ChAPTERTHREE
1254 Words
CHAPTER THREE: THE BILLIONAIRE’S SON
Adrian read the report three times.
The words didn’t change.
Neither did the numbers.
99.99%.
His son.
For four-year, a little boy had been walking around New York with no idea who his dad was.
And Adrian had been building an empire.
Attending meetings.
Buying companies.
Destroying competitors.
While his son learned how to walk.
How to speak.
And to ride a bike.
Marcus chest seized out of nowhere.
He stood there silently.
“Sir?”
Adrian folded the document.
“What do we know about the k********g?”
Marcus immediately switched back to business.
“No ransom demand.”
“That means Noah wasn’t the target.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Or the target wasn’t money.”
Adrian looked toward the hospital room.
Ava.
Someone had sent the photograph.
Someone had started the fire alarm.
Someone had taken Noah.
Someone knew about Ethan.
About Ava.
About his mother.
And now Adrian knew something else.
Someone had deliberately brought his son into this.
“Double security around Ava and Noah.”
Marcus nodded.
“Already arranged.”
“No one gets close to them without my approval.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Even Ava?”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Especially Ava.”
The next morning, Ava discovered the DNA report.
She had gone to Adrian’s office looking for him.
Instead , there was a folder , half opened on his desk.
She stared at it not understanding what it meant.
Then she saw Noah’s name.
And Adrian’s.
Her hands began shaking.
She heard the office door close behind her.
“Ava.”
She turned.
Adrian stood there.
His expression told her everything.
“You tested him.”
He didn’t deny it.
“I needed to know.”
Ava laughed bitterly.
“You needed to know?”
“Ava—”
“You took my son’s DNA?”
“The sample was legally obtained.”
“I don’t care about legally!”
Her voice rose.
“You had no right!”
Adrian closed the distance between them.
“He is my son.”
The room went silent.
Ava stared at him.
The words hurt more than she expected.
Because she had known.
Somewhere inside her, she had known since seeing his face.
But hearing it aloud changed everything.
“No.”
Adrian’s brows tightened.
“No?”
“You don’t get to say that.”
“Ava.”
“You don’t get to disappear for four years and suddenly become his father because a piece of paper says so.”
His expression shifted.
Pain.
Actual pain.
“I know.”
Ava stopped.
She hadn’t expected that answer.
“I know I missed four years.”
His voice was quieter now.
“I know I don’t get to walk in here and demand anything.”
“Then what do you want?”
Adrian looked toward the DNA report.
“To know him.”
Ava’s eyes burned.
“He already has a life.”
“I know.”
“He doesn’t need someone coming in and confusing him.”
“I won’t confuse him.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“No.”
For once, Adrian Vale looked uncertain.
It was strange seeing such a powerful man without an answer.
Finally, he said, “I will not take him away from you.”
Ava’s head lifted.
“What?”
“I won’t use my money to threaten you.”
She stared at him.
“I won’t take him from you.”
“Then why did you test him?”
“Because I needed to know if I had a son.”
Ava swallowed.
“And now?”
Adrian looked directly into her eyes.
“Now I know.”
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Ava hated that she could see something human in him.
Fear.
Regret.
Something that made her remember Ethan.
She immediately pushed the thought away.
“Supervised visits.”
Adrian’s eyebrows rose.
“What?”
“If you’re going to know Noah, it will be on my terms.”
A small silence followed.
Then Adrian nodded.
“Fine.”
“No lawyers.”
“Fine.”
“No threats.”
“Fine.”
“And you don’t tell him you’re his father until I’m ready.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
But eventually, he nodded again.
“Fine.”
Ava picked up the report.
She looked at it once.
Then put it back on his table.
Her whole life had turned upside down in less than 24hours..
Her son had been kidn*pped.
Her new boss was Ethan.
And Ethan was Noah’s father.
She moved toward the door.
“Ava.”
She stopped.
“What?”
Adrian’s voice was low.
“I didn’t know.”
She looked back.
“Didn’t know what?”
“That you were pregnant.”
Ava’s expression hardened.
“Would it have changed anything?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
She left.
Adrian’s first time meeting Noah went terribly.
Noah sat on Ava’s couch, watching him with suspicion.
Adrian sat across from him.
Ava stood in the kitchen doorway.
Watching.
“Do you like cars?” Adrian asked.
Noah shrugged.
“I like dinosaurs.”
“I can buy you dinosaurs.”
Noah frowned.
“You can’t buy a dinosaur.”
“I meant toys.”
“I know.”
Adrian looked at Ava.
She was trying not to laugh.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Noah suddenly pointed at Adrian.
“Mommy said you’re scary.”
Ava choked.
“I did not!”
“You did.”
“When?”
“When I asked if my new school was expensive.”
Ava’s eyes widened.
“Noah!”
Adrian slowly turned toward her.
“You think I’m scary?”
Ava crossed her arms.
“You don’t exactly look approachable.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you look like you fire people for breathing incorrectly.”
Noah laughed.
And unexpectedly, Adrian did too.
It was quiet.
Brief.
But Ava noticed.
For the first time, Noah did too.
“You can smile!” Noah announced.
Adrian looked offended.
“Of course I can.”
“I thought your face was broken.”
Ava burst out laughing.
Adrian stared at both of them.
Then shook his head.
Something inside his chest shifted.
This was unfamiliar.
A small apartment.
Children’s toys.
Spaghetti cooking.
A woman laughing at him.
He hadn’t felt anything like it in years.
Nothing had ever terrified him like that.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Marcus.
Adrian stepped into the hallway.
“What?”
“Sir, we identified the man who took Noah.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Who?”
“Former employee of Carter Holdings.”
Adrian went still.
Daniel Carter’s company.
“Where is he now?”
“Dead.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“How?”
“Car explosion two hours ago.”
Someone was cleaning up.
Marcus continued.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“The man had one final message scheduled to send before his death.”
Adrian waited.
Marcus’s voice lowered.
“It was addressed to you.”
Adrian looked back into Ava’s apartment.
Ava was helping Noah open a juice box.
Neither knew what Marcus was about to say.
“What was the message?”
Marcus took a breath.
STOP DIGGING, OR THE BOY WILL PAY FOR HIS GRANDFATHER’S SINS.
Adrian’s eyes darkened.
Daniel Carter wasn’t just connected to the past.
Someone still believed he was dangerous.
And now they knew about Noah.
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