All Chapters of When the Loser Became rich heir: Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
12 chapters
CHAPTER 1
Chapter OneLuca stared at his phone screen, his hands trembling as he read the message from Memorial Hospital for the third time. The words blurred together: critical condition... emergency surgery required... $100,000...His mother was dying.He jabbed Isabella's number with shaking fingers. The call went straight to voicemail. He tried again. And again. Each automated message felt like a punch to his gut."Come on, Isabella. Please," he whispered, pacing the sterile hallway of their penthouse. The marble floors gleamed beneath his worn sneakers—a constant reminder that nothing here belonged to him.His phone buzzed. For a split second, hope flared in his chest. Then he saw the name: Alessandro Thompson."Hello?" Luca answered immediately."What the hell do you think you're doing?" Alessandro's voice dripped with contempt. "Mrs. Benedetti is in the middle of closing a multi-million dollar deal, and you're blowing up her phone like some desperate beggar?"Luca's jaw clenched. "Alessa
CHAPTER 2
Chapter TwoLuca watched Isabella's retreating figure disappear into the elevator, her words echoing in his mind. Suspended all payments. A bitter smile twisted his lips. If his mother died today, she wouldn't need medication anymore, would she? The dark irony wasn't lost on him.Isabella didn't even glance back. Alessandro, however, turned his head just before the elevator doors closed, flashing Luca a smile so venomous it could have curdled milk. The security guards released Luca's arms, leaving him kneeling on the cold marble floor like discarded trash.He had three hours. Maybe four if his mother was lucky.Luca's fingers flew across his phone screen, scrolling through every contact he had. His college roommate, David. Call declined. His former coworker from the warehouse, Steven. Straight to voicemail. His cousin in Nevada, Robert."Hello?""Robert, it's Luca. I know we haven't talked in a while, but—""Oh, Luca. Yeah, man, I heard you married into that rich family. How's that go
CHAPTER 3
Chapter ThreeLuca shot to his feet, his legs nearly buckling beneath him. Three and a half billion dollars. He had the money. His mother would live.He sprinted down the corridor toward the intensive care unit, his worn sneakers squeaking against the linoleum. As he rounded the corner, his blood turned to ice.Three nurses were wheeling his mother's gurney out of the ward. Maria Moretti lay motionless, her face gray, oxygen tubes still connected to her frail body."Stop!" Luca's voice cracked as he ran toward them. "What are you doing? Stop!"The lead nurse, a heavy-set woman named Patricia with cold eyes and a permanent sneer, didn't even slow down. "We're moving her to the hallway. Policy, Mr. Moretti. No payment, no room.""I have the money!" Luca grabbed the edge of the gurney, his chest heaving. "I have it right now! I can pay for everything—the surgery, the room, all of it!"Patricia exchanged glances with the other two nurses, both younger women who seemed to take their cues f
CHAPTER 4
Chapter FourLuca's heart soared. "It went through! The payment was successful!"Patricia's face twisted in disgust. She glanced at her own phone, then back at Luca's cracked screen. "Who knows how much you actually paid? Your prehistoric phone was lagging so badly—for all we know, you sent ten dollars and think you're a hero.""What?" Luca looked down at his phone, his euphoria evaporating. The screen had already gone dark. "I paid a hundred thousand. I'm sure I—""Sure?" Patricia's laugh was cruel. "You didn't even see how many zeros you entered, did you? Admit it."Luca's hands trembled as he tried to unlock his phone again. "I can check the transfer record. Just give me a second—"Patricia snatched the phone from his grip before he could open the banking app. "Oh no, you don't. Who knows what fake screenshots you'll pull up? We're checking the hospital account right now. The real account."She pulled out her own phone and dialed, her eyes never leaving Luca's face. The contempt in
CHAPTER 5
Chapter FivePatricia's legs gave out. She crumpled to the floor like a marionette with severed strings, her face drained of all color. The portable card reader clattered from her hand, skittering across the linoleum."No," she whispered. "No, no, no..."Luca stood frozen for a moment, processing what had just happened. His ancient phone. The lagging screen. His desperate thumb hammering the numbers over and over. In his panic, he must have typed extra zeros. One hundred thousand had become one hundred million.He took a slow breath, then spoke clearly. "I'm Luca Romano. I'm the one who transferred the one hundred million dollars."Antonio Ricci's tablet slipped from his hands. It would have crashed to the floor if Sophie hadn't caught it reflexively, her own face pale with shock."You?" Ricci's voice was barely audible. "But you're... you're...""I know what I look like," Luca said quietly. His worn sneakers, his faded jeans, the t-shirt with a small hole near the collar. He looked l
CHAPTER 6
Chapter SixDirector Fontana stared at Luca with something approaching awe. "Mr. Romano, I've worked in medicine for four decades. I've met philanthropists, millionaires, billionaires. But never someone who..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "You have more wealth than most could dream of, yet your first thought is helping strangers. That's extraordinary."Luca felt heat creep up his neck. "It's not extraordinary. It's basic decency.""If only that were true," a feminine voice said from behind them.Luca turned to see a striking woman in her early thirties approaching. She wore a crisp blazer and carried a professional camera around her neck. Her dark eyes were sharp with intelligence."Forgive the intrusion," she said, extending her hand. "Bianca Ferraro, investigative journalist with the Metropolitan Tribune. I witnessed everything that just happened." Her expression was solemn. "That was one of the most powerful displays of compassion I've seen. Would you allow me to publish this
CHAPTER 7
Chapter SevenLuca's hands curled into fists. Salvatore's arrogance was suffocating, and the way he spoke—like Luca was less than human—made his blood boil.Before he could respond, the young sales assistant who had greeted him earlier stepped forward nervously. "Mr. Moretti, please. This gentleman is absolutely a customer of our store. I personally witnessed Ms. Russo bring him in. She's one of our most valued—""Ms. Russo?" Francesca's shrill laugh cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard. "Oh, I get it now! This pathetic loser is your broke boyfriend, isn't he? You snuck him in here thinking nobody would notice!"The sales assistant—her name tag read Giulia—went pale. "No! That's not—""Admit it!" Francesca jabbed a finger at Giulia, her fake nails glittering. "You brought your deadbeat boyfriend to this fancy store so he could steal something expensive. Maybe a wallet? A tie? Something he could pawn for drug money?""I would never—" Giulia's voice trembled."You disgust me,"
CHAPTER 8
Chapter EightThe VIP lounge remained frozen in stunned silence. Salvatore's face had gone from red to ashen gray. Francesca looked like she might faint, her heavily made-up features contorted in horror. Even Giulia stood motionless, her eyes wide with disbelief.Luca himself felt equally blindsided. He owned this store? This entire mall? The revelation was almost too much to process."Mr. Romano," Valentina's voice cracked as she dropped to her knees, her severe demeanor shattered. "Please, I beg you. I didn't know. I didn't understand. Give me another chance. I have a family—two children. I'll do anything—""No." Caterina's voice cut through the pleading like a blade. "Security, escort Ms. Conti from the premises. She has five minutes to collect her personal belongings.""Please!" Valentina sobbed as the guards approached. "Mr. Romano, have mercy!"Luca watched her being led away, his expression neutral. She'd shown him no mercy. She'd thrown his card on the ground like garbage. Act
CHAPTER 9
Chapter NineLuca raised an eyebrow, a cold smile playing at his lips. "You want to meet Lorenzo De Luca? That's interesting.""What's that supposed to mean?" Alessandro demanded."It means," Luca said quietly, "that Mr. De Luca doesn't cooperate with people who lack basic moral standards. He values integrity. Something neither of you would understand."Isabella's face flushed crimson. Her gray eyes blazed with fury as she stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the polished floor. The sound drew even more attention from nearby tables."Moral standards? You dare lecture me about morals?" Her voice rose, sharp and cutting. "Your mother is lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, and you're here—at the most expensive restaurant in the city—stealing her medical expenses to stuff your face with caviar and champagne!"Gasps rippled through the dining room. Heads turned. Silverware paused mid-air.An elderly woman at a nearby table whispered loudly to her companion, "Did you hear
CHAPTER 10
Chapter TenLuca felt laughter bubbling up in his chest—dark, bitter laughter that threatened to spill out. The absurdity of it all was almost too much. Isabella, lecturing him about morality while standing beside the man who'd bribed a nurse to kill his mother. The irony was exquisite.A cold smile curved his lips. "You want to talk about moral standards, Isabella? Let's talk about what kind of wife you've been."Isabella's eyes flashed dangerously. "Excuse me?""For three years, I've tried to explain myself to you. Three years." Luca's voice was steady, but underneath ran a current of steel. "And every single time, you dismissed me. You never listened. You never asked for my side of anything. Instead, you blindly trusted him." He jerked his chin toward Alessandro. "Your precious assistant who's always whispering in your ear."Alessandro's face darkened. "Watch your mouth—""Did you ever fulfill even one duty as a wife?" Luca continued, his gaze locked on Isabella. "Did you ever ask