The Graham Heir—I Am Not An Adopted Nobody

Chapter 50: Lines Have Been Drawn

The classroom stayed quiet for a long time after Robert finished speaking. Nobody laughed, and nobody even whispered. They all just sat there, staring at him like they were seeing a ghost.

Professor Chinny stood frozen behind his desk. You could tell his pride was hurting— his face was pale, and he looked like he wanted to snap back with another insult, but nothing came out from his mouth hanging open— He was struck.

Slowly, he reached down and picked up his tablet, then he grabbed his pen. He tucked them into his briefcase with very slow, careful movements, trying to act like he wasn't bothered, but his ears were bright red. Without saying a single word to the class, he turned and walked towards the door.

The sound of his dress shoes clicking against the floor seemed incredibly loud in the silence. Right as he reached the door, he hesitated for a split second, like he was thinking about turning around to have the last word. But that didn't happen either, he just stepped out and pulled the door shut behind him.

Immediately, the room erupted into hushed voices.

“He actually couldn’t answer it…”

“Did that seriously just happen?”

Robert just leaned back in his hard plastic chair. A small, faint smirk appeared on his lips. Everyone in the room probably thought he was satisfied with embarrassing the professor, but to him, this was just the beginning. He hadn't forgotten the way Chinny had talked down to him. This wasn't a victory yet, it was just a warning.

Meanwhile, over in Avery’s class, things felt a lot different.

The second she walked in by herself, the whispering started. A group of girls she used to be close with were gathered near the windows, watching her every move. These were the girls she used to eat lunch with and share secrets with.

One of them tilted her head, looking Avery up and down. “So, the rumors are true then.”

Another girl crossed her arms, looking annoyed. “You’re actually hanging out with him now? For real?”

Avery didn't make a scene. She just set her bag down on her desk. “If you’re talking about Robert, then yes.”

The girls looked at each other and started laughing, but it wasn't a friendly sound.

“Wow,” one of them said, shaking her head. “I never thought you’d stoop that low, Avery. You’re one of the most popular girls in school, and you’re dating an errand boy? A cleaner?”

Avery blinked. For a second, she actually thought they were teasing her. But when she looked at their faces, she realized they were being dead serious.

“You could have anyone you want,” a third girl added, her voice full of judgment. “And you chose the guy who used to scrub shoes for pocket change? Doesn’t that embarrass you even a little bit?”

The words stung. It wasn't because they were insulting Robert— Avery knew he was worth more than all of them combined— but it hurt because of who was saying it. These were people she thought were her friends.

Avery stood up a little straighter. “Yes,” she said, her voice steady and calm. “I chose him. And I’m proud of that choice.”

The girls stared at her for a moment, then burst into mean laughter again. “Proud?” one repeated. “How does it feel to walk around with someone who used to be a beggar? You deserve better girl, not someone who wants to make you hide your face.”

Avery didn’t argue. She didn’t yell or try to explain. She realized right then that these girls had never really been her friends at all. She just picked up her books, walked to the other side of the room, and relaxed in a different seat.

After School

When the final bell rang, the hallways filled with the usual chaos. Avery found Robert waiting near the main entrance.

“I need to get home,” she told him, her voice low. “There’s something I have to take care of.”

Robert looked at her for a second, sensing the mood change, and just nodded. “Take the car,” he said.

Avery hesitated, looking back at the parking lot. “What about you? How will you get back?”

“I’ll have another one brought around,” he said, like he was talking about ordering a pizza. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to his driver. No drama, no long explanation. Just a simple command.

Across the parking lot, the same group of girls who had mocked Avery were still hanging around. They were staring at the matte black and crimson Ferrari SF90 Stradale as it sat gleaming in the sun. They had been taking pictures of it earlier, but they hadn't realized it was connected to her.

Avery walked straight to the car. The girls froze as the valet handed her the keys. She slid into the driver’s seat like she had done it a thousand times before. The engine roared to life— a deep, powerful sound that made everyone in the parking lot stop and look.

“Wait… is she driving that?”

“I thought her cars were only worth a few million... that thing costs way more than that.”

The Ferrari rolled out of the parking lot smoothly, leaving a cloud of dust and a lot of confused faces behind.

Chloe was standing nearby, her face tight with jealousy. Her nails dug into her palms as she watched the car disappear. “She said she’s proud to be with him,” Chloe muttered to herself. “If he’s just a cleaner, why does she look so comfortable in a car like that?”

She turned quickly to Edward. “Do something about this. He can't keep getting away with this.”

Edward didn't look mad. He actually looked like he was enjoying the challenge. “Relax,” he said, adjusting his expensive cufflinks. “My father moved a billion dollars into my account this morning.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide. “A billion?”

“Yeah. I was going to invest it,” Edward said, looking over at Robert, who was still standing calmly by the school steps. “But maybe I’ll use a little bit of it to remind him exactly where he stands in this world.”

Chloe’s lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile.

Across the parking lot, Robert slid his phone back into his pocket, completely unaware of the billion-dollar target Edward was about to put on his back. Or maybe he just didn't care.