Unlikely Mates

20

**Chapter Twenty: The Gloves Come Off**

Bradley sat on the edge of his bed, glaring at the email on his laptop screen. His father’s reach was relentless. As if revoking his scholarship and feeding rumors about Max hadn’t been enough, Richard Uppercrust had taken things to a new level of cruelty.

The email had come from the university’s financial aid office, cold and impersonal in its wording. Effective immediately, Bradley’s entire academic file was flagged for review due to allegations of misconduct, and his enrollment status was now “under consideration.” In other words, Bradley was being threatened with expulsion.

His stomach churned with a mix of anger and dread. This wasn’t about his grades or his performance. It was about control, about forcing him back into line. His father was tightening the noose, and Bradley was running out of air.

Max, sitting cross-legged on the other side of the bed, was seething. His fists clenched and unclenched, eyes blazing with fury as he read the email over Bradley’s shoulder.

“That bastard!” Max growled, his voice low and sharp. “He’s actually trying to get you kicked out of school now. What the hell is his problem?”

Bradley ran a hand through his hair, his voice tight with frustration. “He’s trying to make sure I don’t have a choice. If I lose my spot here, my reputation will be destroyed. He knows the only way I could bounce back from that is with his help. He wants me to come crawling back to him.”

Max was quiet for a moment, staring down at the bedspread as if lost in thought. Then, suddenly, he stood up, pacing the length of the room with nervous energy.

“We need to hit him where it hurts,” Max said, his eyes dark and determined. “We can’t just let him keep doing this to you. He’s not invincible, Bradley. He’s just a man. A powerful, manipulative man, but still just a man.”

Bradley raised an eyebrow, watching Max pace. “And how exactly do you suggest we fight him? He has money, connections, and the ability to make our lives a living hell.”

Max stopped, turning to face Bradley. “We start by exposing him. All those shady deals he’s made, all the people he’s stepped on to climb his way to the top—we dig it up. And then we make it public.”

Bradley blinked, stunned by the intensity in Max’s voice. “You want to expose my father?”

Max nodded, his expression fierce. “Yes. He’s spent years hiding behind his money and his name, but that doesn’t mean he’s untouchable. People like him always have skeletons in their closet. We just have to find them.”

Bradley leaned back, processing Max’s words. He’d never imagined going up against his father in such a direct way. It felt dangerous, reckless even, but at the same time… exhilarating.

Bradley’s father had been running his life for as long as he could remember, always pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Maybe it was time to cut those strings and take control.

“How would we even start?” Bradley asked, his voice calmer now, but still laced with tension.

Max’s lips twitched into a grim smile. “I’ve been thinking about that. Your father’s company—Uppercrust Industries—it’s not as clean as it looks on the surface. I’m sure of it. He’s involved in some pretty shady business deals. We could start by looking into those.”

Bradley sighed, rubbing his temples. “We’d need proof. And I’m not exactly in the best position to get that. My father’s always been careful about keeping me out of the family business.”

Max’s grin widened. “That’s where I come in. I’ve been doing some research—don’t ask me how I got into some of the places I did—but I found a few things. Your dad’s been under investigation before, but everything’s always gotten swept under the rug.”