All Chapters of Unwanted Nerd: Chased By The B-Ball Stars: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

Deborah's POV With tears still streaming down my cheeks, creating hot trails that I could feel cooling against my skin in the damp basement air, I found myself laughing. The sound came out harsh and mocking, echoing off the concrete walls in a way that sounded almost unhinged even to my own ears. But I couldn't stop it. I couldn't suppress the bitter amusement that was bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me."All the times you shot the ball in the basket," I said, my voice carrying clearly through the space between us despite the tears that were still falling, "Liam made it possible for you to do so. He set up the shots for you."I knew fully well that Caleb took pride in how good he was at playing basketball. I had watched him over the years and seen the way he preened after successful games, the way he soaked up the praise from coaches and teammates and fans. His identity was so wrapped up in being a star player that attacking it felt like striking at the very core of who he bel

Third Person POV "I don't believe you," Caleb said, his voice carrying a note of desperate defiance as he gripped the pocket knife tighter in his hand. Blood continued to drip from his nose, creating a steady rhythm of drops hitting the concrete floor. "Prove it if you really did. Show me your phone. Show me the call log." His eyes darted between Liam and the doorway behind him, as if he was trying to calculate whether this was a bluff or whether police officers would actually come bursting through at any moment. The knife trembled slightly in his grip, betraying the fear that his cocky words were attempting to mask. Liam didn't respond to the challenge. Instead, he just steadied himself and prepared to fight Caleb even with the knife in his hand. His stance shifted into something more defensive, his weight balanced on the balls of his feet, his hands raised slightly in front of his body. Years of basketball had taught him quick reflexes and body control, and he was preparing to u

Third Person POV By the time they had gotten to the college basketball court, practice had already begun. The familiar sounds of sneakers squeaking against polished hardwood and basketballs hitting the floor echoed through the gym as the team ran through drills under Coach Reynolds' watchful eye. The overhead lights cast bright pools of illumination across the court, making the team's jerseys stand out in sharp relief against the pale wooden surface. Liam and Deborah stood near the entrance to the gym, their arrival unnoticed by most of the players who were too focused on their exercises to pay attention to who might be watching from the sidelines. Liam's hands were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with tension as he watched his former teammates execute plays that he had helped design and perfect over months of practice. Coach Reynolds stood on the sidelines with his clipboard, his silver hair catching the light as he barked instructions and corrections to the players. When

Third Person POV The next morning, Liam and Deborah arrived really early for the game. The gymnasium was already buzzing with energy as spectators filed into the bleachers, and professional scouts in business casual attire positioned themselves in the front rows with clipboards and recording devices. The air smelled of popcorn and floor wax, mixing with the nervous excitement that always preceded important games.Liam warmed up with his teammates, running through shooting drills and defensive formations while trying to shake off the tension of the past few days. His muscles felt tight at first, rusty from missing practice, but as his body remembered the familiar movements, the stiffness began to fade. Each successful shot helped rebuild his confidence, the satisfying swish of the ball through the net reminding him why he loved this game in the first place.When the whistle blew to start the match, Liam felt the familiar surge of adrenaline that came with game time. The opposing team

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Liam repeated, his voice rising louder as the shock of seeing his estranged father standing in the middle of the gymnasium began to fully register. The word came out strained and confused, carrying years of complicated emotions compressed into a single question.The team members who were still frozen in terror near the court now added shock to their expressions as they processed this revelation. Marcus turned to look at one of the other players with wide eyes, silently communicating their surprise that their captain's father was apparently someone powerful enough to command his own security force.Before Carlos could answer his son's question, Lucas looked at the man with an intensity that made the air in the gymnasium feel even more charged with tension. A flash of recognition passed across his face, transforming his earlier confidence into something that looked dangerously close to genuine concern."Carlos Ryes," Lucas said, the name coming out in a t