Classicprincecj

At university, Chris is just another student—quiet, reserved, and seemingly ordinary. But behind the scenes, he’s the heir to a hidden fortune, a secret he guards fiercely.

Then there’s Skylar—a girl born into wealth, now watching her privileged world crumble as her family faces financial ruin. When she crosses paths with Chris, an unexpected connection sparks between them.

Skylar falls for him, believing he’s just a regular guy. But when her family pressures her to seek a richer suitor, Chris finds himself at a crossroads—should he reveal his true identity to fight for their love, or let her go to protect his secret?

In a world where love and wealth collide, can their relationship survive the truth?

Masked Affluence

Chris never believed in coincidences.

Zayne's arrest should have been the final nail in the coffin—a calculated takedown, executed cleanly. But something about how smoothly it had happened unsettled him.

Zayne was powerful, well-connected. He should have fought harder.

And whoever it was… they weren't done playing.

Blackwood HQ – Unfinished Business

Ethan strode into the office, his expression sharp.

"We have a problem," he said, dropping a file onto Chris's desk.

Ethan smirked but didn't relax. "Zayne's contacts—his real ones—are going dark. Accounts wiped, associates disappearing overnight. Someone's cleaning up after him."

Chris exhaled, closing the file he had been reviewing. "That means they saw this coming."

"Exactly." Ethan leaned forward. "And it gets worse. Some of those accounts? They trace back to Wren."

Chris finally looked up, his gaze unreadable.

"He's not running," Ethan continued. "He's regrouping."

Chris's fingers tapped against the desk, his mind already working ahead.

If Wren wasn't cutting ties, it meant he still had something. A play he hadn't revealed yet.

Chris smirked. "Then let's remind him why I'm three steps ahead."

Skylar's Apartment – Unfinished Questions

Skylar curled up on her couch, staring at the muted news broadcast. Zayne's downfall was the top story everywhere, but that wasn't what bothered her.

And why did it feel like he wasn't just talking about their brief encounters—but something bigger?

"Stay in tonight. I'll explain later."

She didn't like the way Chris always seemed to be one step ahead, always knowing things no ordinary student should.

She trusted him. But she also knew he was hiding things.

And a part of her was afraid to find out what those things were.

Just another student, blending into the crowd, unremarkable. No powerful last name to remember. No extravagant lifestyle. Just a guy in plain clothes, sitting at the back of lectures, avoiding attention.

But beneath that ordinary mask was something far more dangerous.

The unseen force behind an empire that held more power than most governments. A ghost in the world of the elite, moving in silence while others played in the light.

And now, someone was watching him.

A smooth voice spoke. "You made quite the statement with Zayne."

Chris's grip on the phone tightened. "Who is this?"

A low chuckle. "Let's just say… I'm someone who appreciates the game. And you, Mr. Blackwood, have just made yourself very, very interesting."

Chris lowered the phone, his expression unreadable.

Someone new had entered the board.

And this time, they weren't lurking in the shadows.

Chapter 39: Whispers in the Dark