Who Is Adrian Vale

The First Move

When Adrian woke up, he didn't remember where he was.

Then his drowsy eyes flitted to the floor-to-ceiling windows, the king-sized bed he was lying on, and the plasma TV that covered the entire wall in front of him.

And then it hit him.

He was now Adrian Vale.

Heir to Vale Industries.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he picked it up.

He had seven missed calls and twelve texts from one person.

Maya.

He rolled his eyes and almost swiped to delete them, but curiosity got the better of him.

Maya: Adrian, we need to speak.

Maya: I made a mistake.

Maya: Damon is nothing to me.

Maya: Baby, please answer.

Maya: I have witnessed what has been going on at the Frederick estate.

Maya: Are you really a Vale?

Maya: Adrian, please.

He shook his head and blocked her number.

Of course she must have heard the news that he was a Vale, and that was the reason for her pathetic attempts to get him back.

The door opened.

It was Selena, holding a tablet.

She paused, looking at him in disdain as he was still sprawled across the bed.

"True young masters wake up early for morning exercises and a good start to their day."

Adrian merely yawned, making her frown even more.

"You sleep in your clothes?" she asked in that same haughty tone.

Adrian glanced at the gray button-down shirt and black trousers from the day before.

"I crashed," he said.

"Obviously," she replied, throwing the tablet onto the bed beside him. "Read that while you shower. You have half an hour before breakfast."

"Breakfast?"

"With the board," she replied as she slid the curtains open, letting more sunlight flood the room. "The executives of Vale Corp summoned an emergency meeting the moment they discovered you were in town."

Adrian felt his chest tighten.

"I'm not ready for that."

"Yes, I know."

Selena turned toward the door.

"But your cousin is spreading propaganda against you, so it's important to honor their summons."

Before he could say another word, she left.

Adrian picked up the tablet and opened a document titled:

VALE CORPORATION EXECUTIVE PROFILES

He went through a list of names and faces.

CFO.

COO.

Chief Legal Officer.

Head of Security.

Then one name caught his eye.

Richard Cross ..... Chief Operating Officer

Background: Ex-military, three overseas tours, developed the private security division of Vale.

Threat Level: Moderate. He will test you, but only if provoked.

Adrian scowled at the threat level tag and continued.

Margaret Chen ..... Chief Financial Officer

Background: MIT graduate, fifteen years with Goldman Sachs before joining Vale.

Threat Level: High. She will hunt for any weakness until she finds a chip in your armor.

Adrian felt his heartbeat rise.

These were not just colleagues.

They could be enemies.

At the bottom of the document was a note written in Selena's handwriting.

They'll try to intimidate you. Let them. When people believe they have the upper hand, they make more mistakes.

Adrian read it before getting up to shower.

An hour later, he strolled back into the main living room.

Selena nodded in approval at his choice of outfit.

She gestured toward the elevator.

"Let's go."

At the lobby level, Selena spoke without looking at him.

"When we get in there, do not apologize for anything or explain yourself. Answer their questions directly, then stop talking."

Adrian nodded, swallowing his anxiety.

The elevator doors opened to an underground garage where a black sedan waited with its engine running.

They climbed in, and the car pulled smoothly into the early morning traffic.

It finally stopped in front of the biggest skyscraper in the city.

Selena got out first, with Adrian following behind.

Adrian was amused as the security guards bowed when he passed.

Selena led him toward the conference room where everyone was already waiting.

"They're already inside," she said quietly, nudging him toward the door.

"You're not coming in with me?" Adrian asked, his voice shaking with fear. He had never stood in front of so many important people before.

She smiled faintly.

"This is your company now instead of mine. If I walk in with you, it'll look like I'm still in charge."

Adrian's stomach dropped.

"What if I screw this up?"

Selena met his eyes.

"Then you'll learn something."

He stared at her for a moment before turning toward the double doors.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed them open.

Seven people sat around the center table, all turning to look at him at once.

Richard Cross sat at the far end with a stone face that terrified Adrian.

Margaret tracked his every movement like a hawk watching its prey.

Adrian wondered how he was managing to control his shaking fingers as he walked to the head of the table and took his seat.

Margaret spoke as soon as he sat down.

"Mr. Vale. Thank you for joining us on such short notice."

"Of course," Adrian replied, refusing to break eye contact even though she intimidated him.

"We've all been very concerned," she continued. "Ms. Hart informed us yesterday that ownership of Vale Corporation has been transferred to you, which naturally raises questions."

Adrian nodded.

"I'm sure it does."

"Can you verify your identity?"

The question came from the legal officer, who wore the meanest smile at the table.

"We'll need birth certificates, DNA tests, or something that proves you are who Ms. Hart claims you are."

Adrian looked at him steadily.

"That's being arranged."

"When?" Margaret asked.

"Soon."

From the sharp intake of breath around the room, he could tell his answer pleased no one.

"Vale Corporation is worth eight billion dollars. We won't blindly hand it over to someone who merely claims to be the rightful heir, because that's all this is.....baseless claims."

Adrian leaned back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face.

"I'm not asking you to hand me anything."

"I already own it."

The room fell silent.

Richard Cross spoke for the first time.

"With respect, Mr. Vale, you've been the owner for less than twenty-four hours. You can't simply walk in and give orders to people who've been here for decades."

Adrian held his gaze.

"I'm not giving orders yet."

"I'm introducing myself."

Richard's eyes narrowed.

"Then introduce yourself."

"My name is Adrian Vale," he said calmly.

"Three days ago I was working double shifts at a restaurant and a nightclub to pay for school. I had no idea who my real family was until I got a phone call that changed everything."

He paused, letting the words settle.

"I don't know how to run a company like this.

"But I know what it's like to survive when everyone around you wants you to fail.

"And I'm a very fast learner."

Margaret leaned forward.

"Survival instincts don't qualify you to lead a multibillion-dollar enterprise."

"You're right," Adrian said.

"They don't.

"Which is why I'm not replacing anyone at this table.

"You're all still here, running your departments while I learn and make the decisions that keep the company alive and growing."

The executives exchanged harsh whispers among themselves.

Then Richard did something unexpected.

He stood and extended his hand across the table.

"Welcome to Vale Corporation, Mr. Vale."

Adrian stood and shook his hand.

One by one, the others rose.

Some shook his hand.

Others simply nodded.

Margaret was the last.

"I'm excited," she said quietly.

"I'm just as eager to see you fail as I am to see you win."

Adrian met her gaze.

"I won't disappoint you."

The meeting ended twenty minutes later.

As Adrian walked back toward the elevator, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

A text from Selena.

Selena: How did it go?

Adrian: I think I survived.

Selena: Good. Now comes the hard part.

Before he could respond, another message appeared from an unknown number.

Unknown: Welcome home, cousin.

Unknown: We should meet soon.

Unknown: There's so much to discuss.

Unknown: I can't wait to meet the person who thinks he can take Vale Corporation from me.