All Chapters of HEIR OF PAIN: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

“Why… just why?” Arden whispered as he looked up at Carlos. His voice cracked, his throat raw as if every word hurt to come out. His eyes searched Carlos’s face desperately, begging for something—an explanation, a sign of remorse, even a small trace of the man he once loved and thought he knew. Carlos stood there with a blank expression, his tall frame blocking the only exit of the room. His arms were crossed, his jaw tight, but his eyes gleamed with something cruel and mocking. “Why the fuck did you do this to me?!” Arden suddenly yelled. His voice bounced off the walls, filled with anger but also unbearable pain. Carlos suddenly chuckled. Not the warm chuckle Arden had once loved. This one was cold, sharp, and dripping with malice. “You’re asking why I did it to you?” Carlos’s tone rose with mockery. “I hate the fucking fact that I had to be compared to you all the time! Do you know how sick it made me? People calling you brilliant, people looking at you like you’re some golden

~~~~~~4 YEARS LATER ~~~~~"You were so delicious,” the guy said as he licked his lips, his voice low and mocking. The others in the room burst into laughter, their cruel eyes fixed on Arden. Arden sat on the edge of the bed, his hands trembling as he pulled the thin bedsheet tightly around his bare shoulders. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, his entire body burning with shame. He could still feel their eyes, their laughter stabbing into him like knives. One by one, they glanced at him, smirking, and then turned to leave. Their footsteps echoed as they walked out of the room, their laughter trailing behind them. The door closed, leaving Arden alone in the suffocating silence. His eyes darted toward the last person in the room—Carlos. Carlos’s smirk was colder than the others. Arden’s lips trembled. “Why… why!!!” he yelled, his voice breaking as tears blurred his vision. He shut his eyes tightly, wishing he could disappear, wishing it was all just a lie. When he opened

After they were done with the lecture, Kyle immediately stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, and walked away quickly. He didn’t even glance at Arden.Arden’s heart tightened. He packed his books in a rush, his fingers fumbling with the zippers of his bag. He couldn’t let Kyle go like that — not when Kyle had been his best friend since childhood, the one person he could never afford to lose.“Kyle, wait!” Arden called softly as he hurried after him.The hallway outside the lecture hall buzzed with students talking, some heading to their next class, others laughing in groups. Arden squeezed through, nearly bumping into someone before catching Kyle’s arm.Kyle stopped and turned sharply, his frown deep. “What is it?” he snapped, his tone short and cold.Arden immediately dropped his gaze. He hated when Kyle was upset with him. Slowly, he looked up, his lips pouting just a little, and his eyes wide — the same innocent look he had used on Kyle since they were kids. “I’m sorry,”

Arden sighed for the tenth time that afternoon as his eyes darted across the hallway, searching for one person—Kyle. He hadn’t seen Kyle since the morning. Usually, even when they had different lectures, Kyle always showed up before long, either to tease him or drag him for food. But today, nothing. Arden had checked the usual spots, and still no Kyle. Though he knew Kyle might be stuck in another lecture hall, Arden still felt uneasy. By now, Kyle should have been done. He dropped his bag with a soft thud on the bench and pulled out a book, opening it in front of him. His stomach growled as he pressed a hand against it, wincing. He had been starved again. And he knew, without doubt, that there was little chance of getting anything decent when he returned tonight. He sighed again, louder this time, and raised the book to his face, pretending to focus. The lines blurred. Hunger had a way of stealing focus from even the simplest words. Then a shriek cut through the hallway. “Ohhh m

It was the weekend. Arden always dreaded weekends. Weekdays meant a small pocket of peace. But weekends meant staying home, trapped inside the house with nothing but silence, the smell of alcohol, and the certainty of an empty plate. His uncle never cared if he ate. Food was rationed like punishment, sometimes withheld altogether. But this time, things were different as Kyle had slipped him some money before leaving campus. It wasn’t much, but enough to last him through the weekend. Arden was grateful, and yet restless. He couldn’t ignore it anymore—Derek’s eyes. Ever since that night, he had felt them on him, no matter where he moved. When he washed the dishes, Derek would brush past him, his fingers grazing his waist which was enough to send shivers down his spine and make his skin crawl. And who could he tell? His uncle? The same man who had choked him just days ago? No. Arden had no one. Arden closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a long, tired sigh. He lowered his