2025-11-18 15:39:04Jared sat in the back seat of the taxi, his head lightly resting against the window as the city rolled by in soft blurs. It was unbelievable how fast life could shift. Just yesterday morning, he had been a broke, struggling student—counting pennies, praying Nana wouldn’t die before he could raise the money for her surgery. Yesterday evening, he had been tossed out of the university like filth. And now… a prince restored. The heir of the Diamond Empire. The rightful owner of fortunes larger than most nations’ GDPs.
All because he finally agreed to return home.
His fingers brushed against the sleek metal of his seven premium black cards—platinum, titanium, unlimited credit. Cards he hadn’t held for three years. Cards that could buy buildings, cities… or even the very institutions that had looked down on him.
Each card had at least $250 billion for his lavish spending. More money than he could ever spend in seven lifetimes.
A small smile tugged at his lips. ‘Brad and Becky are going to freak out when they find out who I truly am.’
But first—he had unfinished business.
He had been expelled. Publicly. Unjustly. And that stain needed to be scrubbed off immediately.
And as for Professor Bernard… the old fool liked talking big. Today, he would learn who he challenged.
Jared pulled out his phone and dialed the direct number of Timothy Monrell—the COO and acting CEO of Atlantic Group, the parent company of LAU. The line rang once before the man answered.
“Hello? Who is this? How did you get this private num—”
“This is Jared Diamond,” Jared said calmly. “New owner of Atlantic Group.”
There was dead silence for two seconds.
Then Monrell spoke, suspicious but cautious: “Then please confirm your identity with the Diamond Executive Verification Code.”
Jared smirked. He knew the code by heart—he was the one who created it years back before walking out of the family.
“Verification code: A–LX–92–TRI–7.”
The phone nearly fell from Monrell’s hand.
“Y–Young Master Jared!” His voice immediately shifted into deep respect. “My deepest apologies. I didn’t know it was you. Sir, when will you be coming to the company? Should I assemble the board? Should—”
“No need for that right now,” Jared cut in. “I have a more urgent situation.”
“Yes, Young Master! Anything. Please instruct me.”
Jared leaned back in the taxi seat, voice steady, cold, and commanding.
“I was unjustly expelled from LAU yesterday.”
Timothy sucked in a sharp breath. “Expelled? By whom?”
“Director Martin Hill. Over a biased and baseless complaint. And more importantly—my grandmother needed surgery. The school’s golden boy, Sammy Jo, caused chaos and indirectly endangered her life. Now, Director Hill has sided with them again.”
“Young Master, this is unacceptable,” Monrell said, his tone now trembling. “Please, give me your orders.”
“Good,” Jared replied. “Here is what you will do:
“One, call Director Hill immediately. Give him one hour to revoke my expulsion and issue a public apology.
“Two, mandate that Sammy Jo and his family pay me—under the name ‘Jared Stevens’—a settlement of $25 million for the cost of Nana’s surgery.
“And lastly—remind Director Hill that Professor Bernard made a public bet with me. He must fulfill his end. I want that carried out today.”
Timothy answered instantly, “Consider it done, Young Master. I will not leave a single detail unattended.”
“Good,” Jared said. “Call me when it’s done.”
He ended the call.
A slow smile rose on his face.
‘Now… let’s go back and visit the university.’***
LAU Campus—One Hour Later
Jared walked through the school’s large gates as though he had never left. Students turned their heads in shock—some whispering, some blinking rapidly like they were hallucinating.
“Is that… Jared?”
“But didn’t they expel him yesterday?”
“Did he sneak in again?”
No one dared approach him, but every pair of eyes followed him.
He went straight to the lunch lounge where he knew Brad and Becky would be. His friends had called him more than twenty-seven times since yesterday. Even now, three missed calls blinked on his phone.
As he entered the lounge, he spotted them immediately.
Brad Trodman—genius ICT student, quiet but brilliant.
Becky Hollins—fiery, confident, second-generation rich, loyal to a fault.They were arguing about him, clearly distressed.
Jared walked up behind them and tapped Brad’s shoulder.
Both turned—and screamed.
“JARED!!!”
They jumped up and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Where have you been!?”
“Why did you switch off your phone!?” “How’s Nana!?” “Why are you back at school? I thought they expelled you!?”Jared chuckled, sat down, and casually took Brad’s drink for a sip.
“I’ll tell you everything,” he said, “but first—”
The cafeteria door slammed open.
Kirby stormed in with her entourage, eyes wild.
“SO IT’S TRUE!” she shrieked. “You’re back! How? Did you sneak in? Do you think you’re funny? Jared, if you don’t explain right now, I swear I’ll call security and—”
Jared didn’t even look at her.
Kirby froze.
Being ignored was her biggest trigger.
“You—YOU PUNK!” she yelled. “I said LOOK AT ME when I’m talking!”
She rushed forward and reached to grab his shirt.
But before her hand landed—
SLAP!
Becky smacked Kirby’s wrist so hard Kirby yelped. Becky’s glare could slice steel.
“Touch him again,” Becky said coldly, “and I’ll break your fingers one by one. You think you can bully Jared after everything you caused? Nana is in the hospital because of you! And you feel no remorse?”
Kirby stumbled back, fear flickering in her eyes. Becky’s family wealth—and reputation—far outweighed hers. Ten times even.
Still, Kirby hissed, “I’m calling Professor Bernard. He’ll throw Jared out again. Just watch!”
Jared’s smile widened.
‘Perfect.’Five minutes later, Professor Bernard barged into the lounge.
He froze the instant he saw Jared.
“You—you’re back!? How?! Director Hill never—”
Jared leaned back in his seat. “Professor, I believe you have a challenge to honor.”
Bernard’s face drained of color.
The challenge. The one he never believed Jared could meet.If Jared returned to school:
Bernard must replace Sammy Jo with Brad Trodman for Skyrun’s recruitment.
OrLick Jared’s boots and run around the campus naked.Bernard swallowed hard.
“I—I am not obligated to do anything,” he stammered. “You sneaked in here! You must have! I’m calling the director right now! When he gets here, you’ll be thrown out again—and probably arrested for trespassing!”
He dialed Director Hill instantly.
“Director! Jared Stevens is here! He snuck into the faculty lounge. Please come immediately!”
The call ended.
Bernard puffed up proudly.
“Just wait, Jared. When Director Hill arrives, you’re finished.”
Jared only smiled.
Little did any of them know… Director Hill had exactly fourteen minutes left before Monrell’s deadline hit.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 197
Jonah stepped into the penthouse, and the world seemed to tilt, caught in a whirl of color, sound, and light. A chandelier scattered rainbows across the polished floors, the bass of the music thudding against his chest with every beat, each note vibrating through the soles of his shoes.Laughter, shouts, and the clinking of glasses echoed across the room, layered with the faint hiss of champagne corks and the rich scent of perfume and cologne mingling with the smoky tang of incense from somewhere near the balcony.He paused, letting it wash over him, and realized—this was a world entirely unlike the structured halls of the university, a world where rules bent to the whims of the wealthy and fearless.Sammy Jo, already in the center of the chaos, was laughing loudly, a glass of champagne tilted in his hand as a group of students leaned in, hanging on every word. Kirby was nearby, spinning on her heels, daring someone to dance with her, a mischievous glint in her eye. Lisa lounged elega
CHAPTER 196
The morning sunlight spilled across the campus, casting long shadows behind banners that fluttered lazily in the gentle breeze. Students moved between classes, backpacks swinging, headphones humming faint melodies, entirely absorbed in the rhythm of ordinary life.For the first time in weeks, Jared walked the quad without that subtle tension in his shoulders, without glancing over his back to anticipate conflict. The rumor that had spread like wildfire—the one that had painted him as a violator of trust, a target of the Iron Vow—was dissipating, replaced by evidence, calm logic, and undeniable truth.His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he checked it absentmindedly. A series of notifications flashed across the screen: screenshots, social media posts, and forum updates.The headline that caught his attention read, “Campus Video Debunked: Claim Retracted.” The clip had been manipulated. Metadata, cross-checked by the administration, revealed its forgery, and the young woman involved had
CHAPTER 195
The campus charity gala unfolded beneath strings of warm lights and carefully curated elegance. Banners bearing the university crest draped from the balconies of the student center, and clusters of well-dressed students moved between silent auction tables with glasses of sparkling cider in hand.Laughter rose in polite waves, the kind cultivated for donors and alumni who appreciated refinement over chaos. It was the kind of event where reputations were polished, not tested.Jared hadn’t planned on attending.But absence, tonight, would have looked strategic. And he was done feeding narratives.He stood near the edge of the courtyard, dressed in a dark tailored suit that drew subtle glances without demanding them. Conversations shifted when he passed, though not as sharply as before. The accusation had quieted, thanks in part to the Iron Vow’s silence.The forum thread had lost momentum. Comments had turned uncertain. Some posts had even disappeared.Pressure had receded—but not entire
CHAPTER 194
The far end of the parking structure was dimmer, the overhead lights flickering faintly as if undecided about whether to stay on. The concrete walls trapped sound, turning even quiet breaths into something heavier. The Iron Vow members remained several paces back, forming no visible barrier this time, just a silent perimeter. Their leader stood in front of Jared, posture relaxed but eyes sharp, measuring.“You said the footage was edited,” the leader began. “Prove it.”Jared didn’t rush to answer. He pulled out his phone slowly, deliberately, making sure every movement was visible. Escalation here would come from misinterpretation, not aggression. He opened the circulating clip first.“This is the version spreading,” he said, angling the screen slightly. “Sixteen seconds. Starts mid-motion. Ends mid-motion.”The leader didn’t take the phone. He watched.Jared continued, voice steady. “Look at the reflection on the car behind us. The timestamp on the dashboard clock. It reads 9:42 at t
CHAPTER 193
The pressure did not erupt. It accumulated.By the next morning, the shift had become structural. Jared discovered his access to the athletic wing had been formally suspended pending “conduct review.” A campus mentorship program he had quietly supported sent a brief, carefully worded message informing him that parent participants had expressed concern.Even the Robotics Club, which had casually invited him to open lab hours just days ago, posted an update limiting lab access to “verified active members only.” None of it accused him directly. None of it condemned him outright. It was administrative erosion—measured, procedural, clean.Walking through campus felt different now. Not hostile. Hostility was loud. This was calibrated distance. Conversations lowered when he approached, then resumed once he passed.A group of students at the fountain stopped mid-laughter as he walked by, their smiles tightening into neutral expressions. One freshman who had thanked him just days earlier avoid
CHAPTER 192
By the time Jared reached his suite that afternoon, the accusation had evolved from a whisper into a narrative. It wasn’t loud or chaotic. There were no shouting matches in hallways or dramatic confrontations on the quad. Instead, it moved like a quiet tide—steady, deliberate, and suffocating.The forum thread had doubled in size. Screenshots of the edited clip were circulating across multiple group chats. Someone had slowed the footage, zoomed in, added red circles and captions as if conducting a forensic analysis. The comments had shifted from speculation to certainty. “Look at her body language.” “He’s always been too smooth.” “Money makes people think they’re untouchable.” The transformation was efficient. Clinical.He tossed his phone onto the table and stood by the window, watching the campus below. Nothing outwardly chaotic. Students still walked in pairs.Clubs still advertised events. But he could see it now—the subtle recalibration of space. A group that might have waved now
You may also like
Return of the son-in-law
Chessman76.8K viewsZILLIONAIRE’S COMEBACK.
Becca71.8K viewsBillionaire in Disguise
Faith124.3K viewsEthan Nightangle Rises To Power
Dragon Sly100.1K viewsTHE HEALER'S LAST LEGACY
Angka sara333 viewsAfter The Divorce: The Nobody Became a Billionaire
PaulyP1.0K viewsThe Supreme Ruler
Go_Creed8.5K viewsFrom Ruin To Reckoning
GIN ROSE359 views