2025-04-11 18:13:55Jackson barely slept. His body ached from the beating, his mind from the humiliation. He had replayed last night in his head a thousand times—Emily’s cold indifference, Tyler’s taunts, the laughter, the pain. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, he wondered if it was even worth stepping out of his room today.
“Bro, you have to go to class,” Andrew said, pulling his shirt over his head.
James nodded in agreement. “Ignoring Tyler is the best thing you can do. Act like nothing happened.”
Nothing happened? Jackson scoffed. His entire world had just collapsed, and they expected him to sit in class and act normal? But staying locked up wasn’t an option either. He wasn’t about to let them think they had broken him—at least not completely.
So, he dragged himself to class.
The moment he stepped in, conversations hushed. Then, the whispers started.
“Yo, that’s the guy…”
“The one who cried over his girlfriend.”
“Haven’t you seen the video? It’s everywhere!”
Jackson felt the weight of every stare, every suppressed chuckle. His hands clenched into fists, but he kept his head down, pretending not to hear.
Then came the engine revving outside.
Heads turned towards the window. Jackson didn’t need to look. He already knew.
It was Tyler. That bastard!
Tyler’s brand-new BMW X6 gleamed under the sunlight as it came to a smooth stop in front of the class. The doors swung open, and out stepped Tyler, dressed in designer from head to toe, his signature smirk in place. Jonah and a few of his boys followed, laughing among themselves.
And then, Emily.
She stepped out of the car gracefully, her long hair flowing in the wind, her outfit screaming money. She was glowing in a way she never did with Jackson.
“Wow…just look at how beautiful she looks now…”
“Emily is glowing…of course, she’s with a real man.”
The chatters began as the crowd murmured and made jest of Jackson while praising the latest couple—or at least, Tyler and his latest partner.
Tyler opened the trunk and pulled out a bouquet of red roses, handing them to Emily with an exaggerated bow.
Then came the real show.
Another bouquet—this one made of neatly arranged cash bills, tied together with a golden ribbon. The crowd gasped.
“And because my queen deserves the best,” Tyler announced, loud enough for everyone to hear, “here’s something special for her birthday.”
He turned and pulled out a sleek black box. The moment Emily opened it, a brand-new customized iPhone—of the latest model—shone under the sunlight.
A collective “Ooooh” rippled through the students.
Jackson felt his stomach twist.
Emily barely glanced in his direction. She smiled at Tyler, kissed his cheek, and hugged him, melting into his arms like she had never belonged anywhere else.
Jonah turned to the crowd, making sure Jackson could hear. “Damn, some people thought a $1,500 gift was enough for a queen like Emily. Imagine that.”
Laughter erupted.
Jackson’s chest tightened. He could feel the walls closing in.
He couldn’t take it.
Without a word, he turned and walked out, shoving past the sea of amused faces. He didn’t stop until he was outside, beneath the large mango tree near the lecture halls.
And there, he let it out.
Silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he hugged his knees. His heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s fist.
Then he remembered.
That text.
Through blurry eyes, he pulled out his phone and opened it.
What he thought was a text from either Emily or Tyler was something different, something he never imagined in a thousand years—a bank notification.
Credit Alert: $10,000,000
Jackson’s heart skipped.
His fingers trembled as he reread it, making sure he wasn’t imagining things. He carefully counted the zeroes behind the one.
Ten million dollars?
Where had it come from? It had to be a mistake. Some rich guy had probably sent it to the wrong account. If that was the case, they’d take it back soon enough.
Before he could process it, the sound of screeching tires filled the air.
Tyler’s BMW again. They just wouldn’t let him be. Jackson sighed in frustration.
This time, he and Emily weren’t alone. They had an audience—dozens of students gathered, eager to see the next act in Tyler’s humiliation tour.
Tyler leaned against his car, sunglasses on, his smirk widening.
“Yo, Jackson,” he called out. “You coming to my party tonight?”
Jackson didn’t respond.
“Oh, you should. It’s gonna be wild. And since I’m a generous guy, I’ll make it open to everyone—on one condition.”
Silence. Everyone was waiting.
“Someone has to drag you there.”
The crowd erupted into laughter.
Emily chuckled, shaking her head. She wasn’t even pretending to care about him anymore.
Jackson exhaled sharply. He needed to leave before he lost it.
Tyler smirked. “See you tonight, bro.”
With that, he and Emily got back in the car and sped off, leaving dust and laughter behind.
Jackson was about to walk away when he felt hands grabbing him.
“Don’t be stupid, Jackson,” one guy sneered. “Just go to the party.”
“Yeah, or we’ll make your life hell,” another added.
Jackson didn’t flinch. He had nothing left to lose.
He yanked his arm free and walked away.
***
Back at the hostel, James and Andrew were buzzing with excitement.
“You decided what you’re wearing to the party?” Andrew asked, digging through his closet.
Jackson frowned. “I’m not going.”
James shrugged. “I get why you don’t want to, but come on. Free drinks, free food, and we get to see rich idiots make fools of themselves.”
They kept talking, listing outfits they might wear, while Jackson sat on his bed, still processing the credit alert.
Then—his phone rang.
An unknown number.
He hesitated, then answered.
“Jackson Hart?”
“Who’s this?”
“My name is Bret Copper. I was your father’s lawyer.”
Jackson froze. “My father never had a lawyer.”
Mr. Copper’s voice remained calm. “Your father wasn’t who you thought he was.”
Jackson’s pulse quickened.
“He was a billionaire,” Mr. Copper continued. “He lived modestly, in disguise. Before his passing, he signed a will stating that you would receive his inheritance on your twenty-first birthday.”
Jackson almost laughed. His father was a struggling businessman who couldn’t even provide him three square meals a day.
This had to be a scam.
“My father could barely afford rent. He hated me. Why would he leave me anything?”
Throughout his growing up days, it was Jackson and his father. He nevered enjoyed his father’s love as his father blamed him for the death of his mother. Jackson lost his mother at birth.
“I understand your doubts,” Mr. Copper said. “That’s why I’d like you to visit my office tomorrow. Meanwhile, the ten million dollars was just a birthday gift. Spend it however you wish.”
The call ended.
Jackson sat in stunned silence.
Could it be true?
Was he actually… rich?
His thoughts were interrupted by Andrew and James waving their wallets at him.
“We’re getting new clothes for the party. You coming?”
Jackson stared at them, still dazed.
Then, almost as if in a dream, he found himself walking with them to the shopping district.
Ten million dollars.
A hundred billion more waiting for him.
And all the while, Tyler had no idea.
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Chapter 368: Time To Come Back Home!
“Isn’t she?” Don took a slow sip of water, his eyes never leaving hers. “She took in a woman who compromised your relationship. She listened to a stranger’s story over your lived experience. She asked you to swallow your pride, your pain, for the sake of her own moral posturing. That is not solidarity, Samantha. That is patronage. She keeps you close to feel better about herself, not to protect you.”Each sentence was a brick, building a wall between her and the memory of Hailey’s laughter, her unwavering support during the darkest days after Jack. The wall obscured the truth that Don’s own manipulations had been the catalyst for Jack’s death. In her vulnerable state, the simplified, brutal logic of his words began to overwrite the messy, complicated truth.“Evans is lost in his own world,” Don continued, mercilessly. “A useful man, perhaps, but compromised. Unreliable. And this nurse… Lorraine. She is a symptom of the disease, not the cause. The cause is your continued allegiance to
Chapter 367: A Father’s Manipulation!
The amber liquid arrived, catching the low light like a captured fire. Samantha lifted the glass, the first sip a familiar, welcome burn that traced a path of heat down her throat, momentarily eclipsing the cold knot in her stomach. She took another, longer pull, willing the alcohol to do its work—to blur the lines, to soften the hard edges of Hailey’s disappointed face, of Lorraine’s frightened eyes.How could she?The question had morphed, twisting into a more painful cousin: Had she driven Hailey away? The bourbon offered no answers, only a deepening haze. She was halfway through the glass, the world beginning to lose its painful definition, when a prickling sensation crept up her spine. A shift in the air. The faint scent of expensive cigar smoke and old-money cologne cutting through the bourbon-and-perfume haze.Someone was behind her. Watching.Her body went rigid, the glass freezing halfway to her lips. Every instinct, honed by a life of navigating corporate boardrooms and pers
Chapter 366: Just A Bottle Of Alcohol!
Lorraine moved toward the door, her movements deliberate. She had no shoes, no money, no real plan. But she had her pride, and a burning need to protect Hailey’s peace. She has no idea yet that Hailey is her little sister Dorin, whom she had spent the last two decades of her life trying to find.But there was this thing about Hailey that she really couldn’t explain, and coupled with the kindness that Hailey had shown her, she knew it would be insensitive of her to be the reason for the fracture between her and Samantha, and with that, she had to leave.Samantha watched her go, her expression conflicted. The righteous anger was still there, but it was now tinged with a sliver of something else—guilt, perhaps, or the uncomfortable awareness that she was casting out a wounded person into the night.As Lorraine’s hand touched the doorknob, Hailey made a decision. “Wait.” Her voice was firm. She turned to Samantha, her own resolve hardening. “Sam, I love you. You’re already like a sister t
Chapter 365: A Difficult Choice!
Hailey shot Lorraine an apologetic, worried glance before crossing to the door. She opened it, and there was Samantha, her face tight with stress, like someone who had spent the entire day working her ass out. That had become typical of Samantha since she lost her brother Jack.."Hey, Sam, come in," Hailey said, trying to keep her voice light, stepping aside.Samantha walked in, already talking. "You won't believe the news vans still camped outside the—" Her words died in her throat. Her gaze had swept past Hailey and landed on the living room, on the figure curled on the sofa in borrowed clothes.All the color drained from Samantha's face. Her friendly, stressed expression twisted into one of pure, icy shock, then hardened into anger."What is she doing here?"The question wasn't curious. It was an accusation, a reminder that not everyone is welcomed, especially not someone like Lorraine."Sam, just try and calm down," Hailey said quickly, moving to block Samantha's line of sight, he
Chapter 364: When Sisters Meet!
"It's secure. We can take you there." She looked at Andrew for confirmation. He gave a tight, reluctant nod, his eyes still glued to the road, scanning for any sign of pursuit.They drove in tense silence to Hailey's apartment building. Andrew pulled into a guest spot near the entrance but left the engine running.Hailey got out and opened the back door for Lorraine, who emerged stiffly, the knife now tucked discreetly but awkwardly into the waistband of her jeans, hidden by her torn shirt. She looked up at the well-lit lobby, a world away from the concrete hell she'd escaped.Andrew rolled down his window. "Hailey. A word."Hailey gave Lorraine an apologetic look. "Just a second. You can wait inside the lobby, it's warm."Lorraine nodded mutely, shuffling toward the glass doors, her bare feet cold on the pavement. She stepped into the sterile, bright lobby and stood just inside, watching them through the glass.Outside, by the car, the conversation was hushed but intense."Hailey, lo
Chapter 363:Unplanned Reunion!
Lorraine then moved like a ghost in the sudden dark, her bare feet silent on the cold concrete. The enforcer was a hulking silhouette, arms outstretched, swearing as he tried to regain his bearings. She slid past him, close enough to smell his stale sweat, and slipped through the open doorway into the dimly lit hall beyond.Freedom was a narrow corridor with peeling paint and the hum of a distant generator. She didn't look back. She ran.The hallway ended in a T-junction. Left or right? She chose right, following the slight draft of cooler air. Her heart was a frantic drum against her ribs, her breath ragged in her throat. The sound of the enforcer's furious yell echoed behind her, followed by the pounding of his boots.The corridor opened into a larger storage area—a cluttered space filled with crates and old machinery. The cool air was coming from a half-open metal door ahead, beyond which she could see a sliver of night sky.She was ten feet from the door when a second man steppe
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