Chapter 1: SNEAK PEAK: RISE OF THE DISGRCED HEIR (Ian's Story)

The events of Rise of the Disgraced Heir is set 8 years before Never Judge.

The novel is already available on Webnovel.

"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.

Ian held the ice to his eye as his girlfriend berated him on how he should have just sucked it up and left.

"How could you expect me to just take insults from a man like that?" Ian asked. "He didn't even look at my resume, he gave me one look and sent me out!"

"My dad placed his name on the line for you on this!" Jas shouted back. "You should at least be thankful!"

"Yes, yes, because you and your dad pay for everything and do everything for me!" Ian answered her. "This apartment we live in, your parent's graduation gift. Our daily expenses, mostly from the card your dad pays for. I work two jobs already and I can't provide for us. Why not just break up with me and find a proper guy!"

"That is not the issue here Ian Lim!" Jas shouted back. "The issue here is your attitude!" 

"My attitude! My attitude!" Ian said, rolling his eyes. "I didn't do anything that deserved getting beaten up like this."

"You should have been more respectful to John." Jas said as she tried to bring the discussion to a calmer level.

"He was disrespectful as well." Ian argued back. "You know what, I'm out of here." Ian said, raising his hand and grabbing his jacket.

"Don't you dare walk out on me Ian!" Jas shouted as Ian slammed the door behind him.

Ian could hear Jas calling out for him as he walked down the stairs, he stuck on his earphones blocking out all other noises, including Jas calling for him to return.

It was raining hard outside, but Ian didn't care, he needed to be somewhere else, somewhere not there.

Ian eventually ended up at the entrance of the famous Constellations Hotel. It was a chain of hotels that had mysteriously popped up in the past year. No one knew who owned it, all they knew was it was extremely hip and it was expanding rapidly.

Ian walked in, not caring that he was soaked or that he probably couldn't afford the drinks in the high end establishment. He simply walked in and sat at the bar.

He watched as rich men picked up young women who were there for that exact purpose. Ian had been around enough rich heirs to know that these women here were there for their entertainment. 

He noticed one girl, sitting alone at the bar. She was frowning as the bartender gave her another glass of alcohol.

She stood out among the crowd, she didn't seem like one of the high class escorts or social climbers that littered the bar, looking for a rich man to snag.

Instead she seemed lonely, like him.

She wore an elegant business suit, with her long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She sat straight and regally as if she was some princess of a foreign land. She was pretty but not Ian's type.

He saw a man approach, he tapped the girl on the shoulder, the woman shook her head and sent him away. It was clear, she wasn't here for that.

The bartender refilled her drink again, which sipped leisurely.

The man returned, this time Ian could see how demanding he was, pulling on her arm. Ian had two younger sisters and he could not stand a man treating a woman that way.

He quickly stood up and approached the arguing pair.

"Is there a problem here?" Ian asked in his deep baritone voice.

"Get away kid, this is none of your business." The man said as he gripped the woman's arm tightly, clearly hurting her.

"I told you to fucking let go of me. I'm not some low class escort." The woman said as she struggled to get free from his grip.

"Oh come on baby, that's what they all say at the start." The man said in a disgusting tone.

"Let go of her." Ian said as he grabbed the man's arm, gripping it tightly.

"No!" The man insisted.

Ian's blood boiled at the man's insistence, Ian couldn't hold back, he threw a punch at the man, throwing him to the ground.

Ian was soon surrounded by several bodyguards that dragged him to the back of the hotel.

Ian groaned at his luck, he had just dealt with being beaten up by the goons at Island's Inc. now he was going to get beaten up by the security team at the Constellations Hotel.

He was surprised that instead of taking him to some alley, he was brought to posh room with a carpeted floor and elegant fixtures.

In the room stood a man with an imposing aura. Ian couldn't help but avert his eyes from the man, he was clearly someone important, someone too important.

"Uncle." The girl from earlier said as she entered the room.

"Does your father know you are here?" The man asked.

"Of course not." She said, shaking her head. "Please don't tell him uncle."

"Fine, but avoid bars from now on kid." He said, shaking his head.

"Thank you, uncle!" The woman said excitedly as she turned to leave.

She suddenly stopped and walked up to Ian. She wasn't that tall and the top of her head was only at Ian's lips. 

She looked up at him with an intimidating gaze, she was clearly someone that you didn't want to mess with. Something about her felt familiar to Ian but he couldn't point out what it was.

"You are a good man." She suddenly said in a kind tone. "You saved me from that man."

"I only did what any gentleman should do." Ian said with a shrug.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Ian Lim, miss." Ian said, his tone now full of respect for her.

"Ian Lim?" The man asked.

"Yes sir." Ian answered. The man didn't say anything after that, which puzzled Ian.

"Most men wouldn't have stood up for me. You are a dying breed." The woman said, shaking her head. "My name is Katerina Sebastian. I hope we meet again someday."

"Sebastian? As in the senator?" Ian asked as he tilted his head to the side.

"Yes, he is my dad." Katerina said with a mischievous grin. "You should stop playing hero Ian, it will get you in trouble."

Ian was at a loss for words, the Sebastians were the elite of the elites, the oldest and most powerful political family in the country. Very few stood at a position higher than them. What was a daughter of such a family doing at a bar?

Katerina gave him a sad smile as she walked out and left. Ian was left in the room with the intimidating man and his goons.

"Why are you doing this?" The imposing man in front of him asked. Ian could feel the power and authority radiating from him, he was clearly someone important. "You didn't have to save her, and you are clearly drinking for a reason, so why help?"

"Does it matter?" Ian hissed, he wasn't in the mood to bow down to some rich man. He had enough on his plate today to care.

He was surprised when the man suddenly laughed. Ian was expecting this man to have him thrown out, not to be amused by what he had just said.

"I like you." The intimidating figure finally spoke. Ian couldn't help but look up at him in curiosity, most powerful men didn't like being talked back to. "Marco, get his details. I see a future for this one."

For some reason Ian knew at that moment that his life would change, that he would no longer need to settle for rich kid's scraps. Something about this man's words seemed like a promise to help.