Adrian Cole; Return of the Lost Heir

Honored guest

Chapter Five

The banquet hall glittered under chandeliers that spilled golden light across silk-draped tables and crystal glasses. It was a world of wealth, power, and silent wars fought with smiles and handshakes.

Adrian stepped out of the car first, adjusting the collar of his suit. He felt the weight of eyes immediately—polished guests in designer wear glancing his way with faint curiosity, as if trying to place him.

Then a familiar voice struck him like a blade.

“Adrian?”

He turned—and there she was. Elena. Stunning in an emerald gown, elegance radiating from her every step. But her eyes, sharp with surprise and disbelief, cut into him. Beside her stood Lucas Brown, smug as ever, his arm casually resting at her side like a declaration of ownership.

Elena’s voice trembled, though not with joy. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me… you followed me?”

Before Adrian could answer, Lucas stepped forward, his smirk widening.

“So it’s true then. I heard about your little stunt at the bank. A fake black card, parading around like you’re someone important? I didn’t think you could sink any lower, Adrian. Fraud? Really?”

Elena’s chest tightened at Lucas’s words, but she didn’t stop him. Instead, she turned on Adrian, disappointment etched in her face.

“I didn’t want to believe it, but… how could you? Have you lost your mind since the divorce? To degrade yourself like this? Adrian, return the card before this blows up any further. Before you destroy yourself completely.”

Her words cut deeper than any insult.

Adrian’s eyes darkened, his voice quiet but sharp.

“Elena, don’t flatter yourself. I didn’t come here for you. I’m here for the auction.”

The calm in his tone only enraged her further. Elena’s breath hitched as anger and hurt tangled in her chest. “Ungrateful…” she whispered. “You’ve truly changed.”

Lucas laughed openly, his voice carrying across the crowd.

“Changed? He’s always been trash, Elena. A dishwasher pretending to be a king. He thinks he belongs here? This banquet is for the elite—CEOs, heirs, and true power players. Him?” Lucas flicked his gaze over Adrian with mocking disdain. “He’s nothing but a stray dog in a borrowed suit. If you don’t want to be embarrassed, stop acknowledging him. Otherwise, you’ll be dragged down with him again.”

Adrian’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t rise to the bait. He stood firm, the storm in his eyes hidden beneath a veneer of calm.

Then, the sound of heels clicking against the pavement broke the tension.

Catherine Moretti emerged from the car, dressed in a sleek midnight gown that clung to her figure with effortless grace. Her aura shifted the air around her; conversations dimmed, heads turned, and admiration rippled through the guests like a tide.

Even Elena stiffened. Compared to Catherine’s poised nobility, her own beauty seemed suddenly dimmed.

Catherine’s sharp gaze swept the crowd—and instantly landed on Adrian.

A smile touched her lips, soft and deliberate. She crossed the space between them with unhurried steps, the air thick with her commanding presence. And then, with elegance that silenced even Lucas, she slid her hand through Adrian’s arm and leaned in, her voice warm but loud enough for others to hear.

“You kept me waiting, Adrian.”

Gasps rippled around them.

Adrian blinked, momentarily startled, but Catherine’s subtle pressure on his arm told him not to resist. He understood immediately—she was playing a role, protecting him once again.

Her closeness unsettled him more than he cared to admit. Her perfume lingered in the air, rich and intoxicating, her presence at his side both shield and distraction.

Elena’s face paled.

“Adrian… you…” Her lips parted, her voice trembling. “You already… found someone else?”

A storm of emotions twisted inside her—anger, hurt, disbelief, and something far more dangerous: jealousy.

Lucas’s jaw tightened, though he forced a laugh.

“So this is how you saved yourself at the bank. Figures. Hooking up with the director of the National Bank, hm? Clever, Adrian, very clever.”

But beneath his mockery lay a thread of unease. He knew who Catherine Moretti was—everyone did. Senior Director of the National Bank, one of the most powerful financial figures in the country. Her decisions could build or break entire empires. Even Lucas, with his platinum card, had never gotten more than a polite smile from someone at her level.

And now, Adrian stood with her clinging to his arm.

Lucas’s confidence faltered for the first time, though he masked it quickly. Still, the sight burned in his chest, each heartbeat a reminder that Adrian, the man he had just mocked, stood where even he could not.

Catherine tilted her head, her smile sharp as she looked at Elena and Lucas.

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Interesting… though I must say, you seem terribly misinformed.” She squeezed Adrian’s arm lightly, her eyes glittering. “Adrian doesn’t need anyone’s pity. He’s here tonight as my honored guest.”

Silence swept the crowd.

Elena’s breath caught, her fingers curling into fists at her side. The image of Adrian standing so confidently beside Catherine, the very picture of a man she no longer knew, etched itself into her heart like a scar.

Lucas forced a smile, though his teeth clenched. “Honored guest…? We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Adrian said nothing. But inside, as Catherine’s warmth lingered at his side and Elena’s trembling eyes burned into him, he felt the weight of two worlds colliding.