The Graham Heir—I Am Not An Adopted Nobody

Chapter 51: The Sound of Real Power

The parking lot was still buzzing even after the Ferrari had driven away. Students were huddled in groups, their voices low as they tried to make sense of what they’d just seen. 

How could an errand boy be sitting in a car like that? It didn't add up, and the confusion was turning into a restless kind of energy.

Robert stood near the school steps, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He looked completely unbothered as he watched the crowd.

That’s when Edward and Chloe made their move. They didn't rush; they walked slowly, side by side, making sure every eye in the parking lot was on them. As they approached Robert, a circle of students instinctively formed around them, sensing that something big was about to happen.

Edward stopped a few feet away, looking Robert up and down with a bored expression. “Nice Ferrari,” he said, his voice casual but loud enough for everyone to hear. “You’re claiming it’s yours, right?”

Robert met his gaze. “Yes.”

“And you didn’t just rent it for the morning to look cool?”

“No.”

Chloe tilted her head, a mean little smile playing on her lips. “That’s funny. Because from where we’re standing, it looks like you’re just a passenger in Avery’s life. You’re using her, aren't you?”

A few students whispered, nodding in agreement. Edward stepped an inch closer, trying to oppress him with size. “Anyone can hold a set of keys, Robert. That doesn’t mean they actually own the car. It just means they're good at pretending.”

Robert didn’t move. He didn't even look annoyed. “I don’t have to prove anything to you, Edward.”

Edward’s voice got colder, more pointed. “You’re walking around school acting like a king, but you won't show any proof. To me, you look like a total fraud.”

The crowd grew thicker. Phones were being held up now, recording the confrontation. Robert stayed silent, letting Edward talk.

Edward watched him for a second, then smiled like he’d already won. “Alright,” he said, adjusting his expensive cufflinks. “Let’s make this easy. There’s a private Grand Auction tonight. It’s invite only. We're talking rare cars, fine art, the kind of assets that require real, heavy money.”

He paused, letting the weight of the invitation sink in. “Come. Show us what you've got.”

Robert didn't say anything. Chloe stepped forward, her eyes mocking him. “What’s the matter? You can act tough in a parking lot, but you’re scared to show up where the actual billionaires play? Are you worried your credit card will bounce?”

A few kids in the back laughed. Someone shouted, “Yeah, let’s see you actually buy something!”

Edward’s voice was like ice now. “If you really own what you say you do, proving it at the auction tonight should be the easiest thing in the world for you.”

Robert finally looked Edward right in the eye. His expression was dead calm. “I’m not interested in your games.”

The crowd reacted instantly with a collective “Ohhh!”

Chloe shook her head, looking disappointed. “There it is. He’s bluffing. He’s just a scholarship kid with a borrowed car.”

Edward leaned in, his voice a low hiss. “A scholarship kid who claims he owns a hypercar but is too chicken to attend a real auction.”

The laughter spread through the crowd.

 Edward straightened his jacket, looking satisfied. “My family’s valuation just crossed five hundred billion this quarter,” he said loudly. “If you actually show up tonight, we’ll see how far your imaginary wealth gets you against real power.”

The words felt heavy. More people crowded in, the whispers getting louder. Robert let the noise wash over him for a long moment. Then, he spoke.

“Fine.”

The word was quiet, but it stopped the laughter instantly.

“I’ll be there.”

The crowd went silent. Edward’s smile grew slow and predatory. “Good.”

Chloe's eyes narrowed at him. “Don’t you dare back out.”

Robert didn’t bother answering. Edward turned to walk away, his friends and supporters already cheering him on. “He’s dead meat tonight,” someone whispered. “There’s no way he can outspend Edward.”

Edward glanced back one last time over his shoulder. “Tonight,” he said, “you’re going to learn the difference between playing rich and actually belonging.”

He and Chloe walked off, looking like royalty. The parking lot was buzzing with excitement a showdown between the errand boy and the billionaire heir was the best entertainment they'd had all year.

Then a new sound hit the gates.

It was low and deep, a mechanical thrum that vibrated in everyone's chest. It wasn't like the Ferrari’s roar; this was sharper, more aggressive, like a jet engine idling on the tarmac.

Every head snapped toward the entrance. The security guards, who usually ignored everything, actually stood up straight and saluted. The sound got louder, more violent.

Then it appeared.

A Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut. It was wrapped in a ghost white pearl with exposed carbon fiber running down its spine. It sat so low to the ground that it looked like it was part of the road. It looked more like a piece of high tech weaponry, than a car.

The engine didn't scream for attention. It growled with a controlled power that made everyone's hair stand up. It rolled through the gates slowly, the sunlight glinting off its curved glass.

Students stopped dead in their tracks. Phones were whipped out faster than before.

“Is that a Jesko…?”

“No way… that’s an Absolut!”

“That car is literally the fastest thing on the planet!”

The car glided through the lot and came to a silent, perfect stop right next to Robert.

The silence was deafening. Edward froze mid step, his back still turned. Chloe turned around slowly, the color draining from her face. “That’s… that’s impossible,” she whispered.

The Jesko’s engine hummed like a beast waiting to be let off a leash. The door didn't just open, it lifted upward in a smooth, mechanical motion. Robert walked toward it without a single word. He didn't look at Edward. He didn't look at the crowd.

He opened the door and slid into the cockpit. The interior was a masterpiece of carbon fiber and leather minimalist and insanely expensive. The door lowered back into place with a soft thud.

For a second, everything was still. Then, the driver tapped the throttle. It wasn't a showy rev; it was just a reminder of what was under the hood. The Jesko surged forward, disappearing out the gates in a blur of white and black.

A gust of wind swept through the stunned crowd.

Nobody spoke. Nobody laughed. Edward stared at the empty space where the car had been for several long seconds. Chloe swallowed hard, her hands shaking slightly. “That car...” she managed to say.

Edward’s jaw was tight, his eyes dark with a mix of shock and fury. Then, he exhaled slowly. “Good,” he whispered.

Chloe looked at him, confused.

Edward adjusted his cuffs, his face hardening into a mask of pure determination. “Let him show up in something rare. It won't matter.”

His eyes locked onto the gates. “Tonight… we’re going to make him pay for every bit of this.”

For the first time, the Grand Auction wasn't just a social event. It was going to be a war