From Ashes To Billions

Chapter 12: A Slip Into The Past.

Two days after his release from prison and Ryan still looked like a mess. He had bruises everywhere and his once handsome face was now covered with patches of purple scars.

He was in pain.

“Why would you fight in prison, huh? They f*****g beat you up and left you looking like a clown. I'm so embarrassed,” Layla hissed, as she accessed his bandaged wounds.

“Those dimwits kept picking on me. Was I to stay still and just watch?” Ryan replied in a hardened tone.

Furious, Layla pushed him away causing him to wince in pain. She glared at him. “So stupid of you to think of attacking Adrian with a fake lawyer and fake inheritance documents. Did you really think he wouldn't figure it out? I never expected such shallow move from you,"

Ryan didn't respond and his silence pissed her off . “Do you know the embarrassment you've caused me? Do you know the length I went through to get you out of jail? It cost me a lot!”

“So I'm supposed to say thank you?” Ryan scoffed. “Well, you did a great job, Layla. Thank you for playing the perfect heroin to get me out of that stinking prison,”

The sarcasm was thick in the air but Layla chose to ignore him. She didn't have the time to banter words with him.

Her brain focused on her pressing thoughts instead. That day at his office, Adrian looked so proud, so nasty, and as she remembered his disgusting attitude towards her, a surge of anger swept through her spine.

How dare he try to ruin her family? How dare he act so boastful and callous at her?

She was going to clip those wings of his and make him regret. She would reduce him to the Adrian she knew in the past; that poor, weak and useless son-in-law. The sight of his uselessness was what she wanted to see, not some proud, cocky bastard who inherited grand daddy's wealth.

Her lips curled into a smirk. “And when he finally crawls on his knees to beg, I won't be in the mood to forgive him,”

“What are you talking about?”

Layla turned to her husband. “You attack a man with his weakness and not with common sense. Use something he won't be able to go against, something capable of crushing him to death. Something beyond his reach,”

Ryan frowned. “I thought Adrian was no longer our concern?”

“I changed my mind. He has to pay for bombing my wedding event, sending you to jail, for making me feel like a fool in that damn office and most importantly, he has to pay for being alive,"

Her voice lowered into a whisper. “Maybe if I send Adrian a photo of his lost sister, he might reconsider clinging to his grandfather's inheritance. Her lips curled. "I suddenly want to become the chairman of Nilean Group,"

******

Adrian pressed down on his call bell summoning his secretary. His coffee mug was empty and he badly needed a refill. The feeling of warm liquid down his throat was what gave him the kick of adrenaline needed for his work.

The door opened almost immediately and his secretary stepped in.

“How are you, Rose?” He asked.

Rose smiled. “I'm doing well sir, thank you. Is there something you need?”

Adrian returned the smile, his attention fixed on her small face. “My coffee is finished. I want a refill,”

At his words, he noted the discomfort on her face. Her eyes changed in such a way that suggested he was requesting coffee a bit too much these days.

“You don't have to give me that look, Rose. Nothing's wrong with wanting an extra cup of coffee,”

She hesitated before nodding. “Understood sir. I'll prepare another coffee right away,”

When the door opened again, it was with a drama Adrian least expected to see. Felix rushed in with a screen in his left hand and a coffee mug in his right in. He placed the mug on the table and stared at Adrian.

“Young master, I thought you should see this,” He positioned the screen in front of Adrian. “I did as you asked to keep an eye on Layla and trust me, that woman is the devil's b***h,”

Adrian leaned forward, placing his arms over his desk as his eyes flickered to the screen. Layla was having a conversation with a man in a mask.

“You should have left no stone unturned, that was your only f*****g assignment!” Layla hissed.

The man poured himself a brandy and spoke in a flat tone. “I did what you and your mum asked, Layla. Watch your tone,’

“Then explain to me why that bastard is still alive?! Your instruction was to wipe out the entire family, excluding Milan,” She scoffed. “You know, I'm still trying to get over the fact that I ignorantly got married to my worst enemy's grandson?”

“Milan had a grandson who's still alive?” The man croaked.

“Yes, thanks to your stupidity, Adrian is alive and breathing fine. Not only that, he is a proud, cocky bastard just like his grandfather,”

The man shook his head in confusion as if trying to remember the details of the past. “But I…I thought…”

“You thought his parents had only a girl child?" Layla completed. “I hate people who don't do their research properly. Adrian managed to hide well that day of the attack and somehow you had no idea about it,”

“Neither did you, so don't you dare accuse me of something I'm not entirely responsible for!” He growled, his tone venomous.

After a pause, he continued. “How then did you guys get married? No matter how I think of it, it's weird.” His eyes darkened behind the mask. “Are you trying to tell me that the heir of Nilean Group lived under your roof for years and you had no idea?” He chuckled. “That's right since he a good job of hiding his identity just to infiltrate your family,

Layla shook her head. “No, I doubt that was his intention. He was abandoned by his grandfather for an unknown reason. That was when Ryan's family took him in and adopted him. After a few years, somehow, his grandfather wanted him back, and ta-da! Adrian became the f*****g richest man in the country,”

“So not demure,” The man tsked, scratching the back of his head. Then he leaned closer to stare into Layla's eyes and as he did so, his posture turned even more vicious.

Slowly, he smiled revealing a perfect set of damaged black teeth. His next words came with a wicked snarl. "So what?

How does the news of Adrian being alive make you feel? Talk about nemesis, huh?”