Chapter 3 The return of Heir

The revolving doors of 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 opened.

Employees hurried through the marble lobby, each occupied with meetings, phone calls and deadlines. No one paid attention to the young who had just walked inside.

He wore a tailored black suit.

His black hair was neatly styled, and his sharp silver eyes scanned every cornor of the building.

Six years had changed everything.

The frightened fourteen-year old-boy who had escaped from a burning mansion was gone.

In his place stood a man who had spent six years preparing for one purpose.

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞.

The receptionist greeted him with a polite smile.

"Good morning sir, may I have your name?"

He smiled back.

"Luc--"

He stopped himself.

"My apologizes."

"My name is 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨."

The receptionist nodded her head after checking her computer.

"Mr. Cross is expecting you. The boardroom is on the Twenty-eight floor."

"Thank you."

The elevator doors closed.

Lucien stared at his reflection in the polished steel.

Different hairstyle.

Different clothes.

Different name.

But the same promise.

"𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦..."

"𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨."

****************

The Boardroom doors opened.

Damion Cross stood at the head of the table, surrounded by directors and investors.

"Mr. Romano!" Damion greeted him warmly. "We've heard impressive things about Romano Capital."

Lucien shook his head.

"The pleasure is mine."

For a brief second, Damion frowned.

There was something familiar about this young man's eyes.

Before he could think further, Lucien smiled.

"I believe we have things to discuss."

For the next hours, Lucien spoke calmly about investments, expansion plans, and overseas partnership.

Every director listened carefully.

Damion was impressed. He wouldn't stop smiling.

"This partnership could double our profits."

Lucien simply nodded.

"That's the idea."

After the meeting ended, Damion walked him to the elevator.

"I look forward to working with you."

Lucien met his eyes.

"So do I."

The elevator doors closed.

Only then Lucien allowed himself a small smile.

The contract wasn't fake.

It was far worse.

Every clause had been designed to lure Cross Holdings into a financial trap. By accepting the deal, Damion had unknowingly exposed years of hidden transactions that Lucien had spent Six years recovering.

****************

Three days later.

Every news channel interrupted its regular programming.

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦

𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗱

Documents proving years of money laundering and illegal offshore account had been anonymously delivered to the Financial Crimes Bureau.

Police vehicles surrounded the Cross Holdings.

Employees rushed outside in confusion.

Reporters crowed the entrance.

Damion pushed through the crowd in disbelief.

"This isn't possible!"

"We destroyed those records..."

He froze.

Destroyed?

Why did he say that out loud?

Before he could react, two Officers approached.

"Damion Cross?"

"You're under arrest."

Cold metal handcuffs clicked around his wrist.

As camera's flashes, Damion searched desperately through the crowd.

Across the street...

A black Sedan waited.

It's tinted window slowly rolled down.

Inside sat Lucien.

Their eyes met.

Recognition struck Damion like lightening.

His face became pale.

"... Lucien..."

Lucien didn't smile.

He simply adjusted his cuff links.

Then the window rolled up.

The Sedan drove away.

His revenge...

Had finally begun.

...****************...

Three days before, Lucien returned to Victor's bookstore.

Victor looked up from his desk.

"Well?"

Lucien placed the signed contract between the Obsidian file.

"The first step is complete."

Victor skimmed through the documents and smiled.

"You've become exactly what your father hoped."

"No."

Lucien looked towards the rain outside.

"I've become what Obsidian created."

Victor's smile disappeared.

"There will be no turning back after now."

Lucien answered without hesitation.

"I've Buried my old self."

Victor opened another folder.

"The evidence is ready."

Lucien looked over every page carefully.

Years ago he would have rushed to expose Damion.

Now...

He was patient.

"No mistakes," he said quietly.

"They must believe this happened because of Damion's own greed."

Victor nodded.

"Then they will turning on eachother."

"Exactly."

Lucien slipped the final document into the file.

"The best revenge isn't killing your enemy."

"It's making his allies destroy him."

...****************...

The black Sedan drove away.

Lucien sitting inside smiled.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed.

An unknown message popped up.

"𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝘆."

Instantly, a second message followed.

"𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻... 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲."

Lucien stared at the screen.

Victor, sitting beside him in the Sedan, looked over his shoulders.

"A trap?"

Lucien locked the phone.

"Maybe."

He looked back at the Cross Holdings as police cars pulled into the parking lot.

"... Or the first person who's been waiting for me."

The real game...

Was only beginning.

"You don't have to go."

Lucien looked at the message once more.

"If this is the trap,' Victor continued. "Then they already know you're alive."

Lucien gave a faint smile.

"They probably knew for years."

"Then why reveal yourself now?"

"Because I wanted them to."

Víctor turned to him in surprise.

Lucien leaned at his seat.

"Damion wasn't just on whom I wanted my revenge."

"He was a bait."

...****************...

That night...

Rain poured over the deserted harbor.

The address lead to an abandoned warehouse standing at the very end of the city.

Lucien stepped inside alone.

The warehouse was silent.

Only the sound of rain could be heard.

Suddenly--

"Right on time."

A young man stepped out from the shadows.

He was wearing a long black coat, his brown hair damp from the rain.

His calm ember eyes met Lucien's without fear.

"You must be the one sending messages."

The stranger smiled.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come."

Lucien remained expressionless.

"I don't like wasting my time."

"So..."

"Tell me what you know about Obsidian?"

The stranger looked him for several seconds before answering.

"My name is 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞."

"I don't care about your name, I care about answers."

Cassian chuckled softly.

"Straight to business."

"I expected nothing less from the heir of the Veritas."

Lucien's eyes instantly turned cold.

"Only three people knew I was alive."

"How do you know about it?"

Cassian reached his coat's pocket.

Lucien instinctively stepped back.

Instead of a weapon...

Cassian handed an old photo to Lucien.

Lucien took it.

It shows his parents at a charity banquet years ago.

Standing behind them...

Was a younger Cassian.

Lucien frowned.

"You were there."

"My father attended the banquet."

Cassian answered quietly.

"He worked with Obsidian."

Lucien's grip tightened.

"So you are one of them."

"No."

"My father was."

"I wasn't."

Silence filled the warehouse.

Cassian continued.

"When your company fell..."

"... Mine wasn't spared either."

"My father knew too much."

"He disappeared three months later."

Lucien studied his face.

There was no fear...

Only anger.

The same anger he had carried for six years.

Cassian took another step forward.

"You and I have the same enemy."

Lucien's expression remained same.

"Then why help me?"

Cassian looked towards the rain outside.

"Because revenge is impossible alone."

He pulled a thin black folder from his coat's pocket and handed it to Lucien.

Inside were confidential documents.

Financial records.

Photographs.

Secret meeting schedule.

At the last page...

One name was circled in red.

𝗦𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁.

Lucien looked up.

"The founder of Obsidian?"

"No."

"The man who gave the order to erase the Veritas family."

Lucien slowly closed the file.

His heartbeat remained steady.

After six years...

He finally got the name of the man who ruined everything.

Lucien looked at Cassian.

"Then tomorrow..."

"We finish what I started."

Cassian nodded.

"And after that, we bring Obsidian down."

"So, What will you do now?"

Cassin asked.

Lucien looked at Sebastian Ashcraft's photo before putting it in his pocket.

"For six years, I wanted him dead."

"But dead is too easy."

Cassian smiled faintly.

"You've changed."

"No."

Lucien said with the same cold expression.

"I've become patient."

...****************...

The next morning, the country's largest business summit was held at Ashcraft Grand Hotel.

People from all around the world gathered.

At the center of it all stood Sebastian Ashcraft, smiling confidently as camera's flashed around him.

He believed Obsidian was untouchable.

He had no idea Lucien was already inside.

Disguised as Luca Romano, Lucien entered the ballroom, alongside Cassian.

Victor watched everything through the cameras from a nearby security room.

"The servers are connected, Victor spoke through Lucien's earpiece.

"Whenever you're ready."

Lucien nodded.

He walked directly towards Sebastian.

"Mr. Ashcraft."

Sebastian turned with a practiced smile.

"Mr. Romano, I'm pleaded to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is mine."

They shook hands.

Sebastian's eyes caught the glimpse of the silver ring in Lucien's hands.

His smile faded.

"...That ring..."

"It belonged to the Veritas Family."

Lucien removed his sumglasses.

Silver eyes met blue.

Recognition washed over Sebastian.

"... You..."

"Impossible..."

"You should be dead."

Lucien took a step forward.

"You made one mistake six years ago."

"You left the heir alive."

Before Sebastian could say anything, every television in the ballroom flickered.

The Obsidian symbol appeared.

Then thousands of confidential files appeared on the screen.

Bank transfers.

Secret contacts.

Bribery records.

Orders signed by Obsidian members.

Hidden camera footage.

Every crime committed over the last twenty-years.

Gasps echoed through the ballroom.

Journalists started recording.

Politicians backed away in panic.

Victor's voice came through the earpiece.

"It's done."

"The files have also been sent to every major news agency."

Sebastian's face turned pale

"... No."

"This can't be happening."

Security guards rushed towards Lucien.

Before they could reach, Police officers stormed into the ballroom.

"No one moves!"

"Sebastian Ashcraft, you're under arrest for fraud, conspiracy, bribery, organized crimes, And the murder of Adrian and Eleanor Veritas."

Handcuffs clicked around Sebastian's wrists.

He struggled desperately.

"You have no proof!"

Lucien calmly pointed towards the giant screens.

"I think the whole world should saw it."

The ballroom turned into chaos.

One by one, Obsidian's members started to flee.

None escaped.

...****************...

Hours later...

The rain had stopped.

Lucien stood alone before the ruins of the Veritas Mansion.

The broken fountain remained where it had been six years ago

He placed the silver ring on the stone wall.

"We did it."

"I'm sorry it took so long."

A gentle breeze passed through the empty garden.

For the first time since that horrible night...

Lucien smiled.

Footsteps approached from behind him.

Cassian stopped beside him.

"So..."

"It's over."

Lucien nodded.

"The revenge I lived for is finally complete."

Cassian looked at the ruined mansion.

"What will you do now?"

Lucien remained silent for a long time.

Then he looked towards the sunset.

"For years..."

"I only knew how to survive."

"Maybe..."

"It's finally time I learn to live."

Cassian smiled.

"Then don't do it alone."

Lucien looked at him.

For the first time, there was no hatred in his eyes.

Only peace.

He gave a small smile.

"I suppose..."

"... I could have a partner."

The two walked away from the ruins together.

Behind them, the sun sunk.

But for Lucien,

𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑨 𝑵𝑬𝑾 𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗.

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