Chapter 99 Plan B
CHAPTER 99
Plan B
The applause inside the hall was still rising and falling in waves, names continuing to echo across the stage as the graduation ceremony carried on in celebration, but outside that moment far beyond the walls of that hall something had just been set loose and it was spreading fast.
Trent stood in a dimly lit room, his phone glowing faintly in his hand. His eyes were fixed on the screen, watching as the numbers climbed. Views, shares, reposts, comments flooding in faster than he could even process.
A slow, satisfied smile crept onto his face.
“Too late now,” he murmured.
The headline was already everywhere.
“Doxument 1 Leo Carter is an adopted son, He is not the real son of Richard Carter. Document 2, Richard's Carter has been linked to his wife’s death.”
Trent exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair. “Let’s see how you survive this, brother…”
Back at the graduation hall, the atmosphere remained bright, untouched for now. Ruby sat with her certificate still resting in her hands, her smile soft, her eyes occasionally drifting toward the back of the hall where Leo stood. He hadn’t moved much, just watching her.nLike she was the only thing that mattered.
Leo checked his phone briefly, nothing unusual, just messages from assistants.
He ignored most of them, this moment he wasn’t giving it away, not yet.
The doors at the side of the hall opened quietly. Blake stepped in. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by urgency.
His eyes scanned the room quickly until they landed on Leo. He was relieved, mixed with concern.
“There you are…” he muttered.
He didn’t waste time, moving quickly through the crowd, he made his way toward the back where Leo stood.
Leo noticed him almost immediately. His brows furrowed slightly. Blake? Here? Now?
That wasn’t normal.
Blake reached him, his voice low but firm.
“We need to go.”
Leo didn’t move. “What?”
“Now,” Blake repeated.
Leo frowned. “I just got here.”
“I know.”
“Then what’s the rush?”
Blake hesitated for a split second, and that was enough for Leo to notice.
“What’s wrong?” Leo asked, his tone sharpening slightly.
Blake ran a hand through his hair. “It’s your dad.”
Leo’s expression changed instantly. “What about him?”
Blake looked around briefly, lowering his voice even more. “There’s something out,” he said. “Online.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of something?”
Blake’s jaw tightened. “Something bad.”
Leo didn’t like the sound of that. “At least let me see Ruby first,” he said. “I’ll be quick.”
Blake shook his head immediately. “No.”
Leo stared at him. “Blake—”
“You don’t understand,” Blake cut in. “This isn’t something you walk into casually.”
Leo’s patience began to wear thin. “Then explain.”
Blake hesitated again because saying it out loud made it real.
“There’s a report going around,” he said slowly. “About you, your father… and your mom.”
Leo froze. “What?”
Blake swallowed. “They’re saying he was involved in her death, and you are not his biological son.”
For a moment, Leo didn’t react. The words didn't align properly. “That’s not funny,” he said flatly.
“I’m not joking.”
Leo shook his head slightly “No.”
“It’s everywhere,” Blake continued. “News sites, social media, in fact people are already talking.”
Leo’s chest tightened. “That’s impossible.”
“I know,” Blake said. “But right now, it doesn’t matter what’s true or not. What matters is how fast this is spreading.”
Leo’s mind began to race. This didn’t make sense. “This is a setup,” he said.
Blake nodded..“Probably.”
“Then we find out who did it.”
“We will,” Blake replied. “But not here.”
Leo glanced toward Ruby, she was still seated, smiling. “I need to tell her,” he said.
Blake stepped slightly in front of him. “No.”
Leo’s eyes snapped back to him. “She deserves to know,” Leo insisted.
“And you deserve to think clearly before saying anything,” Blake countered.
Leo clenched his jaw. “I’m not leaving without—”
“Leo,” Blake interrupted firmly.
That tone made him pause. “This is bigger than you right now,” Blake said. “The media is already looking for you. If they find out you’re here,this place turns into chaos.”
Leo glanced around. The ceremony, the students and Ruby. Blake was right and he hated it.
“I just need one minute,” Leo tried again.
“You don’t have one minute,” Blake replied.
The tension between them thickened. Leo looked back toward Ruby again. His chest tightened, he had just gotten here and now he had to leave without seeing her.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.
Blake stepped closer. “We’ll fix this,” he said. “But you need to move now.”
Leo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. Everything was happening too fast. He nodded. “Fine.”
Blake didn’t waste another second.
“Let’s go.”
They moved quickly toward the side exit, avoiding attention as much as possible.
Leo didn’t look back immediately, but just before stepping out he did.
Ruby was still there, laughing softly with Jane. Completely unaware of the storm that had just begun.
Leo’s chest tightened. “I’ll come back,” he whispered under his breath.
Outside, the atmosphere was already shifting. Phones were out, people whispering, news spreading like wildfire and somewhere in the distance cameras were already beginning to gather.
Back inside Ruby felt her phone buzz again.
She smiled faintly, expecting another message from Leo but when she checked
it was nothing.
She frowned slightly. “Strange…”
Jane leaned over. “What?”
“Nothing,” Ruby said, though her eyes drifted toward the back again.
He wasn’t there. Her smile faded slightly.
“Where did he go…?”