2024-09-10 08:20:13Shock rippled through the room as they heard the voice. A guest of the Washington family? Eyes turned to Tedmond, widening in disbelief.
To be a guest of the Washington family meant that Tedmond was a big shot or potentially related to them. Even some of the Washingtons' relatives had tried to get in but were always denied entrance.
How could someone like Tedmond be allowed?
“Are you sure it’s the right person?” Gregory questioned. Despite shivering, he couldn’t help but ask.
“How dare you ask me that?” the person on the other end bellowed. “If I lose my job, you're going to regret it! You’d better let that fellow into the ward, or else!”
Gregory was taken aback by the mention of his boss losing his job. As the call ended, he hurriedly bowed to Tedmond, terrified that he might lose the position he had worked so hard for.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you, sir,” he apologized. “I’ll walk you to the room,” he added, raising his head to look at Tedmond. “Let’s get—”
“No need,” Tedmond cut him off, disgusted by how quickly Gregory had changed his attitude once he realized Tedmond was a guest. “I can find it myself, just like I intended to do before.”
The phone call had confirmed that everything was real, but Tedmond still needed an explanation for all this.
“Sir!” Gregory called out, but Tedmond ignored him and walked off to find the ward.
The women were equally stunned, unable to speak. They just watched Tedmond leave, clinging to the thin hope that they wouldn’t get fired.
Minutes later, Tedmond’s eyes lingered on the sign above the ward that read Room 509. The door was slightly open, and he could see the window but not the hospital bed. He hesitated, wondering if it was right to enter without knocking.
“You’re here,” a familiar voice said.
Tedmond’s head snapped down to see the little girl he had saved earlier peering up at him. She had changed into different clothes and was holding a teddy bear in her hand.
“My grandpa wants to see you before he…” she trailed off softly. “You have to come in quickly.”
Tedmond nodded and followed her into the ward. The first thing that greeted him was the stare of a middle-aged man in glasses and a frail old man lying on the hospital bed.
“Hello,” Tedmond said, swallowing hard. He had no idea what else to say. “I got a call from you and noticed my account had been credited, and you mentioned I’m the heir of the Washington family. What’s going on?”
The man in glasses bowed slightly. “I’m Thomas, the Washington family’s butler. You’ll get your answers soon.” Gesturing to the old man on the bed, he sighed. “This is Mr. Jeffrey Washington, the head of the family.”
Tedmond stepped closer until he could see the old man clearly, the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“Hello, Mr. Washington,” Tedmond said politely, controlling his curiosity.
Jeffrey didn’t look well, as if he was about to take his final breath, just as his granddaughter had hinted earlier. Tedmond realized the girl was indeed the Washington family’s granddaughter.
Jeffrey managed a smile. “Ted…” he called weakly. “I’ve finally found my heir. Welcome back, grandson.”
“What’s going on?” Tedmond asked, shooting Thomas a questioning look. “Why is he calling me his grandson?”
His question went unanswered as the life support machine began beeping, and the room filled with tension. The beeping quickened, and Tedmond froze. Thomas immediately sprang into action, pressing a button by the bedside.
“We need a doctor! Now!” Thomas shouted, his voice steady but urgent.
A nurse rushed in moments later, her expression shifting to concern as she assessed the situation. “His condition’s worsening,” she muttered, checking the machines. “We need to stabilize him.”
“Where’s the doctor?” Tedmond asked, glancing between Thomas and the nurse. He felt the weight of the situation crashing down on him—he had no idea what was happening, but it seemed he was now part of something much larger than he had ever expected.
“Dr. Howard is on his way,” the nurse replied quickly, turning back to the patient and adjusting the machines.
Jeffrey’s breathing grew more labored, and the little girl clutched her teddy bear tighter, standing silently by her grandfather's side, her eyes filled with worry.
Moments later, a tall man in a white coat stormed into the room. “Step aside!” he ordered, moving swiftly to the bedside. His hands flew over the equipment, exchanging rapid words with the nurse.
Tedmond stood helpless, watching as the doctor and nurse worked to stabilize Jeffrey. Every second felt like an eternity, and the feeling building in his chest intensified.
Jeffrey’s breathing became increasingly shallow, and the beeping from the machine slowed. Dr. Howard glanced at the nurse, and they exchanged a look that told Tedmond all he needed to know.
Despite their best efforts, it was too late.
The doctor shook his head, his face grim as he checked the old man’s pulse one last time. The room fell silent, except for the soft whimpering of the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Howard finally said, his voice low. “He’s gone.”
Tedmond stood there, disbelief washing over him. The man who had just called him his grandson—who had somehow linked him to this mysterious fortune—was now dead.
The little girl let out a soft sob, and Thomas closed his eyes, his expression unreadable as he whispered, “Rest in peace, Mr. Washington.”
Tedmond, unsure of what to feel, watched as the nurse gently covered the old man’s body with a sheet. It was surreal—a few minutes ago, Jeffrey Washington had been calling him “grandson,” and now he was gone. The answers Tedmond had hoped for had died with him.
“What now?” Tedmond whispered, his voice barely audible.
Thomas, though visibly shaken, straightened and turned toward Tedmond. “Mr. Washington made his decision before he passed. You are now the heir to the Washington family’s legacy, Tedmond. It’s up to you to carry it forward.”
Tedmond stared at him in shock, the weight of those words crashing down on him. How could this be happening? Just hours ago, he had nothing—and now he was the heir to a family he didn’t even know.
“What… what does that even mean?” Tedmond stammered, the enormity of the situation closing in on him.
“It means,” Thomas replied solemnly, “that everything Mr. Washington owned now belongs to you. The fortune, the businesses, the responsibilities—it’s all yours.”
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 4
The shock of the entire event still gripped Tedmond as he was led into the grand mansion, which exudes luxury. He held the little girl in his arms, and she was crying softly, her tears soaking into his shirt.What was going on? He couldn’t tell. The butler had promised to explain everything once they returned to the mansion, and Tedmond couldn’t wait.“Have a seat, young master,” the butler said, his gaze sad. “I will get you a cup of tea.”It was then that Tedmond realized they had arrived in a large living room, with several couches available for him to sit on. Nodding slowly, he walked toward one of the couches.“Or would you like something to eat?” Thomas asked.Tedmond glanced at him. Though Thomas was trying to appear composed, the sadness was clearly written on his face. “No need. I’m okay with just the tea.”Moments later, two mugs of tea were placed on the table in front of them. The little girl had fallen asleep, her teddy bear dropping to the floor.“I figured it would be b
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 5
Getting out of the car, Tedmond frowned. Although he had told Thomas he was fine with his belongings, Thomas had intentionally tossed them into the trash for him to get new ones.“I’ll be waiting here for you,” the driver said. “Take as much time as you need.”Tedmond glanced back and nodded before walking into the store. He knew Thomas had sent him shopping to give him time to think and make up his mind.He understood he had to accept his inheritance. After all, he had promised the Griffin family he would make them pay, and the only way to do that was by accepting his fortune. Why would he refuse something like this after all he had been through?It wasn’t possible.Scanning the store, he looked for the men’s section. As his eyes roamed the place, they landed on a rabbit doll with emerald eyes and a gem dangling from it.‘Is that a diamond?’ he wondered.The emerald reminded him of Bianca’s eyes, and he thought she might like it. He decided to get it for her. Just as he was about to
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 6
Those words sent shockwaves through everyone who had heard them. They couldn’t believe it, but the person who was most in disbelief was the first saleswoman. She snatched the phone from her colleague and dialed the number.“Are you sure it was $500,000 received?” she yelled, her voice sharp with frustration.Her tone was so rude that the person on the other end snapped back. “Why are you asking me an obvious question?!” he demanded. “$500,000 has been received! Is there some hotshot there or something?”The saleswoman's words stuck in her throat as the confirmation hit her. The others who had belittled Tedmond earlier now remained silent, lips tightly sealed.“Did you do something?” the voice on the phone asked, but the saleswoman quickly hung up, lowering her head.She turned to Tedmond, bowing slightly. “I am extremely sorry for doubting you,” she stammered. “Can I get you a cup of tea as an apology while your things are packed?”Tedmond glared down at her in silence. As she raised
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 7
The next day, Tedmond got ready for school with a newfound confidence. For the first time, he felt a sense of self-assurance heading to university, knowing it was better than the oppressive environment of home.“When will you be back, brother?” Bianca asked, tugging at his trousers and clutching the rabbit doll he had bought for her.He glanced down at her. “I’ll be back before 7,” he replied, squatting to smooth her hair. “I can’t pick you up from kindergarten today.”She nodded slowly. “The nanny will pick me up,” she said.“Okay.”He stood up, grabbed his bag, and looked back at Thomas, who was watching him with concern. “Do you need a driver to take you?” Thomas asked. “You can choose any car from the garage if you’d like.”Tedmond considered it for a moment before shaking his head. “No need. I can get there on my own like I used to.”“By taking the bus?” Thomas asked, clearly worried.“Yes.”“No way!” Thomas exclaimed. “Not only did you take a taxi home yesterday, but now you’re
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 8
Before lunch, news of Tedmond accepting Kyle’s challenge had spread throughout the school. Everyone was talking about it, and it even reached the ears of his ex-girlfriend. She and his former siblings were eagerly anticipating the event.They were seated in the cafeteria since it was lunchtime but not yet 2 PM.“That bastard is going to show us how useless he is again,” Max sneered, gesturing with his hand and smirking. “He doesn’t even have great stamina, let alone the ability to win.”Maxine chuckled. “He’s always been stupid. I’ll make another video of his embarrassment for my vlog.”Lisa had the brightest smile on her face. “I’m so glad I chose you, Max,” she purred. “He was such a pain in the ass.”Just then, Tedmond walked past them, catching the attention of many, including Lisa. The moment she saw him, a disgusted look appeared on her face.‘Why is he so neatly dressed?’ she thought, scanning him from head to toe and noticing his new clothes and shoes. ‘Where did he get the mo
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 9
Kyle stood grinning on the court, his teammates gathered behind him. A crowd had gathered to watch the game, eager to see how it would play out. Kyle could hardly wait for the moment he would crush Tedmond.“Isn’t he coming?” Kyle asked impatiently. Tedmond was two minutes late. “Don’t tell me he backed out at the last minute. Maybe he couldn’t find a team.”His teammates snickered.“He must’ve run home,” one of them said, shaking his head. “Oh wait, he doesn’t even have a home to run to.”The others burst out laughing.“He better not have backed out,” Kyle stated. “We should find him.”Just as one of Kyle’s teammates offered to search for Tedmond, he appeared with his four friends. They were dressed in matching uniforms, their hair slicked back, looking like college heartbreakers. Tedmond wore an expressionless look as he stood a few feet away from Kyle.“Here I am,” Tedmond said. “What made you think I fled?”Kyle’s lips curled. “Eager to be a slave, aren’t you?”“Not really. I coul
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 10
The crowd went silent when they heard Tedmond’s words. Who would have thought the arrogant Kyle would lose to the so-called loser of college and have to become his slave?“We made a deal,” Tedmond muttered. “You can’t go back on it. From now on, you’ll listen to me and do whatever I want.”Kyle’s teeth gritted. He had never been this humiliated in his entire life.“Do it!” the crowd yelled."A deal’s a deal—it must be upheld!""Don’t back out now!"Kyle’s eyes darted to Max, who shook his head, before turning back to Tedmond.“Master,” Kyle said, forcing the words out in a barely audible whisper.“I can’t hear you,” Tedmond taunted.“Master!” Kyle yelled, his body trembling slightly as embarrassment overwhelmed him.Tedmond’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. “Now that you’ve called me master and have become my slave, go get me a milkshake,” he ordered.Kyle’s teammates looked on in surprise, but Kyle turned to one of them.“Go get the milkshake like he asked,” he ordered.The teamm
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 11
“How dare you talk about my mother like that?” Tedmond demanded, pinning Max against the table.No matter how much they had talked about him, he hadn’t retaliated, but today they had gone too far. No one could talk about his mother now. That might have been possible in the past, but not anymore.“What are you doing?” Maxine questioned. “How dare you hit your elder brother?”Glaring back at her, Tedmond snarled, “You think of him as my elder brother now, don’t you? Why didn’t you say something when I was being insulted?” He released Max and stepped closer to Maxine.Maxine trembled but stood her ground. ‘How can that bastard get so strong in just a day?’ she wondered. However, she quickly regained her composure.“Why are you doing this to him when he just asked if you could afford to eat at the restaurant?!” Maxine yelled, switching the topic as fast as she could to make herself look less bad. “We all know you’ve been kicked out of the family without a penny! How can you afford to eat
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 232
Silence filled the room. No one had expected the grandmother to offer the position of heir to Tedmond so casually—just a few words, and everything changed.Max’s eyes widened in disbelief, his face draining of color. He knew his grandmother suffered from amnesia, but he hadn’t imagined she’d go this far—handing over his rightful place to someone like Tedmond.Not only was she willing to give away everything he had worked for, she was also casting aside her own grandson.Lisa was just as stunned, her mouth hanging open. She had never imagined this would be how Max lost everything.“You can’t do that, Grandma!” Max suddenly shouted, rising from his seat. His face was livid. “How could you give my position to him like that?!”Even Tedmond, the man at the center of it all, looked taken aback. He blinked, his lips parting slightly. Sure, he knew Grandma Vivian liked him now—thanks to the amnesia—but he hadn’t expected this. Not in a million years.“That’s right!” Lisa added quickly, standi
CHAPTER 231
Max’s head snapped to the side from the force of the slap. A red handprint bloomed on his cheek, and his eyes flew wide with shock.Tedmond's brows lifted in surprise, his gaze settling on Max. Then, slowly, a satisfied smirk curled his lips.All he had to do was provoke Max into cursing him, and the slap would follow.He was a genius.Lisa, still stunned, immediately rose to her feet, her eyes darting to the source of the slap.“Who the hell is that bitch who dared to touch—” Her words cut off abruptly when she saw who it was. Her face instantly paled. “Grandmother…?”Hearing the word, Max’s head snapped toward the direction of the voice to confirm if it was truly her.There she stood, tall and imposing, a deep frown creasing her elegant face.Vivian Griffin. Max’s grandmother.“Oh—Grandmother!” Max quickly stood up, rubbing his cheek. “What did I do to deserve that slap?”Vivian's eyes darkened at his question.The look alone made Max take a step back. He didn’t understand what he h
CHAPTER 230
“Is this supposed to be a restaurant?” Tedmond asked himself, his brows furrowing. The place looked old and dirty. The walls were cracked, and some parts were black from dirt. The sign above the door was broken. One of the letters didn’t light up, and the rest blinked like it could go off at any time.The front door was small and dusty. The wood looked weak, like it could break if someone pushed hard. A broken doorbell was hanging by the side, and it didn’t have a button. There were two trash bins near the door. One was open, and a bad smell came from it.Old posters were stuck on the wall, but they were ripped and dirty. The windows had marks all over them, and the blinds inside were hanging the wrong way. “What is this place?” he said, looking at his phone again to check the address.The address was the same as the one Max had sent him, indicating that he hadn’t gone to the wrong place. But no matter how much he thought about it, the place he was standing in front of wasn’t where
CHAPTER 229
Neil’s eyes darted to Tedmond, brows furrowing. Tedmond had told him to stick close to Max and make sure he didn’t go near Persis—but now Max was heading straight toward them, and Neil hadn’t even noticed until it was too late.“Tedmond is going to kill me,” Neil thought.He shot to his feet and rushed after Max, grabbing his hand. “Where are you going?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief.Max glanced at Neil, then looked away. “You should go back to your seat, Alicia. I don’t want to trouble you too much.”Neil sighed and let him go. In three seconds, he was back in his seat while Max reached the table where Tedmond sat.Tedmond looked up as a shadow loomed over him, only to find Max standing there. Without a word, Max pulled out a chair and sat down next to Lisa like it was the most natural thing in the world. His expression wasn’t angry—just unreadable.Finn, still cleaning up the mess he made earlier while staff looked on, glanced up at the table. When he saw Max, a frown cre
CHAPTER 228
Tedmond looked at Finn. He had just arrived on campus and hadn’t even done anything yet, and still, he was bombarded by Finn—someone who clearly had no idea how to read the room before acting.Giving Finn a blank stare, Tedmond genuinely wondered if he was just stupid. Not only did Finn fail to read the atmosphere, but he also just said the most ridiculous thing ever.This wasn’t the first time Tedmond had eaten in the cafeteria. It wasn’t even the second.The only reason he had avoided the cafeteria in the past was because it was one of the main places Max and his friends had humiliated him the most.He hadn’t wanted them to do something to his food and make him eat it.So, he’d stayed away—not because he couldn’t afford the meals that only cost a few bucks—but to protect himself.“What the hell are you talking about now?” Persis asked, frowning as she looked at Finn. “Don’t tell me you came to join the table just to say that?”She was already irritated that Lisa was at the table, ev
CHAPTER 227
Persis looked at Lisa, the thought weighing on her. If Lisa had overheard their conversation, then she would’ve known that Tedmond was the one Persis had called—but it didn’t seem like she did.Lisa asked if Persis had called Neil. It felt more like she had asked intentionally, to find out who Persis would say she called.Since Persis remained silent, Lisa looked at her, eyes dark with anger. Persis hadn’t said a word after the question—just stared at Lisa with a slight frown, like she couldn’t even be bothered to respond.That alone was enough to set Lisa off. But she held back. She needed answers.If Persis was close to Alicia, then this was her only shot. Her only chance to find out why Alicia kept dragging her into one mess after another.Alicia had already told the rest of the family about her so-called plans with Hino. And if that wasn’t enough, she’d somehow gotten Evelyn to slap her in front of everyone.Since that day, nothing had been the same. The family had grown distant,
CHAPTER 226
Max regretted mentioning his brother the moment Neil asked that question. He hadn’t even adequately told his new friends that Tedmond was his brother. He’d only dropped subtle hints, letting them piece it together themselves. It wasn’t like he was proud of the connection.He hated the fact that he and Tedmond shared the same blood. He’d even taken multiple DNA tests, hoping—praying—that the results would prove otherwise. But the papers always said the same thing:They were related.‘I didn’t want to tell Alicia about Tedmond,’ he thought, sneaking a glance at Neil. ’It would’ve been better if she found out on her own, in her own time.’Neil raised an eyebrow, watching Max spiral into silence over a simple question. “What’s with the sudden mood drop? Did I say something wrong?”Max blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. “No, you’re good. It’s just... complicated.”Neil leaned back, folding his arms. “Complicated how? I just said you never told me you had a brother. I was curious about
CHAPTER 225
As soon as the car began moving, Tedmond glanced out the window. He hadn’t just chosen to let the men deal with Ottis and the others—he had also left without seeing how badly they would get beaten. Nor did he try to use the situation to his advantage.Letting Ottis get beaten wasn’t enough—not after everything Ottis had done to him and the way he had insulted his mother.Shaking his head, Tedmond snapped out of his thoughts. There were still plenty of chances to deal with Ottis. This was only the beginning.Everyone who had disrespected his mother was going to get a taste of their own medicine—and he wasn’t going to let any of them off quickly.At that moment, his phone began to ring. Pulling it from his pocket, he glanced at the caller ID. The name read Persis.Seeing her name, Tedmond immediately answered the call. Persis had planned to attend afternoon classes, and she had gone earlier because her extra class started before the general one.“Hello…” Her voice came through the speak
CHAPTER 224
Not knowing what to say to them anymore, Tedmond decided not to bother trying to convince them. Ottis had dragged them into this mess when he could’ve simply handed over the money.Tedmond tucked his phone back into his pocket, calm as ever. “If you’re so confident, then come at me. Don’t hesitate now.” His gaze swept across them, daring. “And when you’re writhing on the floor, try not to beg too much. It’s pathetic.”That was the last straw.“GET HIM!” Remi roared.The thugs charged at Tedmond like a pack of wild dogs—fists clenched, eyes blazing with rage.But just as they closed in—CRASH!The ceiling burst open, and masked men dropped down like shadows. The walls cracked open, revealing hidden panels from which more men in black silently stepped out. The front door slammed shut as two more guards entered, locking the exits. Even the corners of the floor opened up, and more men rose from hidden compartments.Everyone froze.Even Tedmond was stunned. He knew help would come—but he h
