The next day, Leander found himself alone in his room, his mind swirling with panic as he tried to decipher the unexpected deposit. The sender's identity remained a mystery, adding to his unease.
As time passed, Leander was lost in thought, torn between the mysterious funds and his pressing financial commitments."What if this money isn't meant for me? Could it be a banking error?" He pondered, feeling his head spin in confusion as he struggled to compose himself.Tempted, he hurried to a nearby bank, momentarily forgetting his worries of being implicated. Fumbling with his debit card, he inserted it into the payment machine. The screen lit up, offering options to complete the transaction.He swiftly withdrew ten £20 bills and hailed a taxi to a mobile store.Arriving at the sleek 'Nexus Tech Store', Leander admired its trendy vibe. His platinum blonde hair tousled by the breeze, he stepped inside, greeted by mahogany shelves and modern lamps. The store showcased state-of-the-art gadgets that sparkled, tempting customers to explore. A cozy café corner emitted the scent of freshly brewed coffee, luring him further.Immersing himself in the inviting ambiance, Leander made his way to the Samsung phone section, where a lady greeted him with a warm smile. "Hello, our valued customer. May I assist you in choosing the perfect Samsung phone today?”After Leander inquired about the available flagship models, the lady revealed they had the ‘A’ and ‘S’ series flagships. "What's your budget, sir?" she asked."Nothing above £1000. Uh, get me a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with one terabyte of internal storage," Leander requested eagerly.The saleslady lined up several S24 Ultra boxes, boasting Gorilla Armor for durability and an advanced camera with a 5X zoom.Informing Leander of each costing £725.60, he handed over his debit card, eager to make the purchase.After successful payment, Leander scanned the boxes before selecting the color of choice—a titanium orange. The phone was then tested to ensure its functionality before Leander exited the store.As he walked, a loud ding startled him—a call from an unfamiliar number. Anxiously, he said, straining to hear the tiny voice on the other end. “Who are you please?”The tone asked, “Hey, am I speaking with Master Goldstein?”Confused, Leander furrowed his brow, denying, “I don't bear that name. I'm sorry, maybe you got the wrong contact.” He quickly disconnected the call, but within moments, the same number was ringing again.“Hello, I don't think this is a wrong contact. Aren't you the £2 million recipient, huh?” Immediately the voice finished its words, Leander shrieked, confusion washing over him.“Excuse me, I’m not a master; I don't belong in those circles—”“Listen, Leander Hawthorne…” the feminine voice insisted before it paused. A shiver went through Leander's spine as he realized the person on the line truly knew him.Anxious thoughts swirled within him as he clutched onto hope that the money he had received wouldn't be taken away."What the heck? Whoa...whoa...whoa! Who are you?" Taken aback, he cursed, his words all in one breath.The caller persisted, hinting at Leander's affiliation with Etherium University, making it clear that they knew who he was."Um, speaking on behalf of the Veritas Group CEO, Daxton Goldstein. I would like to meet you in person," the voice exclaimed. Leander felt a bit spooked, knowing that the Veritas Group's founder never had any connection to him before.With his curiosity piqued, Leander threatened, his words trailing with authority, “I would deny your request if you don't give a damn about why I would be meeting him. I don't even have any relation with the person you mentioned.”The voice on the other end dropped a bombshell, "Leander, it's time for you to be delighted because you are the sole heir of the Goldstein family," causing a surge of unease to wash over him."I don't even know my family, why am I worth it? I’ve lost them for a long time," Leander agitated, his voice trembling with unshed tears. The weight of not having any family had haunted him for years, leaving his heart heavy."Not a problem, Leander. Trust me, you'll always see each of your real family members again," came the reassuring reply, filled with unwavering support and understanding.“Uh, are you now convinced to accept the special invitation?” pressed the lady.Sighing, Leander nodded in affirmation, “Okay, go ahead. So how will I get the address?”“It's via SMS. You will receive it shortly,”Politely, he muttered with a soft glare, "Good, I'll wait for it." With a mix of excitement and worry, he hung up, feeling relieved.This wasn't the second time Leander couldn't find Camila in the classroom. His concern surged because ever since she started spending time with Rex, she had been skipping important lectures, especially those on quantitative analysis, which she struggled with. Leander's pride was wounded as he remembered how he had consistently helped in preparing her for exams, which had impacted her grades.Curious, Leander approached Marcella, a friend of hers and asked, “Excuse me, I haven't seen Camila attending lectures since yesterday. What's going on?”Marcella gave Leander a deadly side-eye. Snarling in disgust, she spat out, a radiant smile dancing on her face, “Why do you ask, loser? Are you still claiming Camila as your girlfriend?”Leander quickly cut in, his words heavy with authority and confidence, “I don't want any insults about chasing after Rex’s crush or whatever. I just wanted to know her welfare.”“Alright, she's okay, but it's just personal emergencies,” Marcella replied in a rud
In the lavish Veritas CEO's office, brimming with luxury and high-tech gadgets, Daxton warmly greeted him, "Welcome, Master Leander.”Leander's unease and confusion heightened as he declared, "Sir, why do you address me as master? The receptionist did the same."Daxton responded with a slight nod, "Ahh, it's because you're now an important figure of the Goldstein family, an heir." Leander's eyes widened in disbelief, a sudden shock coursing through him, leaving him bewildered."But how come? It seems like you're keeping me in the dark," Leander's curiosity peaked, worry etching into his brows."Be calm, I'll explain. Long ago, I had a relationship with your mother, Sophia Adams. Unfortunately, when you were born, I wasn't ready to take on the responsibilities of fatherhood, so you were given up for adoption to the Hawthorne family," Daxton's voice softened as he revealed the truth."After marrying another woman, I faced challenges conceiving a child due to hormonal imbalances and canc
The sound of approaching footsteps disturbed Dean Walker’s office. As she sighted Leander through the glass windows, she quickly set aside the papers on her desk, a grave expression on her face.Leander entered hesitantly. "Hello ma, I was told to come here yesterday but I was at an open mic night and I felt it was too late.” He muttered with a relieved sigh.Her eyes roamed down the sequin on her dress and shook her head ruefully. Trying to decipher her worry, Leander came short of breath."Leander, do you understand the gravity of your actions?" She cleared her throat, her expression a mix of anxiety and disappointment.Leander frowned, stumbling over his words, "Sorry, I'm not following. Can you give more details about the actions I did wrong?" He struggled to make sense of recent events, his eyes showing concern and intrigue.After some reflection, Leander pieced it together and thought that the Dean was referring to the cyber fraud incident."Hmm... No, you... you involved in vio
Leander paused at a crossroads, adjusting his helmet and deftly balanced a stack of piping hot pizzas. Glancing at the delivery slip, he realized the destination was not far. Despite this, he knew he had to honor the customer's request and wait patiently at the junction.After dialing the number on the receipt, Leander was confused as to why the call didn't go through. On his second attempt, he heard a soft murmur followed by a lady's voice. Taking a soft gasp, he asked, "Am I speaking with Ms. Brianna Taylor?”Awaiting a response, he broke the silence. "Who…? Oh, yes, I'm. Where are you now?" Her confident voice resonated after almost stuttering."I'm currently at Snowflakes Junction, ready for your order to be picked up," Leander replied in a clear and friendly tone.Clearing his throat, he suggested, "Would you like doorstep delivery for added convenience? It'll save time and energy.”Ms. Brianna hummed softly in agreement, her understanding evident. "Alright, that's true," she ack
Noticing the masked figures had moved a few inches away to talk in secret, Leander, pretending as if he was dying, gasped."Freaking jerk,” Covered in grime and blood, Leander muttered while lifting his head up. With a fierce resolve, he jumped onto his feet and stood firm and used a piece of bandanna to stop a major bleeding on his hand.As strides sounded, the masked figures turned back to see what was happening. Annoyed, one of them growled, "Who told you to rise? Do you want me to teach you a lesson again, loser?""Head down, men!" Meeting their stares, Leander stayed silent and in disdain. His cold stare expressed a great deal, while anger concealed his face, leaving them in shock and speechless as he defied expectations by his confidence.Amid heavy breaths, one of them approached to make a mockery of him. "Your confidence got you expelled, didn't it?" he sneered. Leander, confused, his brow furrowing. "I know those who instigated it so you don't have to talk about it." His vo
Maneuvering his classic Ford SUV, Rex arrived at the hospital’s emergency bay and parked. The hospital, seen as one of the biggest and most cutting-edge in the city, stood out prominently. Feeling his heart race with anxiety, he quickly turned off the engine.Exiting the car, Rex took note of the bustling surroundings. When a nurse spotted him, she hurried over to attend to them with a genuine smile. "Hello, good day. How may I help you?" she greeted, her demeanor exuding warmth and professionalism."Yeah, we've got a patient. He was in a road accident," Rex exclaimed, anxiously observing the nurse rush towards Leander, her steps fast.“Um, did anyone help him with first aid?" With freckles sprinkled across her cheeks like stardust, the nurse was eager."Was any first aid given?" The nurse repeated. Rex shook his head, “We didn't administer any first aid.”As the door swung open, the nurse gasped sharply. Within minutes, a team of nurses emerged, pushing a stretcher on which they tran
Sebastian and Brayden, lounging by the pool, were taken aback when they saw a familiar face passing by the entrance. Curious, they fixed their eyes on the entryway to see what was going on. With bated breath, they heard slow, quiet footsteps approaching. Their jaws dropped as they realized it was Leander. Spooked by his presence, Sebastian turned to Brayden and asked urgently, "I thought Leander was expelled. What is he doing here?” "This guy is crazy. He still thinks he can do whatever he likes after being expelled. I'm sure he doesn’t know he’s playing with fire," Brayden said with a nod. Leander, standing a few meters away, pretended to look elsewhere while eavesdropping on their discussion. With a stern face, Leander confronted them. “Who is playing with fire? Why are you both biased?” he demanded boldly. “Rex initiated my expulsion and ruined my career. Don’t tell me you weren’t aware of the attack on me when I went to deliver a food order!” Sebastian lost his temper u
Leander finally went to meet Camila, who had been waiting for him. He saw the frustration in her eyes. With concern on his face, he asked softly, “Am I late?” Letting out a nervous sigh and a deep smirk, Camila said, her lips pursed in dissatisfaction, “You knew you were late. Ahh, I’ve been here for the past thirty minutes” “My apologies. I don't have a watch or a phone, which is why I was late,” Leander muttered, a warm look in his eyes. However, he was still skeptical. Was this truly the same Camila who had insulted him for being poor and chosen a rich campus playboy over him? The one who had called him a loser? Memories flooded Leander’s mind, causing him pain and filling him with anger. Despite feeling humiliated and on a suicide mission, he ultimately chose to hear what Camila had to say after reflecting on it. “Oh… no problem. Honestly, I don't dispute that,” Camila responded, her voice trailing off with confidence. She raised her head, searching for the right words. “Ca