Rebate King: Every Beauty I Spoil Makes Me a Billionaire

The Audi came to a smooth stop in the visitor parking area of Velaris Crown University. Stan killed the engine as the convoy of buses rumbled in behind them. The girls took a collective breath, the comfortable atmosphere of the drive lingering.

Sophie leaned over first, placing a soft kiss on Stan’s cheek, her hand lingering on his thigh.

”Go out there and show them who you are, Stan. We’ll be cheering louder than anyone.” Her eyes shone with pride and deep affection.

Maya reached forward from the back seat, squeezing his shoulder, her competitive fire burning bright beneath her smile. ”Make them regret ever beating us before. I’ll be watching every move.”

He’s going to dominate. And when he does, he’ll see me cheering the loudest.

Fiona, still a little shy but glowing with newfound confidence, offered a gentle smile. ”Good luck, Stan. You’ve got this.” She hesitated before adding softly, ”We all believe in you.”

The three girls stepped out, their short cheer skirts swaying as they headed toward the rest of the Peak University cheer squad, each stealing one last lingering glance back at Stan.

Stan grabbed his bag and joined Zack and the basketball team near the buses. Zack immediately slung an arm around his shoulders, grinning like a complete idiot. ”Bro, how does it feel taking all three of them in your car like that? Sophie, Maya, and Fiona? You’re living in a completely different reality from the rest of us.”

Stan adjusted the strap of his bag and smirked. ”Feels pretty good, actually.”

Zack barked out a laugh. ”Man, that sounded exactly like something out of Henry Danger.”

Several heads immediately turned.

”No way.”

”Bro, he’s right.”

”The legendary ’feels good’ line!”

The team burst into laughter.

”Kid Danger energy,” one player declared dramatically.

”We really grew up on that show,” another said, shaking his head.

Zack pointed accusingly at Stan. ”Those scenes were always the funniest. Somebody would say something completely deadpan, and the audience would lose their minds.” He paused. ”Feels good.”

The entire group groaned.

”Oh, come on.”

”That was terrible.”

”Bro’s stuck in 2018.”

”Henry Danger carried half my childhood,” another player said.

”Captain Man,” someone corrected immediately.

”Man, I completely forgot Captain Man existed.”

”Schwoz too,” Marcus added with a nostalgic grin. ”That guy was hilarious.”

For a moment, the easy laughter washed away the tension that came before a big game. Then Zack clapped his hands sharply, and the mood shifted. ”Alright, enough. Lock in.”

The team straightened instinctively.

”Crown’s tough. Fast guards. Strong inside presence. Home crowd behind them. They’re going to come at us hard from the opening possession.” His gaze swept across the team. ”Stick to the plays we drilled. Communicate on defense. Rebound. Run the floor.”

Then his eyes settled on Stan. ”Stan, you’re our X-factor. Trust your instincts and use that speed and vision.” He looked at the rest of the team. ”This is redemption. Let’s take it back.”

A chorus of nods answered him. Fists bumped. Shoulders were slapped. Then Peak University’s basketball team turned as one and headed toward the spacious indoor arena.

The atmosphere shifted the moment they stepped into the arena, loud, electric, and hostile. Velaris Crown students packed the stands from end to end, waving banners, beating thundersticks together, and chanting with the confidence of a fanbase accustomed to winning on its home court.

As the Peak players walked onto the hardwood for warm-ups, the home crowd immediately began firing shots.

”You guys came all this way just to lose again?”

”Peak’s losing streak continues tonight! Go back to Inksea!”

”Zack! You ready for another L, captain? We’ve already got the memes prepared!”

A group near the front row burst into laughter. ”Your new guy looks soft! Hope he doesn’t cry after you get beaten black and blue like last time!”

The jeers rolled across the arena in waves. Then a single voice suddenly cut through the noise.

”HEY! HEY! THAT’S STAN HARRISON!”

Several heads snapped toward him.

”FROM GHOST SIGNAL?”

”HE’S PLAYING?”

”WAIT. HE’S THE NEW GUY ON PEAK’S TEAM?”

”That face does indeed look familiar.”

The recognition spread through the student sections with astonishing speed. Within seconds, phones were coming out, students were pointing, and others were already recording. A growing chorus began shouting his name.

”STAN!”

”STAN!”

”YO, STAN! TURN AROUND!”

”STAN HARRISON!”

Stan kept walking. He didn’t look up. He didn’t acknowledge them. That only seemed to encourage the crowd.

”STAN, BRO! WHY ARE YOU WITH THEM?”

”COME PLAY FOR CROWN! WE’LL TREAT YOU RIGHT!”

”STAN HARRISON IS ABOUT TO LOSE TO US! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?”

”POOR STAN. HE PICKED THE WRONG SCHOOL!”

The laughter grew louder. Then an organized chant rose from the student section behind the Crown bench.

”PEAK SO WEAK!”

”PEAK SO WEAK!”

”PEAK SO WEAK!”

The chant quickly spread through a large portion of the arena. Peak’s players responded with grins and a few gestures of their own, treating it less like hostility and more like part of the rivalry.

”Keep talking!” Zack shouted back. ”We’ll see who’s quiet by the end!”

A few Crown students booed him immediately. Others laughed.

Stan merely smirked and continued toward the court, completely unfazed.

Zack nudged him in the ribs and let out a dry chuckle. ”You see what I’ve been dealing with for the past few days after that football loss?”

Stan glanced around at the sea of mocking banners, cameras, and chanting students. ”Yeah,” he said. ”I can see why you’re annoyed.”

”Annoyed?” Zack scoffed. ”I’ve been one bad day away from deleting every social media app on my phone.”

Across the floor, in the Peak University visitors’ section, the cheer squad had already begun their pre-game routine. Sophie stood front and center, her ponytail swaying with every movement as she flowed through the choreography with effortless confidence. She had thrown herself completely into the performance, executing every motion with infectious energy.

Just behind her left shoulder was Maya. Where Sophie’s style was fluid and natural, Maya’s was sharper and more precise. A determined glint burned in her eyes as she matched every beat, silently refusing to be the weak link in the formation.