Chapter 4: The First Promise
1079 Words
The words echoed in Adrian Kingston's mind.
My son is missing.
For a moment, everything around him became silent.
The expensive furniture in the hotel lounge, the city lights outside the window, the conversations happening in the distance—all of it disappeared.
There was only Ethan.
And the fear in his eyes.
"Ethan, what happened?" Adrian asked.
Ethan struggled to speak.
"My babysitter called me. She said Noah went outside to play in the courtyard while she was preparing lunch. When she came back, he wasn't there."
His voice broke.
"She searched everywhere. She thought he was hiding, but... he's gone."
Adrian saw something he had never seen before.
The strong, determined man who had survived five years alone was falling apart.
Without thinking, Adrian placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder.
"We'll find him."
Ethan looked at him.
For a second, he wanted to reject the comfort.
He wanted to remind Adrian that he was not part of his life anymore.
But fear was stronger than pride.
"My son..."
"Our son."
The words left Adrian's mouth before he could stop them.
Ethan froze.
Adrian immediately realized what he had said.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"
"No."
Ethan's voice was quiet.
"Don't say things you don't know."
The pain in his eyes was worse than anger.
Adrian nodded.
"I understand."
But deep inside, something told him there was a connection he had not discovered yet.
---
They arrived at Ethan's apartment twenty minutes later.
The small building was located in a quiet neighborhood far away from the luxury world Adrian knew.
Yet as he stepped inside, Adrian noticed something important.
This place was filled with love.
Family pictures covered the walls.
Children's drawings decorated the refrigerator.
A small collection of storybooks sat beside the sofa.
Ethan had built a home.
Without him.
The thought hurt more than Adrian expected.
A woman in her early thirties stood near the doorway, tears filling her eyes.
"Ethan, I'm so sorry."
Maya Brooks.
Ethan's best friend.
She worked as a lawyer and had helped Ethan through the most difficult years of his life.
"It's not your fault," Ethan said.
Maya looked at Adrian.
Her expression immediately changed.
"You."
Adrian recognized the hostility.
"Maya."
"You know each other?" Ethan asked.
Maya laughed bitterly.
"Unfortunately."
Adrian remained silent.
Maya had never forgiven him for disappearing.
"You don't get to walk back into his life after five years and pretend everything is fine."
"Maya," Ethan warned.
"No. He deserves to hear it."
Adrian accepted her anger.
She was right.
"I made mistakes."
"Mistakes?" Maya repeated. "You destroyed him."
Ethan looked away.
The truth hurt because it was accurate.
Adrian lowered his head.
"I know."
The answer surprised both of them.
---
A police officer arrived shortly after.
They reviewed security footage from the building.
Everyone gathered around the screen.
At first, nothing seemed unusual.
Children playing.
Neighbors walking by.
Cars entering and leaving.
Then suddenly, Ethan noticed something.
"Stop."
The officer paused the video.
"What is it?"
Ethan pointed at the screen.
"That man."
A figure wearing a dark jacket appeared near the entrance.
"He wasn't from this building."
The officer zoomed in.
The image was blurry, but visible enough.
The person had been watching the courtyard.
Adrian's expression changed.
"This wasn't an accident."
Everyone looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Ethan asked.
Adrian stared at the screen.
"Someone was waiting for him."
Fear spread across Ethan's face.
"Who would want to take my son?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Because he already had a terrible suspicion.
His family.
---
At Kingston Tower, Sebastian Kingston looked out from his office window with a satisfied smile.
The city belonged to people like him.
People who understood power.
People who knew how to remove obstacles.
His assistant placed a phone on the desk.
"The boy has been taken as planned."
Sebastian turned around.
"And Adrian?"
"He is with Ethan."
A cold smile appeared on Sebastian's face.
"Perfect."
"You think this will work?"
Sebastian walked toward the window.
"Adrian abandoned everything for that man once. Now we will see if he is willing to destroy the Kingston empire for him again."
He looked at the photograph of Adrian on the newspaper.
"The heir who wanted love instead of power."
He laughed softly.
"Let's see what he chooses this time."
---
Back at Ethan's apartment, Adrian noticed something on the table.
A small framed picture.
Two boys.
He picked it up carefully.
His breath stopped.
The children had Ethan's smile.
But one of them...
One of them had his eyes.
Gray.
The same gray eyes Adrian saw every morning in the mirror.
He looked at Ethan.
"Ethan..."
The emotion in his voice made Ethan turn around.
"What?"
Adrian held the picture.
"When were they born?"
Ethan immediately understood.
His face changed.
"Adrian."
"When?"
The room became silent.
Maya watched them carefully.
She knew the truth was finally reaching the surface.
"They were born five years ago," Ethan whispered.
Adrian's hands trembled.
Five years.
The timeline.
The impossible coincidence.
The answer was right in front of him.
"No."
Ethan looked away.
"Adrian..."
"Are they mine?"
The question carried five years of hope, fear, and heartbreak.
Ethan closed his eyes.
He had imagined this moment.
He had prepared arguments.
He had prepared anger.
But now that it was happening, he had nothing.
"They are your sons."
The words shattered Adrian.
For the first time in years, the powerful billionaire looked completely helpless.
"My sons..."
A tear escaped his eye.
Ethan had never seen Adrian cry before.
Not once.
"They're five years old," Ethan continued. "They love dinosaurs. They hate vegetables. Noah is afraid of thunderstorms. Liam sleeps with a stuffed animal every night."
Every detail was a life Adrian had missed.
Every birthday.
Every first word.
Every childhood memory.
Gone.
"I didn't know," Adrian whispered.
Ethan looked at him.
"I know."
The pain in those two words was unbearable.
Before Adrian could respond, his phone rang.
Daniel.
He answered immediately.
"Sir."
"Mr. Kingston, we found something."
Adrian stood straight.
"What?"
A pause.
Then Daniel's voice became serious.
"The person who took Noah left a message."
Adrian tightened his grip on the phone.
"What message?"
Daniel hesitated.
"They said..."
A long silence.
"They said they want the Kingston heir in exchange for the child."
Everyone froze.
Adrian looked at Ethan.
The truth was finally revealed.
But instead of bringing them closer, it had placed them in the greatest danger of their lives.
- Writer
