AXEL, THE LOST HEIR

Chapter 1

*Chapter 1: Expelled*

Axel Dankworth walked into Duncan Hillside High School with one person in his mind.

Ryan Flannery. His girlfriend.

He checked his watch. 7:00 AM. He was early.

Classes started at 8:00 AM, but the serious students always came at 7:00 AM. Axel was one of them. He liked being early. It made him feel in control.

He moved quickly through the walkway. He reached his locker, opened it with his key, and put his bag inside. His eyes did not stay on the locker.

They searched the hallway.

He looked left. He looked right. He looked down the long, noisy corridor.

No Ryan.

They had promised to meet right here, by the lockers, at 7:00 AM. It was their spot. She never missed it. Never.

So where was she?

Axel cupped his cheek with his palm. He always did that when nervous. He looked again.

Still nothing.

"Hey, Axel!" A student called while passing.

"Morning!" Another waved.

He waved back, but his heart was not in it. His smile was fake. His mind was full of Ryan.

The hallway was loud. Lockers banging. Boys shouting. Girls laughing. Footsteps everywhere. The normal morning chaos of high school.

But in all that noise, Ryan was missing.

A bad thought hit him.

Was she sick? Did something happen on her way?

He pulled out his phone. His thumb moved fast to find her contact. He pressed call.

It rang once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

He called again. Same result. No answer.

His mood dropped instantly. From hope to anger. From worry to disappointment.

She promised. She gave her word. And now she was not picking up.

He had so much to tell her. About them. About how she had been acting cold and distant for days. She had not been honest with him.

But how could he talk if she was not here?

He leaned against his cold locker and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

That was when the hallway changed.

The loud noise died. The laughter stopped. Footsteps faded.

Students who saw what was coming quickly disappeared. They entered classrooms. They hid behind lockers. They left the walkway.

Axel opened his eyes and saw why.

The Hardy Boys.

Five boys walking together like they owned the school. And in a way, they did.

They were the bullies of Duncan Hillside High. Everyone feared them.

Why? Because their fathers were the richest and most powerful men in Ephemeral City. Their fathers donated millions to the school. So teachers pretended not to see their cruelty.

They called themselves The Hardy Boys after the famous WWE wrestlers. They even had a secret handshake — a flick of the wrist and a shoulder bump. They thought it looked cool.

Axel knew all five. He had been their target since his first day.

Hayden Fernsby, the leader. Tall, strong, with cold eyes. His father, Elias Fernsby, was the richest man in the city and a founding member of the school board.

Silas Corbyn, the second. Loud and cruel. He loved to humiliate.

Rowan Villan, short but violent. He hit before thinking.

Gael Sallow, quiet but dangerous. He liked to choke people.

Waylen Raynott, the youngest. Sneaky. He laughed when others suffered.

Axel remained standing in the middle of the walkway. Everyone else had fled. Only him.

He knew why they hated him. He was a scholarship student. He paid no fees. He was poor. An orphan living with his foster mother. In a school full of rich kids, that made him dirt.

He never bragged about being the top scholarship student. But they hated him for it anyway.

"Well, look who we have," Hayden called out, his voice full of mockery. "The scholarship freak!"

That name. The name they always used to sting him.

Normally, Axel would lower his head. Normally, he would walk away. That was how he survived.

But today was different. He was already angry about Ryan. His patience was gone.

So he did not look away. He stared straight into Hayden's eyes. No fear. No shaking.

Hayden's grin faded a little. He was not used to this.

Silas saw it and stepped forward. He shoved Axel hard on the shoulder.

"Hey! Are you deaf? He is talking to you!" Silas barked.

Axel stumbled back but did not fall. His eyes stayed hard.

"What the hell do you want!" Axel yelled back. His voice echoed.

Silence fell over the hallway.

The few students hiding in corners gasped. No one ever talked back to the Hardy Boys. No one dared.

Hayden, Silas, Rowan, Gael, and Waylen stared at Axel with wide eyes. They could not believe their ears.

Then shock turned to fury.

"What did you just say?" Rowan screamed. He rushed at Axel and struck him hard on the head.

Pain exploded in Axel's head. He staggered.

Before he could balance, Gael came from behind and wrapped his thick arm around Axel's neck. He squeezed. Hard.

Axel could not breathe. His hands clawed at Gael's arm, but Gael was too strong.

Waylen stood nearby, sneering, enjoying every second.

A cold chill ran down Axel's spine. His heart hammered in his chest.

"Enough! Let him go!" Hayden commanded.

At once, Gael released him. Rowan stepped back.

Axel coughed, holding his throat, gasping for air.

Hayden circled him slowly, like a predator. A cruel smile returned to his face.

"So tell me, scholarship freak," Hayden whispered, his voice low and venomous. "How did a fatherless, broke boy like you become the top student? What is your secret? Begging teachers?"

Axel breathed through clenched teeth. His whole body burned with pain and rage.

Silas laughed loudly. "Why ask him, Hayden? It is obvious. Poor rats like him have no life. No money. No family. No future. They study like idiots because scholarships are the only way they can eat."

The five burst into loud, mocking laughter. It filled the empty walkway.

Axel's fists tightened. He wanted to hit them. But he knew he could not fight five at once.

Just then, a furious voice cut through their laughter.

"Will you all keep quiet!"

Mr. Gertrude Greer, the history teacher. He stood at the end of the hallway, his face red.

The Hardy Boys instantly changed their faces. They pretended to be innocent. They bowed their heads like good boys.

Mr. Greer stormed toward them. He pointed at Axel. "You! Come with me! Now!"

Axel was confused. Was he in trouble too?

But he followed. He followed Mr. Greer away from the bullies, toward the headmaster's office. He felt a small spark of hope. Finally, a teacher had seen the truth. Finally, they would be punished.

"Those bastards will pay today," Axel thought as he walked.

They reached the headmaster's office. The door was big and brown. Mr. Greer told Axel to wait outside while he went inside to report.

Axel stood outside, his heart pounding. He heard muffled voices inside. Mr. Greer speaking fast. Urgent.

He waited. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.

He started to worry. He remembered Hayden's father. Elias Fernsby. Richest man in the city. Board member. Founder. If he got involved, truth would mean nothing.

The door opened. Mr. Greer came out. His face was not angry anymore. It was sad. Guilty.

Axel frowned. "Sir? What happened? What did the headmaster say?"

Mr. Greer could not look him in the eye. He rubbed his temples.

"I am so sorry, Axel," he whispered. "You are expelled."

The word hit Axel like a hammer.

Expelled.

His legs went weak. He almost fell.

"What? What are you talking about?" His voice cracked. "I did nothing! I was standing alone! They attacked me! You saw it!"

He grabbed Mr. Greer's hands. Desperate. "You saw everything! Tell them!"

"I know," Mr. Greer replied, his voice full of guilt. "I know you are innocent. I told them. But it was not my decision."

"Then who? Let me talk to them! This is not fair!" Axel shouted, his voice shaking. "Is this how you treat students? No rights? Just because some rich brats want to bully?"

"Lower your voice, please," Mr. Greer begged, looking around nervously. "The order came from the board. From Elias Fernsby himself. Right after I reported. He said you attacked his son. He demanded your expulsion."

Axel froze.

Elias Fernsby. Of course.

One phone call from the richest man in the city could turn the victim into a criminal.

In that moment, Axel understood. In this school, money was truth. Money was law.

And he had nothing.

He slowly let go of Mr. Greer's hands.

"I am so sorry," Mr. Greer whispered again.

But Axel was no longer listening.

He turned and walked away. Away from the office. Away from the hallway. Away from the school that had just thrown him away like trash.

His eyes were dry, but his heart burned like fire.

He did not know that tomorrow, his life would change forever. That a woman named Madam Ottiline would find him and tell him the truth — that he was not a poor orphan. That he was the lost heir to an empire ten times bigger than Elias Fernsby's.

And that his revenge was just beginning.