The Pauper heir rises

chapter three

I lay on the ground, my chest heaving as I struggled to regain my breath. Every muscle in my body was in pain, but worse was the humiliation. The crowd still stood looking at the drama, though their murmurs had died down. I could feel their eyes on me, judging, mocking, pitying me. Ethan stood nearby, his face smug, confident in his victory.

As I attempted to push myself off the ground, my arms trembled beneath me. I managed to get one knee up, but my body felt weak, too battered to move quickly. My head throbbed, and the weight of my failure pressed harder on me than Ethan's foot ever had.

Before I could fully stand, the sharp sound of heels clicking against the pavement filled the air. The crowd parted once more, this time revealing a figure of power and authority: Mr. Reynolds, the director of the school. He was impeccably dressed in a crisp suit, his hair neatly combed back, and his expression severe. The professor who had come to my rescue straightened immediately, stepping back to let the director take charge.

I froze. I knew Reynolds by reputation alone—the man was cold, calculating, and always favored the wealthiest and most influential students. The fact that Ethan's father was one of the school's top donors didn't bode well for me.

Reynolds' eyes scanned the scene, first landing on Ethan, who smiled innocently, then on me, still hunched over on the ground. His gaze was as hard as stone when it fell on me, and my heart sank further. There would be no justice here. Not for me.

"What is the meaning of this?" Reynolds' voice boomed, cutting through the silence like a knife. His eyes darted between the professor and the crowd, then settled on Ethan, whose expression softened into one of feigned regret.

"It's really unfortunate, Mr. Reynolds," Ethan began, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "Jason here attacked me. I didn't want to fight, but he threw the first punch."

My blood boiled at the blatant lie. "That's not what happened!" I spat, struggling to stand fully. "You've been tormenting me for weeks, and I finally—"

Reynolds raised a hand, silencing me. "Enough, Mr. Walker."

I looked around thinking one of the students was going to stand up for me but none of them said a word. It was like they all hadn't witnessed the humiliation, the beating and the way Ethan had disregarded me. It was just like I didn't exist.

My mouth snapped shut, my fists clenching at my sides. I wanted to scream, to make Reynolds see the truth, but I knew it was useless. The director had already made up his mind.

"I've seen this sort of behavior from you before," Reynolds said, his voice dripping with disapproval. "You're always involved in some kind of trouble, aren't you? And now, attacking one of our top students, someone whose family has done so much for this institution. I won't tolerate it."

My heart sank. It wasn't fair. It had never been fair. "I didn't—"

"Enough." Reynolds' voice was sharp, final. "You'll be suspended for a month, effective immediately."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Suspended? But he—"

"I've heard enough excuses, Mr. Walker. You're lucky I'm not expelling you on the spot."

The professor, who had initially intervened, opened her mouth to say something, but one look from Reynolds made her stop. She quickly averted her eyes, offering no further defense for me.

Ethan watched the exchange with a smug grin, the glint of victory in his eyes. Linda, standing beside him, gave me a pitying look, as though she was somehow the victim in all this. My chest tightened, but there was nothing I could do.

"I'll be speaking with your parents, of course," Reynolds continued, turning to walk away. "Now, get off the premises. You're no longer welcome here."

I stood frozen, the words echoing in my mind. My parents... my father would never forgive me for this. I'd already been on thin ice, struggling to keep up with the high expectations placed on me. This suspension was going to ruin everything.

As Reynolds walked away, Ethan stepped forward, leaning down close to my ear. "Tough break, Walker," he whispered, a malicious grin on his lips. "Guess you're not as important as you thought."

My vision blurred with anger and frustration, but I couldn't act on it. Not now. My fists trembled at my sides as I watched Ethan stroll away, hand in hand with Linda.

The crowd began to disperse, muttering among themselves as the spectacle came to an end. I stood alone in the center of the courtyard, my mind spinning with a mixture of fury, embarrassment, and despair.

I had lost everything.

As I walked toward the gates of the school, each step felt heavier than the last. I could hear the whispers of the other students, see the judgment in their eyes. They all saw me as a failure, as someone who had stepped out of line and been crushed under the weight of it. I was nothing to them.

The gates of the school loomed ahead, cold and unwelcoming. I hesitated for a moment, looking back at the campus that had once felt like my second home. Now, it was just another place that had rejected me.

With a heavy sigh, I pushed through the gates and left the school grounds. The world outside felt different, colder, lonelier. I didn't know where to go. My parents would be furious, and I had no friends left to turn to. Everyone had sided with Ethan. Everyone had chosen to believe the lie.

I wandered aimlessly for what felt like hours, my mind clouded with thoughts of revenge, shame, and despair. I had lost Linda. I had lost my place at school. I had lost everything I had worked for.

My aimless walk took me far beyond the familiar roads around the school. My feet carried me without purpose, just a need to escape. The weight of my suspension clung to me like a heavy fog, clouding my thoughts. The further I wandered, the more desperate I became, each step leaving me more isolated than the last.

I knew I couldn't go home, not yet. My father's rage would be unbearable, the disappointment even worse. But where could I go? Ethan's lie had stripped me of everything—my reputation, my friends, even my dignity.

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the pavement. I barely noticed, my mind still replaying the scene over and over—the smug look on Ethan's face, the pity in Linda's eyes, Reynolds' cold indifference. How could it all have gone so wrong?

Suddenly, a sleek black car pulled up alongside me, its tinted windows gleaming in the fading light. My heart skipped a beat. "Who could this be?" I asked seeing the tinted glasses.