Maxine shook her head. “That won’t happen—as long as we stop him,” she said. “We just have to find his baby mama and check if she’s the one helping him. Then, we find a way to stop her.”A sneer crept onto Max’s lips. “Alright. I think it’s time to find the identity of the child. We need her name or a picture to use for the investigation.”Maxine nodded in agreement. “I can get a picture of her. I think I’ve figured out the restaurant they usually go to for lunch.”“Alright,” Max replied, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He could already picture what he was going to do once he found Bianca’s mother.Back in the college hall, Kyle glanced at Tedmond as they walked down the hallway with Kanis.“How were you able to hire Kanis?” Kyle whispered to Tedmond. “I heard he had retired at such a young age and only plays games occasionally.”Tedmond’s eyes darted to Kanis, who was talking with Liam and Noah while the others walked behind them.“He quit because he had some bad busine

Vivian’s voice boomed once again. “Tell me where Tedmond is! If anything happens to my grandson, you will regret it! Harold!” she shouted. “Come here now!”In less than a minute, Harold hurried down the stairs to face his mother. “What’s going on, Mother?”“Where is Tedmond?” Vivian asked.Running his hand through his hair, Harold sighed. “Mom…”“Where is he?”Harold glanced at Evelyn, and from the look on her face, he could tell what had happened. He turned his gaze back to his mother. “He left home.”Vivian frowned. “Tedmond would never do that. Max said he was kicked out of the house. I’m sure that’s what happened.”Harold scowled at Max. “Was he rude, Mother?”“Yes, son! He said a lot of terrible things about Tedmond!” Vivian replied.Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, Harold sighed. “I’ll punish him later, alright, Mother? You should go upstairs and rest. I’ll help you find Tedmond.”Hearing that, Vivian was finally relieved. “Since Tedmond will be coming home soon, I can

The frowns on Tedmond and Kyle’s faces deepened as they watched Max.“What are you doing here?” Kyle asked, his tone dripping with irritation. “You called me a lowlife and insulted my family! What the heck are you doing here if my family isn’t as rich as yours?”Max gritted his teeth. “What are you talking about? Aren’t we friends? Why can’t I be here when Tedmond is here? Aren’t you supposed to be friends with me instead of him?!”Kyle looked away. “Our friendship ended when you called me a lowlife and insulted my family.”Max’s face twisted in confusion. “You’re joking, right?”“What makes you think I’m joking?” Kyle asked. “You insulted me and my family just because I told the truth—that you were lying.”Tedmond sighed and stepped away, leaving them to talk. He knew Kyle and Max argued and fought a lot, but they usually made up within a week. It hadn’t even been that long since their last quarrel.It wouldn’t surprise him if they patched things up, and Kyle ended up tossing him and

Tedmond’s lips pressed into a thin line. He knew the Griffins were plotting against him, but he hadn’t expected it to be something like this. Max smirked, the expression on his face clearly saying it was all part of their plan.Silence hung in the air before the room erupted into murmurs.Liam and the others were stunned by the sudden turn of events, rushing towards Tedmond. But one glance from him stopped them in their tracks. Tedmond didn’t want them dragged into his mess.“How could he steal a diamond necklace and switch it with a fake?”“I thought he was from a respectable family, especially since Mrs. Karishin recognized him.”“Turns out he’s just a con artist who took advantage of Kyle and swiped the necklace.”“Did he think no one would notice?”“How did he even manage to steal it? If he walked right past us, what else might he have taken?”The guests stared at Tedmond with contempt.“I didn’t do it.” Tedmond’s calm voice sliced through the murmurs. “I have no reason to steal m

The emerald dangled from Vivian’s neck, sparkling in the light. The necklace caught everyone’s attention, including Tedmond's. He had thought Max lied about their grandmother having the necklace, but she indeed wore the same one.“What’s wrong, grandson?” Vivian asked. “Are you mad at me for not being there for you when Max and Maxine treated you wrongly? Don’t worry, I will take care of them. Just give your grandmother a hug.”Tedmond tried to keep a straight face. He didn’t want to speak to her. Although she was acting all kind toward him now, it was only in the present. In the past, she had resented him for being an illegitimate child, often telling him to his face that she didn’t consider him her grandson and only acknowledged Max.She had starved him since he was a baby, waiting for him to die, but Maxine's nanny had been kind enough to feed him. As long as he could remember, if his grandmother was home, he wouldn’t have anything to eat or drink unless he stole from the kitchen