Chapter 006

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 cancer infection," he continued, his tone remorseful.

For ten years, despite trying everything, Daxton couldn't have a child, casting doubt on his family legacy with no heir in sight.

Raised by the Hawthorne family, Leander was later acknowledged by Daxton as the rightful heir to his wealth. This decision prompted Daxton to embark on a mission to find his disowned son.

Daxton's stern gaze met Leander's welling eyes as he asked, "Please don't feel too bad. I understand it was all my fault, okay?”

"If not for the Hawthorne family's mistreatment, I might have doubted you were my true parents," Leander replied, tears welling up. He carried the weight of their hurtful actions, his words tinged with sorrow and resentment.

Moved by Leander's emotional reflection, Daxton assured him, "You might not understand what I’m doing now because it's not only about redemption. It's to protect your legacy," his voice was gentle yet firm.

Leander's gentle smile emerged before his father remarked, "I’m relieved you didn’t botch this invitation. I appreciate that.”

“No trouble at all,” Leander replied respectfully.

Daxton, impressed, playfully teased him, observing Leander's gaunt cheeks from being poorly fed, “Don't fret; soon enough those cheeks will plump up. Wealth has arrived.”

Leaning in, Daxton cleared his throat, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes before saying, “All I wanted is reconciliation so we become family again, okay?....”

Leander cut in, “.... that is already solved.” He stood up and embraced his father.

Leander's eyes gleamed with curiosity as Daxton reached into his perfectly tailored suit pocket. With a graceful motion, he unveiled a sleek black card that sparkled in the light.

“I have this for you,” Daxton declared. “This is not just an ordinary card, but your legacy—,”

"The two million British pounds sent to you was just the tip of the iceberg," Daxton assured, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

Leander's breath caught as the card landed in his grasp. He flipped it over, feeling its smooth texture. The embossed symbol captivated him, sparking intrigue.

With a concerned sigh, he returned the card, querying, “I don't get it. What is this for?”

“Ahh, it's a black card,” Daxton blurted out with a radiant smile.

Clearing his throat as Leander glanced up at his father, his curiosity piqued, “so how much is on it?”

“Five billion dollars,” Daxton declared, his voice echoing with delight.

“This is unbelievable!” Leander cursed under his breath. Gratitude, satisfaction, and the weight of newfound responsibility pressed down on Leander’s heart, causing it to swell.

Accepting the smooth black card from Daxton, Leander felt its cool edges against his fingertips.

"Thank you, sir. I must be very graceful because my life has taken a positive turn," Leander whispered hoarsely, his emotions unspoken yet evident.

Carefully pocketing the card, Leander understood that this moment marked the beginning of his rise to the top.

"But there's something you need to do. The card is locked; you have to go to the bank to unlock it," Daxton stated confidently, then continued,

"Also, remember to update your surname before unlocking the card; it's crucial. You’ll receive documents to support the bid to change it. So you'll once again be a member of the Goldstein family.”

***

Leander was startled by the piercing sound of the siren, which sent shivers of fear and icy dread through his body. His limbs quivered uncontrollably as three police cars screeched to a stop in front of him.

In a split second, the realization pierced his mind like a lightning bolt - he had missed the deadline to submit his bank statement.

Leander became the focal point as five police officers burst out of the car, moving in unison. Panic gripped him, his heart racing as he bolted with newfound speed.

The officers spread out, each choosing a different route to chase him down, resolved to prevent his escape.

As panting crept in, he collided with a cop who seized his arm. With a surge of strength and a stroke of luck, Leander freed himself and pushed on through the chase.

Despite his best efforts, the police were relentless in their pursuit of him. Sprinting towards the intersection, Leander skidded to a sudden stop to regulate his breathing.

Moments passed. Leander's eyes widened in disbelief as he found himself completely surrounded by a cluster of police officers, trapped with no way out.

“Your hands up!” The cops, their voices booming, pointed their tasers at Leander, daring him to make a move.

Reluctant to feel the sting of the tasers' electric charge, Leander acquiesced to surrender with a nod, his arms limply.

The officers wasted no time, swiftly moving in to handcuff him before ushering him towards the waiting patrol car. The car then shot off into the distance, leaving behind a trail of dust in its wake.

In the police station, Leander stood at the counter, and there she was—the police woman he had accused of involvement in the bribery scandal with Rex.

His eyes widened, a crease forming on his brow as worry and shock flashed across his face.

Upon seeing Leander, the police woman let out a mocking laughter. "Back here at last," she sneered.

Her taunts left Leander speechless and utterly powerless, his eyes wide open and unblinking. His thoughts raced, trying to find a response that could rival her biting words, but came up blank.

"Uh-oh, where's the bank statement we asked you to provide?" Unfriendly glares met the lady's abrupt words. Leander darted around, searching for excuses. Then, his gaze caught his course mates who were being interrogated: Rex, Brayden, Camila, Sebastian, Benjamin, Marcella, and a cluster of other students.

"Sorry, uh, it’s…. I had an urgent appointment during the final hours." Leander stuttered in his explanation.

"You've crossed the line, no way," the policewoman shot back.

"Come on, you're holding us up here! Your colleagues now have a clean record, but you're the one causing the delay!"

Leander was surprised by her words, his doubt evident. "How come?”

The room buzzed with whispers of accusation from Rex and Camila, painting a negative picture of him and insinuating his guilt in the fraud. However, Leander couldn't help but ignore them.

"Give 'em up now or it's 72 hours in the slammer," the lady insisted.

“Those cops are clearly in Rex's pocket,” Leander muttered under his breath, annoyed and certain as he looked at the cops around Rex.

Not quite long, Leander scrambled for a solution, pulling out his sleek Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. He quickly opened his bank app to request his bank statement.

Camila's mouth gushed open in disbelief as she saw what was on Leander's phone. Inadvertently, she drew Rex's attention to it. Shock jolted through them as they locked eyes with Leander, silently questioning if he could truly be who they think he is.

"Could this really be the same pauper we once knew? Is his poor lifestyle an illusion, or was he just trying to impress us?" They whispered to each other, sparking a heated debate.

After about twenty minutes, a notification chimed on Leander's phone, pulling his attention to an email from the bank. A wave of tranquil washed over him as he sucked in a sharp breath.

Acting swiftly, he unlocked his phone and showed his bank account statement to the police officers.

Their eyes widened as they zeroed in on the jaw-dropping balance displayed: £1,995,085.37.

"No... no... no. Unbelievable! Nearly £2 million in his account," the police woman exclaimed, disbelief etched on her face. Leander's smile vanished at their skepticism, his astonishment evident. With a deep frown, he retorted, his words lacing with threat, “What's going on? Are you aware that I can sue you for exposing my private information?”

Besides, the police woman didn't apologize for her wrongdoing but hissed at Leander.

Camila was hit with another shockwave, feeling a sense of doom if Leander truly had such an amount.

Mr. Rodriguez, attending to Leander's colleagues, threw an inquisitive sneer as he questioned Leander, "Are you trying to pull a fast one on us, claiming to be a delivery driver? What's the deal with your job?”

Looking innocently, Leander shrugged aloofly, “Like seriously, I wasn't joking.” Another detective argued sternly as he analyzed the bank statement after printing it in a soft copy, “Are you trying to play anyone here? In fact, this statement provides information about your last transaction on this account, which was about fourteen months ago.”

In his confession, Leander gave them a swift response, “I'm not kidding, I was being paid by the CEO of Veritas Group.”

The sight of the substantial amount of money left the police officers bewildered, their brows furrowed in confusion. It dawned on them that he was now the prime suspect in the £1.5 million fraud case.

Rex and his colleagues whispered to each other, skeptical of how a mere delivery driver could accumulate so much wealth without resorting to illegal means.

"We need concrete evidence to back this up," the police demanded, their voices firm and unwavering.

Soon, Sebastian drew all eyes from the investigation panel when he revealed a file folder containing incriminating documents as evidence. Leander was angry about his actions to convince law enforcement that he was guilty of the fraud.

Eventually, having assessed Sebastian’s extensive evidence, the police began to contemplate freezing all Leander’s bank accounts.