THE HEIR'S AGONY TRIAL BY FIRE

The cost cost of Genius

Aidan sat in the corner of the lab, the fluorescent lights above buzzing softly, but all he could hear were the whispers. The sound of laughter, the taunts, and the cruelty of his classmates. It had been days since the offer from Dr. Harris, but even now, the words haunted him. “You don’t belong here, Aidan.” It echoed in his mind, the sharp sting of rejection still fresh.

He clenched his fists. No. He belonged here. He belonged in the lab. He belonged in the world of machines, of code, of innovation. Not in their world. Not in the world of privilege, where people like Carl could toss their money around and decide who was worthy of being seen. They had everything. And Aidan? Aidan had nothing but his hands, his mind, and his determination. He’d spent his life building things from nothing, and he wasn’t going to stop now.

The door to the lab creaked open, and Aidan didn’t even look up. He knew who it was.

Carl. The same smug, arrogant voice that had tormented him since day one.

“Working on your little robot again, Aidan?” Carl sneered from the doorway. “You think that thing’s going to save you?”

Aidan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. He kept his focus on the robot in front of him, adjusting the wires with precise movements. He wouldn’t let Carl get under his skin. Not tonight.

“You know,” Carl continued, stepping further into the room, “I don’t get it. You could be something if you didn’t waste all your time on this junk.” He kicked at a pile of discarded parts on the floor. “Don’t you know the only way to get anywhere here is by knowing the right people? By having the right connections?”

Aidan slowly stood up, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face Carl. “I don’t need connections,” he said, his voice cold. “I have my mind. I have my work. And that’s all I need.”

Carl chuckled, crossing his arms. “You think you’re some kind of genius, huh? News flash, Aidan. You’re nothing more than a charity case. A poor kid who thinks he can play with the big boys.” He shook his head. “You’ll never be one of us.”

Aidan’s breath hitched, but he kept his gaze steady. His fists clenched at his sides. “I don’t want to be one of you,” he spat. “You think I care about your money, your status, your little clique? I don’t care about any of it. I care about building something that matters.”

Carl’s eyes flickered with surprise, and for a moment, Aidan saw something close to uncertainty in the other boy’s face. But it was quickly replaced by that familiar sneer. “Oh, please. Keep dreaming, Aidan. Keep pretending you’re special. But I’ve seen the truth. You’re nothing. And you’ll always be nothing.”

Aidan took a step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The words stung, but he refused to let them take hold. He had heard it all before. The same voices, the same doubts. But this time, it was different. This time, he wouldn’t back down.

“You’re wrong,” he said, his voice low but unwavering. “I’m not nothing. I’m building something that will prove everyone like you wrong.”

Carl took a step back, his eyes narrowing. “Building something? Like your stupid robot? You really think that thing is going to change anything? It’s a joke. You’re a joke.”

Aidan felt the anger rising in his chest, hot and sharp. He had worked for this. He had sacrificed everything—his nights, his energy, his sanity—to build this robot. To prove he was more than they thought. And Carl? Carl was nothing but a spoiled rich kid who had never had to fight for anything in his life. The thought of him belittling Aidan’s hard work made his blood boil.

“I’m not the joke here,” Aidan said, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. “You are. All of you. You hide behind your money and your privilege, thinking you’re better than everyone else. But deep down, you’re just scared. Scared that someone like me—someone who’s had to fight for everything—will show you that your world is built on nothing but lies.”

Carl’s eyes flashed with anger. He stepped forward, glaring at Aidan. “You don’t know anything about me. You think you’re better than me? You think you’re smarter than me?”

“I know what it’s like to struggle,” Aidan shot back. “I know what it’s like to be thrown away by the world. But I’m not going to let you or anyone else decide my worth.”

For a long moment, the two boys stared each other down. Aidan’s heart was racing, but his resolve only grew stronger. This was his fight. This was his moment.

Carl seemed to hesitate, as if he were weighing whether to continue with his taunts or leave. Finally, he scoffed and turned on his heel. “Whatever. Keep playing with your toys, Aidan. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

With that, he was gone, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Aidan stood in the silence of the lab, his fists still clenched. His pulse was still thudding in his ears. He had been angry, yes, but there was something else—something stronger. Something that felt like a promise.

He wasn’t going to let Carl or anyone else define him. Not anymore.

His hands shook as he returned to his robot. There was still so much to be done, so many adjustments to make. But with every turn of the screw, every adjustment to the wires, his focus sharpened. This wasn’t just about proving them wrong. This was about proving to himself that he was more than they thought. That he was someone who mattered.

The night stretched on, and Aidan worked feverishly, the hum of the machines filling the air. As the hours passed, the robot slowly took shape. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close. Every piece of it reflected his mind, his soul, his will to push forward despite the world that had tried to crush him.

And then, in the stillness of the lab, something changed. The robot’s eyes flickered on. A soft, mechanical hum filled the room, and the once lifeless machine began to stir. Aidan stepped back, his breath catching in his throat. This was it. This was the moment.

But as he watched, something strange happened. The robot’s movements became erratic, its head jerking back and forth as if struggling to process something. The lights flickered, and Aidan’s heart skipped a beat.

“Hey… hey, what’s wrong?” Aidan muttered, his voice filled with panic. The robot’s movements became faster, more unpredictable. Something wasn’t right.

Before Aidan could make another move, the machine’s head turned to face him, its eyes glowing with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Then, in a voice that was not its own, it spoke.

“You don’t belong here, Aidan.”

Aidan froze. The voice was familiar. Too familiar. It was a voice from his past, a voice he had never wanted to hear again.

William.

The word hung in the air like a dark cloud. How could it be? William was dead. He couldn’t be here. Not now. Not like this.

The robot’s eyes glowed brighter, the words repeating.

“You don’t belong here, Aidan.”

Aidan stumbled backward, his mind reeling. The lab, the machines, his hard work—it all felt like it was slipping through his fingers. The robot, his creation, had somehow become something else. Something… more.

Aidan’s breath hitched as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The robot’s gaze never wavered, its mechanical voice sending chills down his spine. “What did you do to me?” Aidan whispered, his heart pounding in his chest, unable to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before him.