The ruthless heir

Chapter One — The Ruthless Heir The grand ballroom glittered with wealth and power. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like falling stars, reflecting across polished marble floors. Expensive perfume mixed with the scent of champagne as the most influential people in the city laughed and exchanged business deals. But the atmosphere changed the second he arrived. Adrian Knight. Whispers spread through the room instantly. “The new CEO of Knight Empire…” “They say he fired three executives in one day.” “That’s the ruthless heir.” Adrian walked through the crowd with calm, controlled steps, his black suit perfectly tailored against his tall frame. His expression remained unreadable, cold grey eyes scanning the room without interest. People moved out of his way naturally. Fear followed him everywhere. “Mr. Knight.” A nervous waiter offered him a glass of champagne. Adrian took it without a word. Ever since his father’s death six months ago, the entire empire had fallen onto his shoulders. Investors feared him. Competitors hated him. Employees obeyed him. Exactly the way he preferred it. “Smile a little,” his friend and business partner, Damien Ross, muttered beside him. “You look like you’re attending a funeral.” Adrian adjusted his cufflinks lazily. “Most people here are pretending to like each other. That’s worse.” Damien chuckled. “Still allergic to happiness, I see.” Before Adrian could reply, the event host stepped onto the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual Knight Foundation Gala!” Applause filled the ballroom. At the far corner of the room, Serena Cole balanced a silver tray carefully in her hands while trying not to panic. This was her third shift tonight. Her feet hurt. Her fake smile hurt even more. “Table seven needs more drinks,” her manager snapped. Serena forced a nod. “Okay.” She hated places like this. Rich people pretending to care about charity while spending thousands on outfits they would wear once. Still, she needed the money. Her mother’s hospital bills were already overdue. Serena lifted the tray and turned quickly— Crash! The tray slipped from her fingers. A glass shattered against the marble floor as red wine splashed across an expensive black suit. The entire ballroom fell silent. Serena’s heart stopped. Slowly… painfully slowly… she looked up. Grey eyes stared directly into hers. Cold. Sharp. Dangerous. Adrian Knight. “Oh my God,” someone whispered nearby. “She spilled wine on him…” Serena immediately stepped back. “I—I’m so sorry. It was an accident.” Adrian looked down at the stain on his suit before returning his gaze to her face. The silence around them became unbearable. Damien looked ready to laugh. The manager nearly fainted. Serena swallowed nervously. “I can clean it—” “Name,” Adrian interrupted. She blinked. “What?” “Your name.” “…Serena.” For a moment, Adrian simply stared at her. Unlike everyone else in the room, she wasn’t trying to impress him. She looked exhausted, irritated… and completely unimpressed by his reputation. Interesting. Very interesting. Adrian stepped closer. Close enough for Serena to notice the expensive scent on his suit and the intensity in his eyes. “You just ruined a suit worth more than your yearly salary,” he said calmly. Serena felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Well,” she muttered before thinking, “maybe people shouldn’t wear funeral colors to parties.” Damien choked on his drink. Several guests gasped loudly. Serena realized what she had just said and mentally prepared for unemployment. But instead of anger… Adrian smirked. A slow, dangerous smirk. And somehow, that terrified her even more