The Richest Heir

CHAPTER 4

Caleb, still processing her words, found himself abruptly seized by two stern-faced security officers.

"Hey..." he started, only to be cut off by her command.

"Take this disgusting man away from here. He literally molested me!" she declared, her words slicing through the air.

"Don't worry, Ma'am, we'll handle it," assured the head of security. Caleb, with pleading eyes, made no attempt to resist, opting to offer a feeble defense.

"It was an accident..." he attempted to explain, but her scornful dismissal echoed louder.

"Why is this despicable man still here? Get him out of my sight!"

As he was being dragged away, a booming voice pierced through the background, adding an unexpected layer of tension to the unfolding drama.

"What in the world is happening here, Ms. Mathews?" The CEO's voice echoed through the lobby, stunning her with the sudden arrival and firm tone.

"Sir, this guy came in without permission, and, um..." She stammered, beads of nervous sweat forming on her forehead as she faced her displeased boss.

"He, ah...." Her voice faltered, sensing her boss's strong disapproval. The once confident manager was now visibly shaken in front of the angry CEO.

The head of security, who harbored a crush on Miss Mathews, stepped forward.

"Sir, this intruder entered the building without permission, spilled coffee on Miss Mathews, and had the audacity to grope her. He managed to escape once by taking the lift. We're unsure of his motives and whether he may have stolen something. Rest assured, I'll remove this troublemaker immediately!" he declared.

Caleb was stunned. He needed to defend himself. He couldn't let anyone slander him like that, but before he could utter a word, Mr. Brown took charge of the situation.

"What's your name again?" Mr. Nat asked the chief of security.

"Samuel Jacobs, Sir," he replied, expecting praise or reward for his actions.

"Well, Samuel Jacobs, you're fired!" The CEO shouted, and a collective gasp echoed through the gathered crowd.

"What? But, Sir, I..." Samuel's words were cut off as the CEO raised his hand to silence him.

"The person you're labeling as a beggar and treating like a thief happens to be a respected guest and a dear friend of mine. Do you understand —I won't tolerate any disrespect toward him!"

Samuel stood frozen, his gaze locking with the CEO's penetrating stare.

"Sorry Sir. I didn't know....."

Mr. Brown raised his hand to silence him. "You didn't know! You're the head of security—you should've checked before jumping to conclusions. Now, why are you still here? Security, get this man out!"

The security guards, who were standing beside their chief just moments ago, swiftly seized his arms and forcefully dragged him out.

"And as for you, Miss Mathews, accidents happen, and your treatment of him was unwarranted. You treated him like dirt. And for that you will be cleaning the dirt in this office for the next one month as punishment" he said ensuring justice was served

The smile on Miss Mathews face vanished at once.

"But Sir..." she stammered, her voice barely audible, a wave of embarrassment washing over her as all eyes in the room fixed upon her.

"Now that we've got that settled, let's get back to business, shall we. If you're not back at your workstations in the next second, you might as well start polishing that résumé!" Mr Brown ordered, his firm tone prompting a rapid retreat of the scared employees.

"I apologize, Mr King. No one had the right to insult you like that."

"No Sir, it wasn't your fault. There's no need to apologize," Caleb reassured.

As the CEO was about to impart more wisdom, his secretary burst in with a palpable sense of urgency.

"Mr. Nat, your conference call with the elite group of industries is in just a few minutes," she urgently reminded him.

Mr. glanced at his watch, releasing a sigh of acknowledgment.

"Apologies, Mr. King. Business calls demand my immediate attention," Mr. Nat regretfully stated, taking a few steps toward the exit he turned back,

"I almost forgot - my driver is waiting for you outside. He'll drop you wherever you need to go," the CEO swiftly added, leaving Caleb alone.

Hearing the CEO addressing the unknown with so much respect, Miss Mathews sensed he must be a significant figure. Her attitude changed, realizing the importance of making a good impression. Quickly, she retrieved her makeup pouch, freshened up her appearance, and positioned herself by the entrance, ready to seize the right moment.

As Caleb moved toward the exit, she blocked his path with a confident yet inviting smile.

"I'm so sorry, Sir. I had no idea who you were," she purred, fluttering her eyelashes and attempting to exude sexiness.

"No harm done," Caleb replied, attempting to leave. However, she grabbed his hand, whispering seductively.

"By the way, you're more than welcome to feel me up whenever you want." With a sly smile, she delicately placed her hand on his chest.

Disgusted, Caleb tactfully removed her hand from his chest. Her behavior reminded him of Tracy, women who would go to any lengths, even use their bodies for wealth. As she attempted to clutch him again, he sidestepped her advances, firmly pushing her aside "No thank you" before exiting the building.

The scorching sun beamed down on him, forcing him to shield his eyes with a lifted hand, as he stood outside the building. In the midst of the brightness, a sleek black SUV caught his attention, poised elegantly on the curb.

"Mr. King.." a man in a suit opened the car door for him, as he approached.

Caleb nodded and got in the car.

"Where to, Sir?" the driver inquired, but before Caleb could respond, his phone buzzed.

"Hold on a sec." Caleb answered the call, "Hey, Tommy, what's up?"

"The basketball training session is about to begin. Where the hell are you?" Tommy's urgent voice came through.

"Oh Fuck! I forgot. On my way now." Caleb hung up and turned to the waiting driver.

"Castle College, please." The driver acknowledged with a nod, and began steering through the busy streets.

Caleb rolled down the window, staring at the passing scenery.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, vividly replaying the sudden transformation of his life.

He pulled out the black card, staring at it in disbelief. A smile crept across his lips, a mixture of amazement and joy playing on his face.

*********

As Caleb entered the basketball court, he saw Kenneth, the college bully and his buddies occupied the center of the court, surrounded by cheerleaders. Laughter echoed as they shared jokes.

With disbelief etched across his face, he stood there, hands buried in his pockets, watching the surreal scene unfold before his eyes.

Tracy the woman he thought he loved, now stood by Kenneth, enveloped in his embrace as he hugged her from behind.

Wasn't she ashamed after what happened the night before with the older man, and now she was cozying up to Kenneth?

A heavy sigh escaped Caleb's lips as he grappled with the realization that he had been a fool to love such a woman for years.

While Caleb's teammates warmed up on the basketball court, Tommy leaned in, asking in hushed whispers about what had transpired between Caleb and Tracy, he simply shrugged, he didn't care anymore, so he didn't bother to explain.

Kenneth, reveling in the opportunity to flaunt Tracy, flirted shamelessly, kissing and hugging her as if proving a point to Caleb.

Tracy noticed Caleb watching her, and hesitated to acknowledge Kenneth's affection, wary of Caleb potentially exposing the events from the night before and her connection with an older man.

Caleb remained indifferent; Tracy's choices were no longer his concern. As Kenneth flaunted his affection for Tracy, Caleb couldn't help but smile discreetly, knowing the school bully was oblivious to the fact that the girl he paraded was already cheating on him, with a wealthy man outside the school walls.

Kenneth, misinterpreting Caleb's smile, taunted him, thinking it was a sign of fear.

"What's the matter? Can't handle seeing your ex-girlfriend upgrading from a loser like you?" His friends laughed, thinking they were witnessing a victorious moment.

Tommy, Caleb's friend, couldn't tolerate Kenneth's behavior and shouted back, "Just leave him alone!"

Caleb restrained Tommy, silently communicating that it wasn't worth the confrontation. He knew challenging Kenneth and his friends would only lead to more trouble. Instead, Caleb endured their verbal attacks, refusing to let his friends get involved.

Caleb had always endured all the taunts, so in everyone's eyes he was a coward.

The past...

In the crowded college cafeteria, Caleb sat alone, minding his own business as he tried to enjoy his meal. However, Amanda and Jessica, two cheerleaders from his class, had other plans.

Amanda, with a mocking tone, announced, "Well, well, look who we have here. The infamous loser, Caleb."

Jessica joined in, laughing, "Tracy is way too good for you. What does she even see in a guy like you?"

Ignoring the taunts, Caleb focused on his food. But the torment continued. Suddenly, Amanda and Jessica decided to escalate the situation. They grabbed trays of uneaten food and approached Caleb's table.

"Oops, almost forgot to share our delicious dinner with Caleb," Amanda smirked as she dumped the contents of her tray onto Caleb's head. Jessica joined in, adding insult to injury.

Laughter echoed through the cafeteria as Caleb felt the cold, sticky mess dripping down his face. Determined not to give the bullies the satisfaction of seeing him upset, Caleb wiped off the food with as much dignity as he could muster.

The surrounding students watched the spectacle unfold, but Caleb remained resilient, silently vowing to rise above the cruel treatment he endured.

PRESENT

Kenneth taunted, "How did you become this loser's girlfriend, Tracy?" The other players joined in, mocking him. Suddenly, a voice interrupted from the court— a cheerleader, tall and beautiful. She addressed Kenneth directly, "Grow up, Kenny. You're so immature."

"Yeah whatever" Kenneth shot her a disdainful look but chose not to respond further. He glared at Caleb, just as the coach arrived.

The girl, having observed the entire spectacle, hesitated before approaching Caleb.

"Sorry about Kenneth. Don't mind him; he needs to realize he's not in high school anymore," she sympathetically expressed.

Caleb, grateful for her understanding, offered a casual shrug and a smile. The girl then shifted the conversation. "Anyway, it's my birthday tomorrow, and I'm throwing a party. So, I just kind of wanted to invite you. You'll come, right?"