The Monarch Crown System

12. The Fake Successor

Every Halston froze, staring at Elias with wide, wary eyes. Henry’s mouth hung slightly open, Susan clutched her chest dramatically, and Celeste narrowed her eyes as if trying to catch him lying with his face alone.

Elias simply stood there, calm as ever, his expression unreadable.

Then Henry forcefully snapped out of it.

“Nonsense,” he scoffed. “Absolute nonsense. Celeste your friend must have hit her head.”

Susan nodded quickly. “Exactly. Maybe she saw another miserable man who looks like him. Anyone can look like him. That does not mean anything.”

Celeste folded her arms. “Obviously. Elias cannot be chosen. He does not have the character or the capacity.” She shot him another cold glare. “And he has never been special.”

Elias raised a brow, amused. “Is that so?”

Henry bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Elias replied, leaning slightly on the doorframe. “Only that sometimes life changes without announcing itself.”

Susan snorted loudly. “Listen to him speak in riddles. You think you are mysterious now? Please. You are nothing to us.”

Celeste stepped forward, eyes narrowing even more. “If you really were chosen, you would not be here begging at our door.”

“I did not come to beg.” Elias voice was firm, steady. “I came for what is mine. Nothing more.”

Henry jabbed a thumb toward him. “This boy has guts today. Talking back? In my house?”

Elias met his glare with calm indifference. “You are mistaken, Henry. I am no longer the boy you trampled on.”

Henry flinched. A tiny movement, barely noticeable, but enough for Susan to stiffen beside him.

Celeste rolled her eyes. “I am tired. Dad give him his papers so he can leave.”

Henry hesitated. “You think he is trying to scam us? Pretend he is some Chosen One?”

“That is exactly what he is doing,” Celeste snapped. “He wants to fool us, get sympathy, get back into this family. But he forgets something important. He is nothing.” She glanced at Elias with icy contempt. “You are nothing.”

Elias tilted his head slightly. “If you say so.”

The calm tone shook all of them more than shouting would have.

Henry clenched his fists. “Stop talking in circles. Are you trying to imply you really are the successor?”

Elias looked at them one by one… then smiled faintly.

“I do not need to imply anything.”

Celeste scoffed. “Look at him. Acting deep.”

Susan hissed, “Give him his papers so we can throw him out.”

But Henry still hesitated, fear creeping behind his arrogance. “Wait. If there is even a chance… tiny chance… what if he is—”

“He is not!” Celeste barked. “Dad please. Do not be stupid.”

Elias sighed. “If you truly believe I am nothing, then why are you scared?”

Henry froze.

Susan swallowed.

Celeste’s jaw tightened.

He had caught them.

“Go and give me my documents,” Elias repeated calmly. “Before I lose patience.”

Henry’s anger flared again, unable to process the shift in power. “Do not ever threaten me!”

“It was advice, not a threat.” Elias lifted a brow. “But take it however you wish. You all will still pay for your foolishness.”

At that moment, something in Susan snapped. “Henry give him the papers before he curses this house!”

Henry grumbled, stormed upstairs, and returned with a small brown envelope. He practically threw it into Elias chest.

“There! Take it and get out!”

Elias took it without blinking. “Thank you.”

“Now leave!” Celeste snapped, her voice sharp with annoyance and insecurity. “And do not come back here pretending to be someone important. We will not fall for it.”

Elias looked at her long enough to make her uncomfortable. “You might be surprised what the world believes soon.”

Celeste scoffed. “You think you are intimidating? Please. You are delusional.”

Elias turned and walked away.

He didn’t look back.

Not once.

Henry slammed the door behind him. “That disrespectful boy. Talking like he owns the world. Maybe we should have beaten sense into him.”

Susan exhaled shakily. “Henry… what if he is the one?”

“He cannot be!” Celeste snapped before Henry could respond. “Do not give that beggar that kind of honor.”

Henry rubbed his forehead. “Still… the way he talked… I have never seen him like that.”

“He swallowed insults today like they were nothing,” Susan whispered. “Not even one reaction. Not one flinch.”

Celeste glared. “Because he has become arrogant, not chosen. Stop being dramatic.” She pulled out her phone. “Let me check online. There must be an official announcement about the real heir.”

She typed rapidly.

Only a few seconds passed before her eyes widened.

“Oh my God.”

Henry stepped closer. “What?”

“Someone was chosen,” Celeste breathed. “Look! He posted pictures!”

They gathered around her phone.

A young man stood shirtless, flexing for the camera, with a badly drawn imitation of the Monarch crown symbol on his chest. The caption read:

“I have been chosen by destiny. Bow before your new heir.”

Susan gasped. “That tattoo looks… official.”

“No it does not,” Henry muttered, squinting. “Why does it look like a sticker?”

But Celeste was already bouncing with excitement. “I know him! He went to college with me. He was always chasing clout online. But still… what if he is really the one?”

Susan clasped her hands. “Then Celeste this is your chance! Bring him into this family!”

Henry nodded eagerly. “Yes! Yes! Good thinking! Make him yours and the Halstons will rise in power.”

Celeste smirked. “Elias must think he is wise. Coming here pretending to be the heir. Now the real successor is someone we actually know.”

Henry growled. “We should teach Elias a lesson. How dare he try to trick us.”

Susan added, “Imagine the audacity. Acting mysterious. Talking like a king.”

Celeste’s eyes hardened. “Do not worry. We will deal with him. He will regret coming here today.”

Henry grinned darkly. “Good. Very good.”

They continued scrolling through the influencer’s page. Thousands of likes. Thousands of comments. People praising him, calling him chosen, calling him divine, calling him the new Monarch.

Celeste smiled triumphantly.

“This is the real successor,” she declared. “Not that pathetic excuse of a man.”

Susan nodded eagerly. “Yes. And you are going to charm him. Do whatever it takes.”

Henry slapped the table. “And once we secure him, we will destroy Elias completely.”

Outside, unknown to them, Elias stood by the gate and smiled faintly as if he heard every word through the walls.

But he didn’t react.

He simply whispered, “Let the world play their little games. Soon… they will kneel.”

Then he walked away.

Quiet….calm and dangerous.