Scars before his crown

Chapter Nine

Boom. The revelation hit Lewis like a tidal wave, rattling him to his core.

“Wha… what are you saying?” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah reached for his hand, but he pulled back, eyes wide with confusion.

“Lewis, I’m your mother,” she said gently. “You’re the son I lost.”

He shook his head, backing away.

“No, no—what is this? Didn’t you bring me here because Mr. Asher almost hit me? Are you just trying to make me feel better? What is this, really? Explain.”

Sarah quietly poured a glass of wine and offered it to him.

“Here. Drink this, son.”

Lewis shook his head.

“I don’t need wine. I need answers.”

She nodded.

“And you’ll get them. I’ll tell you everything that confirmed you’re my son. Just breathe. Calm down.”

He hesitated, then took the glass. One deep breath—and he downed it in a single gulp.

“Okay. I’m calm. Now talk. Please.”

Sarah nodded, her gaze steady.

“I’ve spent years searching for you,”she began. “Visiting orphanages, chasing every lead. Last night, we finally traced a contact—your number. The tech team tracked the signal... and that’s what led Asher to the spot where he nearly hit you.”

“Wow…”

“W-wait... did you bring me here already knowing I was your son?” he asked, voice shaking.

Sarah shook her head.

“No. We lost the connection while tracking you—your phone must’ve been off. It wasn’t until today that Asher and the team reestablished it.”

She took a breath.

“Those calls you kept getting? That was me, son. I was trying to reach you.”

Lewis swallowed, stunned. A faint, incredulous smile flickered across his face.

“All these years I thought I had no one—turns out my mother’s rich. Funny.”

Sarah’s nod was solemn.

“We’re far from poor. I own hotels, companies—everything now belongs to you.”

Still reeling, Lewis shook his head.

“You had all that, yet you left me in an orphanage to suffer. And now, when I’m grown, you tell me I’m heir to a fortune? I’m… disappointed.”

Sarah took his hand, and looked into his eyes.

“No, son. Do you really believe I chose to abandon you? Do you think I sent you to an orphanage while I lived in comfort?”

“Then tell me what happened,” Lewis said, his voice cracking and filled with confusion and pain. “How did I end up in an orphanage?”

Sarah let out a long, shaky breath.

“Lewis... after I gave birth to you, life became unbearably hard for your father and me. We were broke, desperate. We thought the only way to build a future for you was to leave—so we left you in the care of my best friend and used what little we had to travel to the States.”

“We worked tirelessly,”Sarah continued, her voice heavy with memory. “Every month, we sent her money to make sure you were cared for. But then... we lost contact. No calls, no letters—nothing. We searched, we asked around, but she was gone. Still, your father and I kept pushing. We told ourselves we’d come back for you, and when we did, you’d have everything.”

She paused, swallowing back the ache in her throat.

“Eventually, your dad landed a contract worth billions. Our lives changed almost overnight. The first thing we did was return to the city to find you.”

Her eyes welled with tears.

“But by the time we got back... she was gone. Dead. She’d passed away, and before she did, she placed you in an orphanage—thinking it was the safest option.”

She gripped his hand tightly now, voice trembling.

“Please, forgive me. It was never meant to be like this. We tried, Lewis. We really tried. But it wasn’t enough.”

Tears streamed down Sarah’s face, her voice laced with sorrow. Lewis, overwhelmed by his own emotions, stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek gently, holding her close.

“I didn’t know... I’m so sorry. Forgive me, Mom.”

Sarah shook her head.

“No, son. It’s me who should be asking for forgiveness. I wasn’t there. I failed you as a mother. I let the world hurt you while I wasn’t around.”

Lewis held her tighter.

“It’s okay. You didn’t abandon me—not really. None of this was your fault.”

He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes.

“What about Dad? Where is he?”

The question seemed to freeze Sarah. She went quiet, her eyes locked on Lewis, but no words came.

“Mom?” he pressed gently. “What happened? Where’s Dad?”

She let out a long breath, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Your father... died three years ago. A plane crash—on his way to a business meeting.”

“What?”

Lewis staggered back a step, stunned. He hadn’t even known the man, yet the loss hit him harder than expected. His chest tightened, but he blinked away the sting, steadying himself.

After a moment, he stepped forward again and took Sarah’s hand.

“I’m here now, Mom. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make you proud.”

Sarah gave him a tearful smile.

“Your father and I only ever wanted one thing—for you to inherit everything we built. And now, it’s time.”

“You need to understand what it means to control wealth,” Sarah said, her eyes fierce with conviction. “Money should obey you. And one day, you’ll use it to silence everyone who ever humiliated you.”

Lewis let out a surprised laugh.

“So... how much are we talking here?, how much money does Mom have? Let me guess—like a hundred million?”

Sarah chuckled.

“Sweetheart, one of my overseas companies alone is worth twenty-five billion. A hundred million is pocket change.”

“What?” Lewis blinked. “Twenty-five billion?”

His knees felt weak. If that was just one company, how much more?

“You’re not lying, right?” he asked

Sarah kissed his cheek and said, “Wait here.” She picked up the phone and dialed quickly.

“Asher, come to my room,” she said before hanging up.

Turning back to Lewis, she smiled.

“I’ve been waiting for this day, son. I’ve got a little surprise for you. Come with me.”

Lewis nodded and followed her eagerly.

When he stepped into Sarah’s room, his jaw dropped.

Wow.

The place screamed luxury — a massive bed with plush linens, a huge closet neatly packed with designer clothes and accessories.

Lewis’s eyes widened.

“This... this is incredible,” he whispered, awe flooding his voice. It was the first time he’d ever seen anything like this.

“This place is amazing,” Lewis said, eyes still wide.

Sarah smiled warmly.

“Thank you, son. And if you want, your room will be even better.”

She walked over to the large wardrobe and gently pulled open a hidden compartment. Inside, a card rested, glowing softly with a golden light. The letters “AU” were embossed in gold, elegant and mysterious.

Sarah turned to Lewis with a gentle smile.

“Hold out your hand.”

Trusting her completely, Lewis extended his palm. She carefully placed the card in his hand.

Lewis examined it, brow furrowed in curiosity.

“Mom, what is this? It doesn’t look like any bank card I’ve ever seen.”

Sarah’s smile deepened.

“For seventeen years, I’ve been searching for you. Every month, I deposited fifty-five million dollars into this account. It’s now worth eleven billion—and it’s all yours.”