2025-10-27 12:43:59Ethan POV
The next morning, I woke up to my phone buzzing with notifications. Someone had posted videos of last night's incident at Hayes Bistro. The Pierce family being thrown out. The manager being fired. Me, sitting calmly while it all happened. "Young Master Blackwell ends Pierce family's dining privileges" read one headline. "Mystery heir humiliates former family" read another. My phone rang. Henry. "Good morning, young master," he said. "I hope you're prepared for some attention today. The videos from last night have gone quite viral." I groaned. "How bad?" "Three million views and counting. The media is very interested in the mysterious Blackwell heir who's been hidden from the public." Great. So much for keeping a low profile. "Should I not go to class today?" I asked. "That's up to you, young master. But hiding won't make the attention go away. You might as well face it head-on." He was right. I couldn't hide forever. I got dressed, said goodbye to Lily, and headed to campus. This time, I let the driver take me all the way to the main entrance. No point in hiding anymore. The moment I stepped out of the luxury car, every head turned. Whispers erupted immediately. "That's him." "The Blackwell heir." "I can't believe he's been going to school here this whole time." I walked through the main building with my head high. People stared, but I kept moving. When I entered my classroom, the whispers got louder. My usual seat in the back was empty, as always. But now, several people tried to sit near me. "Is anyone sitting here?" a girl asked, gesturing to the seat next to mine. "No, but I'd prefer to sit alone," I said politely. She nodded and backed away quickly. Throughout the class, I could feel eyes on me. Some curious. Some envious. Some calculating. This was going to take some getting used to. At lunch, I headed to the cafeteria. My four friends waved me over to their usual table. "The man of the hour!" David said with a grin. "How does it feel to be famous?" "Annoying," I admitted, sitting down. "You'll get used to it," Alex said. "Or not. Either way, we've got your back." "Thanks," I said, meaning it. As we ate, I noticed Emma watching me from across the cafeteria. She looked like she wanted to approach but didn't dare. Good. She'd made her choice. After lunch, I was walking to my next class when someone called my name. "Ethan! Wait!" I turned to see Sophia running toward me. Her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. "What do you want?" I asked coldly. "Please," she said, her voice breaking. "Please help us. Dad's business is failing. We're going to lose everything." I raised an eyebrow. "And why would I care?" "Because we're family!" she pleaded. "I know we treated you badly, but—" "But nothing," I interrupted. "You treated me like garbage my entire life. You made videos mocking me for your followers. Why would I help you now?" Tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please, just... please help us." I looked at her. Part of me felt a tiny bit of sympathy. But a bigger part remembered every cruel word, every mocking laugh, every time she'd made my life hell. "No," I said simply. "What?" She looked shocked, like she couldn't believe I'd refuse. "I said no. You made your choices, Sophia. Now live with them." I turned and walked away, leaving her crying in the hallway. Was I being cruel? Maybe. But I wasn't the same person I was a week ago. I wasn't going to let them use me anymore. That evening, I returned home to find Henry waiting for me with a serious expression. "Young master, we need to discuss something important." "What is it?" "The board of directors has requested a meeting with you. They want to officially introduce you as the new head of the Blackwell Corporation." My stomach dropped. "When?" "Tomorrow morning. 10 AM." I took a deep breath. This was it. My first real step into my grandfather's world. "Okay," I said. "I'll be there." Henry smiled. "I'll prepare everything. Don't worry, young master. You'll do fine." I wished I had his confidence. That night, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about the meeting. What if I messed up? What if they didn't respect me? What if I wasn't good enough? Around midnight, I heard a soft knock on my door. I opened it to find Lily standing there, clutching her rabbit doll. "Can't sleep?" I asked. She shook her head. I picked her up and carried her to my bed. She curled up next to me, and within minutes, she was asleep. I looked down at her peaceful face. This little girl depended on me now. I couldn't let her down. I couldn't let my mom's memory down. And I couldn't let myself down. Tomorrow, I would step into my grandfather's shoes. I would become the head of the Blackwell family. And I would prove to everyone—including myself—that I deserved to be there.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 2 5: Protecting the Innocent
The safehouse was nothing like our mansion—just a simple two-story home in a quiet suburb, surrounded by normal families living normal lives. But it had something more valuable than marble floors or crystal chandeliers: anonymity. No one would look for Lily here, hidden among tricycles on driveways and basketball hoops in yards. Brandon's security team had swept it three times, installed cameras that covered every angle, and stationed guards who looked like regular neighbors working on their gardens. Lily sat on the living room carpet, coloring in a book Emma had brought. She didn't know why we'd moved so suddenly, only that it was an adventure. Her innocent trust broke my heart. Soon, very soon, I'd have to tell her the truth about her parents' death, about Victoria's role in making her an orphan. But not today. Today, she just needed to be safe. Dr. Sarah Mitchell arrived at noon, carrying a leather bag filled with toys and books instead of medical equipment. She was the best chi
chapter 24
The building loomed before me, dark windows like empty eyes. Somewhere inside, Victoria waited with Lily's mother, playing her final game. But she didn't know what I knew now. She didn't know Robert had confessed, that we had proof of murder, that her entire empire had crumbled while she hid in shadows.I entered through the main doors, following signs to the ICU ward. The hallways were dusty, abandoned equipment covered in sheets like ghosts. My footsteps echoed too loudly, announcing my presence. Victoria wanted me to feel alone, vulnerable. But Brandon's team was outside, Morrison's units surrounded the building, and justice itself stood behind me.Room 314 had light coming from under the door. I pushed it open slowly, finding exactly what I expected. Victoria stood "You came," she said, her voice strange, almost surprised. "I wasn't sure you would.""You can't hide anymore," I said simply. "It's over, Victoria. We know everything. The murders, the stealing, all of it."Victoria l
Chapter 23: The Shallow Grave
Maxwell's hands shook as he set the folder on my desk. I'd never seen him like this—face pale, eyes haunted, looking like he'd discovered something that changed everything. He'd been investigating all night, following paper trails that started with Lily's trust fund and led somewhere neither of us expected."You need to see this," he said quietly, opening the folder to reveal death certificates, police reports, and insurance documents. "Lily's parents didn't just die in an accident. They were murdered."The words hit me like cold water. I stared at the documents, each one telling part of a story I didn't want to believe. James and Sarah Chen, Lily's parents, had died five years ago when their car went off a cliff on Mountain Road. The investigation had ruled it an accident—brake failure on a rainy night. But Maxwell had found something everyone else missed."The insurance payout was three million dollars," Maxwell continued, pointing to highlighted sections. "It went into a trust for
chapter 23
Twenty-three lives. Victoria was willing to commit mass murder to avoid prison. The woman's descent into evil was complete. I immediately texted the information to Detective Morrison, Brandon, and the fire department. They needed to evacuate that building now."There's more," Sophia said, pulling out a folder. "I found these in her safe. I think... I think they're about your mother."My hands froze as I opened the folder. Inside were photographs I'd never seen—my mother when she was young, beautiful, happy. Standing next to her in several photos was a younger Charles Blackwell, my grandfather. They looked in love, completely absorbed in each other. But in the background of one photo, barely visible, was Victoria. Watching. Always watching."She was obsessed with your grandfather," Sophia explained quietly. "She thought if she could get rid of your mother, Charles would choose her. But he chose your mother instead, and Victoria never forgave either of them."The pieces clicked together
chapter 22: Following the Money
Maxwell's office looked like a financial crime scene at three in the morning. Papers covered every surface, laptop screens glowed with spreadsheets, and empty coffee cups formed small cities on his desk. He hadn't slept since the kidnapping attempt, and his usually perfect suit was wrinkled, tie loosened. But his eyes were sharp as a blade when he waved me over to his main computer screen."Found it," he said simply, pointing at a transaction history that looked like abstract art. "The kidnappers were paid fifty thousand each, wired from an account in the Cayman Islands yesterday morning."I leaned closer, studying the numbers while Lily slept safely at the estate with Emma watching over her. The screen showed a maze of transfers, each one bouncing through different countries, different banks, designed to hide the source. But Maxwell had followed every thread, untangled every knot."The Cayman account belongs to a shell company called Celestial Holdings," Maxwell continued, pulling up
chapter 21
The second man was younger, nervous. His leg bounced constantly, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool room. He looked like someone who'd made bad choices and knew more were coming. When they asked about Victoria, his eye twitched—just for a second—but he said nothing.I studied them both, these men who'd tried to steal Lily's innocence again. They were tools, weapons aimed by someone else's hand. But tools could sometimes be turned against their users.Brandon stood beside me, his anger radiating like heat. "Give me five minutes alone with them," he muttered."No," I said, though part of me wanted the same thing. "We do this legally. Every step by the book. Victoria's the real enemy, not these hired thugs."Back in the counselor's office, Lily had fallen asleep in the chair, exhausted by trauma and tears. Looking at her peaceful face, I made a decision. The penthouse wasn't safe enough anymore. The security was good, but Victoria had resources we hadn't discovered yet. Sh
You may also like
The Divorced Billionaire Heiress
I Wanna Eat Meat16.2M viewsDia: A Lover's Revenge
Zuxian11.6K viewsWhen His Eyes Opened
Simple Silence24.8M viewsThe Billionaire’s Secret Guardian
Chizurum Enyinnaya1.2K viewsMermaid's Kiss
Adejumo Israel9.0K viewsHighSchool of Billionere
Lev Bodgan2.2K viewsLailah: The Milestone
Zuxian6.1K viewsRISE OF OLIVER WILSON
@kcee1.0K views