The Hidden Trillionaire Heir of Royal Elite Academy

The Lanchesters

Eleanor laid still under a thin white sheet, her face looking as pale as old paper. Her breathing was shallow and uneven as her chest rose and fell.

Tubes ran from her arms into bags of clear fluid hanging on a metal pole. A heart monitor beeped slowly and steadily beside her.

Arthur stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He stared at his grandfather with bloodshot eyes as he entered the room.

William Lanchester stood to the side of Eleanor's bed, staring at her for the longest time, like a man watching something precious slowly slip away.

He reached for her, his fingers just barely touching her hand before he hesitated and pulled back.

Arthur spoke, his voice breaking the silence like shards of glass: "So, you're the so-called family friend my mother has been writing to for years."

William turned.

Arthur thought he looked a bit like the actor Charles Dance. Their resemblance was so uncanny—they both had the same aristocratic cheekbones, that same intense stare, and the same body language.

"I want answers," Arthur said, his tone getting stronger. "Now."

William studied him for a long moment. Then he gave a single nod.

"The Lanchesters," he began, his voice soft and steady, "are the foundation upon which the world economy and global finances are built. We do not make money, Arthur. We print it. Central banks around the world answer to us."

Arthur slowly uncrossed his arms. The frown on his face grew stronger.

William went on. "We control the banks. We control nuclear operations. And we own every luxury empire. World leaders come crawling to us, begging for favors. We are the hidden powers that rule the world. Hence, we opted for a quiet life."

He looked over at Eleanor, who was fast asleep. "Your mother used to be my daughter. My sole offspring. From the day she was born, she was betrothed to a man I deemed worthy of carrying on my legacy."

His voice hardened. "However, she fell in love with a poor man—your father. Even before they met, he was already drowning with heavy debts. From the moment I met him, I hated him."

Arthur clenched his hands at the mention of his father. However, he didn't interrupt William.

"I did everything in my power to stop the marriage," William continued. "I tried threatening her and even locked her in her room for three months. But all she wanted was to marry that poor man."

He slowly shook his head. "Realizing I couldn't change her mind, I cut Eleanor off from the family fortune. All her accounts, assets, and connections were severed. I told her that she would live in poverty. Much to my surprise, she smiled and said, 'Then I will live in poverty with him.'"

William clasped his hands behind his back. "So I disowned her. I vowed I would never lift a single finger to help her. Not even if she was starving, sick, or dying."

Arthur's breathing became heavy, yet he listened attentively without interrupting.

"After your father passed away," William said softly, "Eleanor wrote to me daily. In her letters, she shared her struggles, the debt she’s dealing with, and how the bank treated you like an animal."

He took a brief pause. "Since I cut all connections with her, she could only reach me through traditional mail. They were delivered directly to my private study. I read every single letter."

Arthur's voice struck like a dagger. "And you never responded."

"No," William admitted. "At first, I wanted her to suffer. I wanted her to feel the consequences of her betrayal. I knew she was gravely ill. I knew you were struggling with debt that wasn’t your responsibility. I kept telling myself she deserves all the pain she was feeling."

He reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a folded letter. The paper was worn from being handled many times.

"Then this letter arrived," William said. "Her very last one."

He slowly unfolded it and showed Arthur.

"She wrote that this was going to be the last letter I would receive from her. That she might die at any time now. She wrote that she hoped I would not abandon you, Arthur. She begged me to take you in after her death and pay off your father's debt in exchange for you working for the Lanchesters."

William voice cracked slightly.

"She said that at least then you would be treated as a human being. Not a work slave," William said, folding the letter and pressing it to his chest. "It was at that moment I had a change of heart."

Arthur felt his knees getting weak. He was shocked by what he was hearing.

William bite his lip. "I felt my heart melt when I thought about losing my daughter due to my own cruelty. I flew down here as fast as I could, but by the time I arrived, she was already in the hospital fighting for her life."

The room fell silent except for the steady beep of the heart monitor.

Then Arthur exploded.

"You—!" His voice burst out like a wild animal breaking free from its cage. "You really are a wicked man!"

William stood perfectly still.

Arthur took a step forward, his fists trembling. "Do you have any idea what I went through? I was TWELVE years old when my father died! And you left me and my mother to drown! I was whipped, beaten, and treated like a dog! I've been slapped a hundred times!"

He bit his lip hard. "I worked in warehouses while other kids went to school! I ate leftovers while they enjoyed hot meals! I watched my mother's health deteriorate because we couldn't afford her medication. All these while,you had the power to stop it with a single phone call! But you didn't!"

He jabbed his finger into William's chest. "You let us suffer! She collapsed alone on the kitchen floor while you sat in your mansion, reading her letters as if they were entertainment!"

William said nothing. He just stood there, absorbing the blows like a rock enduring the waves.

"You are not my grandfather," Arthur spat out. "You are a monster. I want you to leave this room immediately. You are not allowed to look at her. Quit acting like you actually care."

Arthur looked away, his shoulders rising and falling heavily in anger. Behind him, he heard the sound of feet shuffling, followed by a soft thud.

Arthur spun around.

William Lanchester, the head of the world's most powerful family and the man who controlled banks, governments, and nuclear arsenals, was on his hands and knees on the hospital floor.

His silver hair fell over his face. The tailored suit gathered awkwardly at his shoulders.

"Grandson, forgive me," William whispered gently.

Arthur froze up.