All Chapters of The Heiress Returns: Reclaiming My Legacy: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Chapter 22: Piper is crushing **Hannah’s POV** “Hannah!” The sound of my name ripped through the courtyard like a fire alarm. Piper and I both froze mid-sentence, blinking at each other before following the source of the noise. The hell are they doing there? Eleanor Bristo with her all designer gloss and movie-star confidence, waving at me as if we’d been lifelong friends. Lucas stood beside her, looking like someone who had just bitten into something sour and regretted it immediately. Yeah, I know Eleanor attends this school now but what is Lucas doing here? I felt my stomach drop. “Oh no.” Piper was amazed, her jaw practically hit the floor. “Wait... isn’t that Lucas? Is that his... sister?” “Apparently,” I muttered, heat rising to my face. “This is huge!” Piper squeaked, grabbing my arm. “Come on, Hannah. This is literally my golden ticket. You can introduce me, I can say hi, maybe just a handshake...” “No,” I cut in quickly, trying to tug my arm free. “Absolut

Chapter 24: The Threat ReturnsHannah’s POV“Lily…” I said in response to her rubbish supposed threat.I wonder what she meant by careful. Does she think if we get into a ring right now, I wouldn’t beat her ass down?I sighed, “I can’t disobey our parents. I have to intern at the Bristo company….it’s not a choice, it’s an order.”She gave me that glare of defeat that made me want to laugh but I held it back in and continued.“But you don’t need to worry. Lucas doesn’t like me, and I have no interest in forcing myself where I’m not wanted.”I could see the pain in her eyes, I guess she didn’t expect my confrontation in this way“So, for once…” my throat tightened, the words scraping out of me like flint striking stone, “just leave me alone.”I pivoted, determined to put distance between us, but then her fingers caught me.They curled around my wrist like silk ribbons, soft at first touch, but tightening with a strength that belied the fragility. My skin prickled under the contact.“Han

Chapter 26: Spotlight**Hannah’s POV** “Relax,” Piper shouted, her voice nearly swallowed by the pounding bass that shook the entire room like a second heartbeat. “You look hot. Like, dangerously hot. If Lucas Bristo walked in right now, he’d choke on his arrogance.”“Don’t mention him,” I muttered, tugging at the hem of my borrowed dress for what had to be the twentieth time. My cheeks betrayed me though, warming instantly, and Piper’s knowing grin told me she hadn’t missed it.“Fine, fine. No Lucas talk.” She raised her cup high, almost sloshing pink liquid onto my arm, her voice dripping with theatrics. “Tonight is strictly about us. Girls’ night. Forget Lily and her trust-fund claws. Forget your psycho family politics. Forget Jack-the-human-red-flag with his perfectly styled hair and his inability to take a hint. Tonight…” she leaned in, her breath sweet with tequila and sugar, “…we drink.”I tried not to laugh but failed miserably, the sound bubbling up against the roar of the m

Chapter 28: Spotlight ConfessionsHannah’s POV“My beautiful Hannah.”The words rolled out of Jack’s mouth with all the confidence of someone who believed the world had been waiting for him to say them. He clutched the microphone like it was a sword, smiling as though he had just slain a dragon and I was his trophy to claim in front of the entire school.I froze under the sharp heat of the spotlight. My heart thudded in my chest so loud I was sure the DJ’s speakers picked it up. The crowd screamed, cheered, clapped, their voices crashing into one another until the sound became a single roar. Phones shot into the air, flashes popping like fireworks. My cheeks burned as though every light in the building had been turned on me alone.Jack stretched out his hand, his grin plastered wide. “First of all, thank you for coming here because I asked you to,” he announced proudly, as if my very presence were proof of our great love story.I wanted to sink into the floor. I hadn’t come because of

Chapter 30: The InterruptionLucas’ POVThe spotlight swung with me, swallowing me whole until I reached the stage. The brightness was blinding, the heat of it prickling my skin. Jack still had Hannah’s wrist, his knuckles pale with the force of his grip. His face twisted between shock and rage, but the second my shadow loomed over them, I saw his bravado faltered.I reached out and took Hannah’s free hand. Her skin was cold, trembling so badly it shot through me like electricity.“Let. Her. Go,” I repeated, quieter this time, the words dropping heavy and sharp as a blade pressed to the throat.Jack sneered, trying to mask his unease with bluster. “Who the fuck are you? Oh wait…” His eyes flickered, recognition dawning, his smirk crawling back onto his lips like rot returning to fruit. “The library guy.”The crowd stirred, murmurs rising, laughter spilling in small bursts. They weren’t sure what they were watching yet. Romance, drama, or a fight about to break loose. Phones angled hig