All Chapters of The Hidden King Of Northwood University : Chapter 91
- Chapter 100
143 chapters
91: The File Spreads
“You really think this is going to blow over?”Leo muttered the words to himself as he pushed the heavy cleaning cart down the long hallway of the Business Administration building. His left ankle burned with every step. The cut from the broken glass two nights ago had swollen badly, and the bandage he wrapped it with was already soaked through again. He kept his face straight, the same tired look he always wore during his morning shift, but inside his jaw was clenched tight.It was barely seven-thirty. A few early students hurried past with coffee in their hands. Leo stopped near the elevators and mopped up a spilled drink. The wet strings slapped against the floor in a steady rhythm that matched the pain shooting up his leg.Two girls stopped a few feet away, phones out, talking in low voices.“Did you see that file about Elena Vance?” one of them said. “Her dad was mixed up in some serious stuff with the Blackwood family before he died. Old deals, money moving around in shady ways. I
92: Lines Drawn
“You want me to come alone? Fine. I’ll be there.”Leo spoke the words quietly into his phone as he stood in the empty locker room after his last class. His voice was steady, but his injured ankle throbbed under the bandage. He changed into a plain gray hoodie and jeans, the same clothes any other 300-level student would wear for a late-night walk. No suit. No guards. Just him.He took the late bus to the edge of the city, then walked the last mile to the old warehouse. The building sat dark and silent under the security lights. Leo pushed open the rusted side door and stepped inside. Thomas waited in the center of the open space with four men around him. The kidnapped contact sat tied to a metal chair, head hanging low, face bruised and swollen.Thomas looked up and smiled, the kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You actually came. Alone. I’m almost impressed.”Leo stopped ten feet away. His face stayed hard, eyes locked on his grandfather. “Let him go. This is between us. No o
93: Shattered Trust
Leo stood in the narrow cleaning supply room behind the main lecture halls, trying to catch his breath. His ribs ached every time he moved, and his ankle felt like someone was pressing a hot knife into it. He had wrapped both injuries tighter this morning, but the pain was getting worse, not better. He leaned against the metal shelf for a second, eyes closed, jaw tight.He couldn’t stop thinking about Elena’s text from yesterday. The words kept replaying in his head.“I saw the file about my dad and the Blackwoods. Did you know? I need the truth.”He hadn’t replied. He still didn’t know what to say.Leo changed into his navy janitor shirt and pushed the cleaning cart out into the hallway. Students were everywhere now, talking in groups, phones out. The gossip had grown louder overnight. The second piece of the file had dropped, and it was worse than the first.He mopped near the big bulletin board. Two guys from his economics class stood close by, laughing as they scrolled.“Elena’s d
94: The Old Lion’s Revenge
Thomas Blackwood sat behind the heavy oak desk in his private study, the only light coming from a single brass lamp that cast long shadows across the room. The rest of the large house was silent. He held a glass of whiskey in his right hand, the ice long gone, the liquid warm now. On the large monitor in front of him, live reports from his people scrolled slowly, showing every new post, every new comment, every new whisper spreading across Northwood University.He took a slow sip. The whiskey burned pleasantly down his throat. A small, satisfied smile formed on his lips. “Finally,” he said quietly to the empty room. “The boy is starting to bleed.”One of his assistants, a thin man in a dark suit named Harlan, stood nervously near the door. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Sir, the second and third pieces of the file are trending on every campus platform. Elena Vance’s name is everywhere. Students are calling her father corrupt, saying the family took dirty money. Her
95: The Price of Protection
Leo gripped the cold metal railing and pulled himself up another flight of stairs. His ankle screamed with every step. The cut from the broken glass had opened again, and he could feel warm blood soaking into his sock. His ribs burned under the tight wrap he had put on earlier. He kept climbing anyway, teeth clenched, breath coming in short bursts.He had slipped into the service entrance of the commercial tower he now owned through a shell company. No one saw him. No one ever did. He was still just the scholarship kid in a hoodie with a backpack. The hidden king of Northwood University, moving through the city like a ghost.At the top floor he pushed open a heavy maintenance door and stepped onto the private rooftop access. The night air hit him, but he didn’t stop. He limped across the concrete to the far edge where Sebastian waited, leaning against the low parapet wall.Sebastian turned when he heard the footsteps. His face showed surprise, then concern. “Sir, you didn’t have to co
96: The Gathering Storm
Thomas Blackwood walked slowly through the long, dimly lit corridor of his private residence. His footsteps echoed on the cold marble floor. The house felt empty tonight, almost too quiet, except for the low hum of the security system that never slept. He had not closed his eyes for more than a few minutes in the last thirty-six hours. Sleep was for men who had nothing left to lose. Thomas still had everything to take.He stopped in front of a heavy door hidden behind a false panel in the wall. With a quick code entered on a small keypad, the door slid open. Inside was a secure operations room he had not used in years. Three of his most trusted men were already waiting around a large table covered with maps, printed documents, and multiple screens showing live feeds from Northwood University.The men stood up immediately when Thomas entered. Their faces showed a mix of respect and nervousness. They knew this meeting was not a request.Thomas didn’t sit. He stood at the head of the tab
97: The Breaking Line
“You came.”Elena’s voice cut through the quiet garden like a knife. She stood near the old stone fountain, arms wrapped around herself, eyes fixed on Leo as he limped through the gate. The dim path lights caught the strain on his face. His hoodie hid most of his injuries, but the way he moved told the full story.Leo stopped a few feet away. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool air. He nodded once. “You asked for the truth. I’m here to give it. All of it.”Elena studied him. Her face showed months of built-up hurt, confusion, and something that still looked like love fighting to stay alive. “Then start talking. Tell me why my dad’s name is being torn apart online. Tell me what you knew and when you knew it. Don’t leave anything out this time.”Leo took a slow, painful breath. His ribs protested, but he stayed standing. “When I first came to Northwood, I didn’t know anything about your family. My grandfather sent me here to learn how the world works without money or power. I
98: The Final Sacrifice
Leo limped down the narrow stairs into the basement of the main library, each step sending fresh fire up his leg. The cut on his ankle had opened again under the bandage, and he could feel the warm stickiness of blood inside his shoe. His ribs ached with every breath, tight under the wrap he had tightened that morning. He kept his head down, hoodie pulled low, looking like any other tired 300-level student carrying a backpack and a janitor keycard.He pushed open the heavy metal door to the old storage room at the far end of the basement. The air smelled like dust and old paper. Sebastian was already waiting in the dim light, laptop open on a metal table, face tense.“You shouldn’t be moving around like this,” Sebastian said the moment Leo stepped inside. His eyes went straight to the way Leo favored his left leg. “The warehouse fight left you in bad shape. You need rest, not this.”Leo closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall for a second. His face showed the pain he wa
99: The Last Stand
Leo stood in the middle of the penthouse, the city lights from the tall windows casting a faint glow across the floor. His ankle throbbed with every shift of his weight. The cut from the broken glass had opened again, and the bandage felt wet inside his shoe. His ribs ached under the tight wrap, making each breath a sharp reminder of the warehouse fight. He had barely slept. The sacrifice he made in the library basement still sat heavy in his chest.He moved to the long table where his laptop waited. The screen showed the damage. One of his largest offshore accounts was gone, drained to create the distraction. Millions transferred in minutes to bury the worst parts of the file. It had worked for a few hours, but the relief was already fading. Thomas was moving faster than he expected.Leo sat down slowly, wincing as his ribs protested. He opened the latest reports Sebastian had sent. The numbers looked bad. Liquidity was low. Some of his other hidden assets were now under pressure. He
100: The King’s Victory
“You actually showed up.”Thomas Blackwood’s voice cut through the dark warehouse like a blade. He stood in the center of the open space, silver hair catching the weak overhead lights, four armed men spread out behind him. The kidnapped contact sat tied to a metal chair a few feet away, head down, face swollen and bloody. Thomas smiled, but there was no warmth in it, only the cold satisfaction of a man who believed he had already won.Leo stepped fully inside, letting the rusted door clang shut behind him. He wore the same plain gray hoodie and jeans he always used when he wanted to look like any other tired student. His backpack hung on one shoulder. His ankle burned with every step, the cut from the broken glass still raw under the bandage. His ribs ached under the tight wrap, making each breath feel tight and sharp. He kept his face calm, eyes locked on his grandfather.“I’m here,” Leo said. His voice was steady, low, and cold. “Let the man go. This ends between us.”Thomas laughed