another message from the system lit up the screen: "Next challenge awaits. Are you ready?" Ethan took a deep breath. The stakes rose with each victory he won. 

Elena looked at him as he stared at his phone. "Is everything alright?" She asked, seeing the look on his face. 

"Yes, I am fine. I can't just believe I won." Ethan replied. 

The auctioneer handed Ethan the microphone, and the room gradually quieted. Ethan took a moment to steady himself, looking out at the sea of curious faces. His heart still beat fast, but he knew he needed to say something.

"Thank you, everyone," Ethan began, his voice a little shaky but growing stronger with each word. "I know many of you didn't expect me to win today. Honestly, I wasn't sure myself. But I had to try. Sometimes, you have to take a chance, even when it feels impossible."

The crowd murmured, and Ethan saw a few heads nodding in agreement. He continued, "I might not have the best history here. I know some of you think I'm just that guy who struggles to pay his tuition. But today, I hope I showed you that things can change if you believe in yourself and don't give up."

Elena smiled at him, pride clear in her eyes. Ethan's confidence grew as he finished, "We all have our challenges, but what matters is how we face them. Thanks for believing—or at least for watching." He ended with a small laugh, which got a few chuckles from the crowd.

The room broke into applause, and Ethan handed the microphone back to the auctioneer, feeling both relieved and amazed at himself. He had come a long way, and the support from Elena and the system made it possible.

As people started to disperse, some students came up to congratulate Ethan, while others still eyed him with curiosity. A few, like his old classmates, couldn't hide their disbelief.

Elena took Ethan's hand. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered. "But you have to tell me—what's going on with that phone of yours?"

Ethan hesitated, knowing he couldn't reveal the truth about the system yet. "It's complicated," he said. "I'll explain one day. Just not now."

Elena nodded, sensing his worry. "Okay, but don't keep me in the dark forever. So back to where it all started. You won the auction price, and from the look of things, you have a lot of money to spend around. What is in this for me?" 

Ethan knew he couldn't let go of Elena right now. He needed someone to confide in, not to mention that he was beginning to fall for her. "Would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asked, popping the question. 

Elena smiled, "And why would I want to be your girlfriend? Do you think because I helped you take down Carter, it makes us an item? Haven't you heard of an adage that says, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." 

Ethan was short of words. He had believed Elena would be more than happy to be his girlfriend, but he was shocked when she turned him down. 

"Do you think you could afford me with that Trump change of yours?" Elena said with a laugh on her face. "Do you think you would have defeated Carter without my help?" She said with a wide grin. 

Ethan was beginning to lose his coolness. Elena has done nothing for him except cheering him up and giving him the self-confidence that he needed. What was she talking about?

"How much?" Ethan asked with pride in his face. "Since you don't want to be my girlfriend, then I can at least pay for your service." 

"You can't afford me, by the way, but you are paying me eighteen thousand dollars." Elena said without waiting time 

" What! You are joking, right?" Ethan asked with color draining from his face. "Does it look like I am joking to you? I helped you take down Carter as you have requested from me, so I expect you to pay my money without making me stress myself." Elena replied without looking at his face. 

Ethan was stunned; he had managed to turn the tide in his favor against Carter, but there was another problem brewing right before him. He looked at his account balance, and all he could see was zero dollars. 

Ethan was about to ask her to take it easy on him when his phone glowed with another mission. He stared at what echo system was asking him to do and looked at Elena, who had her face frown. " This is insane." Ethan said with disbelief in his voice.