Rise of the Sovereign: Wayne Stark

Chapter One

The low, solemn hum of the choir drifted through the air like a soft lament. Their voices, heavy with sorrow, echoed across the churchyard, wrapping the mourners in a cocoon of grief. Rows of black suits and veils rippled in the soft breeze, all gathered in reverent silence for the burial of Mr. Rafael Romanos—the patriarch, the tycoon, the man who built the Romanos name into something that echoed in the city’s corridors of power.

Friends, business associates, and political allies had come in droves to pay their respects. The Romanos family stood at the heart of it all, their expressions carved in stone. An hour passed before the final words were spoken, the last handful of dirt thrown into the grave, and the ceremony began to disperse into quiet farewells.

Wayne Stark stood slightly apart from the crowd, his presence like an ink blot on an otherwise pristine canvas. His black suit was wrinkled and ill-fitted—an awkward contrast against the luxury that surrounded him. The whispers had followed him all day. A man no one could place, married into the family under strange circumstances, now left to fend for himself with Rafael gone.

He stepped forward, his voice louder than the hushed tones around him. “Hey, James.”

James Romanos, the eldest grandson, turned sharply. He had been smiling, shaking hands with old family friends, basking in the glow of legacy. But that smile faltered the moment he laid eyes on Wayne.

James’s jaw clenched. “What do you want?”

Wayne’s voice cracked slightly, but he pushed forward. “I need your help… please. Just a loan.”

A smirk played across James’s lips. “Help?” he repeated, his voice thick with mockery.

Everyone knew it—Wayne was the black sheep. The family barely tolerated him while Rafael lived, and now that he was gone, the wolves circled freely.

“I need two hundred thousand dollars. It’s urgent,” Wayne said, swallowing his pride. “I’ll pay it back in three months. I promise.”

James threw his head back and laughed—loud, theatrical, cruel. His voice cut through the churchyard like a knife. “You? Asking me for two hundred grand? Who do you think you are? Grandpa’s not here to hand you pocket money anymore. You think you can pay me back with what—your nonexistent job? That lazy, pathetic excuse of a life you live?”

The heads nearby began to turn.

“What a disgrace,” someone muttered.

Mrs. Romanos was already storming toward them, her black gown clenched in one hand, her face twisted with rage. Her steps were swift, merciless.

“What’s going on?” she snapped, her eyes darting from James to Wayne.

James immediately straightened, his mocking grin vanishing as he stepped aside.

Wayne bowed his head, but desperation drove him forward. “Grandma… please. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t life or death. My best friend was in an accident two hours ago. He’s in surgery, and they won’t proceed without a deposit. I need the money to save him. I swear, I’ll return it—”

Mrs. Romanos recoiled at the sight of him.

His appearance—his cheap suit, his trembling voice, the very fact that he dared speak—seemed to offend her to the core.

“Shut up,” she spat. Her voice thundered across the yard, indifferent to the setting. “You disgrace yourself—at my husband’s funeral, no less.”

Gasps stirred in the crowd. A woman near the back leaned into her husband. “Is that the one they say Mr. Romanos married to one of his granddaughters?”

“The poor man? Probably,” came the hushed reply.

“You’re asking me for money? Now?” Mrs. Romanos’s voice rose again. “Do you even understand what I’ve lost today? You think I care about your useless friend’s surgery? You selfish, heartless bastard!”

Wayne’s courage faltered. He turned his eyes away—only to catch sight of Lena, his wife, slipping quietly from the church, her head down in shame, her face unreadable.

“Grandma, I’m sorry,” Wayne murmured. “I didn’t mean to—”

“You think we didn’t see this coming?” she snapped. “You were only ever here because of Rafael’s stupid sense of compassion. He forced Lena into that farce of a marriage. Well, he’s gone now. And so are you. Go and get ready to sign the divorce.”

The family lawyer, Mr. Kane, was nearby. She waved him over.

“Ma’am?” he asked.

“Help me prepare a divorce for my granddaughter Lena and this… mistake,” she ordered, her voice sharp despite its quiver.

Mr. Kane hesitated. “I’ll need to speak with Lena first. The law—”

“You’ll do what I say. I’ll handle Lena.”

Wayne stepped forward. “Please, just wait—”

Her slap landed before he saw it coming. The sting sent him a step back, palm over his cheek.

“James!” she roared. “Get the damn security. Get him out of here!”

Wayne’s eyes burned as the others stepped in to obey. But he turned before they reached him, walking toward the edge of the gathering.

“James, please—” he said one last time, but the answer came from someone else.

“Wait,” a calm voice called out.

Wayne froze and turned. It was Jacob Romanos, the youngest son of the late Rafael—sharp-suited, cold-eyed, and now the unspoken head of the family’s empire.

“I might be willing to help you,” Jacob said, voice measured, confident.

Wayne stared at him. “Really?”

Jacob nodded. “Yes… but.”

There it was. The condition.

“I’ll give you the money. Right now. But you walk away from Lena. She deserves a man who can match her. Not some broke, spineless—”

“Enough,” Wayne said.

Jacob blinked.

Wayne raised his chin. “No. I’m not divorcing my wife.”

Jacob’s amusement cracked into a dry, cruel laugh. “You really are delusional, aren’t you? Rafael forced her into your arms. He’s gone. And without him, you’re just another stain on the family name.”

James sneered beside him. “Better take the offer while you can still leave with your dignity. Otherwise, we’ll make sure you crawl out of here.”

Wayne’s fists clenched, but his voice was steady. “We’ve been married almost three years. None of you could stop us then, and you won’t now.”

Jacob’s expression darkened. “You fool. Do you really think Lena loves you? She’s been tolerating you out of obligation. You’ve never touched her. Or tell me since you’re both married why isn’t there a child huh?”

Wayne stiffened. Those words hit him like bullets. He said nothing. He didn’t need to. The truth was already in his silence.

He turned, slowly, and walked away without another glance. Rage simmered beneath his skin. Humiliation burned behind his eyes. But he held his head high, even as their laughter followed behind him like a curse.

“You’ll regret this,” James called after him. “You’ll lose everything, you don’t have a place in this family know that.”