Chapter two

Oliver felt his legs weaken as he staggered back. The stranger was Gerald Blackburn, the acting CEO of Lionheart Group, the largest multi-faceted company in the entire country, and he was also the same man who sent Oliver to prison. 

Oliver did not recognize him back then, but he saw a newspaper about Gerald that day after he was released. Why would Elina betray him like this?

"Honey, who is this tramp? Is he bothering you?"

Gerald frowned and slowly slid his hand around Elina's tiny waist. The way she giggled to his touch made Oliver groan.

 "Get your hands off her!" the young man spat. He punched the gate with a clang, drawing Gerald’s attention. The billionaire took a closer look at him. 

"Oliver? Is that you? Man, you look terrible. Didn't they feed you in prison?" Elina laughed in response. That broke Oliver's heart to pieces."

Oliver, Gerald was the ex-boyfriend I told you about. He has his flaws but he's rich and perfect for someone like me. I didn't ask you to defend me. You acted all on your own and that was stupid of you," Elina told him.

“Why did you choose him over me?”

"Well…You were just a commoner whose life I decided to take pity on. You know who my father is, Oliver. You know I can do anything I want to do, toy with whomever I choose."

She stepped closer to the gate with the bodyguard keeping the umbrella over her head.

"You fell so deeply and I almost pitied you. You were even willing to go to prison for me. Aren't you so stupid? A little seduction was all it took, and there you were, jumping into prison like the pauper you are."

She laughed at his face and returned to Gerald's arms.

"You were fun while it lasted. Disgusting, but fun. I guess I should send you off with something. So, name your price. How much do you want? How much are you even worth? Because judging by your status, it's honestly not much."

Elina laughed again. Oliver gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He could not believe he had been the fool all this time. He had hoped for something that was not conceivable, and he had paid the price.

Oliver’s pain exploded. “I’ll expose you both! You’ll pay for this!”

"Callum, get this trash out of here. He is stinking up the place." Gerald ordered. The guard nodded and signaled to the other bodyguards.

Together, they proceeded to open the gate and quickly punched Oliver in the face afterward. Oliver staggered back. Another punch sent him to the ground. 

Elina whispered something into Callum's ears and he nodded. He approached Oliver and shoved a hundred-dollar bill into his bloody mouth. “Here, have some alms.”

The gate snapped shut afterward, and Oliver was all alone in the rain. He groaned and tried to stand up, but crashed down in weakness. He had never expected something like that would happen to him. He was a fool for believing in love. 

Oliver coughed out the one hundred dollar bill and looked at it. Was that how much he was worth to her? He sacrificed everything for her but in the end, he was just a pawn in a sick game.

Oliver managed to pull himself together and stood up. He took a final look at Elina's mansion, sighed, and slowly walked away.

The rain poured heavily on him but he was no longer concerned. It washed off the bloodstains from his face. His broken nose hurt like hell. 

The streets were empty, and the pounding rain was upsetting. Oliver looked around for shelter to contemplate on what to do next. He was jobless and penniless. Everything was left when he went to prison. Love makes you do stupid things, and Oliver was especially stupid.

The young man took another turn. He noticed an SUV had been following him for a while since he left Elina's mansion.

What was going on? Why was he being followed? He quickly dashed into an alley to hide, but when he looked around, he realized that he had made a fatal mistake.

It was a dark alley, and a severe-looking tramp stood there, smoking. On seeing a hundred-dollar bill in Oliver's hand, he pounced on the young man.

Oliver was pinned to the ground. The stranger whipped out a knife to threaten him.

"Please..." Oliver begged, dropping the hundred dollar bill. "I don't have any more money." However, the thief was manic and intent on stabbing him.

Oliver was too weak to struggle. He gave up all efforts to struggle, and let it happen. It would all be over soon. However, a bang sounded right beside the thief. Was it a gunshot? The miscreant jumped to his feet with a cry and ran away.

Oliver was equally struck with panic. He struggled to his feet to see a couple of men in suits carrying guns. What the hell was going on? On instinct, the young man raised his hands. "Please don't kill me!"

"Are you hurt, young master?" one of them asked politely.

Oliver looked closer and immediately recognized the speaker as Marv, one of the inmates from prison. He always lingered around Oliver and often protected him from harm. Why was he there and why was he calling him 'young Master?'

Fear and confusion filled Oliver's face.

"I know you have a lot of questions,” Marv said with a reassuring tone. There is someone who would like to meet you first. Let me take you to her."

Oliver followed them as they led him toward the luxurious SUV. As soon as they were close enough, the glass rolled down on the passenger's side.

A sophisticated woman was sitting in the car. She had dimples and dreadlocks. "Oliver Lionheart,” she said with grace. “True heir to the Lionheart Group. We have been waiting for you."

Oliver could not believe his ears. He scoffed when he heard the words. The true heir to the mighty Lionheart Group? Perhaps there was some misunderstanding, or maybe Callum had hit him too hard and he died!