The crowd erupted in laughter.
The pain was excruciating, radiating through every part of my body as I lay helpless on the cold ground.
I tried to stand, but my legs gave out beneath me, my muscles too weak and beaten.
Mikky’s lackeys had done their job well, keeping me pinned while their fists and feet drove the point home—I was nothing compared to him.
Around me, the crowd cheered with satisfaction, enjoying every second of my humiliation. Not a single person stepped forward to help.
They were entertained, not concerned. I felt completely alone, battered and broken, struggling to catch my breath.
I turned my gaze, trying to find Diana, hoping for a glimmer of sympathy—anything that showed she still cared, even a little.
But there she was, arms folded, a smug smile on her face.
She was proud of this. Proud to see me beaten, and humiliated like an insect beneath Mikky’s feet.
My stomach churned, but not just from the physical pain—it was the emotional betrayal that crushed me.
I loved her, and she was standing there, watching me suffer, enjoying every second of it.
Mikky wasn’t done either. He was basking in the moment, savoring the dominance he held over me. He lifted his leg and kicked me again, his shoe slamming into my side with brutal force. I groaned, my vision blurring as pain surged through me.
“Teach this pauper a lesson,” Mikky commanded, his voice filled with arrogance and satisfaction. “He should know there are people he shouldn’t cross the line with.”
His goons obeyed, raining down more punches and kicks, at least they would be paid.
I could barely move, my body curled up in a pathetic attempt to shield myself. Then I saw her—Diana—running over to Mikky, not to stop the beating, but to comfort him.
“Bae, are you okay?” she cooed, brushing her finger tenderly over the small bloodstain on his lip. They embraced, and in that sickening moment, I realized I was nothing to her. All I ever was—a stepping stone.
She used me and just like tissue, she discarded me afterwards.
Suddenly, the crowd began to disperse, I heard them whisper “Mr. Martins is coming” sending them scurrying like rats.
My heart lifted, for a moment with relief. The director would stop this. He had to.
Mr. Martins approached, his eyes scanning the scene with his usual stern expression.
He looked at me, beaten and bloody on the ground, and then at Mikky, standing tall with Diana wrapped around him.
I struggled to sit up, hoping he would finally bring some sense of justice to this nightmare.
But then I saw it. The look in his eyes wasn’t one of concern—it was admiration, for Mikky, like he has been controlled.
“Mr. Coker, are you alright?” Martins asked, completely ignoring my battered state. His tone was soft, almost reverent, as though Mikky was the victim here.
Mikky shrugged, he had that cocky smirk on his face. “I’m fine, sir. But this... this busboy,” he spat the word with disgust, “attacked me out of nowhere. I was just defending myself.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I forced myself to my feet, wobbling slightly but determined to speak up. “That’s not true! He’s lying! They attacked me—” Pointing fingers at Mikky and his minions.
“Enough!” Mr. Martins barked, cutting me off. His gaze turned cold as he looked me up and down. “You’ve been nothing but a nuisance, Jordan. Stirring up fights with students like Mr. Coker here... Do you have any idea who his father is? How much has he done for this school?”
My heart sank. This wasn’t about what was right. It was about money.
Mikky’s father was one of the school’s biggest sponsors, and that meant Mikky could do whatever he wanted without consequence.
“But, sir—” I tried again, desperation clawing at my throat.
“You’re suspended,” he said bluntly, his voice final and unyielding. “A month. I don’t want to see you on this campus until you’ve learned how to behave properly.”
Suspended? For what? For defending myself? For standing up to a bully? For being beaten mercilessly?
I tried to plead, to explain, but Mr. Martins had already turned away, his attention back on Mikky like I never existed, smiling and chatting as though nothing had happened.
I stood there, bruised, humiliated, and completely powerless. Diana didn’t even glance in my direction.
She was still wrapped around Mikky, laughing softly at something he whispered in her ear. The crowd had scattered, but the damage was done.
My reputation was ruined, my dignity shattered, and my future... uncertain.
Mikky and Diana strutted away in his car, he winked at me, basking in their victory, not a care in the world for the wreckage they’d left behind.
I stood there, trying to hold on to the last shreds of my pride. But what was left to hold on to?
“What a loser… trying to stand up to Mikky? What was he thinking?”
“He’s pathetic, going after a girl that’s way out of his league.”
“I heard he’s just a busboy at some cheap restaurant. No wonder she dumped him.”
“I don’t blame her. Who’d want to date a broke busboy like him?”
The murmurs of the remaining bystanders twisted the knife deeper into my heart. Their words clung to me like poison, sinking into my skin and making every step heavier, every breath harder.
I didn’t know how I managed to drag myself away from the scene, but I did.
I couldn’t stay here any longer after all I had been suspended. My head bowed low as I limped out of the school grounds, each step heavier than the last.
Just as I was about to leave the gate, a low hum caught my attention.
I looked up to see a sleek, brand-new white Rolls-Royce pulling up right in front of me.
For a moment I forget the pains I felt, and its sleekness doused them with admiration. Confused, I stopped in my tracks.
The vehicle was too polished and too expensive for a place like this.
The car door opened, and several men stepped out. They were dressed sharply, their suits pristine and tailored. I froze, my body still aching, unsure of what was happening.
They approached me, their movements swift and deliberate and they bowed in respect.
One of them, tall and broad-shouldered, approached me with a respectful nod.
“Master Jordan,” he said, his voice deep and composed. “We’ve been waiting for you,” he said, his tone respectful, almost deferential.
I blinked, my mind still reeling from everything that had just happened.
"What? Master Jordan? Who are you?" My heart raced. I’d never seen these men before in my life, yet they acted as if they knew exactly who I was.
The man didn’t answer directly. Instead, he gave a small bow and gestured toward the car. “We’ve been expecting you. Please, come with us.”
The car hummed again, almost as if sending signals to the men standing before me, their heads bowed. “Mr. Jordan, please, you have to come with us.” I observed them closely as they stood in two neat lines, one opposite the other, leaving a narrow space between.Or did Mikky send his men to kidnap me? No, this can’t be. Mikky's car is flashy, but this... this is way too luxurious for him. The sleek white Rolls-Royce, the polished interior—it didn’t match his obnoxious flaunting of wealth. He’s rich, sure, but not like this."Where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice firmer this time, though a knot tightened in my chest, and my body still ached from the earlier ordeal. I wasn’t in the mood for more trouble.The man in front, the one who had greeted me so respectfully, looked down at his feet, pretending he hadn’t heard the question. Another man, standing just behind him, shifted uncomfortably."Mr. Jordan," the first man began again, "it's best if you just come with us. We’ll expl
The guys who brought me here were totally quiet as they guided me further into the mansion, leaving my questions hanging without answers.More bodyguards were scattered around, their expressions impossible to read.And whoever owned this place… they definitely had plans for me. I couldn’t find a way out; every escape route I thought of felt pointless, and I had no clue how to navigate my way back.My steps stumbled when I noticed an unfamiliar old man standing in the center of the room. He had this regal vibe, decked out in a sharp suit that practically shouted wealth and his gray hair was slicked back with a precision that only someone used to luxury could manage. His posture was straight, but his eyes… there was something familiar in them.When our gazes met, he paused for just a moment, then his face transformed. His eyes sparkled with an emotion I couldn't quite identify—was it shock, relief, or maybe excitement? It was like he’d seen a ghost.The man stood up, almost stumbling
I stood there, numb, as the weight of his words sank in. This was real. I wasn’t just some mistake or outsider—they were saying I belonged to this family, a family that seemed like something out of a dream. How was this even possible? My mind was reeling, desperately searching for some explanation. But before I could speak, my grandfather’s eyes sparkled with an excitement that seemed to have been bottled up for years.He motioned for me to sit, his voice taking on a serious tone. “There’s so much you need to know, Jordan.” I hesitated, my heart pounding, but finally, I sat down. He leaned forward, hands clasped tightly, his gaze never leaving mine. “You’re not just inheriting a name. The Langston family isn’t just wealthy; we’re an empire. We are the Langston Consortium.”“Langston Consortium?” I repeated, my voice barely a whisper as the enormity of what he was saying began to sink in.“Yes,” he nodded firmly, his expression intense. “The Langston Consortium isn’t just any busin
“After your graduation, you will inherit everything—the entire Langston Consortium.”“The entire consortium? But why the rush, Grandpa?” I asked, my face betraying my shock. I was only a student and not a business mogul, the idea of managing a massive consortium was unimaginable. The discomfort of it all made me pull a funny expression.“Don’t worry, I’ll be here to guide you. I won’t throw you into the deep end without support. But my priority is to hand everything over and... focus on my health.”I swallowed hard, feeling the enormity of what he was saying.His pride was palpable, but behind it, I could sense the years of weight he had carried. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a sleek platinum card. The logo on it was familiar; I had seen it on almost everything, including Grandfather’s phone and the documents handed to me earlier. I quickly recognized it as the Langston logo, with many items, especially gadgets, being customized and carrying the logo design.He handed me
I couldn’t take it anymore. Watching them degrade the woman who had raised me—who had sacrificed everything for me—I felt my chest burn with rage.I rushed to them and stopped my grandmother from kneeling. Mikky’s eyes locked onto mine just as I approached, and that smirk of his deepened.“Well, well, look who it is—the pauper himself,” Mikky sneered. “Come to watch the show, busboy? Maybe you could serve us some wine and cheese to make it more fun and memorable”I clenched my fists, fighting to keep my cool. I wanted nothing more than to knock that smug look off his face.“Grandma,” I said, stepping in front of her protectively. “Let’s go. You don’t need to beg anyone for anything.”Mikky stepped forward, blocking my path. “Oh, leaving so soon? I thought we were just getting started,” he said.I glared at him, my voice low and uninterested in his antics. “Move.”He laughed. “Or what? You’ll hit me again, Jordan? You want to make this worse for yourself?”I glanced briefly at Diana,
I froze, my fist mid-air, my body trembling with rage. I slowly turned to see Mr. Martins, the school director, storming toward us. His expression was clearly annoyed, his gaze fixed squarely on me. Diana stood behind him, her arms crossed and a smug smile playing on her lips. Yeah, she called him. But who cares anyways.Diana stepped forward, her voice filled with false concern. "Mr. Martins, thank goodness you’re here. Jordan just attacked Mikky out of nowhere like a wild animal. He’s been holding a grudge ever since that fight in the dorms, and now he's taken it too far. Look at Mikky!” Her tone was all too sweet, her words carefully chosen to paint me as the villain.Mikky groaned dramatically from the ground, clutching his side as if I’d broken every bone in his body, well I guess I did. “He went crazy! I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. He just jumped me—he's out of control, Mr. Martins!”I clenched my fists, still fuming with rage, yet somehow, a part of me felt
The crowd fell into a stunned silence, and the director’s smirk faltered for a brief moment before returning, though now tinged with disbelief. "Ten times?" The Director echoed, laughing mockingly. “You’re joking, right?”I didn’t flinch, keeping my gaze locked on his. "On one condition," I continued. "That Mikky is expelled from this school."Mikky doubled over, clutching his sides, while the director shook his head in disbelief. I could see my grandmother looking at me from my side view with wide eyes, as if I’d lost my mind. "Ten times?" the director repeated, struggling to contain his amusement. “That’s $20 million, Jordan. Are you sure you haven’t hit your head too hard? You expect us to believe that you can just pull $20 million out of thin air?”I remained unfazed, locking eyes with him. I could see his confidence waver for a moment, as if he wanted to believe me. But after sizing me up, he clearly concluded that I was mad. “Give me the school’s official account number, and I
I stared at the screen, frozen in disbelief and shock. The words were clear, glaring at me like a cruel joke. How could this be? My grandfather wouldn’t lie to me—this card was real, wasn’t it? It has $1 Billion in it so why did my transfer fail?Before I could process what was happening, Mikky’s laughter exploded into the air, loud and obnoxious. He slapped his thigh, doubled over in amusement, while Diana clung to his arm, laughing right along with him."I knew it!" Mikky howled, pointing at me like I was the punchline to some cruel joke. "You really thought that card would work because it's flashy, didn’t you? What a loser!"Diana chimed in. "Honestly, Jordan, you shouldn’t have stoop this low. This is just embarrassing. Did you really think we’d fall for that little show?"“This is ridiculous, I thought for a second he had the $20 Million.”“Such a shameless pauper, he wasted our precious time.”“So unfortunate I staked a bet on you.”“Nothing good can come from an arrogant pauper