An Understated Heir Returns

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Man Who Returned

Less than twenty minutes after the call ended, a black luxury sedan slowed near Adam’s neighborhood and stopped a short distance from the house. The car looked almost out of place among the ordinary vehicles parked along the street, but Adam did not seem bothered. He stood beneath the shade of a closed shop, one hand inside his pocket, while the light rain continued falling around him.

The rear door opened and Henry Grant stepped out, for a moment, the old man simply stood there, his eyes settled on Adam and did not move.

Five years had passed, but Adam still looked exactly like the man Henry remembered in all the ways that mattered. The same calm eyes, unreadable expression and that quiet confidence that always made people wonder what he was thinking.

Henry took one step forward, then stopped again.

“Young Master…”

His voice came out rough.

Adam raised an eyebrow. “You came quickly.”

That was enough to break whatever control Henry still had.

The old man hurried forward and looked Adam over from head to toe as though he needed to confirm that the man standing before him was real. “You’re alive. You’re actually alive.”

Adam gave him a faint look. “You sound disappointed.”

Henry stared at him before suddenly laughing. “Still the same mouth.”

Adam’s lips moved slightly, but the expression disappeared almost immediately.

Henry’s eyes reddened. “Five years. I searched for you for five years.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.” Henry shook his head. “Everyone told me to stop. They said nobody could survive that accident, especially after we found the wreckage. But there was no body. I kept telling them that until someone showed me a body, I wouldn’t believe you were dead.”

Adam looked at him for a moment, then glanced toward the car.

“Get in. We shouldn’t stand here too long.”

Henry immediately understood.

They entered the back seat while the driver pulled away from the neighborhood without attracting attention.

For the first few minutes, Henry could not stop looking at Adam.

Adam finally noticed.

“If you keep staring like that, I might start thinking you missed me.”

Henry scoffed. “You disappeared for five years and this is how you speak?”

“You survived.”

“Barely.”

Adam leaned back against the seat, calm as ever.

Henry studied him again before his expression became serious. “What happened?”

Adam looked out through the window.

“The accident happened exactly the way you know. I survived, but when I woke up, I remembered nothing.”

Henry frowned.

“Nothing?”

“My name. The Carter family. You. Everything was gone.”

Henry fell silent.

Adam continued, “A couple found me and helped get me treated. By the time I recovered physically, there was nothing connecting me to my old life. I stopped trying to force memories that wouldn’t return and started over.”

Henry looked disturbed by the thought. “And your memories?”

“One month ago.”

Henry’s head snapped toward him.

“One month?”

Adam nodded.

“You remembered everything one month ago and only called me tonight?”

“Yes.”

Henry stared at him as though trying to decide whether to be angry.

“Young Master, do you know what your grandfather...”

“I know exactly what I did.”

Adam’s tone was not loud, but Henry immediately stopped as the warmth disappeared from Adam’s expression.

“Someone tried to kill me five years ago. Whoever did it believes I’m dead. That gives me an advantage.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed while Adam continued calmly. “If I suddenly walk back into the Carter family, every person involved will know they failed. Evidence will disappear, people will run and whoever stood behind the accident will prepare again.”

Henry slowly nodded.

“You want them to keep believing you’re dead.”

“For now.”

Henry leaned back, understanding the logic even though he clearly disliked it. “You always did enjoy letting people think they were winning.”

Adam glanced at him. “It makes them careless.”

Henry could not argue with that.

His attention shifted to Adam’s clothes, then toward the direction they had come from. “So what have you been doing all these years?”

“Living.”

“That tells me absolutely nothing, Young Master.”

Adam gave him a flat look.

Henry sighed. “Fine. Where are you staying? Alone?”

“No.”

Henry paused.

Adam’s expression softened almost invisibly.

“I’m married.”

Henry’s eyes widened, for the first time that night, Adam almost looked amused.

“You look more shocked by that than seeing me alive.”

“I am.”

Adam raised an eyebrow.

Henry leaned forward. “You? Married?”

“Apparently.”

Henry stared at him for another second before laughing loudly enough that the driver glanced at them through the mirror.

Adam’s expression darkened slightly. “Control yourself.”

“I’m sorry, Young Master, but this is unbelievable. Before the accident, you barely remembered to eat when you were working. Your grandfather introduced you to women from half the powerful families in the capital and you found excuses to leave every single meeting.”

“I was busy.”

“You were impossible.” Henry chuckled

Adam did not deny it.

Henry grinned. “So who is she?”

“My wife.”

“I understood that part.”

Adam turned back toward the window.

Henry watched him carefully and caught the slight change in his face and that alone told him enough.

“You love her.”

Adam’s gaze shifted back to him.

Henry immediately raised both hands. “I said nothing.”

“Good.”

But Henry’s smile remained.

The Young Master he knew had always treated relationships like unnecessary distractions. Yet the man sitting beside him now had remained hidden for an entire month after recovering his memories, even when the Carter family and everything he once controlled were waiting for him.

Henry suspected the wife had a great deal to do with that.

Adam’s expression returned to its usual cold calm.

“She doesn’t know who I am.”

Henry’s smile disappeared.

“And she won’t. Not yet.”

Henry nodded slowly. “Because of the accident.”

“And because I don’t know who I can trust.”

Henry looked at him.

Adam added, “Outside this car, nobody knows I called you.”

“Understood.”

Adam then asked the question he had been holding back since the moment Henry arrived.

“How is Grandfather?”

Henry’s expression immediately changed, for several seconds, he said nothing.

“The Chairman never recovered from your disappearance.”

Adam remained silent.

Henry continued, “He searched everywhere. Even after the police stopped, even after the family held the funeral, he kept searching. For almost two years, he personally followed every useless lead anyone brought him.”

Adam’s jaw tightened slightly.

“He became colder after that,” Henry said. “He barely attends family gatherings anymore unless business requires it. And the Carter family has become worse.”

“How bad?”

“Everyone started fighting the moment you were gone. Different branches took control of pieces of the group. Some businesses you built were divided, others were mismanaged. Your cousins have been fighting among themselves while rival families in the capital slowly move in.”

Adam’s eyes darkened, that had been his life’s work, not everything he built belonged to the Carter family simply because they shared his surname.

Henry noticed the change in him.

“The family is still powerful,” he added, “but not what it was when you were there.”

Adam gave a humorless smile. “Of course.”

Henry hesitated. “Your grandfather should know you’re alive.”

“No.”

The answer came immediately.

“Young Master...”

“Not yet.”

Henry became quiet.

Adam looked straight ahead. “Grandfather won’t be able to hide his reaction. The moment he changes, people will start asking why. I’m not giving anyone that warning.”

Henry knew he was right.

Still, he sighed. “When the Chairman sees you again, I’m not responsible for what happens.”

Adam almost smiled.

“He can complain later.”

The car continued through the city and after a while, Adam glanced outside and frowned.

“Why are you here anyway? You should be in the capital.”

Henry’s expression suddenly became lighter.

“I came to inspect something.”

“What?”

“One of your companies.”

Adam turned toward him.

Henry did not answer directly. Instead, he leaned forward and told the driver where to go.

Adam watched him for a moment but did not ask again.

Several minutes later, the car slowed and Henry looked toward the window.

“We’re here.”

Adam followed his gaze.

A massive glass building towered over the street, its illuminated name visible even through the rain.

WESTON GROUP.

Adam went completely still, five years ago, Weston had only begun finding its footing and now, it stood like an empire and it was his.