All Chapters of The Hidden King Of Northwood University : Chapter 131
- Chapter 140
145 chapters
131: Shadows at Northwood
“Leo, you don’t have to do this alone.”Elena’s voice came through the secure call, soft but firm. She sounded tired, the kind of tired that came from days of worry and watching someone she cared about carry too much. Leo sat on the edge of his narrow dorm bed, the small room quiet except for the distant sounds of students moving in the hallway. He stared at the plain gray hoodie folded on the chair, the same one he always wore when he needed to disappear into the crowd.“I know,” Leo said. His voice was low, rough around the edges. He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the faint stubble and the lingering ache in his shoulder. “But I need to see it through. For her. Even after everything.”He ended the call and pulled on the hoodie, zipping it up slowly. The fabric felt familiar, safe. To everyone on campus he was still just Leo, the scholarship student who worked odd jobs and kept his head down. No one knew the truth. No one could.The memorial was set up on the quiet lawn behind t
132: Fractured Legacy
“You looked like you were carrying the whole world on your shoulders today.”Elena’s voice came through the secure call, gentle but direct. She sounded like someone who had not slept much either. Leo sat on the edge of his narrow dorm bed, the small room feeling even smaller with the weight of the day pressing down on him. He still wore the plain gray hoodie from the funeral, the fabric carrying the faint smell of campus grass and flowers.“I guess I was,” Leo said. He rubbed his face with one hand, wincing a little as the movement pulled at the healing wound in his shoulder. His voice came out tired but steady. “Seeing everyone talk about her like that… it hit harder than I expected. She made her choices, but I keep thinking about the person she could have been if things went different.”Elena stayed quiet for a moment on the other end. “You did what you could. She chose her path. But I know it still hurts. I saw you at the back during the service. You didn’t have to go.”“I did,” Le
133: Midnight at the Clock Tower
Leo pushed through the side gate near the old clock tower, his steps careful on the uneven path. The night air felt cool against his skin, but every movement pulled at the healing wounds in his shoulder and side. He kept one hand tucked in his hoodie pocket, the other loose at his side. To anyone watching, he looked like just another tired 300-level student cutting across campus after a late study session. No one would guess the truth.He stopped at the base of the tower and checked his phone. The secure line showed Elena and Rosa on standby. “I’m here,” he said quietly into the comms. “Stay back unless it goes bad.”“Be careful,” Elena replied. Her voice carried that mix of worry and trust he had come to rely on. “We’re right here if you need us.”Leo slipped the phone away and waited. The tower stood silent, its old clock face dark. Footsteps approached from the shadows. A man in his forties stepped into view, wearing a plain jacket and carrying a small bag. His face looked nervous,
134: Lines Drawn on Campus
“Another early shift, huh?”The security guard nodded at Leo as he pushed the cleaning cart down the hallway. Leo gave a small tired smile and kept moving. “Yeah, someone has to keep these floors clean before the rush hits.”He started in the business admin wing, the familiar smell of lemon cleaner filling the air as he mopped in steady arcs. His shoulder still pulled tight with every push, and his side ached when he bent down to wring out the mop. The injuries from the warehouse fight had improved, but they reminded him constantly that he was not fully healed. Still, the routine felt useful. It gave him cover and access.Leo worked his way toward the east corridor, eyes scanning the usual spots. He had received the tip from Rosa late last night...one of Thomas’s scouts had been planted on campus, posing as maintenance help. The man carried hidden recording devices and asked too many questions about scholarship students. Leo needed to handle it without anyone connecting the dots back
135: The Exile's Strike
“Bring me the file on the boy’s campus connections.”Thomas Blackwood sat in the sunlit study of his guarded villa, the large windows overlooking a private garden that felt more like a cage than a retreat. He wore a simple linen shirt, sleeves rolled up, but his posture remained straight and commanding. His silver hair caught the light as he leaned forward, fingers tapping the polished wooden table. The exile had not softened him. If anything, it had sharpened the edges.The assistant, a quiet man named Reyes who had followed him from the old days, placed a thick folder in front of him. “We have fresh reports, sir. Leo is still operating under his student cover at Northwood. The funeral for Maya drew some attention, but he stayed low. Our scouts confirm he is using janitor access for movement across campus.”Thomas opened the folder slowly. His face showed no anger now, only cold calculation. Photos of Leo in his work uniform, walking the halls with a mop cart. Notes on his interactio
136: The Cost of Silence
Leo pushed the heavy cleaning cart down the long hallway of the administration building, the wheels squeaking softly against the polished floor. His shoulder burned with every push, and the wound in his side pulled tight when he bent to wring out the mop. The familiar smell of lemon cleaner filled the air, but today it did nothing to calm the storm in his head. He kept his face blank, like any other tired scholarship student doing his job.His phone vibrated in his pocket. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then pulled it out. The message was from the Dean’s private secure line — the man Leo had put in that chair after firing Dean Arthur years ago. The Dean knew exactly who Leo really was and answered only to him.“Irregularities flagged in scholarship funding tied to maintenance access logs. Marcus and Tyler are under review. External pressure is mounting fast. Need your direct instructions on how to handle. They want answers by tomorrow afternoon. — D”Leo stopped t
137: Midnight at the Annex
Leo slipped through the side gate near the old engineering annex, keeping his steps quiet on the cracked pavement. The night air felt cool against his skin, but every movement pulled at the healing wounds in his shoulder and side. He kept one hand tucked in his hoodie pocket, the other loose at his side. To anyone watching, he looked like just another tired 300-level student cutting across campus after a late study session. No one would guess the truth.He stopped at the edge of the annex building and checked his phone. The secure line showed Elena and Rosa on standby. “I’m here,” he said quietly into the comms. “Stay back unless it goes bad.”“Be careful,” Elena replied. Her voice carried that mix of worry and trust he had come to rely on. “We’re right here if you need us.”Leo slipped the phone away and waited. The annex stood silent, its old brick walls covered in ivy. Footsteps approached from the shadows. A man in his forties stepped into view, wearing a plain jacket and carrying
138: The Dean
“Morning, Leo. You look like you barely slept.”The security guard leaned against the wall near the maintenance room, coffee in hand, giving him a friendly nod. Leo pushed his cart out and returned the nod with a tired smile. “Yeah, late night studying. You know how it is.”He started his early shift in the main academic block, the wheels of the cart squeaking softly as he moved down the hallway. The familiar routine helped steady him. Mop in hand, he worked the floors with steady strokes, but his mind stayed sharp on the bigger problems. The audit was still hanging over everything, and the Dean’s last message burned in his thoughts. He needed to act without stepping too far out of his cover.Halfway through the east wing, he stopped near a quiet utility closet. He checked that no one was around, then pulled out his phone and sent a secure drop to the Dean. “Shield Elena’s file and the athletes first. Make it look like routine paperwork errors. Slow everything else down. No open moves
139: The Photo in the Locker
Leo opened his locker at the end of the east wing maintenance area and froze for a split second. A folded note sat on top of his bag. Plain paper. No name. He glanced down the empty hallway, then picked it up and opened it slowly.The message was short and cold.You handled the annex nicely. But I know more. I know who you really are. Protect what matters or I expose everything tomorrow. Photo attached.The attached picture showed the new utility building he had quietly secured, taken from a distance with clear markings of recent activity and a timestamp from the night before. Someone had been watching his moves closely.Leo slipped the note into his pocket and closed the locker with a quiet click. His face stayed calm, like any other student grabbing his things after a shift. Inside, the dilemma hit harder than ever. The insider knew too much. One wrong step and the audit would turn into something that could rip his entire cover apart.He pushed his cart toward the next section, mopp
140: The Final Choice
Leo pushed open the side door of the old engineering annex at exactly midnight. The building smelled of dust and old metal. He kept his steps careful, limping slightly from the wounds that still ached with every movement. He wore the same plain gray hoodie and jeans he always used when he needed to blend in as just another tired 300-level student. No one would look twice.He stopped in the open space near the center and waited. Rosa’s voice came through the secure comms in his ear. “I’m watching the feeds. You’re clear for now. Be careful.”Leo nodded once, even though she couldn’t see him. “I will.”Sebastian’s voice joined the line a moment later. “I’m monitoring from here too. If anything looks off, we pull you out. The Dean is standing by if you need him to move on the audit files.”Leo kept his voice low. “Good. Stay ready. This guy might have real information.”Footsteps echoed from the far end of the annex. Harlan stepped out from the shadows, the same mid-level admin from the