Disguised As A Boy To Attend Belmont High School
Chapter 76: Shattered

Chapter 76: Shattered

Henry’s eyebrows were raised in curiosity. "What do you mean they’ll kill me?" he asked.

"Because they said so," Lucas replied, struggling to catch his breath. "I overheard Mr. Philip speaking on the phone about killing you or anyone who gets in his way of rescuing Samson from prison. I knew that telling you, Mark, Aiden, and Arthur would lead to you guys trying to stop Mr. Philip."

"You should have told us!" Henry yelled, his body tensed with anger.

"Mr. Philip may seem cool, but he’s a very dangerous man. He doesn’t care who he kills as long as he saves his son," Lucas explained, his eyes downcast. "I know that’s not a good excuse, but if my mom didn’t agree to help Mr. Philip, I would be going to jail too. He would make sure of it."

"You helped Mr. Philip because you’re afraid of going to jail," Henry said with a scoff. "You rich people are just so shitty. But why would Mr. Philip make you go to jail? Isn’t the real murderer who killed Desmond already arrested?"

"Yeah! Samson was arrested, but I also had a role in Desmond’s death. I threw the trophy, which ultimately caused his death, into the pool. It would be easy for Mr. Philip to label me as a murderer." Lucas explained, his tone serious. "My mom agreed to use her influence to help free Samson in order to protect me."

Henry clapped his hands, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well done! What a clever plan. You made everyone believe Samson was in jail and facing consequences, but you had already released him. And why? Because you didn’t want to go to prison. Can’t you see that Mr. Philip is manipulating you? He’s skilled at manipulating people."

"You don’t understand..."

"I understand everything, Lucas. You’re in the dark about what’s really going on." Henry interjected, cutting Lucas off. "Do you even know that Mr. Philip was involved in your sister’s death?"

The room’s temperature seemed to drop, and even the heavens reacted to Henry’s shocking revelation with a loud thunderstorm and heavy rainfall.

"Don’t talk nonsense, Henry. I apologize for deceiving everyone. I regret my rude behavior. I’m sorry for avoiding the truth. I’m sorry for everything, but I did it to protect all of you. If I had told you, it would have led to a confrontation with Mr. Philip, and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt." Lucas explained.

"Do you think I’m lying?" Henry sneered, glaring at Lucas. " Samson is responsible for your sister’s pregnancy. He got her pregnant and..."

Before Henry could finish his sentence, Lucas punched him in the mouth, sending him to the ground.

With fury in his eyes, Lucas stood over Henry, his chest heaving with anger. "How dare you!" he spat, his voice shaking with rage. "You know nothing about my sister or her death!"

Still recovering from the punch, Henry glared up at Lucas. "I know more than you realize," he growled, wiping the blood from his lip. "And I’m not afraid to speak the truth."

The tension in the room was palpable as the two boys faced each other, the storm outside reflecting the inner turmoil. Suddenly, Lucas’s demeanor shifted, and he looked away, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Fine," he muttered. "Tell me what you know."

Henry slowly rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on Lucas’s face. "Samson got your sister pregnant," he reiterated, his tone resolute. "And Mr. Philip...he’s the one responsible for her death."

Lucas’s eyes widened in shock, and he staggered back, as if struck once more. "No," he murmured, shaking his head. "That can’t be true."

But Henry simply nodded. "I’m afraid it is, Lucas. And there’s more."

Tears streamed down Lucas’s cheeks as he absorbed Henry’s words. Each syllable felt like a dagger piercing his heart.

"Your sister caught Mr. Philip in the act of burying the cleaner. Fearing she would expose the truth, he decided to silence her before she could. Samson informed Mr. Philip at that time that your sister was carrying his child, so Mr. Philip took advantage of the situation by manipulating Samson, providing him with a poison disguised as an abortion pill that he gave to your sister." Henry disclosed with a grave tone, fixing a stern gaze on the stunned Lucas. "So, Mr. Philip is the one who murdered your sister, and Desmond is unaware of this."

"Did you know that Mr. Philip returned to the country as soon as he learned of Desmond’s release from prison? Why? He anticipated Desmond’s demise while incarcerated and never expected his return. When he discovered Desmond was back, he hurried back to eliminate him, fearing that the truth about your sister’s death might be exposed through him." Henry added, his breath heavy. If you still doubt me, "I have a recording of our conversation at the airport. I just need to charge my phone first."

Lucas’s world crumbled as he absorbed Henry’s revelations, each one a devastating blow. He felt as though he was drowning in a sea of anguish and deceit.

"You’re lying," Lucas whispered, his voice barely audible.

Henry shook his head and retrieved his phone from his pocket. "I’m not lying, Lucas. I have evidence. I’ll show you once my phone is charged."

Tears welled up in Lucas’s eyes as he thought of his sister. He felt as though his entire existence had been a facade, befriending those responsible for his sister’s death while punishing the innocent.

"Why?" Lucas asked, his voice cracking with emotion. "Why would they do this?"

Henry’s expression was grim. "Because they’re willing to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their secrets. They’re ruthless, Lucas."

Lucas’s body shook with sobs as he realized the truth. The people he called his friends were actually the ones who had hurt him, betrayed him, and made him feel worthless.

Suddenly, Lucas’s eyes narrowed. "I’ll make them pay," he whispered, his voice cold and deadly. "I’ll make them pay for what they’ve done."

Henry’s eyes widened in alarm. "Lucas, no! That’s not the way to handle this."

But Lucas was beyond reason. He was consumed by anger and a desire for revenge. He would stop at nothing to make them pay for their sins.

Henry quickly grabbed Lucas by the waist, stopping him before he could leave the house.

"We have to plan, Lucas. That’s the only way we can win this battle. Without proper planning, those people could harm us," Henry persuaded, his hands tightly wrapped around Lucas’s waist as he continued to struggle to break free.

"How, Henry? What kind of plan?" Lucas managed to ask, his eyes brimming with tears.

"For now, you have to make everyone believe that I’m dead," Henry replied, his voice filled with seriousness, causing Lucas to turn his gaze to him, eyebrows raised in a mix of confusion and curiosity. "Yes, once Mr. Philip learns that I escaped, he will want to stay in the country and search for me until he kills me. Even if he thinks I’m dead, he will want to ensure he sees my corpse, so he will stay."

"Isn’t there already evidence on your phone? There’s no need to make everyone think you’re dead. Let’s just take the phone to the police station and get those criminals arrested," Lucas said bluntly.

"Do you think it will be that simple? Showing the police officers a mere voice recording rather than having them witness the criminal with their own eyes. Which do you think is better?" Henry asked, his gaze fixed on Lucas.

"We really need to make everyone believe I’m dead. Have everyone witness Mr. Philip’s crimes firsthand. Only then will he not be able to escape," Henry added, his tone serious.

Lucas’s eyes widened as he grasped the gravity of Henry’s plan. "You want to set a trap for Mr. Philip," he whispered.

Henry nodded. "Yes, we need to make him think I’m dead, and then we’ll have the advantage. We’ll gather evidence, and when the time is right, we’ll strike."

Lucas’s mind raced as he considered the plan. It was risky, but it might just work. He looked at Henry, determination evident on his face. "Let’s do it," he said. "Let’s make them pay for what they’ve done."

Henry’s expression turned serious. "We’ll need to be cautious. Mr. Philip has connections, and he won’t hesitate to use them. We must cover our tracks, ensure no one suspects a thing."

Lucas nodded, his heart pounding with anticipation. "I’m ready. Let’s do this," he declared, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "I’ll make them pay." With those words, he left the house and drove off into the heavy rain, leaving Henry behind.

"Take care and don’t do anything stupid!" Henry called after him as he watched Lucas drive away.

________

Lucas arrived at Belmont High School, driving quickly into the school compound and coming to a sudden stop at the entrance. He stepped out of the car into the heavy rain, feeling the cold water soak through his already wet clothes as he splashed through the puddles. The empty hallway stretched out before him, the only sound the patter of raindrops on the roof and the creaking of old lockers. The dim lighting cast long shadows, making the space feel eerie and deserted.

He climbed the stairs to the 3RM special room, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Using a key to unlock the door, he pushed it open and stepped inside. Olive stood up from where she was sitting on the floor, her eyes narrowing in concern as she took in Lucas’s disheveled appearance.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, her voice soft and worried. "Did something happen?"

Lucas didn’t answer. Instead, he walked into the room and collapsed into Olive’s arms, his body shuddering with sobs. Olive’s expression changed from concern to shock, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding him close to her chest.