RISE OF THE LOST HEIR: ASHES TO EMPIRE
Levi has always fought for everything — his grandmother’s love, his survival in a harsh neighborhood, and the girl he thought he could call his own. But Clarie’s betrayal, his best friend’s lies, and the crushing weight of debt leave him homeless, heartbroken, and desperate.
Elsa has loved Levi quietly for years, watching over him while hiding her own feelings. When his grandmother falls gravely ill, she becomes the only one who can keep him grounded — and the one he might finally lean on.
From the streets of Northwood Crest to the heights of a corporate empire, Levi’s life takes an unexpected turn when he discovers a truth that changes everything: he is the heir to a powerful conglomerate. But wealth and power cannot heal the wounds of betrayal, nor erase the past he tried to forget.
Now, with enemies circling and old scars threatening to unravel everything, Levi must navigate love, loyalty, and danger — while facing the woman who has always held his heart.
Will he find a way to forgive, to protect what matters, and finally claim the life and love he’s always deserved?
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Chapter: ELEVEN: RECLAIMING A NAME The sleek Mercedes-Benz pulled up to the modest Lantern Row apartment building.The driver didn’t say much as he pulled up in front of the apartment building.He didn’t need to.Before Levi or Luke could even unbuckle their seatbelts, the driver was already out of the car, opening the trunk.“Sir—” Luke began.“I’ve got it,” the driver said calmly.He carried every single package himself. Box after box. Branded bags. Carefully wrapped parcels. He didn’t allow either of them to touch a thing.Levi watched silently.When everything was finally arranged neatly on the kitchen table, the driver straightened his suit and smiled faintly and walked away. Luke’s eyes, bright with pure, unadulterated excitement, scanned the display. "Your grandmother is already too fond of you, Levi. Look at this spread!""Yeah, she seems nice," Levi replied quietly, his hands resting on the back of the couch, watching the driver retreat.Luke finally turned, his expression serious. "Hold up. Finding out the
Last Updated: 2025-12-17
Chapter: TEN: BLOOD TIESThe wind passed quietly through the garden, brushing against stone and leaves, carrying with it a tension so thick it felt almost visible. For several seconds, no one moved.Alex’s words hung in the air like a thunderclap."Did you hear me? I said Tess had your child." he repeated steadily, his voice firm now, grounding the moment. “And I’ve seen him.”William Hale was the first to come back to himself.“And… it’s a boy?” he asked, his voice low, restrained—but his hands trembled slightly where they rested on his cane.“Yes,” Alex replied. “He works at the construction site.”“What?” William’s composure cracked. “If what you’re saying is true, then bring him home immediately. Do not let him lift another stone or touch another tool. Not one more day of manual labor.”The command echoed, sharp and absolute.Alex gave a quick nod. He glanced at Leo Hale—the father. Leo just sat, slumped back in his chair, pale and motionless. He was staring blindly at the DNA result photo, his mind wrest
Last Updated: 2025-12-16
Chapter: NINE: THE ENCOUNTER IIThis bedroom was grand enough to make any visitor pause.The bedroom was not merely a sleeping space, but a grand, beautifully appointed retreat. On stepping inside, the first encounter was a spacious, sun-drenched sitting area, framed by large windows and furnished with plush armchairs—a perfect sanctuary for quiet reflection. Beyond this cozy vestibule, an impressive stone fireplace, rising to the ceiling like a modern hearth, served as an elegant architectural divider, subtly separating the lounge from the sleeping quarters while housing built-in media cabinets.The main sleeping area, anchored by a commanding bed, offered both comfort and scale. Tucked away discreetly were the room's final luxuries: a doorway leading into a vast, boutique-style walk-in closet, and another opening into a resort-caliber ensuite bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub and a sleek, separate glass shower. This entire suite felt like an apartment unto itself, designed for maximum relaxation and priv
Last Updated: 2025-12-13
Chapter: EIGHT: THE ENCOUNTER IA year had quietly unfolded since Levi vanished into a new city—twelve long months of trying to rebuild himself piece by piece, and in the process, losing parts of who he used to be. His mind had erased almost everything about his past, not out of healing, but out of survival.Only one memory clung stubbornly to him: his grandmother.Her voice, her warmth, her warnings. She was the final thread tying him to the life he left behind. Everyone else? Gone. Faded. Buried.By early 2017, Levi and Luke had managed to scrape together enough money to move out of their run-down apartment and into something better. They found a modest but vibrant two-bedroom unit on Lantern Row, a district loved for its energy and its beauty.Lantern Row was a world of its own—walk-up apartments stacked above tiny restaurants, mismatched cafés, old bookstores, tattoo studios, and late-night eateries with neon signs that flickered like restless fireflies. The place never truly slept. Musicians played at odd hours
Last Updated: 2025-12-10
Chapter: SEVEN: CYCLES AND NOSTALGIA The year drew to a quiet close in Northwood Crest—quiet in a way that didn’t feel natural.It was the kind of quiet that settles only when something important is missing.People noticed Levi’s absence long before they admitted it.The bakery owner would glance at the door each morning.The grocery cashier would pause every time a tall silhouette passed the window.Children who used to run after him whispered questions their parents didn’t know how to answer.But the truth was sobering:No one knew where Levi went.No one even knew who to ask.His grandmother was gone.Elsa and her family had relocated—packed up their memories and moved to New York.And Tommy and Clarie? They revealed their relationship two weeks after Levi left, choosing each other without shame, though the neighborhood’s eyes burned holes into their backs.Time didn’t pause for heartbreak.It simply moved forward without asking permission._____Levi spent a week in Los Angeles, wandering streets that never slept, tr
Last Updated: 2025-12-09
Chapter: SIX: BREAKING POINT, GOODBYE NORTHWOOD CREST Elsa had been out of town for a few days preparing for school, but the moment she heard of Grandma Martha’s death, she rushed back just in time for the funeral.“Sorry, bro… we’re gonna miss her,” Tommy muttered, standing awkwardly among the small crowd. At least he had the decency to show up. Elsa stood beside Levi throughout, quiet and steady, accepting everyone’s condolences with him.Tommy never once looked her in the eye.And Clarie? She sent a text:“Sorry for your loss, can’t make it. Not in town.”Levi didn’t even have the strength to react.When the crowd thinned out, he finally broke again, shoulders trembling.Elsa rubbed his back gently, crying softly with him.______Two months after his world collapsed, Levi began receiving messages from his different workplaces, asking if he would resume.He quit them all except Arden Express. There was no point anymore. “You know you can still take time off,” Bob said in his thick accent, eyeing Levi’s sunken expression.The entire ne
Last Updated: 2025-12-08
