2024-12-08 20:28:11
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Beyond the Bottom The Secret Deepens
CHAPTER 6 Jamal sat in Alex's living room, staring at the documents Alex had uncovered. They were shocking, to say the least. Marcus's family was involved in some shady dealings, and Jamal was determined to get to the bottom of it. As he scanned the documents, Jamal's mind was racing with questions. What exactly was Marcus's family involved in? And how deep did their involvement go? Just then, Alex's phone buzzed. He answered it, and his expression turned serious. "I have to go," he said to Jamal. "My friend Rachel is here to visit. She's been helping me dig up some info on Marcus's family." Jamal raised an eyebrow. "Your friend?" Alex nodded. "Yeah, we've been friends since freshman year. She's really smart and resourceful." Jamal's curiosity was piqued. "I'd like to meet her," he said. Alex nodded. "I'll go get her. She's waiting outside." Alex left the room, and Jamal heard the sound of footsteps outside. The door opened, and Alex walked in with a girl who looked vaguely fa
Beyond the Bottom THE Plot Thickens
CHAPTER 7Reginald and Victoria, Marcus's parents, were sitting in their opulent living room, discussing the recent developments."We need to take care of this situation," Reginald said, his voice firm and commanding. "Those kids are getting too close to the truth."Victoria nodded, her eyes narrowing. "I agree. We can't let them expose us. We've worked too hard to build our empire."Reginald's expression turned cold. "We'll take care of them. We'll make sure they don't bother us again."Victoria smiled, a calculating glint in her eye. "I have an idea. Let's invite them to a party at our mansion. We'll make it seem like a friendly gesture, but really, we'll be keeping them under our thumb."Reginald's eyes lit up with approval. "I like it. Let's do it."Marcus, who had been listening in on the conversation, smiled to himself. He had been watching Jamal, Alex, and Rachel, and he knew they were getting close to the truth."Mother, Father," Marcus said, walking into the room. "I think I
Beyond the Bottom Into The Lion's Den
---Chapter 8The night of the party arrived faster than Jamal had anticipated. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the tie his mother insisted he wear. His mind raced with possibilities—would they find evidence, or would they be walking into a trap?"You sure about this, Jamal?" his father asked from the doorway, concern etched on his face. "If you have any doubts, you can back out now. Your safety is more important than anything."Jamal looked up, determination blazing in his eyes. "I can't back down, Dad. This is bigger than me. If Marcus and his family are doing something illegal, someone has to expose it."His father sighed, placing a firm hand on Jamal's shoulder. "Just...be careful, son. And call me if anything feels off."Alex and Rachel were waiting for him outside when he arrived. Alex wore a blazer that looked a size too big, and Rachel, clad in a sleek black dress, looked more prepared for a gala than a high school party."You guys ready for this?" Jamal asked, his
Beyond the Bottom Shadows In the Mansion
Chapter 9The atmosphere inside the Gray mansion shifted as Jamal, Alex, and Rachel parted ways, each determined to uncover the truth hidden within the opulent walls. The faint hum of a classical piano echoed through the air, masking the subtle creaks of the floorboards beneath their cautious steps.Jamal moved down a dimly lit hallway lined with portraits of the Gray family. The faces in the paintings seemed to follow him, their eyes cold and lifeless. At the end of the hallway, he noticed a door slightly ajar, revealing what looked like an office.Taking a deep breath, Jamal stepped inside. The room was lavish, with dark wood paneling, a massive desk, and shelves lined with books that appeared untouched. On the desk lay a folder labeled "Confidential." Jamal hesitated for a moment before opening it.Inside were documents detailing transactions with unfamiliar names and hefty amounts of money exchanged. There were also references to offshore accounts and properties owned under aliase
Beyond the Bottom The descent
Chapter 10The room’s oppressive silence was broken only by the faint hum of the syringe in the man’s hand. Jamal, Alex, and Rachel sat bound to their chairs, their hearts pounding as Reginald’s cold gaze swept over them.“This isn’t just about you three,” Reginald began, his tone icy and authoritative. “You’ve meddled in affairs far beyond your comprehension. Now, you’ll face the consequences.”The man in the lab coat approached Jamal first, his movements deliberate. Jamal’s eyes darted to his friends, silently pleading for a plan.“Don’t you dare!” Rachel shouted, struggling against the ropes. “You can’t do this to us!”“Oh, but we can,” Victoria replied, her voice like silk. “And we will.”As the syringe neared Jamal’s arm, the door suddenly burst open.“Stop!” a commanding voice rang out.Everyone turned to see a woman in a sharp black suit standing in the doorway, her expression stern. Behind her stood two
Beyond the Bottom Shadows at Lincoln High
---Chapter 11The next morning, the trio awoke in the safe house, the weight of the previous night's events hanging over them like a dark cloud. Jamal stared at the worn ceiling of his room, his mind racing with what Evelyn had revealed. Marcus’s parents weren’t just dangerous—they were deeply tied to something far bigger and far more sinister.After a quick breakfast, Evelyn dropped them off a few blocks from Lincoln High.“Keep a low profile,” she advised, her tone firm. “Act normal. Blend in. And remember—if anything feels off, call me immediately.”Jamal nodded, his jaw tight with determination. “We will.”As they approached the school gates, the familiar hum of students greeted them. Jamal adjusted the strap of his backpack, feeling the surreal weight of stepping back into normalcy after everything they had just been through.Rachel scanned the bustling crowd nervously. “Do you think Marcus will show his face
Beyond the Bottom The unseen truth
---Chapter 12The next day at Lincoln High, the trio arrived earlier than usual. The whispers about Marcus’s family had intensified overnight, and even teachers seemed to be on edge. Jamal noticed Principal Hernandez standing near the entrance, speaking in hushed tones with a man in a suit—probably an investigator.“Looks like the school’s involved now,” Rachel murmured, following Jamal’s gaze.Alex shrugged. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Marcus’s parents have their hands in everything around here.”Jamal nodded, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The way Hernandez kept glancing toward the students made him uneasy. It wasn’t just about Marcus’s family. There was something more.---In their second period, English class, the trio sat near the back as Mr. Collins assigned an essay on “the pursuit of truth.” Jamal smirked at the irony but quickly turned his focus to the class. Midway through the lesson, a note slid onto his desk.“Library. 4 PM. Come alone.”Jamal gla
Beyond the Bottom Trouble on the horizon
--- Chapter 13 Jamal sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the crumpled note he’d found tucked into his locker that morning. “Stay out of it.” Three words, scrawled hastily on plain paper, but the message was loud and clear. He turned the paper over in his hands, the edges soft from where he’d folded and unfolded it a dozen times. His first instinct was to toss it into the trash and forget about it, but a deeper part of him—the part that had seen too much to back down—told him to keep it. The muffled sound of his mom humming floated in from the kitchen, breaking his train of thought. He shoved the note into his backpack and headed downstairs. “Morning, sweetheart,” his mom said without looking up as she flipped a pancake onto a plate. “Hungry?” Jamal hesitated, torn between wanting to sit and enjoy a normal breakfast and the gnawing tension in his stomach. “I’m good,” he said finally, grabbing an apple from the counter. “Not much of an appetite today.” His mom turned,
Latest Chapter
A Shift in Priorities
Chapter 126The tension in Jamal’s life was reaching its peak. Balancing Skilbridge, academics, and personal life was proving to be more than he had bargained for. Every day felt like a ticking clock, each second slipping away faster than the last.The workload at Skilbridge was growing, and with every new challenge came a new obstacle. University obligations were still looming over his head, and now, there was another layer to the chaos—Rachel and Alex’s relationship was crumbling, and though they were miles apart, Jamal could feel the shift in their dynamic.Rachel sat on her dorm room bed, staring at her phone. Alex hadn’t texted her in over a day. Normally, she would have been worried, but at this point, she was just exhausted. Every conversation between them had started feeling like a chore—strained, predictable, and lacking the spark they once had.Her roommate, Melanie, glanced at her over the rim of her laptop screen. “Still waiting for him to text?”Rachel sighed. “I don’t ev
The Threat Becomes Real
Chapter 125 Jamal sat at his desk, fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden surface. His laptop screen glowed in the dim dorm room, the anonymous email staring back at him like a silent threat. He had read it a dozen times already, trying to decipher any hidden meanings, but its message was simple and direct:You think you’ve won? This is just the beginning.He clenched his jaw. Milo was getting bolder. And now, it seemed, he wasn’t acting alone. Jamal turned to Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were sitting on his bed, each of them wearing matching expressions of concern.“This isn’t just some petty campus rivalry anymore,” Jamal muttered. “Milo’s taking this outside Columbus University.”Leah folded her arms. “We need to track down who sent this. If he has outside help, we’re at a disadvantage.”Zoe sighed, running a hand through her hair. “But how do we stop someone we can’t see?”Ethan leaned forward, his eyes sharp with calculation. “Maybe we don’t have to find him. Maybe we make
On the Verge of Collapse
Chapter 123 – Breaking PointJamal sat in front of his laptop, the glow from the screen highlighting the exhaustion on his face. The Skilbridge scandal was spreading faster than he anticipated. Despite their efforts, the accusations kept circulating on campus forums. It didn’t matter that there was no concrete proof—people loved a juicy controversy.Leah’s voice came through the team’s group call. “The livestream is scheduled for tomorrow. We have three professors from the tech department agreeing to watch. If we prove our originality, we kill this rumor.”Ethan exhaled. “Still, we need to be ready for anything. Milo isn’t dumb—he’ll try to discredit us again.”Zoe, who had been eerily silent, suddenly spoke. “Then we do something he won’t expect.”Jamal rubbed his temples. “Like what?”“We go bigger,” Zoe said. “We turn this livestream into a full-fledged demo day. Invite students, industry experts, hell—even potential investors. We force the narrative into something positive.”Leah
Lines Drawn
Chapter 122 Jamal sat at the far end of the library, surrounded by stacks of textbooks and notes, yet his mind refused to focus. The weight of everything pressed against his skull—Skilbridge, his slipping grades, the rumors Milo was spreading. It was too much at once, and no matter how much he tried to block it all out, the anxiety simmered just beneath the surface.Leah tapped her fingers against the table, waiting for him to say something. She had just laid out the latest problem—the false rumors about Skilbridge’s tech. Someone was trying to undermine them, and they both knew exactly who.“We need a plan,” Leah said, her voice low but firm. “If this spreads, we could lose investor confidence.”Jamal exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. “We need proof that Milo’s behind it.”Zoe, who had been scrolling through her phone, suddenly smirked. “Or we can play smarter. If he wants to spread lies, we counter with undeniable facts. Make our work so solid that no one even considers his nons
Tipping Points
Chapter 121 – Tipping PointsThe night air outside Columbus University was crisp, but inside Jamal’s dorm, the air felt thick with stress. His desk was a mess—open textbooks, half-written assignments, and a laptop screen blinking with notifications. He tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the calculations he needed to finish for his next class.His phone vibrated. Ethan.“Meeting in 10. Lecture Hall.”Jamal exhaled, rubbing his eyes. These late-night strategy sessions were necessary, but they were also draining. Skilbridge was growing at a pace none of them had fully prepared for, and balancing school with running a startup was proving to be more of a nightmare than he had expected.Still, there was no backing out now.He grabbed his hoodie and headed out.A Late-Night Strategy SessionThe lecture hall was mostly empty at this hour, except for Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were already inside, gathered around one of the large desks. Leah’s tablet was open, showing analytics, wh
Issues Brewing
Chapter 120 The office was quiet except for the soft tapping of keys. Jamal stared at the engagement report displayed on his laptop, his brows furrowed. The numbers weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. Skilbridge was growing, but not at the pace they had hoped. While universities were signing up, user retention was dropping. It was a frustrating plateau, one that could determine the platform’s future.Leah sat across from him, scrolling through her tablet. “We need something more compelling. The AI tutoring feature is promising, but it’s not enough. We need a hook—something that makes Skilbridge essential, not just convenient.”Zoe, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward. “What if we establish a student ambassador program? Get representatives in each school to market the platform directly to their peers. Word of mouth is still the strongest form of promotion.”Ethan, casually spinning a pen between his fingers, nodded. “That could work. Organic marketing has a bette
Cracks
Chapter 119 The weight of responsibility pressed down on everyone, stretching them thin in different ways. Jamal struggled to balance Skilbridge with university, Rachel found herself caught between ambition and love, and Alex—once the most dependable of them—had started slipping away into silence.The bonds that once felt unbreakable were now under strain.Rachel sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at her phone. Alex had been distant lately—more than usual. Their conversations, once filled with laughter and teasing, had turned into brief, one-word replies.She had assumed it was just basketball and school. But now, she wasn’t so sure.Rachel: Hey, are you okay?Minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty.Finally, a reply came.Alex: Yeah, just busy.Rachel frowned. That was it? No reassurance, no questions about how she was?Her roommate, Ava, glanced over from her desk. "You’re staring at your phone like you’re waiting for it to explode."Rachel exhaled. "It might as well. Alex has been
Diverging Parts
Chapter 118 The weeks following Malcolm Reid’s investment felt like a whirlwind. Contracts were signed, funds were transferred, and Skilbridge began expanding faster than Jamal had anticipated. With Leah and Ethan leading different departments, they had started hiring new developers, refining their marketing strategy, and pushing for university partnerships beyond Columbus. But the real test was just beginning. Jamal sat in the office space they had rented near campus—a modest but functional place filled with whiteboards covered in code, marketing strategies, and expansion plans. It was late, and most of the team had gone home, but he was still there, staring at his laptop screen. "Still here?" Leah’s voice broke the silence. Jamal looked up to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a small smirk on her face. She walked in, setting her laptop on the table beside him. "You’re one to talk," he said with a chuckle. "What’s keeping you up?" Leah sighed, taking a seat. "The
Crossroads and New Beginnings
Chapter 117 Jamal lay awake in his dorm room, staring at the ceiling. The offer from Malcolm Reid weighed heavily on his mind. Five million dollars. That was a life-changing sum, more money than he had ever imagined having access to at this stage of his life. With it came the potential to take Skilbridge from a promising startup to a nationwide brand.But was it worth giving up more control?His phone buzzed. Leah.Leah: Can’t sleep?Jamal: Nope. You?Leah: Same. We’re about to make the biggest decision of our lives.Jamal: And we can’t afford to mess it up.Leah: Let’s talk in the morning. Maybe things will be clearer.Jamal sighed and put his phone away. He hoped Leah was right.By noon, the team reconvened in the same conference room where they had first strategized against ByteEdge. The tension was palpable.Jamal exhaled, looking around the table at Leah, Ethan, Zoe, and the other key team members. "Alright. Let’s vote. Do we take Malcolm Reid’s offer?"Leah leaned forward, her
