Chapter 2: Breakfast With Wolves
The next morning, my parents arrived at Adrian’s estate smiling like royalty.
My mother wore pearls. My father wore confidence. Marcus wore the same cruel grin he had worn my entire life.
“Well?” Marcus asked, looking me up and down. “Married life treating you well?”
I smiled.
“Better than expected.”
Adrian entered behind me, dressed as Alden again. The old billionaire mask was flawless. My family saw wealth. I saw war.
Breakfast was served in a dining room large enough to make greed echo.
My father lifted his coffee cup.
“To new beginnings.”
Adrian raised his glass.
“To endings.”
No one noticed the difference except me.
Then Adrian slid a folder across the table.
My father opened it lazily.
His smile vanished.
Marcus leaned over his shoulder.
“What is that?”
“Collateral agreements,” Adrian said in Alden’s elderly voice. “Your company, your estate, your investment accounts, and your voting shares. All transferred under the emergency loan clause you signed yesterday.”
My mother’s fork dropped against her plate.
“That’s impossible.”
“It’s notarized,” Adrian replied calmly.
Marcus shot to his feet.
“You tricked us!”
Adrian slowly removed his glasses.
“No. You didn’t read.”
My father’s face went red.
“You old parasite—”
Before he could finish, the dining room doors opened.
Two attorneys entered.
Then three federal investigators.
Then a woman my father had not seen in sixteen years.
Adrian’s older aunt, Helena Cross.
My father stood so fast his chair scraped violently against the floor.
Helena looked at him with ice in her eyes.
“Hello, Victor. Still stealing from families?”
My mother turned pale.
Marcus looked at me for the first time with real fear.
May you like
I smiled softly.
“You should have checked the bride’s pockets.”
