The Pauper heir rises

Chapter 5

My mind reeled from the stranger's words, the silence in the room stretching uncomfortably. "Your father?" The statement hung in the air like a dense fog, making it hard for me to breathe. I blinked twice trying to make sure what I had heard was correct.

I had no idea who this man was or what kind of sick game he was playing, but the implication of his words gnawed at my insides. My father had always been a sore subject—an absentee parent, angry and distant, more of a ghost than a man in my life. But now, the old man in front of me acted as if he knew more about my family than I did.

Before I could respond, the door behind me creaked open. A tall, elegant woman entered the room, her sharp features softened by a warm smile. Her heels clicked softly against the polished floor as she approached, stopping beside the man.

"Father," she said softly, looking between me and the old man, "I think we should get the DNA test done first, just to be sure."

My brow furrowed. DNA test? I wasn't sure I wanted to play along with whatever plan this was. "Wait, hold on," I interrupted, stepping back, my voice laced with confusion and suspicion. "Who exactly are you people? and why do I need to do a DNA test? Trust me I am not buying whatever this is."

The old man looked at the woman, then back at me, his expression softening slightly. "You don't know, do you?" His tone was more curious than accusatory. "You don't know anything about your real family."

My stomach tightened, a feeling of dread creeping up my spine. "My real family? What are you talking about? I've only ever had one family, and they sure as hell don't look like this."

The old man sighed, taking a seat in the high-backed chair once again. He gestured for me to sit, but I remained standing, too tense to move.

"Jason," the old man began slowly, as if carefully choosing his words, "I am your grandfather. Your real grandfather. You were… misplaced at birth. Stolen, in fact. For years, we've been looking for you."

My world tilted as the words sank in. Stolen? Grandfather? What was he saying? Is this all some kind of twisted game? A joke?

"You've got the wrong person," I said, shaking my head. "I don't know what you think you know, but—"

"No, we don't have the wrong person," the woman interjected, stepping forward. Her eyes were sharp, assessing me closely. "You look just like him—our missing heir. But we've been fooled before. That's why we need the test, just to confirm."

"Test or no test, I don't belong here," I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "I'm not some lost heir, and I sure as hell don't need your money."

My defiance seemed to amuse the old man. A slow smile tugged at his lips. "Stubborn, just like your father. But I'm afraid this isn't something you can just walk away from."

The woman, my supposed cousin, moved toward a side table and retrieved a small medical kit. She held up a cotton swab. "It's simple, really. One quick sample, and we'll know for sure. Wouldn't you like to know the truth?"

I hesitated, my instincts telling me to refuse. But something inside me—some buried, desperate need for answers—made me pause. If there was even the slightest chance that what they were saying was true, I had to know.

Reluctantly, I nodded.

The woman stepped closer, gently taking a swab from the inside of my cheek before sealing it in a sterile container. She placed it on the table and sent a quick message on her phone, likely signaling someone to run the test.

The old man watched me closely. "You remind me so much of your father, especially in the way you carry yourself. Strong, defiant, but lost."

I clenched my fists, my mind still reeling. "My father was… nothing. He abandoned us. My grandmother raised me, not him."

There was a moment of silence, and then the old man sighed deeply. "Your father was a complicated man. But your grandmother… she did her best to protect you. She must have known who you truly were."

My heart pounded in my chest. My grandmother had never mentioned anything about a different family, let alone a wealthy, powerful one. She had worked herself to the bone, cleaning houses to keep food on the table for us. There was no way she'd hidden something like this from me… right?

My thoughts were interrupted by the door opening once more. A doctor entered, holding a tablet in one hand. He approached the old man, whispering something too quietly for me to hear.

The old man's eyes widened slightly, his lips parting in surprise. He glanced at me, then back at the doctor, who nodded.

"Well," the old man finally said, his voice heavy with emotion, "it appears you are indeed who we've been looking for."

My stomach dropped. This can't be happening.

The woman—my cousin—smiled faintly, a mixture of relief and satisfaction in her expression. "Welcome home, Jason."

I took a step back, my mind racing. Home? This wasn't my home. These people weren't my family. But the DNA test didn't lie. It felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me.

The old man stood up and walked toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You have no idea how long we've waited for this day. Your father's legacy… it's all yours now."

My breath hitched. "Legacy?"

"Everything," the old man continued, gesturing around the room. "The estate, the business, the assets. It's all yours to inherit."

My mind was spinning. I had gone from being a regular high school student, suspended and lost, to the heir of a vast fortune in a matter of hours. None of it felt real.

"But…" I struggled to find the right words, "I don't even know you. I didn't ask for any of this."

"I know," my grandfather said gently, "but this is your birthright. You are the last true heir of our family, and we need you."

My heart pounded in my chest, the weight of it all crashing down on me. Everything they were offering me—the money, the power—it was overwhelming. I didn't know if I should trust any of what they said to me but one thing was certain, I was going to equal the gaming level with Ethan.

A smile slowly etched on my face as I looked around the glamorous mansion I was in.