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The rise of the lost heir Chapter 124: Prepare for the fight
Joe tried Jeremy’s number once again but, he got no reply. It was during that moment he got a message from Timothy. He clicked on it and realized it was a link. As Joe’s hands tapped the link. He adjusted himself on the edge of the bed, his phone clutched tightly in his hand, staring at the headlines with disbelief. His jaw tightened as he read the damning accusations over and over again. "Whitmore Empire Under Fire: Alleged Ties to Arms Trafficking Exposed." "Hannah," he muttered, his voice breaking the early morning silence. She stirred beside him, her brow furrowing as she turned to face him. "Joe? What's the problem?" Joe looked at her, with a pale expression on his face. "The company's ruined. News is out that my father was involved in illegal activities—arms trafficking. And they're linking it to the new project I'm working on." His voice sounded strained as he spoke. Hannah sat up abruptly, her concern was visible in her voice. "What? How did this get out? What
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 125: Shocking revelations
The week following the media frenzy was nothing short of catastrophic for Joe. The once-proud heir to the Whitmore Empire found himself labeled a fraud, his reputation smeared across every headline. News anchors debated his guilt, speculating about his involvement in his father’s alleged crimes. Protesters gathered outside his office and home, and his newfound fortune seemed to dissolve before his eyes. The final blow came when the police arrived at his estate one cold morning. "Joe Whitmore, you're under arrest," the officer said grimly, cuffing his hands as cameras outside flashed like lightning. Hannah was there, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "You can’t do this! He’s innocent!" Joe looked back at her as they led him to the car. "Hannah," he said, his voice calm despite the turmoil, "fight for me. Promise me you’ll fight for me." "I will," she cried. "I promise, Joe. I won’t let this break us." *** The cell was small, cold, and suffocating. Joe sat on
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 126: Austin
“Please go away.” Hannah said curtly. She flashed him a glare, but that didn’t stop Joe from taking a step forward.He shifted uncomfortably as he forced out words from his lips. “Hannah, I know you don’t want to see me right now, and you have every right to be mad. I’ve been... distant, and I’m sorry. But I need your help.” He said peering into her eyes.Hannah raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been ignoring me, Joe. Do you know how much it hurt me not to hear from you or see you?”“I’m sorry, I didn’t know the gravity of my actions and how bad it would hurt you.” Joe plead. Hannah scoffed. “I have a feeling you kind of did.”“I’m sorry.” Joe pleaded again.“Your apology mean nothing. Why should I even listen?” Hannah spat.Joe didn’t know what else to say or do, but at this point he had nobody else. Hannah was his only choice.Joe took a deep breath. “Hannah I really need you right now, and I can understand that you’re upset. You have every reason to but please don’t shut me out. Not
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 127: Lost of breathe
Joe sat in his room staring at his phone as another message from Austin buzzed in. It had become a daily routine: Austin would call or text with updates, telling him everything he had uncovered about Mr. Creed. Most of the time, it was nothing groundbreaking—just meetings with strangers, odd patterns in his schedule, and occasional notes about Creed's seemingly eccentric behavior. “So far, it doesn’t look like he’s doing anything illegal,” Austin had said that morning over the phone. His tone, sounded calm but Joe realized there was a hint of frustration in it. Joe was frustrated and he also wasn’t satisfied. He made that clear speaking up afterwards. “But what about the documents? If he has them, there’s got to be a reason. Is there any way we can break in, see what he’s hiding?” Austin paused. “That’s a dangerous route, Joe. But... I’ll see what I can figure out.” Joe sighed and hung up, feeling the weight of his growing doubts about Austin’s effectiveness. Late
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 128: The truth hurts
Joe’s heart pounded as he gripped the steering wheel, staring at the figure standing before him. It was Hannah. Joe swallowed hard leaning forward as he tried to make out the scene that was unfolding before him. As Hannah told a step forward, Mr. Creed,approached her moving closer. Joe’s mind raced with questions: ‘Why is she here? Why with Creed?’ He saw Hannah turn back a little and Joe leaned backward praying she wouldn’t notice him. When Hannah looked backward, Joe leaned forward, staring straight ahead. During that moment, his breath caught his throat as he saw Mr. Creed lean closer to Hannah. She didn’t move away. Instead, she tilted her head, and the next moment, Creed’s hands slid around her waist. “No...” Joe whispered, his chest tightening. He watched, paralyzed, as Mr. Creed kissed Hannah—a deep, passionate kiss that sent a wave of betrayal crashing through Joe. ‘This can’t be real,’ he thought. But there it was, clear as day. Creed pulled her closer, and she d
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 129: Making things right
Joe sat on the edge of his couch, his hands gripping the sides tightly as he stared at Timothy, who was seated across him. The weight of everything he’d just experienced threatened to crush him. Timothy’s casual demeanor quickly shifted to one of concern as Joe continued to speak adding more details. The minute he stopped speaking. Timothy spoke up. “You’re telling me,” Timothy said, leaning forward with wide eyes, “That Hannah—is working with Mr. Creed? And she orchestrated Mr. Adam’s arrest?” Joe nodded, his expression bleak. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Timothy shook his head in disbelief. “How is that even possible? I mean, Hannah of all people? She was the one always talking about loyalty and trust!” “I know,” Joe muttered, his voice heavy with anger and sadness. “I’m as shocked as you are. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but I saw them together. They were... laughing, celebrating, talking about how I had no idea what was going on.“ “They fooled you man.” T
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 130: stick by his side
Joe parked his car in the driveway, feeling drained from the visit with Mr. Adam and the whirlwind of emotions that followed. The betrayal by Hannah gnawed at him, but so did the plan to expose her and Mr. Creed. He had to stay sharp, stay one step ahead—but his heart wasn’t making it easy. Just as he stepped inside his house, his phone vibrated. The screen lit up with Hannah’s name. His stomach twisted in knots. The last thing he wanted was to talk to her, but ignoring her call would make her suspicious. He stared at the phone, the ringing echoing in the quiet room, before reluctantly swiping to answer. “Hello?” Joe’s voice was calm but , within his insides churned. “Hey, Joe!” Hannah’s voice was warm, cheerful even. “I was just thinking about you. How are you holding up?” Joe clenched his fist, but he forced his tone to remain calm. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired.” “That’s understandable,” she said. “I’m just glad you’re back to speaking to me.” There was a pause before she c
The rise of the lost heir Chapter 131: Drunken goodness
Joe woke up to a pounding headache, his senses dulled and his mouth dry as a desert. The memories of the previous night clung to him like a shroud, and he groaned, clutching his head as he stumbled out of bed. The faint smell of coffee wafted from downstairs, and as he descended, he saw Timothy already seated at the kitchen table, sipping from a mug. “Morning, sunshine,” Timothy said with a smirk, raising his cup in a mock toast. Joe grimaced, rubbing his temples. “Don’t start. I feel like I’ve been hit by a freight train.” Timothy leaned back in his chair. “Well, I hope you’ve got enough energy left. Get dressed. We’re heading out.” Joe frowned, still feeling his head pounding. “Heading where?” “To see Mr. Adam,” Timothy replied, finishing his coffee. “We’ve got plans to finalize.” Joe sighed, reluctant but knowing there was no use arguing. He trudged back upstairs, splashed cold water on his face, and threw on a crisp shirt and slacks. Within half an hour, they wer
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Chapter 184: Rise to the top
The dim light of the early morning filtered through the broken windows of Edgar’s mansion. Joe stood in the center of the abandoned estate, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. Joe’s heart pounded in his chest as he made his way through the mansion’s dark hallways. Edgar had told him the document was hidden in a secure room—a secret vault that only Edgar knew how to access. It was a good thing, Edgar had directed him on how to go about it. As he walked through the old mansion, his eyes landed on old portraits of Mitford family. They looked so happy, huddled together and Joe couldn’t believe that the Sanchez gang had whipped out all of them—The three brothers and their parents. Joe wondered how Edgar could have felt striving through the walls of their mansion all alone. It must have been sad moment for him. Joe snapped off out of his thoughts as he stopped in front of a wooden door at the end of a long corridor. The lock was old and rusty, but the mech
Chapter 183: The war had begun
“Speak to me!” Joe demanded as he watched Timothy crumble. Tears were still falling down his face, and Joe felt his heart ache as he started at his friend. He moved closer wrapping his hands around Timothy. Timothy’s pale face moved in Joe’s direction, and during that moment he managed to wipe off his tears. He swallowed hard before speaking, his voice was low and filled with sorrow. “Joe… you don’t know everything, do you?” Joe’s brow furrowed in confusion, his mind racing to make sense of the words, but it was hard to focus, hard to understand. “What are you talking about? What happened to them? To Mr. Adam? He was—he was looking for me, right? He was out there searching for me after I—after they said I was dead.” Timothy nodded slowly, the sadness in his eyes deepening. “Mr. Adam never stopped looking for you. He never believed that you were dead. The moment he heard about the accident, he knew something wasn’t right. He started investigating, digging into the people around hi
Chapter 182: His death
The morning sun streamed through the windows of Joe's office. Joe sat behind his desk, scanning the itinerary for an upcoming business trip. Mr. Adam stood across from him, arms crossed, with a look of concern etched across his face. “It’s just a two-day trip,” Joe said, his tone exasperated as he looked up at Mr. Adam. “I don’t need a bodyguard or a driver. I can handle this on my own.” Mr. Adam shook his head firmly. “Joe, this isn’t up for debate. After everything that’s happened, I’m not letting you go without some form of protection. This isn’t about distrust; it’s about being cautious.” Dexter, who had been leaning against the doorway listening quietly, chimed in. “Adam’s right, Joe. You’ve made a lot of enemies over the years, and you know that. It’s not about being paranoid; it’s about being prepared.” Joe sighed, leaning back in his chair. He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated. “Dexter, it’s a quick trip to a neighboring town. I’m not flying to anothe
Chapter 181: letting loose
With John behind bars and the chaos finally settling, Joe began to lean on Dexter more. The man who had once been a stranger was now an ally, and slowly, Joe found himself trusting him. One day, as they sat in Joe’s office after a meeting, Joe asked, “Dexter, have you thought about what you’d like to do.” “You know workwise, I mean?” Joe added. Dexter looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, “If I could choose, I’d want to work with Mr. Adam. He seems like someone I could learn from, and... I’d like to be part of keeping you safe.” Joe smiled. “I’ll talk to him. I think he’d be glad to have you on board.” True to his word, Joe brought it up with Mr. Adam the next day. “Mr. Adam,” Joe said, stopping him in the hallway. “Dexter wants to work with you and your security team. What do you think?” Mr. Adam considered it briefly. “I think it’s a good idea. I’ll assign him to my team and keep him close. He’s earned our trust.” As days passed, Dexter took to his new rol
Chapter 180: His return
The morning was crisp and quiet, a deceptive calm before what Joe knew would be a chaotic day. He knew what was coming next and braced himself for it. Joe went about his day acting like everything was alright. “Good morning John!” He said with a smile which John returned. “Someone looks happy today.” John said. “What’s happening?” “Victory.” Joe said with a smile. “Victory at last.” John looked at joe with a confused look on his face. “What do you mean by victory?” John asked. Joe was hesitant before he responded, he picked up his glass of champagne walking out of the kitchen with an even wider smile. “You will see.” He finally said before leaving the Kitchen. Hours later, Joe stood outside his home, watching as police cars rolled up the driveway. Chief Ken stepped out, with a stern expression on his face. “Are you ready?” Chief Ken asked, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. Joe nodded, his jaw tight. “Let’s get this over with.” Inside the house, John
Chapter 179:Saving Mr. Adam
“It’s John He’s working with Ken Sanchez.”Joe said staring straight into Lady Penelope’s eyes. Lady Penelope’s eyes narrowed. “Ken Sanchez? The gang leader?” “Yes,” Joe replied, running a hand through his hair. “I met with that guy that told me he has answers, his name is Dexter Harrison. He used to be part of the Sanchez gang. He showed me evidence—pictures, recordings—proving that John struck a deal with Ken. He’s been working to take me down.” Lady Penelope leaned back, her face darkening. “Well, that explains why he has been acting weird recently” she said quietly. Joe shook his head, the betrayal still raw. “I trusted him, lady Penelope. I treated him like family. And now... now I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know if I can trust this Dexter guy. What if he’s playing me too?” Lady Penelope reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “You’re right to be cautious. Don’t trust Dexter fully, but use him. If he’s telling the truth, he’s your best chance at getting
Chapter 178: Answers
Joe stepped into his car. He exhaled sharply as he started the engine. ‘I hope this isn’t a dead end or trap.’ He said to himself as he directed his car out of the estate. Soon, he was on the freeway heading to the narrow streets leading to Abbey Street. He glanced at the location on his phone once more, unable to shake the unease creeping through his chest. Abbey Street was a place gang activity took place—a place where people dared not tread. As he turned the corner, the narrow street came into view and before he knew it he was driving into Abbey street. His anxiety spiked. “Why here?” he muttered to himself, his knuckles whitening on the wheel. Parking his car a safe distance from the street, Joe texted Timothy about his location. “On Abbey Street. Just in case. Will update.” A moment later, a reply came through: “Be careful. Call me if anything happens.” Joe’s phone buzzed again, this time with a message from the anonymous number. “Come forward.” The message read.
Chapter 177: Need for answers
Joe sat at his desk, his eyes glued to his computer screen as he buried himself in work. Numbers, contracts, and endless reports were his refuge, keeping him from dwelling on the failed mission and the nagging fear that Mr. Adam might never be found. As Joe left his office later that afternoon, heading toward his car, something unusual caught his eye. A small parcel was perched neatly on the hood of his vehicle. His two bodyguards, who always stayed close, exchanged a glance and moved swiftly toward it. “Stay back, Mr. Whitmore,” one of them said firmly, waving him away. Joe nodded, keeping his distance as the guards carefully inspected the parcel. They dismantled the wrapping with precision, ensuring it wasn’t a threat, while Joe’s unease grew by the second. Finally, one of them called out, “It’s just pictures.” Joe stepped closer, his pulse quickening. He peered inside, and his breath hitched at the sight. Spread across the small box were a series of photographs. The first
Chapter 176: Someone closeby
Joe's hands gripped the dashboard tightly as Xavier pulled the SUV into a secluded spot near the old, crumbling church. The faint sound of the railway echoed nearby, confirming that they were in the right place. Joe glanced out the window, the eerie stillness of the surroundings unsettling him. “This is it,” Joe said, nodding toward the building. Xavier cut the engine and turned to him. “Stay in the car,” he said firmly, his voice sounding commanding. “No,” Joe replied immediately, unbuckling his seatbelt. Xavier frowned. “This isn’t up for debate. It’s dangerous. If something goes wrong, I can’t guarantee your safety.” Joe glared at him. “I’m coming. Mr. Adam is my friend, and I’m not going to sit back while you go in alone. Either we do this together, or I’m going in by myself.” Xavier sighed, his lips pressing into a thin line. He could see there was no convincing Joe otherwise. “Fine,” he muttered, grabbing his gun from the glove compartment. “But you follow my lead
