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The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 39
Liam's POVThe room was the definition of technology. Computer screens flashed with strange codes I had never seen with circuit boards were spread all over a table. It didn’t feel like a bedroom. It felt more like a control room or a tech fortress of some kind.“Wow.” I said as I looked around. “So this is your hideout.”Sarah smiled proudly. “I call it my command center. But ‘lair’ sounds kind of cool too.”“Cool is an understatement.” I said while still looking. “Are you like… a secret agent? Do you have hidden gadgets like a rope gun or a quiet pistol?” I joked.She laughed loudly in a weird manner. “If I were a secret agent Liam you wouldn’t even know. That’s the whole point.”“Good point.” I was impressed. “Still, this is… a lot. Where did you get all this stuff?”She shrugged and stepped deeper into the room like she wanted me to look more. “Most of it is old stuff from others or things I fixed. My dad was a computer guy. He really knew his stuff.” Her voice broke a little i
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 40
Liam's POV I sat leaned forward staring at the screen while Sarah typed with insane speed. She typed like crazy with codes flashing by that I didn’t really understand but I couldn’t stop watching.“So Crestwood’s security system… it’s as old as the teachers.” she said mostly to herself. “You’d think they’d fix it since students keep disappearing.”“Any luck?” I asked hopefully.Sarah sighed and moved some hair from her face. “I’ve checked every camera in the school. Classrooms hallways cafeteria gym… nothing. Nothing weird. No Joel, no strange stuff, nothing.”My shoulders dropped. I felt cold and hopeless. Another dead end. “Damn it.” I said quietly. “I thought we had a lead.”“Wait.” Sarah said, suddenly stopping her typing. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Hold on.”I looked up quickly. A bit of hope came back. “What? What is it?”“Okay so all the cameras show when they were last cleaned or fixed. Most haven’t been touched in months or even years. Normal school stuff right?”“Y
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 41
Liam's POV The photo on the front page seemed to blur in front of my eyes. It showed a screenshot of a chat. My name was big and bold on one side. On the other side, it said “Alice Hawthorne.” I suddenly felt nauseous.“No…” I said quietly gripping holding the paper tighter. It was real. The date and time were from the day I had agreed to meet Ms. Hawthorne. It was just a simple chat message to confirm the place we'd hangout. But the way the newspaper showed it… made it look wrong.The headline read,“TEACHER-STUDENT SCANDAL AT CRESTWOOD HIGH! ARE LIAM CARTER AND ALICE HAWTHORNE HIDING A SECRET RELATIONSHIP?”Below the picture they showed parts of our chat taken out of context. Like, “Looking forward to spending the night at your place.” next to, “Excited to meet you there.”Then came the worst part. A fake interview with quotes they claimed were from me printed at the bottom.“Anonymous Source Claims 'Liam Admits Standing Up Teacher, Says It Was a Mistake...or a Cover-Up?'“I r
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 42
Liam's POVI clenched my fists. Part of me wanted to walk away, just leave school and never come back. Let the gossip die on its own. But another small part of me knew that running wouldn’t help.It would only make people believe the rumors were true. I’d get kicked out right before graduation. I couldn’t face the school board again.I changed direction and I slowly walked toward Anderson’s office. My thoughts raced trying to get ready for whatever trouble he had planned.Of course my bad luck didn’t end there. As I turned the corner I bumped right into Ryan and his usual group of followers. They looked way too excited to see me.“Well well.” Ryan stood in my way. “If it isn’t Romeo. Heard you’re quite the poet,l Carter.” He winked. “I’m sure Alice Hawthorne loved you…” he paused thinking of a rude word, “…flowery writing.”His friends laughed, all agreeing with him.“Yeah Carter.” one of them said, “did you use a thesaurus to write those sweet messages? They sounded kind of…pro.”Ano
The Rightful Heir Chapter One
Liam’s POVCrestwood University wasn’t just a school—it was an empire built for the rich, by the rich. A place where last names mattered more than merit, and money was the key to everything. If you weren’t born with a silver spoon, you were just another background character, an extra in the story of the elite. That was me. I had learned that the hard way.As I walked through the grand marble halls, my shoulders throbbing with pain from the excessive book I had stashed into my bag.I could feel the sneers, the sideways glances. My faded shoes, the second-hand clothes I had carefully ironed this morning, and the cheap wristwatch my mom had given me on my last birthday—all of it shouting I don't belong in here. I don't fit in. I was the charity case, the scholarship student. The poor kid surrounded by royalty.“Hey, loser.” I heard a voice behind me. I barely had time to react before a hand slammed into my back, shoving me forward. I stumbled, barely catching myself before my books
The Rightful Heir Chapter Two
Liam’s POVThe next morning, I walked into Crestwood with my head down, hoping to get through the day unnoticed. I had worn my faded hoodie, trying to shy away from anyone noticing me. In a nutshell, I was not trying to draw any attention to myself. But that was a foolish thought.The moment I stepped into the hallway, the whispers started. It was as if they had waited for me. “Did you see the video?”“Damn, that was brutal.”“I almost feel bad for him. Almost.”"Liam was never in their league. I would go and hang if I were him." The word stung me more than I cared to admit.Confused, I pulled out my phone. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened the school’s social media forum. The top post had already racked up thousands of views."Melissa and Ryan's Grand Confession—And The Loser Who Never Stood A Chance!"I clicked on the video.The screen was filled with last night’s cafeteria scene. The moment Melissa kissed Ryan. The laughter, the cheers. But then the camera zoomed in—on m
The Rightful Heir Chapter Three
Liam’s POVThe moment I clicked the link, my phone screen went black.I frowned, tapping the power button repeatedly, but nothing happened.Then, suddenly, a loading bar appeared. “Initializing… Verifying Identity…”A chill ran down my spine.What the hell was this?My heart pounded as the screen flashed the dim light against my face, displaying a single message in bold letters:“Welcome, Liam Carter. You are the rightful heir to the Carter Conglomerate.”I froze.The Carter Conglomerate?Was this some kind of joke?I had no father. My mother worked herself to the bone to keep us afloat. There was no way I was connected to something so powerful.I should have closed the app. Should have ignored the ridiculous claim.But I couldn’t.I needed to know more.A new message appeared.“Access your inheritance now?”Two options flashed below it:[YES] – [NO]My fingers hovered over the screen.This was insane. This had to be a scam, right?But… what if it wasn’t?I hesitated for a long moment
The Rightful Heir Chapter Four
Liam’s POVThe sleek, black car that pulled up outside my apartment was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was a luxury vehicle, the kind only billionaires rode in, with tinted windows and an engine that barely made a sound.I stood frozen at the doorway, my pulse racing. This was really becoming real.The message. The money. The inheritance.It wasn’t a joke.The driver, a man in a black suit, stepped out and gave me a polite nod. “Mr. Carter?”I hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding.He opened the back door. “Please, step inside.”I swallowed my nerves and slid into the car. The interior smelled of expensive leather, and soft jazz played in the background. The door shut behind me with a gentle thud. “Where are we going?” I asked.The driver didn’t turn his head. “To your future.”The drive was silent, smooth, and fast.Through the tinted windows, I watched the city blur past, the neon lights of downtown giving way to towering skyscrapers and exclusive high-rise buildin
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 42
Liam's POVI clenched my fists. Part of me wanted to walk away, just leave school and never come back. Let the gossip die on its own. But another small part of me knew that running wouldn’t help.It would only make people believe the rumors were true. I’d get kicked out right before graduation. I couldn’t face the school board again.I changed direction and I slowly walked toward Anderson’s office. My thoughts raced trying to get ready for whatever trouble he had planned.Of course my bad luck didn’t end there. As I turned the corner I bumped right into Ryan and his usual group of followers. They looked way too excited to see me.“Well well.” Ryan stood in my way. “If it isn’t Romeo. Heard you’re quite the poet,l Carter.” He winked. “I’m sure Alice Hawthorne loved you…” he paused thinking of a rude word, “…flowery writing.”His friends laughed, all agreeing with him.“Yeah Carter.” one of them said, “did you use a thesaurus to write those sweet messages? They sounded kind of…pro.”Ano
CHAPTER 41
Liam's POV The photo on the front page seemed to blur in front of my eyes. It showed a screenshot of a chat. My name was big and bold on one side. On the other side, it said “Alice Hawthorne.” I suddenly felt nauseous.“No…” I said quietly gripping holding the paper tighter. It was real. The date and time were from the day I had agreed to meet Ms. Hawthorne. It was just a simple chat message to confirm the place we'd hangout. But the way the newspaper showed it… made it look wrong.The headline read,“TEACHER-STUDENT SCANDAL AT CRESTWOOD HIGH! ARE LIAM CARTER AND ALICE HAWTHORNE HIDING A SECRET RELATIONSHIP?”Below the picture they showed parts of our chat taken out of context. Like, “Looking forward to spending the night at your place.” next to, “Excited to meet you there.”Then came the worst part. A fake interview with quotes they claimed were from me printed at the bottom.“Anonymous Source Claims 'Liam Admits Standing Up Teacher, Says It Was a Mistake...or a Cover-Up?'“I r
CHAPTER 40
Liam's POV I sat leaned forward staring at the screen while Sarah typed with insane speed. She typed like crazy with codes flashing by that I didn’t really understand but I couldn’t stop watching.“So Crestwood’s security system… it’s as old as the teachers.” she said mostly to herself. “You’d think they’d fix it since students keep disappearing.”“Any luck?” I asked hopefully.Sarah sighed and moved some hair from her face. “I’ve checked every camera in the school. Classrooms hallways cafeteria gym… nothing. Nothing weird. No Joel, no strange stuff, nothing.”My shoulders dropped. I felt cold and hopeless. Another dead end. “Damn it.” I said quietly. “I thought we had a lead.”“Wait.” Sarah said, suddenly stopping her typing. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Hold on.”I looked up quickly. A bit of hope came back. “What? What is it?”“Okay so all the cameras show when they were last cleaned or fixed. Most haven’t been touched in months or even years. Normal school stuff right?”“Y
CHAPTER 39
Liam's POVThe room was the definition of technology. Computer screens flashed with strange codes I had never seen with circuit boards were spread all over a table. It didn’t feel like a bedroom. It felt more like a control room or a tech fortress of some kind.“Wow.” I said as I looked around. “So this is your hideout.”Sarah smiled proudly. “I call it my command center. But ‘lair’ sounds kind of cool too.”“Cool is an understatement.” I said while still looking. “Are you like… a secret agent? Do you have hidden gadgets like a rope gun or a quiet pistol?” I joked.She laughed loudly in a weird manner. “If I were a secret agent Liam you wouldn’t even know. That’s the whole point.”“Good point.” I was impressed. “Still, this is… a lot. Where did you get all this stuff?”She shrugged and stepped deeper into the room like she wanted me to look more. “Most of it is old stuff from others or things I fixed. My dad was a computer guy. He really knew his stuff.” Her voice broke a little i
CHAPTER 38
Liam's POV The doors of Carter Enterprises opened as I pushed myself out onto the sidewalk. Another day and another few hours spent trying to figure out the Blackwood mystery. I fished for my car keys from my pocket as I walked toward my Mazda 6.“Liam,m wait up!”I turned and saw Charles coming toward me. His tie was askew loose and he looked worried.“Going home Charles.” I said while trying not to show much emotion. God I was too tired for a long talk.He soon caught up to me. “How’s the Blackwood case going? Found anything important?” He asked.I shrugged and unlocked my car. “Not really. Just a few wrong turns and guesses.” The less he knew the better. I couldn’t trust anyone, not even him.Charles narrowed his eyes a little. “You’re not telling me everything. I can tell.” He said.I leaned against my car pretending to be relaxed. “Maybe. Why do you care so much?”“Care? I’m involved Liam. I care about you and.. finding the truth.” He paused and looked at me closely. “So w
CHAPTER 37
Liam's POVThe group of students moved aside as I walked through with my curiosity mounting higher and huge with each passing minute. What I saw didn’t surprise me. Cole was holding a pair of glasses high up. A small girl with her hair in a tight bun was jumping and trying to grab them. The other students as usual were laughing.This was like everyone's favourite game at Crestwood, to watch Ryan or his goons bully the lesser students.“Come on four-eyes get them if you can!” Cole teased while throwing the glasses to another smiling kid. The girl reached for them with her fingers touching the frame but they were taken away again before she could take proper hold of her glasses.My stomach felt sick. It was always the same. Ryan’s sidekicks picking on someone weaker, someone who wouldn’t fight back and making their life horrible.“Hey!” I shouted with my voice loud over the laughter. “Give her glasses back to Cole.”The laughing stopped and was quickly replaced by quiet whispers. Eve
CHAPTER 36
Liam's POV I turned away from Ryan pretending to be a sad classmate. Every word he said and every fake look of care felt like an insult. He was making fun of Joel and of me who knew what really happened. I clenched my fists trying not to punch the proud look off his face. “Excuse me?”I turned quickly. A young police officer with a notepad was walking toward me. “Liam Carter right? One of your mates pointed you out. We need to ask you some questions about Joel McHale.”I made my voice calm not to show what I felt inside. “Sure Officer. What do you want to know?” I said.He opened his notepad. “You are in Joel’s class right? How well did you know him?”“We had some lessons together. But we weren’t close. More like classmates who spoke sometimes.” I had to be careful. I couldn’t let them know I was looking into things myself.“When did you last see him?” the officer asked.“I… I don’t really remember. Maybe a few days ago in the hall or cafeteria. I honestly don’t know the exact t
CHAPTER 35
LIAM'S POVHans and I looked at each other. I suddenly felt sick with the urge to throw up. What had she done?“She… she turned on us.” Hans whispered in disbelief.I shook my head slowly. “I didn’t think… I didn’t believe she would.” I stuttered.I thought back to all my talks with Melissa trying to remember if she ever gave me a sign. But I had been blind. By what? Hope? Maybe the feelings I still had for her?Hans snapped. He kicked over a pile of magazines sending them flying in his rage. “Damn it! You said she was on our side! You said she wouldn’t do this! Now Ryan knows everything! All our plans!”He walked back and forth with his fists tight. “We’re done Liam! Really done! How are we supposed to know what happened at that meeting now? We had one shot and she ruined it for Blackwood!”He kicked a small table, sending it across the room. I didn’t say anything. I was too lost in my own thoughts. Melissa had chosen Ryan. She had chosen the Blackwoods, the money, and the fame in
CHAPTER 34
Ryan's POV“Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe what I just heard.Melissa moved uncomfortably in the car seat while looking away from me. “Liam talked to me a few days ago, Ryan. He asked me to... to put a bug on you.”I suddenly held the steering wheel tighter. I forgot the meeting I was driving to. I forgot everything. This was more important. I turned the wheel sharply and the tires squealed as I pulled the car to the side of the road. I hit the brake hard and Melissa jerked forward a little.“What are you doing Ryan?” she asked in surprise and a little fear.I didn’t answer. I was only thinking about Liam’s proposal. “Tell me everything Melissa. Every word. What did Liam Carter say to you?” My voice was low but the anger it conveyed wasn't unnoticed.She waited while biting her lip. “He... he said you were involved in illegal activities Ryan. He said you were breaking the law. He told me that if I cared I should help him... stop you.”My mouth twitched. I let out a short and bitte
