The Rightful Heir
The Rightful Heir
Author: Tam
Chapter One
Author: Tam
last update2025-03-20 21:24:39

Liam’s POV

Crestwood 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 fell on the cold floor. 

Laughter echoed behind me.

Ryan Blackwood.

I didn’t have to turn around to know it was him. His voice carried the easy arrogance of someone who had never been told ‘no’ in his life.

“Why do you even bother showing up, Carter?” Ryan’s voice said sarcastically, making me want to throw a punch at his face.  

“Crestwood isn’t for people like you. I bet the janitors earn more than whatever pocket change you scrape together.”

The crowd around us chuckled, and I swallowed hard, my hands tightening around my backpack straps. Fighting back would be useless.

Ryan wasn’t just any rich kid—he was the heir to the Blackwood Empire, one of the biggest business conglomerates in the country. His father probably had enough money to buy this entire school twice over.

And me? I was just the son of a struggling waitress who worked double shifts to make sure I had enough to eat.

Ryan leaned in, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “And just so you know, Melissa is mine. She was never interested in a broke nobody like you. Do you honestly think you can win her over with just studying? I bet she is paying you some change to have her work done." 

My heart clenched at his words, but I refused to let it show. I refused to give him the satisfaction.

Melissa.

The girl I had known since freshman year. The girl who had once smiled at me, who had laughed at my stupid jokes, who had promised we would always be friends no matter what. 

The same girl who, just last week, had been in my dorm room, asking me for help with an essay.

And now she was with Ryan.

I had seen the photos, the ones she had posted on her social media—wrapped around his arm, sitting in his sports car, dressed in designer clothes. At first, they meant nothing 

Everyone wanted to be friends with Ryan and I don't blame her. She gave me the attention I needed, that was all that matters. 

I had wanted to believe it was just a misunderstanding. That she wasn’t like the others.

But I was wrong.

“Move.”

Ryan shoved past me, his minions following, each of them flashing me smug grins. I stood frozen for a second, willing myself to stay calm. Losing my temper wouldn’t change anything.

I exhaled sharply and kept walking.

The humiliation didn’t stop there.

By lunchtime, I had already been bumped into three more times, each “accidental” shove sending my books or my tray of food tumbling to the floor. It wasn’t new. This was just another normal day at Crestwood.

I slid onto a chair at the end corner of the cafeteria, keeping my head down.

“Mind if I sit here?”

I looked up to see Noah, my only real friend at this school. He wasn’t rich either, but he was better at blending in than I was. He had a way of keeping his head low, staying out of trouble.

“Sure,” I muttered.

Noah dropped his tray down, giving me a sympathetic look. 

“Ryan again?”

I gave a small nod. There was no point in denying it.

Before Noah could say anything else, the cafeteria suddenly erupted into cheers and gasps.

I turned my head toward the commotion.

At the center of it all stood Melissa and Ryan.

Melissa had a microphone in her hand. “I just wanted to say,” her voice rang through the speakers, “that I’ve found the love of my life.”

My stomach dropped.

She turned, smiling sweetly at Ryan, before getting on her tiptoes and kissing him in front of everyone. The cafeteria exploded in cheers, laughter, and whistles.

And then, her eyes met mine.

I knew what she was doing. This wasn’t just a public confession. This was a message.

A message that I was nothing.

I felt Noah shift beside me uncomfortably. “Liam—”

But I didn’t hear the rest. I had already stood up, grabbing my tray and walking out of the cafeteria.

The laughter followed me all the way down the hall.

The day only got worse.

By evening, I was in the library, my head resting against my arm, trying to ignore the dull ache behind my eyes.

I couldn’t keep doing this.

No matter how hard I worked, or how much effort I put in, I would always be at the bottom of this social hierarchy. No amount of intelligence or book reading would ever change the fact that I wasn’t one of them.

My phone buzzed on the table.

It was my mom.

I hesitated before answering. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, sweetheart,” her voice was warm but tired. “How’s school?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It’s fine.”

A pause. “Liam…”

I could hear the concern in her voice.

I forced a smile she couldn’t see. “Really, Mom. It’s fine. How’s work?”

She sighed. “They cut my hours again. But don’t worry, I’ll figure something out. Just focus on your studies, okay?”

My grip tightened on my phone. I knew what she wasn’t saying. Money was tight. It had always been tight.

I glanced around the lavish library, at the students wearing clothes that probably cost more than our rent for a year. The bitter taste of resentment settled on my tongue.

I wasn’t just humiliated.

I was tired.

Tired of struggling. Tired of being at the bottom. Tired of being reminded every single day that I wasn’t good enough.

Something had to change.

I just didn’t know how.

Not yet.

But I would.

Next Chapter

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    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

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  • 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

  • The Rightful Heir    Chapter Five

    Liam’s POVAs the elevator went down, my heart beat fast against my ribs.This morning, I was just another scholarship student at Crestwood, surviving on part-time jobs and some minimal jobs I could find. But now?I was a billionaire. The heir to a conglomerate. A man with power that I barely understood.And, according to Charles Davenport, a target. I wonder why he said that to me when I was just a kid, a teenager. The elevator doors slid open to the underground parking lot, where the same black luxury car was waiting. The driver from earlier stood beside it, his face devoid of any emotions.I guess he was a chauffeur meant to drive me up and down. “Where to, Mr. Carter?” he asked.I hesitated for a moment before answering.“Crestwood.”The ride back was quiet, but my mind was anything but.How much had my life changed in just a few hours?It felt strange and I still didn't understand what was going on. It felt like a dream. The money, the power, the weight of an entire empire no

  • The Rightful Heir    Chapter Six

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  • The Rightful Heir    Chapter Seven 

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  • The Rightful Heir    Chapter Eight

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  • CHAPTER 16

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  • CHAPTER 15

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  • Chapter 14

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  • Chapter 13

    Liam's POVI suddenly wheeled around.“What do you mean?” I asked. “What do you mean by that?”“There's a lot you are yet to know.” Hans replied calmly. “You might think you've known so much, but believe me my dear boy, there's much more that's hidden from you.”His words had struck a nerve in me and even though half of my mind wanted to call BS on this and storm out, a tiny voice within me kept asking but what if?What if?“Why should I even trust you or believe a single word you say?” I asked with folded arms.“Then I suggest….” Hans reached into his jacket and brought out a rectangular card which he placed on the table and slowly pushed toward me. “I suggest you hear it all from someone you'll trust, your mother and then you'll give me a call.”Hans stood up with a sigh and straightened his jacket.“I'd advise you to be careful but you know how it is, already. You're in the game now.” He patted me on the shoulder before heading out of the restaurant.I watched him leave without a s

  • Chapter Twieve

    Liam's POV“Who.. is.. this?” I repeated, stressing out every word. “I'm a lawyer.” Came the short reply. “I suggest you meet me in an hour at the location I'll text you shortly. Please be there. You'll want to hear what I have to say.”I wanted to talk again but the line immediately went dead. Not long after that, I found myself staring at a text message that had come in with the address he said he'd text.I sat there for a while in silence wondering if it was a good idea to show up. My phone vibrated again and I realized it was another text still from the same anonymous person.“Tell no one about this call.” I was getting more and more suspicious of the whole thing. Whoever it was, they knew my name. They knew about me and the only information they were willing to give out about themselves was that they were a lawyer. What kind of lawyer?I soon hit the road and drove in silence while my thoughts raced with question after question. The questions just kept coming but the answers, e

  • Chapter Eleven

    Liam's POV“How did you know I would be here?” I asked again, taking a couple more steps away from him. “It's no big deal actually..” Charles scratched his head a little awkwardly. “Not the right answer.” I frowned. “Were you following me?” I asked.I didn't tell him I would be coming over here and having him just show up suddenly was little more than just coincidence!“Okay fine.” He snapped. “I actually tracked your phone.”My brows furrowed immediately in a frown.“You tracked my phone?!” I almost screamed the words out with frustration building immediately.“Yeah.” He replied calmly as if this was something perfectly okay to do. “You remember what I told you the first day we met?” He asked quickly.“What's that?” I asked.He had said a lot of things that day and at this point, I wasn't even trying to think about that day. I was more concerned with knowing the type of person he was.“I told you, you've placed a mark on your forehead for stepping into Carter Enterprises.” He repli

  • Chapter Ten

    Liam’s POVThe message on my screen stared back at me. For a moment, I thought it was Charlse. "Do we have a deal?"I smirked, rolling my shoulders as I picked up my phone. There was no name attached to the message, just a number I didn’t recognize. But I had my suspicions.I typed back."Depends. What do you have for me?"Three dots appeared on the screen and then a message "Meet me at Ridgeway Park. Midnight. Come alone."Of course. Because nothing good ever happened in Ridgeway Park at midnight. I have heard of a series of crimes done at that part of the street. I exhaled sharply, my mind beating fast. There were only two kinds of people who would contact me like this—someone who wanted to help or someone setting me up. Either way, I can't ignore it. If it was a lead then I have to follow it. I grabbed my jacket and slipped the printed photo of Mason Wells into my pocket. My gut told me Mason’s disappearance was connected to Ryan. And if I was right, this could be the missing pi

  • Chapter Nine

    Liam’s POVI turned slowly, my pulse rising as I came face to face with Ryan Blackwood himself. He stood there, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. Behind him were two of his lackeys—Zane and Cole, Ethan looked like he was about to pass out. His hands trembled as he shut his book and scooted back in his chair, his gaze darting toward the exit like a trapped animal.Ryan tilted his head, his smirk sickening. "Liam Carter," he drawled. "Didn’t expect to see you here. And with Ethan, of all people. What’s the occasion?"I forced my expression into something neutral, though my mind raced. This wasn’t good. Not here. Not now.My eyes darted around trying to find a possible escape route. “Just catching up on some reading,” I said evenly, tilting my head toward the books.Ryan let out a short, amused chuckle. "Oh? And here I thought you were digging where you shouldn’t."Zane and Cole stepped closer. Ethan’s breath was caught in his throat, gripping the table so tightly his knuckles

  • Chapter Eight

    Liam’s POVMy fingers tightened around my phone, my heart pounding fast against my ribs. The words on the screen sent shock waves down my spine. [ UNKNOWN NUMBER: Next time, we won’t just be watching ] I lifted my head and scanned the dark parking lot.Who the hell sent this? Charles lit another cigarette, watching me with a smirk. “Something wrong, Liam?” he asked mischievouslyI clenched my jaw, debating whether to show him the text. But no—Charles wanted my shares. He wasn’t my friend. If anything, he was just another vulture circling, waiting for me to be desperate enough to give him what he wanted.“I’m fine,” I muttered, slipping my phone into my pocket. “I need time to think.”Charles exhaled a puff of smoke. “Time is the one thing you don’t have,” he said before walking into his car. He wasn’t wrong.I watched as he drove off into darkness.Ryan wasn’t just a school bully. He was a kingpin, a murderer, and now—someone had broken through to threaten me. If I wanted to survi

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