From Campus Pauper to Billionaire Campus King

Chapter 4

The hum of the air conditioning unit in the Chancellor’s office was the only sound for a long moment; it was a stark contrast to the chaotic energy that had brought Isaiah here. 

Mr. Bradley held Isaiah at arm's length, his eyes shining. "Isaiah, my son. You have come back into my life, and everything is about to change for you. I am sorry for not finding you sooner and for all the suffering you've had to endure throughout your life. But I promise you, you will never have to suffer again." 

Mr. Bradley reached into the inner pocket of his impeccably tailored suit jacket. He withdrew a sleek and obsidian-colored card that caught the light in the room with a subtle and almost unseen shimmer. It wasn't plastic, nor was it metal. It looked… different. 

He extended it towards Isaiah. "This is a premium black diamond card. It has ten billion dollars on it. Take this as a token of my apology. I don’t expect this to make the pain of the years vanish, but it is a start. A start at rebuilding our relationship and filling in the gap that has been in your life for all those years."

Isaiah’s eyes widened, fixating on the card. “Ten billion what?” The words echoed in his head. It was a nonsensical amount he just heard, so much so that he felt a strange disconnect as if the sound in the room had been muted and the world around him suddenly distanced itself from him. Isaiah’s hand moved, seemingly of its own accord, as he reached out and touched the cool and smooth surface of the card. It felt powerful and weighty, yet impossibly thin.

He held it, turning it over and examining the minimalist design. No bank logo and no name, just a tiny and almost invisible emblem in one corner of the card. It was surreal. He thought to himself, “Was this a prank? This whole story of me being his lost child might just be a ploy by Harold and Walter to further embarrass me later. But Mr. Bradley? This man owned this entire university, a man whose name is synonymous with power and wealth; he wouldn’t waste his time on such a childish stunt. His reputation alone precluded such nonsense.”

"Sit, son," Mr. Bradley said, his voice softening. "There's something very important I need to tell you."

Isaiah sank into the seat with the black diamond card still clutched in his hand, its presence a stark and unbelievable reality. The chancellor and his PA, which he now noticed, had discreetly left the room as they started talking, leaving them in complete privacy. The silence in the room stretched and was thick with anticipation.

Mr. Bradley leaned back, his gaze softening, a paternal warmth entering his eyes that Isaiah had never seen directed at him. 

"Listen up, Isaiah," Mr. Bradley began, his gaze steady. "I have three other children. Two sons, one daughter—they came after you. You... you are my firstborn. My eldest son and your mother, Mary... she was the only woman I ever truly loved." He paused, a flicker of pain in his eyes “She was… everything.”

Isaiah felt a prickle behind his eyes. His mother had told him so little about his father, only that he was absent. To hear this man, this powerful and revered man, speak of his mother with such reverence and such profound love… it was overwhelming.

“When the time comes,” Mr. Bradley’s voice brought him back, firmer now, “I want you to take over my company. The Brad Zay Group.”

Isaiah blinked. “Take over?” His mind reeled. He was a university student, struggling to make ends meet, and now he was being offered a multi-billion dollar empire. Isaiah looked at his father, a man who seemed strong and vibrant. "When the time comes? Are you... are you planning an early retirement?"

A shadow crossed Mr. Bradley’s face, and the weariness Isaiah had glimpsed earlier settled deeply in his eyes. Mr. Bradley sighed a deep, weary sound. "No, son. I've been diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. It's... eating me faster than they can contain.” 

He looked down at his hands and then back at Isaiah with a noticeable sadness etched in his eyes. All my billions, influence, and power... and yet I can't defeat this one enemy that is cancer." His voice cracked slightly. "I have less than six months to live."

Isaiah felt a cold dread creep into his chest.

“I have less than six months to live.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Isaiah felt a tear escape and trace a path down his cheek. He’d just met his father after being missing all his life, and now… now he was losing him again and this time forever. The unfairness of it all and the cruel twist of fate left a bitter taste in his mouth. Today had been such a tough day for Isaiah that he could no longer contain the tears in his eyes as a result of an overwhelming rush of emotions.

Mr. Bradley reached out, taking Isaiah's hand. "No, son, not now. You have to be strong and grow into the man you were always destined to become. The Brad Zay Group is an eight-hundred-billion-dollar empire. I need you to begin real-life training. So you can take it over after I'm gone."

"But... my other siblings?" Isaiah asked, a tremor in his voice. "Why can't they run it? I’m sure they have more experience than I do. I can always play a role in assisting them, but..."

Mr. Bradley leaned in, his voice dropping to a confidential whisper. "I don't trust their mother, my wife. I've had multiple investigations done on her and my two sons... they're not mine. And even if they were, I can’t trust them with such responsibilities; they are too reckless. Too consumed by their own desires to handle a transgenerational empire." 

He paused. "However, Ashley, my only daughter... she is confirmed to be mine. And as such, is your biological half-sister. But the boys... no." 

He looked Isaiah squarely in the eye. "They are bound to be a problem for you on your way to the top. That's why I need you to subtly take over operations of the conglomerate, one company at a time."