Dark Fate: The Useless Son-in-Law’s Vengeance

The Proposal

Adrian Cole frowned, studying her more intently now.

Something didn’t add up. Even though she was clearly exhausted, she still carried herself with an elegance that came from wealth. Her posture was too refined, her mannerisms too polished. This wasn’t someone who’d been living rough for long.

“Forgive me,” he said quietly, “but you don’t seem like someone without a home.”

She looked up at him, something bitter flickering across her face. A soft, humorless laugh escaped her lips.

“You are perceptive.” She drew a shaky breath. “I wasn’t always like this. My name is Sophia Laurent  and three months ago, I was the CEO of Stellar Dynamics. We were preparing for our IPO. Everything was ready…the investors were committed, and the underwriters were in place, the roadshow went perfectly.”

Her voice went hollow. “And then overnight, our application was rejected. There was no explanation as to why that happened.”

Adrian Cole went very still.

“The investors panicked and pulled out,” she continued, staring at nothing. “Without their backing, we couldn’t meet our obligations. Creditors called in loans. And partners terminated their contracts with us. Within two weeks, the company collapsed. The board voted to liquidate.” Her voice cracked. “I lost everything. The company, my savings, my reputation…eight years of work. Gone.”

A cold knot formed in Adrian Cole’s stomach. “When did this happen?”

“June fifteenth. The rejection came through on June fifteenth.”

His chest tightened. June fifteenth. The same day Victoria’s IPO was approved.

He’d asked Marcus  to expedite the process, to smooth Victoria’s path through the regulatory commission. If he remembered correctly, there had been several companies ahead of hers in the queue. Stellar Dynamics… that name sounded familiar. It had been directly in front of Victoria’s application.

But how could a simple delay destroy an entire company? Unless…

His gaze shifted to Marcus , who stood near the door. His assistant had gone noticeably pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool room. When their eyes met, Marcus  immediately looked away, his hand coming up to wipe nervously at his temple.

Realization hit Adrian Cole like a blow.

Of course.

Marcus  hadn’t just smoothed the path. He’d cleared it completely. In his overzealous attempt to serve, he’d kicked out every company standing ahead of Victoria, leaving disaster in his wake. Utter recklessness.

Adrian Cole shot to his feet, the movement so sudden that Marcus  flinched.

“Marcus .” His voice was quiet, but there was steel underneath his aura so imposing at that moment Lui felt his life was ending. “Come here.”

Marcus  hurried forward, his steps quick and anxious.

Adrian Cole leaned in close, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper, but the weight of his authority crashed down like a hammer. “Put everything back the way it was. Every application you touched, every company you pushed aside. Restore them. Now. I want it done immediately. Do you understand me?”

Marcus ’s face went white. “Sir, I…”

“Do you understand me?” Adrian Cole’s tone didn’t rise, but something in it made Marcus ’s throat work convulsively.

“Yes, sir. Right away.”

“And establish a compensation fund. Document every loss those companies suffered. Every single one.” His eyes bored into Marcus ’s. “Move.”

Marcus  practically fled from the room.

Adrian Cole stood there for a moment, his jaw clenched tight, forcing himself to breathe through the fury burning in his chest. Then he turned back to Sophia Laurent .

She was watching him with confusion and wariness, clearly having caught the tension even if she couldn’t hear what was said.

He forced his expression to soften, though it felt awkward and unfamiliar. “Right now, you need rest and a safe place to recover. I have property sitting empty…a vacant apartment. You’re welcome to stay there until you’re back on your feet.”

Sophia Laurent  shook her head immediately. “I can’t accept that. We’re strangers. You’ve already saved my life…I can’t possibly take more from you.”

“The apartment is empty whether you’re in it or not,” Adrian Cole said, somewhat stiffly. “If it can shelter someone who needs it, then the space isn’t wasted.” He moved toward the door without waiting for her response. “I’ll take you there myself.”

He paused at the threshold, glancing back. “Unless you’d prefer to figure out where you’re sleeping tonight on your own?”

Sophia Laurent  sat frozen on the bed, clearly caught off guard by his directness.

Dr. Harrison  stepped forward with a kind smile. “Miss sophia , you should accept. Mr Cole doesn’t make offers like this lightly. And in your condition, you really shouldn’t be alone.”

Marcus , who had reappeared in the hallway, nodded vigorously despite his obvious distress. “The property is excellent, Miss sophia . Very safe, well-maintained. Please, you should go with Mr Cole.”

Sophia Laurent  looked between them, then down at herself…at the complete absence of any stability in her life right now.

Finally, she looked back at Adrian Cole, who stood waiting in the doorway with an expression that was somehow both commanding and genuinely concerned.

“Alright,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”

Adrian Cole nodded once, satisfied. “Good. Marcus , have appropriate clothing delivered to the car. Something comfortable.”

As they prepared to leave, Sophia Laurent  couldn’t shake the strange feeling that her life had just been pulled into the orbit of someone far more powerful…and far more complicated…than she’d initially realized.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​