RISE OF THE STUDENT BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Lucas felt the same mix of gratitude and frustration he always did around her. She gave him so much, protected him fiercely, but she also locked him out of the truth.

Finally, he gave a small nod. “Alright. If that’s what you want.”

Estelle’s expression softened into a smile. “Good. Tomorrow, Orion will handle the move. Tonight, you’ll come with me. Dinner first.”

Lucas exhaled slowly and nodded again.

As she turned to leave the dorm with him, Lucas cast one last glance around the small room. The books, the desk, the plain bed, it all felt suddenly too small for him, like he had already outgrown it.

But part of him whispered that it was still more honest than the penthouse waiting ahead.

Lucas followed Estelle out of the dorm. The driver was already waiting outside, standing beside a black car that looked far too expensive for the campus grounds.

Her driver opened the back door. Estelle slid in first. Lucas hesitated for a second before following. The leather seat felt soft under him, almost unfamiliar compared to the hard chair in his dorm.

For a while, no one spoke. The city rolled past the windows in streaks of lights and shadows. Lucas leaned his head back, trying not to think about how quickly things were changing.

Finally, he broke the silence. “Where are we going for dinner?”

Estelle’s lips curved faintly. “A restaurant owned by a business associate of mine.”

Lucas nodded, though his chest tightened. “Business associate,” he repeated under his breath.

Estelle glanced at him. “Don’t sulk. You’ll like it. The food is good.”

“I’m not sulking,” Lucas said quietly. “I just… Estelle, I don’t think I should be around your business right now. Not after everything that happened today.”

Her head turned slowly. Her eyes fixed on him, sharp in the dim car light. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…” Lucas rubbed his hands together. “People already think I’m involved in something shady. If I start showing up at places connected to you, it’ll only make things worse. I don’t want more attention. I want to stay far away from it.”

For a moment, Estelle said nothing. Then she leaned back against the seat, her expression unreadable.

“Lucas,” she said calmly, “you’re my brother. That means you don’t have the luxury of staying far away. You’re part of me, whether you want it or not.”

He blinked at her words. “But…”

“No,” she cut in firmly. “You are not allowed to show weakness. Not when you carry my name. Not when you’re tied to me. Do you understand? The image I have built, the reputation I hold, it does not allow weakness.”

Lucas swallowed, his chest aching. “So I can’t choose?”

“You can choose to stand beside me,” Estelle said, her voice softer but no less strong. “Or you can choose to fall behind and let the world crush you. But weakness? That is not an option. Not for you.”

He stared at her, his throat tight. “I’m not like you, Estelle. I don’t have your strength.”

She leaned forward slightly, her hand brushing against his. “Then borrow mine. Until you find yours.”

Lucas’s heart squeezed at her words. Part of him wanted to push back, to shout that he didn’t ask for any of this. But another part, the bigger part, knew she was right.

Finally, he gave a small nod. “Alright. I’ll try.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile. “Good.”

The car slowed. Orion pulled up in front of a tall building lined with golden lights. The restaurant’s name shone above the doors in elegant letters.

As soon as Estelle stepped out, waiters in crisp uniforms rushed forward. “Miss Estelle,” they greeted warmly, bowing slightly.

Lucas followed, feeling like a shadow in her wake. The way they treated her was nothing short of reverence.

Inside, the restaurant was quiet, filled with soft music and low conversations. Estelle walked with the kind of confidence that made heads turn. Lucas walked behind her, trying not to look out of place.

They were seated at a private table near the windows. The waiter poured wine into Estelle’s glass and water into Lucas’s.

“You don’t drink?” Lucas asked quietly.

“Not tonight,” Estelle replied. “We need clear heads.”

Lucas nodded, fiddling with the edge of his napkin.

They had barely started looking through the menus when a cheerful voice interrupted.

“Estelle? Is that really you?”

Lucas looked up. A man in his early thirties, tall with neatly styled hair and a warm smile, was walking toward their table.

Estelle’s face lit up, more genuine than Lucas had seen all day. “Marcus,” she said, standing to greet him.

They hugged briefly. Marcus chuckled. “It’s been years. I almost didn’t recognize you. You look… sharper than ever.”

“And you look the same,” Estelle teased. She turned to Lucas. “This is my brother, Lucas.”

Lucas stood awkwardly and shook Marcus’s hand.

“Brother?” Marcus raised his brows. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”

Estelle’s smile didn’t falter. “Few people did.”

Marcus laughed lightly and turned back to Lucas. “It’s good to meet you. Your sister and I went to college together. She was…” He grinned at Estelle. “Let’s just say she ran the place.”

Lucas gave a small smile. “That sounds about right.”

Marcus chuckled. “Mind if I join you two?”

Estelle gestured gracefully. “Of course. Please.”

Marcus sat down, and soon plates of food were brought to the table. The conversation flowed mostly between Estelle and Marcus. They talked about old professors, mutual friends, and business ventures. Lucas sat quietly, listening.

Every now and then, Marcus would turn to him. “So, Lucas, what are you studying?”

Lucas cleared his throat. “Economics.”

“Smart choice. With Estelle as your sister, I imagine you’ll be running numbers for her one day,” Marcus said with a grin.

Lucas forced a smile. “Maybe.”

Estelle glanced at him, her gaze unreadable.

The dinner continued, laughter and stories bouncing between Estelle and Marcus. Lucas tried to eat, but every bite felt heavy. His stomach twisted the more he sat there.

He reached for his glass of water, but his hands shook slightly. The voices around him began to blur. His head felt light, almost woozy.

“I need some air,” he muttered, pushing back his chair.

Estelle looked at him, her brows lifting slightly. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Lucas said quickly, standing. “Just… need a minute.”

Marcus gave him an encouraging smile. “Happens to me sometimes too. Go get some fresh air.”

Lucas nodded and walked away, his steps unsteady.

Outside, the night air hit him like a wave. Cool, sharp, real. He leaned against the wall near the entrance, breathing slowly.

The city lights blurred in his vision. His heart pounded in his chest.

Why do I feel like this?

It wasn’t just the food or the wine he hadn’t touched. It was the weight of it all. Estelle’s words in the car. Her insistence that he couldn’t be weak. The way people bowed to her. The way Marcus looked at her like she was untouchable.

And him? He felt small.

Lucas pressed his hands against his face, willing himself to breathe.

But even as the night air filled his lungs, the unease inside him refused to fade.