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The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 27
Liam's POVThe red wine was still dripping and making a mess on my shirt, and running sticky down my face. I stood still, frozen and feeling all the eyes in the room staring at me. I felt ashamed. Completely and deeply ashamed. But not because of Melissa. Never because of her. I got it. I really did. I had just messed everything up. Again.A waiter who looked like he didn’t want to be there walked over slowly and gave me some thin napkins. “Sir, are you okay? Here, maybe these will help.”“Thanks,” I said quietly while taking the napkins. I wiped my face, but the wine didn’t hide the sting of feeling embarrassed. I reached for my wallet and pulled out some money and left it on the table, way more than needed for the meal I hadn’t even finished.“Keep the change,” I muttered while walking to the door.I felt a little better when I stepped out. No one was staring anymore, but I still felt like I had failed. I walked slowly to my car. The Mazda which was honestly a show off to Melissa
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 28
Liam's POVI looked at my watch and my heart suddenly froze. 9:57 AM…Only three minutes left. Three minutes before the Judicial Board decided what would happen to me. Three minutes before they might kick me out of Crestwood.“Oh, this is great,” Ryan said behind me with his voice full of sarcasm. I turned and saw him leaning on the wall with arms crossed and a nasty smile on his face. A couple of his friends laughed nervously.“Running late, Carter? I thought you’d be busy preparing your… defense?” He said “defense” like it was a joke. “Looks like you finally realized how much trouble you're in. This is the end for you. Say goodbye to your dreams. Graduation, Melissa, Crestwood—gone.” He laughed. “Good luck wherever you end up.”My rage was roused, but I held it in. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. “Save your breath, Ryan. You’ll need it to explain to your dad why his plan didn’t work.”His smile disappeared. “Don’t flatter yourself. This isn’t about him. This is about you
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 29
Liam's POVThe hit knocked the air out of me. I stumbled and caught myself on the lockers.“Watch it, man!” I said while gasping as I turned to see who had hit me.It was Joel McHale, another student in our last year. His eyes were full of fear as he looked behind him. He had slowed down after hitting me and that gave Cole and Zane time to catch up. I then saw them, Ryan Blackwood’s loyal goons chasing him. They grabbed Joel and pulled him into a nearby room which looked much like a storage cupboard.Joel looked terrified. As usual everyone in the hallway kept walking and pretending not to notice. No one wanted trouble with Ryan Blackwood. I frowned. Even the hallways of Crestwood weren’t safe from his fear. It made me feel sick.I moved toward the cupboard. The door was slightly open and light was shining through the gap. I didn’t think twice. Anger pushed me forward. Whatever was happening inside I couldn’t let it go on.I stopped just outside and listened.Joel’s voice came throug
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 30
Liam's POVI could feel the students staring at me when I walked out the school building. They were like vultures looking for the next part of the drama and wondering if I would be expelled next like another victim of the Blackwood family. But no one said a word. I didn’t let them see me scared.I got to my car, got in and started it. The sound of the engine helped drown out the whispers I imagined around me. As I left the parking lot I looked in the rearview mirror. Faces stared back at me in curiosity.The drive to my apartment passed in a haze. My mind kept replaying what happened with Joel, Cole and Zane. I saw fear in Joel’s eyes. What was he hiding? And what did the Blackwoods want to keep secret so badly? I had to find out.When I got to my apartment eventually, Hans was sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette calmly. Seeing him made me feel a little better. It kind of reminded me I wasn’t alone in this fight.I parked and got out and I walked over to him trying to smile.“H
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 31
Liam's POV“911, what’s your emergency?” The dispatcher’s voice crackled from the phone speaker when Mrs McHale called.Mrs. McHale spoke with trembling hands and a shaky voice. “My son Joel McHale didn’t come home. He was supposed to be back hours ago.”I stood close listening with my stomach twisting in horror. I could feel her fear and that was reason enough to make me feel sick.“And what time was he supposed to be home, ma’am?” the dispatcher asked in a calm but serious and professional tone.“Six o’clock. He’s always home by six. He’s never, not once, been this late without calling.” Her voice shook.“Okay, and has he contacted you? Any texts, calls...?” The dispatcher asked carefully.“No, nothing. I’ve called him, but it goes straight to voicemail.”“Alright, ma’am. We’ll connect you with an officer to file a report. Please stay on the line.”There was a short wait with static and the sound of Mrs. McHale's laboured breathing. Then a new voice came on. “This is Officer Davie
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 32
Liam's POVAt last the man nodded with a sighed. “Fine. But I’m coming with you. If the other guard sees us I’ll be in trouble.”I nodded. “Thank you. I really mean it.”We walked the halls with our footsteps echoing in the dark hallways. He led me to the main building and unlocked the door.“Where first?” he asked.“His locker. And classrooms he was in.” I replied.We searched carefully but Joel wasn’t there. His locker was empty and his things gone! Classrooms were dark and still.“Maybe we should check the gym?” I asked hopefully.“The gym’s locked. No one goes in after hours.”I was starting to panic. Where could he be?“One more person might know.” the guard said. “Mr. Grimsby. The janitor. He’s always here late.”We found Mr. Grimsby in the cafeteria where he was mopping the floor. He was an older man bur kind and gentle.“Mr. Grimsby.” the guard said. “This young man’s looking for a Joel McHale. Have you seen him?”Mr. Grimsby stopped. “Joel? Joel? Little boy who bumped into
The Rightful Heir CHAPTER 33
Liam's POV“That's enough! Stop it!” the guard finally intervened. He looked at Ryan nervously then looked at me. “Carter, you're done for today. Go home. Now.”He then turned to Ryan. “Ryan, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”Ryan, always trying to act cool, smiled and brushed off his jacket. “I'm fine. Just a little mix-up. Liam was just… happy to see me.” He smirked sarcastically.I wanted to wipe that smile off his face. But I got what I wanted. The bug was hidden in his jacket ready to send out everything. I just had to leave before Ryan got suspicious.I nodded to the guard. .“Alright, I'm going.”“Make sure you do.” the guard said in relief. He was scared of Ryan Blackwood and even more scared of what William Blackwood might do if anyone hurt his son. I didn’t blame him. Everyone feared the Blackwoods.I turned and walked away without looking back. I could feel Ryan watching me. He probably thought he’d won, that he scared me. He was wrong. This was just the beginning.As I le
The Rightful Heir 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
Latest Chapter
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
CHAPTER 33
Liam's POV“That's enough! Stop it!” the guard finally intervened. He looked at Ryan nervously then looked at me. “Carter, you're done for today. Go home. Now.”He then turned to Ryan. “Ryan, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”Ryan, always trying to act cool, smiled and brushed off his jacket. “I'm fine. Just a little mix-up. Liam was just… happy to see me.” He smirked sarcastically.I wanted to wipe that smile off his face. But I got what I wanted. The bug was hidden in his jacket ready to send out everything. I just had to leave before Ryan got suspicious.I nodded to the guard. .“Alright, I'm going.”“Make sure you do.” the guard said in relief. He was scared of Ryan Blackwood and even more scared of what William Blackwood might do if anyone hurt his son. I didn’t blame him. Everyone feared the Blackwoods.I turned and walked away without looking back. I could feel Ryan watching me. He probably thought he’d won, that he scared me. He was wrong. This was just the beginning.As I le
