Berry McAlon: The Hidden Student Heir

“When the hell would all this end…” Berry muttered under his breath, staring blankly at the stained ceiling of his tiny bedroom. The old fan creaked overhead, beating out an uneven rhythm—almost mocking him the way fate often did. His body felt sore, not from any physical injury, but from the weight of frustration pressing heavily on his chest. The laughter of his classmates at PHU—those snickering hyenas dressed in golden robes—still echoed mercilessly in his mind. To them, he wasn’t a student. He was a joke. A charity case. A stain on their pristine world. From the next room, his aunt’s coughing fit returned, sharp and violent, cutting through the silence like shrapnel. Each cough stabbed at Berry’s heart, a painful reminder that he wasn’t doing enough—couldn’t do enough. He had to work harder. Earn more. Do better. And that was when his phone rang. The Caller ID flashed ZOE—his girlfriend. He sat up immediately, wiping his face as if she could somehow see him through the phone. “Hey babe—” “I just sent you a picture.” Zoe’s voice was sweet, sweet enough to coat poison, but Berry never heard the venom behind it. “There’s a new LV bag that just dropped. I need it. Today. Within the hour.” Berry blinked. “Within the— Zoe, that bag costs—” But before he could finish, the line cut. No explanation. No patience. No breath. Just a demand. Berry stared at his screen, still processing the audacity of it all, when another call vibrated through his phone. Mrs. Agnes, his boss. Her voice shot through him like an electric whip. “Why the hell are you not at work yet, Berry? You useless thing! I gave you a schedule. You have thirty minutes. If you’re a second late, don’t bother coming back!” The call went dead before he could respond. Berry exhaled shakily. He didn’t have the bag. He didn’t have the money. He barely had his sanity. But he had to go to work. He threw on his worn-out jacket and sprinted toward the club—the neon-lit hellhole that both paid his bills and bled him dry. He checked the time when he arrived. Eight minutes to spare. He was safe… or so he thought. Just as he approached the entrance, a deep mocking voice stopped him. “Hold up.” Berry turned. Nick. One of the security guards. Chiseled jaw, swollen ego, and eyes filled with that familiar, sadistic glint. Nick stood with two female waitresses beside him, both smirking. Nick folded his arms. “You ain’t getting in.” Berry blinked. “W-why? I’m on shift. I still have time—” “ID.” Berry patted his pockets. He froze. He remembered leaving it at home. “I… forgot it.” Nick grinned like a wolf catching its prey. “Forgot it? You hear that, girls? Poor Berry forgot his little card. Again.” The girls giggled as if it was the funniest thing they’d heard all month. “Nick, please,” Berry tried. “Let me in. My aunt’s medication, my job—” “No ID, no entry.” Nick shrugged dramatically. Then leaned in, voice dropping low. “But… I’m feeling generous today.” Berry stiffened. Whenever Nick said that, something horrible followed. “But I’ll let you in if…” Nick lifted his chin toward the girls. “You dance.” Berry’s breath hitched. “Nick, come on…” “DANCE, Berry.” Nick’s tone sharpened like a blade. “Dance for the ladies. Make it worth their time.” Berry checked the time. Three minutes left. If he argued, he’d lose his job. If he refused, Zoe wouldn’t get her bag. If he hesitated, his aunt wouldn’t get her medication. Berry swallowed the last of his dignity. And he danced. He danced pathetically, awkwardly, swaying his arms and legs like a puppet without strings. The girls burst into laughter. “Make him sing!” one waitress shouted. Nick stepped closer, towering over Berry. “You heard her. Sing. Loud. Or I’ll break that jaw of yours.” Berry clenched his fists, trembling. But fear, and desperation won. He sang. Off-key. Humiliating. Shame burning through him like acid. And then, “What the hell is this noise?” A cold voice sliced through the air. The crowd parted like water. Mrs. Agnes stepped out of the club—an intimidating woman with sharp cheekbones, sharper heels, and the sharpest tongue in the city. Her stare could make grown men kneel. She looked Berry up and down with visible disgust. “Mr. Alon,” she said icily, “what in the seven hells are you doing dancing and singing out here like a circus monkey?” Berry opened his mouth, but Nick cut in quickly. “Boss, I tried letting him in even though he forgot his ID. But he started showing off… dancing for the girls. I told him to stop—he just wouldn’t listen.” Berry’s jaw dropped. “That’s—” A single raised hand from Mrs. Agnes silenced him instantly. “Don’t.” Her voice dripped with disdain. “I know fools are rare these days, but even fools should know when to be foolish.” The entourage of waitresses snickered behind her. She continued, “You’re lucky. A top VIP specifically requested you tonight. If not, I would’ve fired you where you stand.” Berry bowed his head. “Go,” she snapped. “Grab the Red Crimson wine and the special package. Booth 9 is waiting. And listen—don’t f**k this up. Do it right, and you’ll finally get the $1,000 advance you begged me for.” Berry didn’t waste a second. He rushed inside, changed into his uniform, and hurried toward VIP Booth 9 with the expensive wine and package in hand. As he approached, a strange sound seeped through the thick curtains. Moans. Rhythmic. Intense. Berry froze. He pushed the door open. The package slipped from his hands. There, sprawled on the velvet couch of the VIP room, half-naked, was Zoe—the girl he thought he loved. Her dress bunched around her waist, her lips parted with shameless pleasure. And on top of her, pumping with arrogant abandon— Kai Ellis. The millionaire prince of PHU. The golden boy. The campus playboy. They didn’t stop. They didn’t flinch. They didn’t even acknowledge him. It was as if they wanted him to see. Kai leaned back with a smirk. “Oh, good timing, trash. I was wondering when you’d bring the wine.” Zoe moaned louder, wrapping her legs around Kai as she shot Berry a mocking glare. “Oops,” she said breathlessly, “guess you found out.” Berry snapped. He lunged forward, grabbing Kai by the collar and yanking him off Zoe. Before either could react, Berry’s fist cracked against Kai’s cheek. The room exploded into chaos. Patrons rushed in. Security burst through the door. Nick’s roar echoed above the noise. “Berry! How dare you lay hands on Mr. Ellis?! The biggest client we have?!” Kai wiped the blood from his lip, eyes blazing with murderous rage. Zoe stood, adjusting her dress, her face twisting with disgust as if Berry were something sticky stuck to her shoe. “Why?” Berry choked. “Why would you—Zoe, we’re together, I—” “Together?” Zoe scoffed. “Who told you that?” Berry blinked, stunned. Zoe flipped her hair, turning to the crowd. “I’ve never been in a relationship with this creep. He stalked me for months. Forced me to talk to him. I only played along because I felt bad for him.” Berry staggered back as if slapped. Then the real slap came. SMACK! Zoe’s palm slammed across his cheek. “Know your place, you slime,” she spat. “You’re not even fit to breathe the same air as us elites.” Mrs. Agnes appeared behind her, looking utterly done. “Nick,” she said coldly, “drag him out. Teach him a lesson for humiliating this establishment.” A vile grin crept across Nick’s face. He grabbed Berry by the collar and pulled him out roughly. The other guards followed eagerly. Nick whispered, “I’m going to enjoy this.” Berry didn’t even get a chance to prepare. The first punch exploded against his ribs. Another against his jaw. A kick to his stomach. A knee to his back. He coughed blood, collapsing on the floor. Then Kai emerged from the club, baseball bat in hand, four of his friends behind him like a pack of rabid wolves. “You think you can HIT me?” Kai growled. “Hold him up.” Nick hauled Berry upright by his hair. The first swing of the bat crashed into Berry’s side. CRACK. Berry gasped sharply, blood spilling from his lips. Another blow. And another. Aiden’s fist smashed into his cheek. Jaxon’s bat slammed into his ribs. Caleb kicked him hard across the face. Berry’s vision blurred, darkness creeping in from the edges. Somewhere in the haze, a familiar voice cried out. “Berry—!” Aunt Trisha. She ran in, holding Berry’s forgotten ID in her trembling hand. The moment she saw the beating, her scream pierced the club. Stop! Please, stop! she cried, running towards him. Kai didn’t hesitate. He swung his bat. It collided with Aunt Trisha’s face. She fell instantly. Unmoving. And the world around Berry shattered into pieces.