The Graham Heir—I Am Not An Adopted Nobody

Chapter 32: The One They Waited For

Morris felt it.

That sudden shift in the air.

At first, it was just confusion, a foggy feeling that something was off. Then reality caught up with him. Andrew Schmidt and Barry Sanders were still standing, and they didn’t look offended that Robert and Avery had sat before them. Instead, they looked like soldiers waiting for a signal.

And suddenly, Morris thought he understood.

His eyes moved slowly to Avery.

Of course. Earlier, she was the one who gave the command to sit. Earlier, they had quickly obeyed her. In his mind, they weren't waiting for Robert, they were waiting for the Professor's daughter.

He exhaled, relieved of such thought. That meant the natural order was still in place and money was still talking to money.

He stepped forward quickly, putting on a big, fake smile. “Miss Avery,” Morris said loudly, gesturing politely toward the two powerhouses. “Mr. Sanders and Mr. Schmidt are awaiting your command.”

The hall became even quieter. Every head turned to Avery.

She remained still. Her heart started to hammer loudly against her ribs. She could feel the entire room pressing down on her, expecting her to be the leader she wasn't sure she was. She opened her mouth to speak.

But before a single word could come out Robert tilted his head.

It was a tiny movement. Lazy, Calm. Almost bored. He just gave a small downward flick of his fingers.

Sit.

The result was smooth and immediate. Andrew and Barry sat down with zero hesitation, and they didn’t look at Morris or Avery. They simply obeyed their boss.

A sharp ripple moved through the hall as everyone sat after them. From the front rows, the audience whispered. Most people couldn't see exactly what Robert had done. The gesture was too small, too subtle. But they saw the result.

Avery hadn't said a word, yet the two most powerful men in the room had dropped into their chairs the moment Robert moved.

“What just happened?”

“Did the student just signal them?”

“Did they follow him, not her?”

Morris’s smile stiffened until it became plain. For a split second, his eyes actually twitched with fear. But he was a professional liar, he recovered fast. He let out a light, fake laugh and waved his hand dismissively.

“Good, good. Just a little misunderstanding,” he said smoothly. “Please, everyone, relax and enjoy the night.”

The guests slowly went back to their drinks, but the confusion didn't go away. Something was very wrong, the math wasn't adding up, and a dark suspicion began to grow in the room.

Across the hall, Edward’s jaw was clamped shut so tight it hurt.

His pride was still urging him to attack Robert. He had been forced to apologize to a nobody in front of the entire city. He leaned close to his sister, Jane.

“Do you want to get even?” he whispered, his voice heavy with hate.

Jane raised a brow. “With who? Robert?”

“No. With his sister.”

Jane’s lips curled into a slow, nasty smile. She liked that kind of revenge. It was easier and she could make it cruel.

Edward nodded toward the crowd. “Find her then start a scene, make sure you embarrass the life out of her. If we can’t break him, we break the person he cares about.”

Jane didn’t need to be told twice. She turned and began marching through the crowd, her heels clicking softly against the marble. She scanned every corner until she saw her.

Anna.

She was standing near a tall marble pillar, looking perfectly calm and composed. And in her hand— Jane’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

It was the latest iPhone 19 Pro. The limited edition. The one that was so expensive and rare that it was almost impossible to find. Anna was just holding it, scrolling through it like it was a cheap toy.

Jane’s face twisted with jealousy. She would use it against her.

She stormed forward. “Well, well,” Jane said loudly, making sure people heard her. “Where did a girl like you get something like that?”

Anna looked up, her expression neutral. “Excuse me?”

“That phone,” Jane snapped, pointing a shaking finger at it. “Do you think we’re stupid? You stole it, didn’t you?”

Several guests nearby stopped talking and turned to watch.

Anna blinked slowly. “Stole it?”

“Yes!” Jane shouted, her voice rising. “Someone like you can’t afford a phone that costs more than a house. It belongs to one of the real guests here. Security!”

Jane spun around, looking for the guards. “Security! Throw this thief out!”

There was silence and no one moved.

Jane’s face turned red. “I said security! Throw her out now!”

Still nothing. The regular guards of the event just stood there, looking confused.

Anna let out a soft, tired sigh. Then she turned her head slightly. One of the masked guards standing by the wall, the one in the dark coat and the terrifying Oni mask, immediately stepped forward.

The moment he moved, the air in the room changed and eyes followed him as he walked through the hall.

This wasn't among the guards stationed at the event this one looked private and dangerous. He walked straight to Anna.

Jane’s eyes widened and she took two steps back. The masked guard stopped next to Anna and bowed his head.

“Yes, Miss?”

Anna gave a small wave of her hand. “It’s fine. There's no problem. This girl was just interrupting me.”

The guard nodded and stepped back to his position. But the audience had already seen it. They had seen who one of the most dangerous men in the room took orders from.

Jane was shaking with rage now. “You think that scares me? You think this is over?”

Anna looked at her calmly. “You really should stop.”

Jane laughed harshly. “Stop? I’m going to make you pay for embarrassing my family.”

Anna tilted her head. “That won't be necessary. We have school tomorrow.”

Jane scoffed. “School? Don’t be ridiculous. You and your brother would never get past the gates of Graham Scholars Academy. Poor people don't belong anywhere near the Grahams.”

A few people nearby shifted uncomfortably. The irony was so thick and painful.

Anna narrowed her eyes. “Shut up,” she said quietly.

Jane’s mouth dropped open. “How dare you—”

“You have no idea who is in this room tonight,” Anna continued, her voice smooth. “If you knew who you’ve been insulting, you would be on your knees. You would be begging for mercy.”

Jane’s hands were trembling so hard she almost dropped her drink. “How dare you talk to me like that?!” she screamed. She stomped her heel against the floor. “Security!” she shrieked. “Throw her out right now! She's insulting the Emmetts!”

Her voice echoed across the hall. The music had stopped and every single person in the room was now watching.

Then footsteps started moving.