Trevor’s recollection of events only deepened his despair. He spotted several beer bottles his roommate had stashed under the bed. He grabbed one and drank it straight from the bottle. Bottle after bottle followed, even as his head began to swim. Reason deserted him; his emotions overwhelmed him. Finally, unable to contain himself, he broke down in tears.

“It’s so unfair! I may be poor, but I’m not a pushover! Money, money, money—all they think about is money! Sylvia, I’ll make you regret this!”

His eyes were red and brimming with tears. He poured out his anguish. But even after his crying jag, he felt no better, only exhausted and increasingly disoriented.

Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting his sobs. It was an unexpected international call. Without hesitation, he answered.

“Trevor, listen carefully. Your nineteenth birthday is only days away. I can no longer hide the truth. Our family isn’t as poor as it seems; we’re wealthy and powerful. We kept this from you because of a family rule—children must live a poor life until they turn nineteen. But our family is involved in various industries worldwide. We own not only gold mines in Africa, but also oil wells in the Middle East.”

The voice was familiar—one he’d known all his life. But instead of awe, he sneered.

“Dad, are you awake? Stop fantasizing about riches, will you? Since childhood, you’ve claimed to own a helicopter in the U.S. and a yacht in Venice. Look at me—I’m fending for myself, paying my own tuition. Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?”

There was a pause, then a heavy sigh. “Trevor, I understand. I know you won’t accept this immediately. When my father told me something similar, I thought he was joking. But I’m telling the truth. I’ll transfer one hundred million dollars to you as an allowance.”

Initially, Trevor thought the voice resembled his father’s, but the more he listened, the more incredulous he became. It couldn’t be true! It had to be a scam!

“Liar! Fuck off!” Trevor roared, then hung up. Drunk and confused, he’d vented his bitterness and was utterly exhausted. He closed his eyes and fell asleep at the foot of the bed.

The next morning, his head felt like it was splitting. He massaged his throbbing temples and slowly rose. He’d dreamt his father had called, confessing their family’s wealth.

“I must be crazy. I’m a broke college student. How could I dream of being rich?”

He chuckled mockingly at himself, bitterness still lingering in his eyes. He picked up his phone and saw an unread message: “The balance of your bank account ending in 666 is… $100,000,003.56.”

Stunned, he counted the digits repeatedly. It was real. One hundred million dollars! He logged into his banking app to verify. “What. The. Fuck. Am I dreaming? I’m really from a wealthy family?” He frantically dialed a number.

“Dad?” he asked cautiously.

“Son, are you sober now? I called last night and sensed something was wrong. I’m going to the Middle East to inspect a new oil well. We can talk when I get back,” a familiar voice replied.

Trevor knew that voice. It was his father, without a doubt.

“Dad, is this real? How did you get one hundred million dollars?” He was utterly bewildered.