RISE OF THE LOST HEIR: ASHES TO EMPIRE

NINE: THE ENCOUNTER II

This bedroom was grand enough to make any visitor pause.

The bedroom was not merely a sleeping space, but a grand, beautifully appointed retreat. On stepping inside, the first encounter was a spacious, sun-drenched sitting area, framed by large windows and furnished with plush armchairs—a perfect sanctuary for quiet reflection.

Beyond this cozy vestibule, an impressive stone fireplace, rising to the ceiling like a modern hearth, served as an elegant architectural divider, subtly separating the lounge from the sleeping quarters while housing built-in media cabinets.

The main sleeping area, anchored by a commanding bed, offered both comfort and scale. Tucked away discreetly were the room's final luxuries: a doorway leading into a vast, boutique-style walk-in closet, and another opening into a resort-caliber ensuite bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub and a sleek, separate glass shower. This entire suite felt like an apartment unto itself, designed for maximum relaxation and privacy and a warmth that didn’t quite match its cold medical equipment.

Alex Stonewall pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat, exhaling softly.

“How are you feeling today?” he asked, concern deep in his voice.

Lying on the bed was Leonard Hale, mid-50s, pale but still impossibly handsome. His thick black hair fell gently over his forehead, and his golden eyes—eyes every Hale was known for—shimmered even in sickness. The IV tube hung quietly beside him.

“Better than yesterday, according to the doctor,” Leo joked weakly.

Alex didn’t smile. Leo frowned.

Leo sighed. “Alex. I said I’m fine. Don’t give me that look.”

His voice dropped from formal to familiar.

“I’ll speak informally now… Leo, you’re not looking any better. We need another solution.”

So the pale, handsome man on the bed—was Leonard Hale himself.

Leo chuckled and waved the concern away.

“Alex, Alex. Enough. Tell me—what do you have for me?”

Alex sighed deeply. “The structure will be done by the end of the month. They've made real progress.”

“Good.” Leo reached for a tablet beside him. “Then have the interior designers stand by. I want that project ready in six months, and it must be flawless. You know what's at stake.”

“The package has arrived—” Alex began.

Leo froze.

“Okay. You’ll handle the deal then—”

“Me? Alone?” Alex’s eyes widened. “Those men will murder me. We’ve never done a deal without you.”

Leo let out a breathy laugh that ended in a cough.

“Is that Alex Stonewall… scared? I thought you didn’t get scared.”

“Very funny.” Alex rolled his eyes. “I don’t get scared because things always go right when you’re around. There’s order when a Hale stands in the room. And now you expect me—a Stonewall—to face top dogs coming to pick up their package with no Hale present?”

Leo’s amusement faded. His voice sharpened.

“And what does it say about us if we deliver things to their doorstep like servants? No. They might be top dogs but we are above them. They’ll make the deal with whoever stands before them. Period.”

Then his tone softened again.

“Don’t be afraid, old friend. Sometimes you look scarier than me. And you’ve been with this family long enough to know that not having our name doesn’t mean you’re not one of us. They know that too.”

Alex shook his head, smiling despite himself. “Guess I need to prepare mentally, then.”

“And physically,” Leo teased. “Dress killer.”

“When have I ever not?” Alex stood, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders.

Leo looked away, expression flickering with pain. “Just relax, Alex. If only I had a son… we would have sent him instead—”

Alex paused mid-step. Slowly, he turned back and sat down again.

“You don’t?” he asked gently.

Leo’s golden eyes filled with a deep sadness.

“You know I don’t, Alex.”

“But Tess—”

“Is probably living whatever life she wanted, somewhere far away.” Leo cut in sharply.

“We still haven’t found her,” Alex said softly.

“After twenty-two years?” Leo scoffed. “Tess was good at blending in. Hard to find once she disappeared. Let’s focus on what matters now.”

Alex hesitated, then blurted—

“What if… just what if she did have your child? Someone out there—living a life he was worth more?”

Leo stared at him as if the thought was absurd.

“This is why you get along with my father. Where do you get these ideas? If she had my child—which she didn’t—why would she keep it from me? Why leave with my child?”

Alex leaned forward.

“I mean—we never asked her doctors. We chased her trail, not her medical records. What if there was another reason she left?”

Leo looked away, voice rough.

“That would make her cruel, and she wasn’t cruel. She couldn’t even conceive easily—that’s why I never pressured her.” Leo sighed and waved him off. “Go get ready. And… thank you for reminding me. She might have left, but she was still my wife. My partner.”

Alex nodded quietly and left.

Just as he neared the door to the mansion—

“Leaving so soon, sir?” a familiar voice asked.

Alex turned. Smiling.

“Steve!”

Steve—the Hale family’s elderly butler—approached with a warm smile. Nearly sixty, dignified, and loyal since the days of Leonard’s grandfather. If anyone knew the Hales inside and out, it was Steve.

“Can’t stay for dinner today,” Alex said. “But I need to trouble you.”

“At your service, sir.”

“Leonard’s childhood photo album.”

Steve’s brows lifted, but he nodded.

____

That night, Alex dressed to intimidate—dark suit, sharp lines, cold expression. His first solo deal. Deadly men, dangerous expectations.

But none of it scared him more than one thing:

The boy from the construction site.

Levi.

Those eyes. That face.

The resemblance to Leo’s childhood photos was too strong to be a coincidence.

He had to know.

---

The next day, he headed to Hale Hospital.

Hale Hospital was monstrous in size—an empire on its own. The front yard alone boasted a massive, sculpted fountain surrounded by trimmed hedges and tall, elegant lamps. The building rose like a palace, with reflective glass panels and old-mansion stone frames blending seamlessly.

Inside were sectors:

Exclusive, Private, General, Children’s.

A teaching wing. A surgery wing. A rooftop garden.

Break lounges, cafeterias, restrooms, boardrooms, offices.

Every corridor gleamed as if polished every hour.

Alex walked in—rare for him—and headed straight to Nancy’s office.

“Alex!” Doctor Nancy gasped as he entered her office. “Your kids sick? Your wife? Because I only see you here when someone is dying.”

“Ha-ha,” Alex replied dryly. “I’m here about Tess.”

“Tessa Hale?” Nancy blinked. “I thought her name wasn’t to be mentioned.”

“Doesn’t mean she’s not important.”

Nancy sighed. “What about her?”

“Her doctor. She didn’t like doctors who’d report back to Leo, so she picked someone random. Who was it?”

Nancy leaned back. “Alex, she changed doctors constantly. Sometimes we didn’t even know when she came or left. Didn’t she have guards?”

“Tess was good at dodging them.”

Nancy snorted. “Rebellious queen. Okay… I once saw her with Ray—Doctor Ray, general sector. Check with him.”

“Thanks, Nancy.”

She threw a salute at him as he walked away.

---

In the General Sector, that was like another hospital on it’s own—where he had never set foot—he tracked down Dr. Ray.

Finding it He strode into Ray’s office without knocking.

“You're Alex Stonewall—uh—hi!” Ray stuttered, standing.

“You’re Ray, right?”

“Yes?”

“Good.” Alex shook his hand. “I’ll be direct. Were you Tessa Hale’s doctor?”

Ray blinked. “Not really. She saw me once or twice. Later she preferred someone… someone she could talk to. They just used my office sometimes during my break.”

“They—who is they?”

“Eva Stone. She was the one doing the chatting and checkups.”

“Who?” Alex pressed.

“Dr. Eva Stone. A classmate of mine. She handled Tess most times.”

“And where does Eva live now?”

“Italy. She was only on holiday back then. That was about twenty years ago, i doubt she remembers.”

Alex cursed. “Do you still have her number?”

Ray nodded and handed his phone over.

“Thank you.”

---

The next day, Alex gathered his courage and dialed the number.

“Hello, this is Eva Stone.”

“Doctor, my name is Alex Stonewall—Vice CEO of Hale Conglomerate. I’m calling about Tessa Hale. You treated her in San Francisco around twenty-two years ago. Do you remember her?”

Silence.

Then—

“Tess… I remember.”

Relief washed over him.

“Thank God. We’ve been searching for her. Leo is very sick and wants to find her. Please—what did she tell you?”

“She did say you wouldn’t find her,” Eva said dryly.

Alex’s breath caught.

“You know where she is?!”

“No. She cut contact after she found a place she felt… accepted. But before she disappeared, she told me she would make it difficult for you all to find her.”

Alex clenched his jaw.

Eva continued, her voice gentle. Alex listened closely. Putting it on record.

“We talked more than we did checkups. She felt lonely. Her husband was constantly preparing to take over the empire. She was his partner in two companies, but he never let her work. She felt deserted. No child. No attention. Just arguments.”

Alex played along quietly.

“One day she came for a different checkup,” Eva said.

“What checkup?”

“She was five weeks pregnant.”

Alex froze.

“Tess was pregnant?”

“Yes. She made me promise not to tell anyone—not even Ray. She planned to tell Leo, asked him to be home… but he prioritized a business deal instead. So she didn’t tell him. She left.”

“Did she have the child?” Alex pressed.

“I don’t know. She called once—near her final month—to thank me. Then she cut contact. If she had the boy… he’d be grown now.”

“A boy?” Alex whispered.

“Positive. She even joked the Hales would finally get an heir.”

Alex sat back, breath leaving his lungs.

His hunch wasn’t a hunch anymore—it was truth.

“Thank you, doctor,” he said quietly.

“Tell her to call me if you find her,” she replied.

----

Meanwhile, at the construction site, life went on.

Levi worked harder than ever.

Teyana and Luke saw him more often.

One afternoon, Alex unexpectedly returned. The head supervisor was absent, leaving Harold—loud, short, and annoyingly proud—to pretend he was in charge.

“Welcome, sir!” Harold said, puffing his chest.

“Oh no,” Karan groaned.

Without even looking at him, Alex asked, “Where’s your boss?”

“That would be me!” Harold laughed.

Alex removed his shades slowly, eyeing him up and down.

“I meant the one overseeing the entire project.”

“He’s not here. But I'm at your service,” Harold insisted.

Alex sighed. “I hope you know what to do.”

He didn’t. Everyone could see it.

He waited for him to lead the way, but Harold didn't know where to lead to. Alex groaned exhausted and just led himself.

Alex inspected the workers—and froze when he saw Levi.

Levi froze too, thinking Alex came to fire him.

Karan panicked. “We’re sorry! For talking behind your back last time! Are you here to fire us?”

Alex blinked.

“What?”

Harold immediately shouted, “You TALKED behind Alex’s back?! You must be Punished!”

Alex rubbed his face.

“Harold. Step back. You’re in my space.”

Harold obeyed.

“You two,” Alex said gently. “I don’t care if you talked about me. Relax.”

He walked off.

But Harold wasn’t done.

“You won’t be paid this week!” he barked.

“What?!” Levi and Karan shouted.

"Did I stutter? Now get back to WORK!" He yelled.

Levi snapped.

“You want us to work a full week but not get paid?”

“That’s your punishment!” Harold yelled.

Levi’s patience broke. Karan tried pulling him back.

“If I’m not getting paid, why should I work?”

“Leave then! And don’t come back!”

Levi dropped his helmet and gloves… and walked.

---

That evening, he visited Teyana at work. He bought a small cake and asked for a candle.

“What are we celebrating?” she asked, placing it in.

“My grandmother’s birthday. First one without her. And freedom from work.” Levi whispered. “She always hoped I’d make something of myself. And now… I quit.”

Teyana’s expression softened.

“I’m sure she’s proud of you.”

“No, I doubt it” he said blowing out the candle.

“Will you go back?” she asked gently. He was being open to her and she liked it.

“Harold isn’t the real boss. So maybe. Or maybe not. I don’t know.”

She suddenly brightened.

“Luke! Maybe he knows places hiring. Eat, and I’ll walk you home.” she said then, ran into the kitchen without giving him a chance to reject her offer.

After her shift, they headed home. Levi didn’t speak much, but he answered— and that was enough for her.

Luckily Luke was home when they arrived, Teyana explained the situation to him and he listened.

“My workplace might have space,” Luke said.

“In sales? I didn’t go to college,” Levi said.

“Relax. I’m Luke. Everyone loves me. I’ll put in a word.” He winked.

Teyana squealed happily. Levi felt strange—warm, guilty, cared for.

That day, He promised himself he’d repay them someday.

---

Meanwhile, at the Hale mansion grounds—

The backyard was a private resort, accessed through a wide veranda. Immediately off the back of the house lay the infinity-edge swimming pool, which seemed to spill directly into the surrounding, verdant landscape.

The pool area, bordered by natural stone paving and elegant loungers, occupied one side of the yard, creating a perfect leisure zone. Extending away from the pool was a vast, open expanse of meticulously maintained lawn. This sweeping, grassy field offered a perfect, unobstructed area for children to play freely— if they had, or for large outdoor events—a demonstration of acreage and privacy and of old money mixed with subtle modern taste only afforded to a top family..

Leo sat at the shaded area of the yard, wrapped in a blanket. William Hale—his father—sat across from him, gray hair, golden-brown eyes, dressed simply but exuding power— and smoking his cigar.

Alex walked in just as his phone buzzed.

“Sir, the DNA results are ready, I'll send it now” the lab technician said.

Alex froze.

That day at the construction site—when he had tapped Levi’s shoulder—he plucked a strand of hair.

His phone dinged.

He checked.

His knees nearly gave out.

"We could try doctors in England—" William was still talking about searching England when Alex interrupted.

“Sorry, Uncle… Leo… but I have something to report. Something of great importance.”

Both Hales turned to him, unaware that the next words would change everything.

Forever.