RISE OF THE LOST HEIR: Ashes to Empire

TEN: BLOOD TIES

The wind passed quietly through the garden, brushing against stone and leaves, carrying with it a tension so thick it felt almost visible. For several seconds, no one moved.

Alex’s words hung in the air like a thunderclap.

"Did you hear me? I said Tess had your child." he repeated steadily, his voice firm now, grounding the moment. “And I’ve seen him.”

William Hale was the first to come back to himself.

“And… it’s a boy?” he asked, his voice low, restrained—but his hands trembled slightly where they rested on his cane.

“Yes,” Alex replied. “He works at the construction site.”

“What?” William’s composure cracked. “If what you’re saying is true, then bring him home immediately. Do not let him lift another stone or touch another tool. Not one more day of manual labor.”

The command echoed, sharp and absolute.

Alex gave a quick nod. He glanced at Leo Hale—the father. Leo just sat, slumped back in his chair, pale and motionless. He was staring blindly at the DNA result photo, his mind wrestling with the sudden, brutal truth: he had a son. A son who, by Alex’s account, was living a hard life of physical work, unaware of the vast empire that was his birthright. Leo, the business guru, was completely confused and lost.

His throat tightened. His chest burned, unable to utter a single word.

Alex didn’t push him. He understood that some realizations were too heavy for language.

That same morning, Alex moved with the speed only the Hale Conglomerate could summon. He immediately got into a sleek, black sports car. Trailing him were two other vehicles: a reinforced black sedan and a long, gleaming armored limousine—the visual sign of unquestionable Hale authority.

The convoy tore across the city, leaving the high-end districts for the industrial grit of the waterfront.

The vehicles pulled to a halt at the dusty field.

Alex stepped out of the lead car first. From the second vehicle emerged a woman in her early thirties—sharp black suit, sleek hair pulled back, glasses resting precisely on her nose, tablet in hand.

“Where is he?” she asked immediately.

Alex glanced around the site.

“Let’s find out.”

This time, Henderson the head supervisor was present. The moment he noticed the number of cars, all work slowed, then stopped entirely. Workers murmured, tools lowered, eyes filled with curiosity and fear.

“We—welcome, sir Alex,” the supervisor stammered. “We weren’t informed of an inspection today.”

“We’ll be quick,” the woman said coolly. “We’re here for someone.”

The murmurs grew louder.

“You are..?” the supervisor asked cautiously.

“She is Vanessa White,” Alex said, cutting in. “Head PA to the Hale Conglomerate. And we’re here for Levi.”

The name spread like wildfire.

Levi.

Heads snapped in every direction. Confusion rippled through the workers. Why would the Vice CEO—and the Hales PA—want Levi?

Until the whisper reached Diego and Marcus.

“They’re here for the boy,” Marcus muttered.

"What could he have done to bring the big boss down here—" Diego stopped as he saw Henderson leading Alex and Vennesa directly toward their section.

“H–hello, sir,” they stuttered.

“You worked with Levi,” Vanessa said, her tone clipped. “Where is he?”

Before either could answer, Harold rushed in from the restroom, puffed up and eager.

But Marcus, fearing Levi was in trouble, blurted out the truth: "He left! He was fired yesterday!"

Alex paused.

“Yesterday?” His voice sharpened. “I saw him yesterday.”

“Yes,” Diego added quickly. “For talking behind you. Harold fired him.”

All eyes turned slowly to Harold.

"You fired MY worker?" Henderson, the Head Supervisor, finally found his voice, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

Harold stammered, wiping his brow. "H-he... he was disrespecting you, Mr. Alex. They gossiped about you, and he wasn't sorry, he felt he hadn't done anything wrong! So I made sure Mr. Alex didn't have to see him again!" He wasn't sure if he should sound proud of his loyalty or completely terrified of his current predicament.

For a moment, silence.

Then Alex’s expression changed completely.

"You better pray we find him quickly, Harold," Alex said, his voice dropping to a terrifying low whisper. "Or else I will personally make sure you never get a job that pays above one dollar."

Harold’s puffed-up smile instantly disintegrated. He realized, with a sickening lurch, how monumentally he had messed up.

"Now," Vennesa snapped, turning back to the workers. "Who else knows something that can lead us to him?"

"Levi hardly ever talks about himself, or talks at all," Diego offered glumly.

"In fact, the day he talked back to Harold was the first time we heard him say more than we could count," Marcus added.

"So no one knows where he lives?" Vennesa asked, frustrated.

"Karan should," they both guessed, their eyes searching the site.

As if summoned, Karan stepped out of a storage room and was immediately surrounded by questions.

“I don’t know where he lives,” he admitted. Hope dimmed.

“But—” he added, quickly. “He knows Luke. If you find Luke, you’ll find Levi.”

“And who is Luke?” Vanessa asked.

“Luke Keith,” several voices answered at once. “He knows everyone.”

It was crystal clear: Luke was the local network, the informed man of probably the entire city.

---

Hale Mansion

“Welcome, ma’am,” a maid said warmly, taking a handbag.

The woman barely paused, moving straight into the heart of the house.

The main living room of the Hale mansion was breathtaking—grand yet intimate. Towering panoramic windows stretched across two stories, flooding the space with soft daylight. A massive stone fireplace anchored the room, flames dancing gently within it. Plush sectional sofas and cream tufted armchairs surrounded the hearth, the atmosphere warm, elegant, alive.

She was clearly over-hyped and full of restless energy.

“Why hasn’t preparation started?” she demanded.

“Kait—?” William rose in surprise. “You’re back already?”

"Since you weren't going to tell me that I have a grandson, a little birdie did!" she declared. "And you think I would miss his welcome home? Absolutely not!"

"Mom!" Leo said, standing up.

"Hello, my love! How are you doing? I’ve missed you too much," she said, giving him a warm, emotional hug and a motherly kiss.

This was Kaitlin Hale, wife of William and mother of Leonard. She looked incredibly elegant for her mid-seventies: styled silver hair, glowing skin, carefully trimmed brows, and a dazzling array of expensive jewelry. She was the emotional heart of the family, the reason the massive, sometimes cold mansion felt genuinely warm and welcoming.

"So you cut your trip short?" Leo asked gently.

"My trip is nothing compared to this!" she said, already moving. "There’s so much that needs to be done before he’s here. Nanny Helen, come! We need to clear out a room, arrange it beautifully. We need to cook—oh, we need every meal prepared, since we don't know his favorite!" She swept out of the room with the nanny in tow.

William and Leo looked at each other, utterly amazed by her energy.

Kaitlin reappeared a moment later, pointing at them. "And you two! Wipe those serious looks off your faces! He's your grandson, and especially you, Leo—he's your son. You need to be prepared! Do not scare him off!" With that final command, she vanished again.

She was right. Leo had the hardest job of all: bonding with a son he never knew, a son who was already grown, and explaining the painful history of why his mother had left.

____

Meanwhile, the Hale search party had used a quick phone call to trace Luke to his workplace—a surprisingly nice sales office downtown.

One command from the building's owner, and Alex and Vennesa were personally escorted through the sales department and down to Luke’s desk.

Luke froze solid, seeing Alex Hale up close. His heart hammered in his chest; he was sure he had done something terribly wrong. Two chairs were quickly pulled up for the visitors.

"Don't be nervous," Alex said, trying to seem approachable. "You are Luke, I presume?"

"Y-yes!" Luke stammered.

"Then you will know Levi... I think he goes by Powell," Alex confirmed.

Luke’s head instantly cleared. "Levi! My roommate?"

"Your roommate!" Vennesa and Alex repeated, shocked that the search was over so quickly.

With that, they had direct access. Luke, now excited to be a part of the action, led them straight to the modest apartment in Lantern Row where Levi was resting in his room.

Luke went up to his room's door and gave a cheerful knock. "Levi, we have visitors!"

The door gently opened. There stood Levi: dark hair, piercing golden-brown eyes, sharp, defined features, and an uncanny, unmistakable resemblance to a young Leonard Hale.

Vennesa gasped loudly, covering her mouth. "There was no need for a DNA test," she whispered urgently to Alex. "He looks exactly like Leonard did in his youth."

"Sir Alex?" Levi said, recognizing him from the construction site. He frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

Alex walked up to Levi, holding the DNA result paper, his moment of final truth. "I don't know how else to break this to you... You are Leonard Hale’s son."

Luke and Levi yelled the same word in perfect unison: "What!"

Together, they stared at the official-looking paper Alex handed over. So many massive questions piled up in Levi’s mind, but he was too stunned to ask any of them.

____

"We are glad you agreed to come with us—and your friend, of course," Vennesa said smoothly from the luxury limousine.

Levi, sitting on the plush leather seats with Luke bouncing next to him, still couldn't relax. "Is this a scam? Are you going to use our organs for some kind of wealthy ritual?" he asked, his voice flat.

Vennesa offered a strained laugh. "Of course not. Relax, Levi!"

"I just can't believe it," Luke kept saying, looking at a picture in his hand and comparing it to Levi's intense profile. "The resemblance is insane!"

"That's why the DNA was done. The resemblance was too great to be a coincidence," Alex said seating besides Vennesa. "Whatever questions you have, the Hales will answer. My job was just to bring you to your family."

Levi simply nodded and looked away, watching the cityscape rush past the tinted windows. His expression remained neutral. No one could tell if he was happy, angry, or just numb from the discovery. He was simply letting the tidal wave carry him.

An hour later, they arrived in the prestigious Silver Leaf Heights. Both boys gasped, staring out the windows in awe at the massive, manicured estates. The car finally slowed, approaching a towering wrought-iron gate marked with the unmistakable signature 'H'.

HALES MANSION

At the entrance, maids spilled out to greet them. Luke kept smiling and gasping at every luxurious detail. The boys continued to look up, having never seen a private home of this sheer scale.

In the main living room, the Hales sat, waiting. As Alex and Vennesa walked in, William and Leo stood. And then, he walked in—Levi.

He was still busy looking around, taking in the grand, two-story windows and the dark-stone fireplace until his eyes finally landed on the faces waiting for him.

"Levi, these are your grandparents, Kaitlin and William Hale," Alex introduced.

Luke’s eyes widened to dinner plates as he recognized the powerful William Hale, and he instinctively moved behind Levi.

"Hello, Levi. I'm your Grandma Kait," she said, her eyes already wet with emotion. "Oh, Alex, with resemblance like this, there was no need for a DNA test." She gently pulled Levi into a warm, heartfelt hug.

William stepped forward. "Hello, my boy. Nice to meet you." Levi, confused about how to behave, instinctively stretched out a hand to shake, but William pulled him into a strong, silent embrace.

Alex began, "And this is your fath—"

Leo cut him short. He didn't say a word, he just moved forward and enveloped Levi in a deep, desperate hug.

"Welcome home, my son," Leo whispered, his voice thick with raw emotion.

Levi was shocked by the overwhelming show of warmth, but he couldn't deny the genuine emotion radiating from the powerful, unfamiliar family surrounding him.

Minutes later, the family was seated in the vast living room. The sectional sofa was so soft and luxurious that it was nearly impossible not to relax, despite the tension.

Kaitlin had instructed the staff to bring out an extravagant spread of snacks and drinks, with the main dinner already on standby.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I went a little overboard. Please pick whatever you want," she said kindly.

"Ah... thanks," Levi managed, offering her a small, tight smile.

"Do you have questions?" Leo asked, looking directly into Levi’s eyes.

Facing the immense wealth and power of the Hales, Levi felt a nervousness he hadn’t experienced with Alex. He found it difficult to look William or Leo directly in the face.

"Well," Levi began, choosing his words carefully, "it still feels like a scam. I just can't piece together how I am your child. I grew up without a dad, but I certainly didn't expect him to be a Hale." He maintained his quiet control, despite the chaos inside.

"You still doubt it? We can allow you to do a personal DNA test if you'd like," William stated, leaning forward slightly.

"No... no," Levi quickly shook his head. "I just want to know: if you truly are my family, why did you abandon us? Why didn’t we live together?"

"We didn't abandon you, Levi. Your mother left. We've been searching for her tirelessly for years, but we couldn't find her," William explained calmly.

"My mother... she left? Why?"

"It was all me," Leo quietly admitted, taking the full weight of the blame.

"I was too focused on growing our empire. I neglected her. I didn’t even know until this morning that she was pregnant with you when she left."

William continued the painful history. "When she left, her family cut ties with us. We promised to find her, but we never succeeded. Your mother, Tess, was our partner in some of the companies—the shipping, food, and hotels. We felt there was no need for her to work when we could do the work instead. I guess she grew tired of being alone at home."

Leo coughed, his voice heavy with regret. "The night she left, she told me she had something important to tell me, and to come home. I had a deal to close, so I forgot. I had no idea she was carrying you. I'm truly sorry."

Levi sat completely shocked, silently absorbing the confession.

"They are not lying," Alex said gently from the side. "There is a recording from her doctor that we had no idea of, which we only recently found. You can always listen to it."

"My dear," Kaitlin asked, her eyes full of sadness, "did she never mention us?"

"Where is your mother, Levi? We'll gladly go pick her up and apologize," William added, desperate to fix the past.

"My mother?" Levi looked down at his hands, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I don't know her. Grandma told me she died a month after my birth. I only have one small picture of her and me as a baby."

His words sent a cold shockwave through the room. Leo's face instantly crumpled; he was clearly close to breaking down, but he forced himself to hold it together.

A long, thick silence settled. William finally gestured to a maid, who returned moments later with a framed photograph.

"Is this her?" William asked, sliding the picture across the coffee table.

Levi turned. It was an older photo, but the woman was recognizable. "Yes, that's my mother," he confirmed.

"So now you do believe this is not a scam?" William asked, his voice steady.

Levi nodded. He finally understood. This was real.

"You mentioned a grandmother who raised you. Who was she?" Leo asked, finally regaining his voice.

"She raised me. I thought she was my mother’s mother," Levi replied.

"But that can't be," Kaitlin countered, confused. "Your mother’s mother and father live in L.A. So who exactly was this woman?"

"Dr. Eva did say Tess went somewhere no one knew her," Alex interjected. "Maybe the woman wasn't related by blood at all."

Luke just sat on the edge of the sofa, quietly listening and thoroughly stuffing his mouth with the expensive Hale snacks.

"Is she alive, my love? We should thank her," Kaitlin asked.

Levi looked down and slowly shook his head. Kaitlin immediately moved next to him, gently taking his hands.

"I don't know what you have been through all your life, but on behalf of my son and my family, I am deeply sorry we didn't find you earlier," she said, her voice genuine.

"But now you are back. Allow us to make it up to you. We'll announce to the world who you are, and you can come home."

"So what," Levi challenged, his composure returning. "You want me to start preparing to succeed him, be an heir?"

"No, no. You can do as you please. You can pursue any dream," Leo said sharply, clearly anxious to prove his sincerity. "Just enjoy the fruits of our years of work. It’s all for you now."

"All you need to do, love, is to be yourself and live your life as The Heir that you are," Kaitlin insisted. "Who cares if you don't succeed your father? William can always go back to work, and if he can't, Alex can!"

William and Alex both exclaimed, "What!" in stunned protest.

Levi smiled faintly. This was too much, too fast. "Can I think about it, please? At home. This is all too heavy for one day."

"Yes, of course!" they all agreed instantly.

"Just know I have prepared a room for you. Anytime you feel like coming home, it's ready," Kaitlin said, already back to organizing. "Wait just a bit. We'll pack up the snacks and the meals so you can have them while you think. Hmm"

"I'll have the driver prepare the Car to take you both back," Vennesa smiled, arranging the departure.

It felt wonderful. They wanted him to stay, but they respected his need for space.

Outside, as Levi and Luke walked toward the car, Alex stopped Levi.

"Call me if you need anything at all," Alex said seriously.

Levi looked at his construction boots. "I guess there's no returning to the construction site for me, huh?"

Alex gave him a gentle smile. "Don't be silly. Of course not. Go on."

With multiple packages overflowing with food prepared by Kaitlin, who still worried it wasn't enough, the two boys got into a luxurious Mercedes-Benz and drove back to their apartment in Lantern Row.

___

Back in the living room, Alex returned, meeting the family who were now awash in mixed emotions.

"Alex, I don't like the way he looks. I wanted him to have more of his mother's soft side, but it seems he has already taken his father's hard shell," Kaitlin said, dabbing a tear.

"He looks like he has been through a lot," William observed, his face lined with concern.

Leo cleared his throat, his gaze heavy with sudden realization.

"Alex, I know you are busy managing the company alone... but could you do me a favor? Find the man named Harold who fired my son. I want him dealt with. Quietly. Then, I want you to find the apartment Levi is currently staying in. I want to buy it immediately and make sure he never has to worry about rent or that landlord again."

William nodded approvingly. "And Alex," the patriarch added, his voice gaining its cold, serious edge. "“Find out everything. What he’s been through. Where he lived. How much pain he carries.”

“I already am,” Alex said.

-----