Rise of the Disgraced Heir

WARNING: RISE OF THE DISGRACED HEIR IS CONNECTED TO MY OTHER NOVEL, NEVER JUDGE. YOU DON'T NEED TO READ ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER AND THEY CAN BE READ SEPARATELY. BUT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IAN AND MOST OF THE CHARACTERS IN RISE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING NEVER JUDGE.

"Ian! Hurry up!" Ian rolled his eyes as Jas nagged him over the phone, why did he have to date such a demanding woman.

Ian stood at the bus stop, combing his fingers through his hair as he waited for the bus anxiously.

He gave an annoyed smirk as he noticed a few college students looking at him, giggling excitedly.

Ian was quite a handsome man, both his parents came from affluent families, but they had hit hard times. Most men that looked as attractive as him would not be seen taking public transport.

"Jas, I can't exactly make the bus fly." Ian complained and rolled his eyes as he tapped his shoes on the pavement. As usual the bus was late, nothing was ever on time in the capital.

There were just too many people in one place, traffic was crazy and living expenses were even worse. The only way you could get to one place on time was if you left hours in advance or if you had your own car.

Ian was too poor to buy his own car, his family had lost everything when he was in high school, turning a prince into a pauper.

"Why can't you just leave earlier Ian?" Jas asked in an annoyed tone. "You know how hard it was for me to arrange this interview for you? I had to ask dad to talk to some of his connections just for you. It was embarrassing."

"I know Jas, I know, Why do you have to keep on reminding me." Ian said rolling his eyes as he finally spotted the bus. "It's here. I'm going to drop the call." Ian said as he shoved his phone in his pocket.

Ian sighed as he finally found a spot on the bus. He missed the better days back when his family had money. Things were better, people respected him, people didn't look down at him the way they did now.

His girlfriend, Jasmine Ortega, was his childhood friend. She knew him from the days when the Lim family was rich, that was the only reason why her father even allowed them to date.

Jasmine wasn't some stuck up bitch from a rich family, she was actually nice. She had just lived a sheltered life and was unaware of how the ordinary man struggled.

Ian looked down at his worn out shoes, letting his black hair fall to his face as he recalled the day he found his mom begging at school.

Eight Years Ago

"Lim, come on! We're gonna be late for class!" A dark-haired young teen called out to his friend.

The bell had just rung, signaling the end of their lunch break. All students were expected back in class within five minutes of the bell.

"Wait." Ian Lim said in an annoyed tone. He didn't like people ordering him around, but this particular friend of his didn't care.

"Lim if the prefect catches being late again I'll blame it all on you." His friend said helplessly as he followed Ian in the direction he was headed.

"Screw the prefect." Ian said with a laugh. "You're too uptight Park. No wonder you want to be a general or something."

"Police chief!" His friend Damien Park said, correcting him.

"Whatever, tomato, tomato. It's the same thing." Ian said as he walked away from their classroom.

"Just because the Lims are wealthy doesn't mean the prefect will go easy on you." Damien Park said as he followed his friend. "Even those princes don't get away with everything."

"Psh! Those princes, so vain, just because their families are the richest in the country." Ian shook his head in annoyance.

"Don't be so cocky Ian." Damien Park said as he continued to follow his friend down the hall.

"If you're so worried go back to class." Ian said as he turned.

"Your funeral." Damien said as he raised his hands in surrender and walked back to class.

Ian shook his head and continued walking, he was never one to follow the rules.

He didn't want to go to class today, he didn't feel like it.

Things at home were too chaotic for him to focus, his parents thought he didn't know but he had seen the change in his dad, he seemed stressed and sad all the time.

"Please sir, my husband's company is closing down and we just need time to get the money for his tuition." Ian heard a familiar voice beg.

It couldn't be, how could she be here? Ian asked himself as he crept around the corner to get a better view.

"Mrs. Lim, I'm sorry but there isn't much we can do." Ian heard the head of his school's finance department say.

"But if you kick Ian out he will have to stop school." Ian heard his mom beg.

"Last stop! Last stop!" A voice called out. Ian suddenly sat up as he woke from his nightmare.

"Crap." Ian cursed, he had drifted too far in his memories that he didn't realize that the bus was nearing his stop.

He quickly ran out the door as the driver shouted at him. "Hey! You didn't pay!"

"Sorry, sir." Ian said as he scrambled to get enough money from his pockets. He was already running late for his first job interview.

The bus stop was still quite a walk away from where his interview was going to be held, but Ian didn't mind, he had walked further for a lot less.

As a fresh university graduate, Ian had gone to a lot of job interviews in the past month, each one turning out worse than the last.

For some reason, some rich man's son or daughter would always snap up the job opportunity just as he thought he would get accepted. This time, Ian was hoping that it would be different.

Jas had spoken to her father and begged him to help Ian land a job with a family friend.

Ian looked up as he entered the small building of Island's Inc.

The company was not a large one, it was owned by the Hernandez family, but it was a good company. At his point in his job hun Ian was willing to go and apply in all companies that had an open position.

"Ian Lim?" The woman at the reception asked as he approached.

"Yes." Ian said with a nod as he smiled at the woman who simply smiled back at him.

"Down that hall. They are already expecting you." The woman told him as she pointed at the hall she was referring to.

Ian thanked her and went on his way.

Inside the room a member of the Human Resources staff informed Ian that he would be interviewed by John Hernandez, the grandson of the company owner.

Ian nodded and followed the HR Staff to the interview room.

When Ian entered, he was surprised to see a man that seemed to be just a few years older than him. He wore flashy branded clothing from head to toe and was casually leaning on his seat when the HR staff and Ian arrived.

"You're the one uncle Ron recommended?" John Hernandez asked as he looked at Ian from head to toe.

"Yes, sir." Ian said, adding the sir as a sign of respect. The uncle Ron that John Hernandez was referring to was Jas' father.

"You can't even dress properly." John Hernandez scoffed as he looked at Ian. "This is an apparel company. Get this man out of my sight!" John ordered embarrassing Ian.

Seeing as he had nothing to lose Ian took the opportunity and fired back at the man.

"My clothes might look worn out but they are much better than yours." Ian said in a loud voice. "Do your employees know how much fake clothes you are wearing on you right now?" Ian said with a laugh.

"How dare you?" John Hernandez said, standing up from his seat.

"Don't you know it's tacky to show off the brand logo? You new rich people, so disgusting." Ian said as he turned and walked out.

As he left the room, two large security guards grabbed him by the arms and dragged him to the back of the building.