RISE OF THE STUDENT BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Lucas was still restless after Estelle left the office. The silence around him felt louder than the arguments that had filled the room earlier. His chest rose and fell quickly, his hands clenching and unclenching on his lap.

He kept asking himself the same question over and over again.

Why me?

Why was he being targeted? Who had gone so far as to forge papers, signatures, and IDs just to drag him down? The more he thought about it, the more his head pounded.

The door opened softly. Estelle walked in again, her calmness unchanged. She looked like someone who had never been ruffled in her entire life.

Lucas stood immediately. “Estelle, I need to know. Why me? Why are they doing this?”

She smiled faintly, like his panic was something small. “Lucas, don’t worry. It’s all been handled.”

“That’s not enough,” Lucas said, his voice rising. “They almost ruined me in front of everyone. People are whispering already. I want to know who’s behind this.”

Estelle walked up to him and placed her hand gently on his cheek. “And I told you that I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to worry yourself with these things. It’s not your fight, Lucas. It’s mine.”

Lucas frowned. “Yours? What do you mean? I was the one accused. My name is on the line. My accounts were frozen. How is it not my fight?”

Her voice softened, but it carried weight. “Because whoever is doing this isn’t after you. They’re after me. You’re just… the easiest way to hurt me. Do you understand?”

Lucas blinked. That explanation only raised more questions, but Estelle wasn’t giving him the space to press further.

She gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We’ll have dinner tonight. Just you and me. I’ll pick you up. It will help you clear your head.”

Lucas hesitated. “Dinner? Estelle, I don’t need food, I need answers.”

“You’ll get them,” she said smoothly. “But in my own way, at the right time. Trust me.”

He wanted to protest again, but the way she held his gaze left him speechless.

Finally, he sighed. “Fine. Dinner tonight.”

“Good,” she said softly. “Now go home and rest. I’ll come for you in the evening.”

Lucas nodded slowly. He didn’t like being left in the dark, but Estelle had always been like this, decisive, secretive, and unshakable.

“Alright,” he murmured.

“Good boy,” she whispered with a faint smile, then turned to gather her things.

Lucas left the company building soon after. His steps were slow, his mind spinning in circles. He barely noticed the traffic sounds, the chatter of people, or the soft breeze that brushed against his face. His thoughts kept replaying the officials’ accusations, the way their eyes had looked at him, the sting of humiliation.

I didn’t do anything. Why is this happening to me?

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize someone was in his path until he bumped into them.

“Oh!” a soft voice exclaimed.

Lucas blinked and looked up. His heart skipped when he saw her.

“Charlotte?”

Charlotte gave a small, shy smile. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Lucas. Hi.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then she cleared her throat. “What are you doing here? You look… distracted.”

Lucas let out a breath. “Just walking back home.”

Charlotte nodded slowly. She shifted awkwardly, her hands fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “I… I wanted to apologize. For my birthday. That day… I didn’t mean for things to go that way. I’m sorry you were embarrassed.”

Lucas shook his head quickly. “No, Charlotte, don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s me.”

They fell into silence again, both of them staring at the ground. The air between them felt heavy, filled with things neither of them knew how to say.

Finally, Lucas looked up. “I should get going. My sister is waiting.”

Charlotte gave a small nod. “Right. Of course.” She forced a smile. “I’ll see you in school then?”

“Yeah,” Lucas said softly. “See you.”

“Bye, Lucas.”

“Bye, Charlotte.”

He walked away, his shoulders tight, his chest still heavy.

By the time he reached his house, his legs felt like they were carrying bricks. He pushed open the door, went straight to his room, and collapsed on the bed.

His mind replayed the day over and over, the frozen accounts, the suspicious papers, Estelle’s vague reassurances, Charlotte’s shy smile. It all tangled into one heavy knot in his head.

He didn’t even know when sleep took him.

When his phone rang, the sound jolted him awake. He grabbed it groggily and saw Estelle’s name flashing on the screen.

He answered. “Hello?”

Her voice was calm, steady. “Lucas. I’m on my way. Get ready.”

He rubbed his eyes. “Alright. I’ll be ready.”

“Good,” she said. “See you soon.”

The line went dead.

Lucas sat up slowly, still feeling the weight of exhaustion in his bones. He glanced at the clock. Evening had fallen. The city lights outside blinked like scattered stars.

He stood, stretched, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. As the water splashed against his face, he stared at himself in the mirror. His eyes looked tired, but beneath that, there was something else, something sharp.

Resolve.

He didn’t know who was trying to destroy him. He didn’t know why. But he knew one thing for certain.

He wouldn’t stay helpless forever.

Tonight, Estelle would smile and tell him not to worry. She would keep her secrets, hide her truths, and carry the weight of the fight.

But one day soon, Lucas would find the answers himself.

And when he did, he wouldn’t be the pawn in anyone’s game.

He would be the player.

Lucas wiped his face, took a deep breath, and began getting ready.

Lucas had just finished buttoning his shirt when he heard a knock at the door.

He frowned. Hardly anyone ever came to his dorm. He crossed the room and opened the door.

“Estelle?”

She stood there, as calm as ever, her dress elegant even in the dim hallway. She glanced past him into the tiny dorm room, her brows lifting slightly.

“This is where you live?” she asked.

Lucas stepped aside, embarrassed. “Yeah. It’s not much, but it’s fine.”

Estelle walked in slowly, her heels clicking against the worn floor. She looked around at the cramped space, the narrow bed, the desk stacked with books, the small wardrobe. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

“No,” she said simply. “This won’t do.”

Lucas blinked. “What do you mean?”

“You’re moving out,” Estelle said. “Tomorrow.”

Lucas let out a short laugh. “Moving out? Estelle, this is fine. I don’t need…”

She turned to him, cutting him off with a look. “Lucas, you’re not staying here. I’ve already arranged a penthouse suite for you. Spacious, private, secure. Exactly what you deserve.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “A penthouse? Estelle, that’s too much. I don’t need all that. This dorm is enough. Don’t bother.”

But Estelle shook her head, her expression firm. “It’s not about what you think you need. It’s about what you should have had all along. You’ve been living small because you didn’t know who you were. Because your family’s lineage was kept from you. That’s not your fault. And this”...she gestured around the dorm…“is not where you belong.”

Lucas swallowed hard. “Lineage?”

Her voice softened. “You’ll understand in time. But for now, consider it a gift. For everything you went through without knowing the truth. For everything you had to endure without our name to protect you.”

He shook his head slowly. “Estelle… you don’t have to do this for me.”

“I want to,” she said simply. “And I will.”

He sighed, his chest heavy. “You always make the decisions before I even say anything.”

“Because I know what’s best for you,” she replied gently.