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THE REJECTED GENIUS 40
Chapter 40The words hit me like tidal waves and I couldn't believe I was falling for Zee. It was just a strategy. Something to keep me distracted. I looked at the tape Jessica gave to me and wondered if it was the real stuff.I haven't checked it for quite some time now but I need to know if it was what I needed. I tossed it into my drawer with the thought of looking it up when I came back.My mind drifted back to Leo’s question for a moment.Did I like Zee?It sounded absurd when said aloud, but I couldn't shake off the lingering feeling that clung to me like a second skin. Maybe it wasn’t love. Maybe it was just the thrill—the temptation of being wanted, especially after how much rejection I had tasted lately.I adjusted my shirt collar in the mirror, trying not to overthink it. Tonight wasn’t about love. It was about strategy. About winning back my dignity and making Tessa see what she had thrown away.It was about control.Grabbing my car keys off the table, I gave Leo a wink. “D
THE REJECTED GENIUS 41
Chapter 41 I got home feeling tired and worn out. I met most of the staff busy with their duties when I noticed Leo was nowhere to be found. My footsteps echoed gently as I walked towards the last room in the building. Leonard liked being alone after working late into the night. I remember he had asked me to come down to the organization to meet a few staff members, but he suddenly stopped talking about it. I wondered if everything was fine with him, but as I got closer to his room, I could hear his shallow breathing. “ Leo?” I called out slowly. The room was dark, so I tried to find the switch. The light illuminated the dark room, and I met Leo unconsciously lying on the bed with his eyes shut. “ Leo!” I shouted, rushing to the bed. I yanked his body a few times, but then I saw blood sputtering out of his mouth. I yelled for help while most of the guards rushed into the room. “ Call me an ambulance! Call me 911!” I yelled, grabbing Leo. I don't know where I got the adrenaline
THE REJECTED GENIUS 42
Chapter 42It was taking forever, I looked at Park who was fast asleep. He was looking tired so I decided not to wake him. I have a lot I wanted to ask Leo, a lot to tell him and probably ask him if it was a good idea to fall in love with Zee. I watched and was surprised to see so many of the doctors busy with one patient or the other. I marveled at the work they did and wondered if I could ever find myself working as a doctor to save lives. The fluorescent hummed each time I paced up and down. I have never prayed for anything in my entire life. I don't believe in the existence of God.But tonight, I prayed. Clenching my hands in a prayer mode. I knelt down on the tiles and closed my eyes. I said just one word which I believe God was going to listen to. “ Oh God heal him. I know I don't believe in you but please.” I said, opening my eyes at the loud noise I heard coming from the theatre room. I saw one of the nurses coming out. “ Talk to me. Is he alright?” I asked anxiously. Par
THE REJECTED GENIUS 43
Chapter 43I still don't understand what Leo meant by what he said. I don't have any enemies. Nathan was the only one who I had my eyes on, and I was going to make him pay for what he did. But what did Leo mean by what he said? I got outside the hospital with a look of anxiety clearly visible to me. “ Are you alright?” Park asked. “ Is Leo good too?” I wasn't myself. I nodded and took a seat. My mind replays what happened earlier. “ We need to be alert now. I don't know what my father had gotten himself into, but I think they might be coming for me.” “ Who? Is there something you are not telling me?” Park asked, his gaze landing on me. “ I don't know, buddy. I think Leo is not showing all the chess boards to me. I believe he is hiding something.” I replied. “ Well, we have time to prepare for whatever is coming, and you, my friend, need to stay focused,” Park said, hitting my chest with his hands. His phone rang, making me wonder who was talking to him. “ I will be back,” Park s
THE REJECTED GENIUS 44
Chapter 44The morning sun flutters through the curtain. I stirred lazily on the bed. I remembered what happened and immediately signed towards my cell phone.The call rang for a few minutes before one of the guards picked it up. “ Where the hell are you? Did you not hear that I called?” I barked. “ Tell me Leo is alright?” I asked. My heart slammed hard against my chest.The line remained static and then I heard him. His croaky gentle voice. “ Ain't you supposed to be at school, Mr Hayes?” Leonard said from the end of the phone.I sigh, a wave of relief washing over me. “ I needed to make sure you were safe. Do I need to come down to the hospital?” I said immediately hitting the shower.“ Of course not, I believe the men here are more than capable of their duties. Get to school and study.” Leo replied. I was about to hang up the call when I remembered what Leonard said the other night. I decided to ask him. “ What do you mean by what you said the other night?”“ What I said? What did
THE REJECTED GENIUS 1
Chapter 1: The NobodyAdrian's pov***************I knew I didn’t belong here.Northvale University wasn’t meant for people like me. It was a school for the rich, and the powerful—the children of CEOs, politicians, and old-money bags who didn’t have to study hard to have their place in the outside world. Meanwhile, I was just Adrian Hayes, a scholarship student who was barely making enough savings but feeding off scraps, invisible to most and a joke to the rest of the students. To them, I was nobody. Someone unworthy of their attention. I had learned not to attract any form of attention to myself, to stay in my lane. Where I wouldn’t attract any attention from the rich kids. But sometimes, no matter how much you try to stay invisible, life has a way of throwing you into the spotlight.And tonight? Tonight was one of those nights.The big hall of Northvale’s ballroom was decorated with shining chandeliers, a place of riches and excess. It was Sophia Lancaster’s birthday—a lavish aff
THE REJECTED GENIUS 2
Chapter 2 : The Breaking PointI didn’t sleep that night.How could I?Not after what happened to me. I was miserable, that feeling of being ridiculed. I felt lesser than I had already felt for myself. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard laughter. I saw Sophia’s face, twisted with amusement, as if my feelings—my existence—were nothing but a joke to her. I had spent years believing she was different. That she saw me, understood me. But she had just been like the rest of them.I stared at the cracked ceiling of my dorm room, the cheap fan humming above me. Unlike most students at Northvale University, I didn’t have a luxury penthouse or a private suite. My scholarship covered tuition, but everything else? That was on me. A single bed, a wobbly desk, and a closet that barely fit my thrift-store clothes.I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to sit up. My stomach made a funny sound telling me I needed to feed. But I had skipped dinner last night. And breakfast? That wasn’t an opti
THE REJECTED GENIUS 3
Chapter 3: The Click That Changed EverythingMy fingers hovered over the screen, my pulse loudly rising in my ears.“Congratulations, Adrian Hayes. You are the rightful heir to the Hayes Conglomerate. Access your inheritance now?”I reread the words, my breathing was reggae and I could feel my skin burn up. Is this true?This had to be a joke.I had no rich relatives. No secret billionaire grandfather. The only Hayes I knew was my mother, who worked herself to the bone-cleaning hotel rooms just to make sure I could afford food.I looked up again, searching for the man in the suit.But he was gone. A chill ran down my spine. Was I being watched? Targeted? I clenched my phone tighter, my mind racing.This was a scam. It had to be.And yet…My thumb hovered over the YES button.I should ignore it. Delete the email. Walk away.But a voice in my head whispered, What do you have to lose?I was broke. Humiliated. Barely surviving in a world that didn’t want me.If this was real—even a tiny
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Chapter 44The morning sun flutters through the curtain. I stirred lazily on the bed. I remembered what happened and immediately signed towards my cell phone.The call rang for a few minutes before one of the guards picked it up. “ Where the hell are you? Did you not hear that I called?” I barked. “ Tell me Leo is alright?” I asked. My heart slammed hard against my chest.The line remained static and then I heard him. His croaky gentle voice. “ Ain't you supposed to be at school, Mr Hayes?” Leonard said from the end of the phone.I sigh, a wave of relief washing over me. “ I needed to make sure you were safe. Do I need to come down to the hospital?” I said immediately hitting the shower.“ Of course not, I believe the men here are more than capable of their duties. Get to school and study.” Leo replied. I was about to hang up the call when I remembered what Leonard said the other night. I decided to ask him. “ What do you mean by what you said the other night?”“ What I said? What did
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Chapter 43I still don't understand what Leo meant by what he said. I don't have any enemies. Nathan was the only one who I had my eyes on, and I was going to make him pay for what he did. But what did Leo mean by what he said? I got outside the hospital with a look of anxiety clearly visible to me. “ Are you alright?” Park asked. “ Is Leo good too?” I wasn't myself. I nodded and took a seat. My mind replays what happened earlier. “ We need to be alert now. I don't know what my father had gotten himself into, but I think they might be coming for me.” “ Who? Is there something you are not telling me?” Park asked, his gaze landing on me. “ I don't know, buddy. I think Leo is not showing all the chess boards to me. I believe he is hiding something.” I replied. “ Well, we have time to prepare for whatever is coming, and you, my friend, need to stay focused,” Park said, hitting my chest with his hands. His phone rang, making me wonder who was talking to him. “ I will be back,” Park s
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Chapter 42It was taking forever, I looked at Park who was fast asleep. He was looking tired so I decided not to wake him. I have a lot I wanted to ask Leo, a lot to tell him and probably ask him if it was a good idea to fall in love with Zee. I watched and was surprised to see so many of the doctors busy with one patient or the other. I marveled at the work they did and wondered if I could ever find myself working as a doctor to save lives. The fluorescent hummed each time I paced up and down. I have never prayed for anything in my entire life. I don't believe in the existence of God.But tonight, I prayed. Clenching my hands in a prayer mode. I knelt down on the tiles and closed my eyes. I said just one word which I believe God was going to listen to. “ Oh God heal him. I know I don't believe in you but please.” I said, opening my eyes at the loud noise I heard coming from the theatre room. I saw one of the nurses coming out. “ Talk to me. Is he alright?” I asked anxiously. Par
41
Chapter 41 I got home feeling tired and worn out. I met most of the staff busy with their duties when I noticed Leo was nowhere to be found. My footsteps echoed gently as I walked towards the last room in the building. Leonard liked being alone after working late into the night. I remember he had asked me to come down to the organization to meet a few staff members, but he suddenly stopped talking about it. I wondered if everything was fine with him, but as I got closer to his room, I could hear his shallow breathing. “ Leo?” I called out slowly. The room was dark, so I tried to find the switch. The light illuminated the dark room, and I met Leo unconsciously lying on the bed with his eyes shut. “ Leo!” I shouted, rushing to the bed. I yanked his body a few times, but then I saw blood sputtering out of his mouth. I yelled for help while most of the guards rushed into the room. “ Call me an ambulance! Call me 911!” I yelled, grabbing Leo. I don't know where I got the adrenaline
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Chapter 40The words hit me like tidal waves and I couldn't believe I was falling for Zee. It was just a strategy. Something to keep me distracted. I looked at the tape Jessica gave to me and wondered if it was the real stuff.I haven't checked it for quite some time now but I need to know if it was what I needed. I tossed it into my drawer with the thought of looking it up when I came back.My mind drifted back to Leo’s question for a moment.Did I like Zee?It sounded absurd when said aloud, but I couldn't shake off the lingering feeling that clung to me like a second skin. Maybe it wasn’t love. Maybe it was just the thrill—the temptation of being wanted, especially after how much rejection I had tasted lately.I adjusted my shirt collar in the mirror, trying not to overthink it. Tonight wasn’t about love. It was about strategy. About winning back my dignity and making Tessa see what she had thrown away.It was about control.Grabbing my car keys off the table, I gave Leo a wink. “D
39
Chapter 39I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I had tried calling Tessa a few times, but she was not picking up. I knew I had created a bad impression of myself. It was obvious the Davenports hated me by now, but I needed to create another chance for myself.Another opportunity to redeem myself. I remember Mr. Clinton had talked about sponsoring a group of students at the university. If I could help him with the sponsor, then I knew it was a start.I looked at the video I was holding, and I knew it could change a lot of things for me. But first I was going to make a fool out of Nathan and Tessa; I was going to make her jealous, and she would wish she would come back to me.First, I need to make my move. I got up from the bed, entered into the bathroom, and had a clean shave. I was going to call Zee and take her out for dinner.That was a brilliant plan. I didn't even care if it was reckless or if I wasn't thinking it through. I needed to show Tessa it was all about the cont
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Chapter 38“ And what is this that you are trying to do?” Nathan snapped at me, stopping me halfway.“ Back off. You know by now that Sophia is mine!” Nathan said angrily. I let out a laugh that made many of the students wonder if I was going nuts.“ Really? Why don't you tell the whole students how you tried to have Tessa raped and how you have been double dating. I guess Sophia is a fool if she decides to stick with someone like you.”Sophia looked at Nathan, “ I saw what happened. One thing is certain, Adrian would never try to have anyone raped. He has never done it when we were together and I don't think he is going to try now.”“Oh really, I can see that you are now defending the idiot.” Nathan scowled at her. “ Why don't you go back to being his girlfriend? You both are going to make a fine couple.” Nathan jested.“ Did he hurt you?” I asked, staring at her neck. I could see that her neck was bruised the minute Nathan tried to hold my hands. “ Can you leave? I am going to come
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Chapter 37The school bubbled over with what happened at Davenport's home. I needed to save face, but Tessa did not give me the listening ears that I needed.“ Do you think she is avoiding me?” I asked, staring at Park. “ I don't know, Adrian. I think you both need to sort that out again. Why don't you use this opportunity to bring Sophia back into the game? Tell her she was a side chick all along and Nathan has eyes on the ultimate prize.”“ And what is the ultimate price?” I asked with my eyebrows arched a bit. “ Do I need to spell it out for you, Adrian? Honestly, you need to start leveling games with Nathan. He thinks he is smart, but he is not. You need to let him see that.”“ Did you hear that Adrian tried to rape Tessa?” One of the students asked.“ What? I thought they were dating. Why?”“ I guess Tessa had been playing games with him all along. If I were Adrian, I would be angry as well.”I clenched my fist in anger as the whispering started getting louder. “ We need to do so
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Chapter 36Nathan fell to the ground with a loud thud, his head hitting the marble floor with a crack that echoed through the hall. Tessa was backed into the wall, her eyes wide with shock and fear, her dress slightly torn at the shoulder.“Adrian?” Her voice trembled.I turned to her immediately, my eyes scanning her face, and her arms, searching for any more signs of harm. “Are you okay?” I asked, my voice barely concealing the rage boiling inside me.Tessa nodded shakily, but I could tell she was anything but fine.Park rushed in just a second later, his eyes flicking from Nathan’s crumpled body to Tessa and then to me. “What the hell happened here?” he asked.Nathan groaned, trying to sit up, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.“He tried to hurt her,” I spat. “He pushed her. Cornered her. I heard her scream.”“You’ve lost your damn mind,” Nathan snarled, wiping the blood with his sleeve. “She was the one being dramatic.”Tessa stepped forward then, her voice stronger tha
