Sovereign Son-in-Law: Rise from The Ashes.

CHAPTER FOUR.

4.

Finn Rowe couldn’t believe the guy in front of him. He was big, bossy, and had this air about him that made everyone else look small. Finn had heard stuff about him, both in business and on the streets, but seeing him up close was something else. If he wasn’t wrong, this was the guy who started Blackwell Conglomerate—the big cheese of the Varla Skyfall league and the most feared Mafia kingpin in the Varla underworld. But Finn really wanted to know: what was he doing here, looking for a loser like him that the Voss family tossed aside and beat down?

Finn looked around, trying to figure things out, but found nothing. Then, a woman showed up beside him, all calm and professional. She had on a fancy suit and looked serious and sharp. “Come with me,” she said, sounding polite but firm. “I’m Mrs. China, the big man's secretary. I’ll take you to him.”

Finn followed, his legs shaking a bit from being tired and shocked. The rain, the double-cross, the roughing up, and now this big shot were hitting him hard. His heart was racing, and his head was spinning, trying to make sense of it all. As they walked, he glanced at Mrs. China. She was cool, moved like she knew what she was doing, and Finn was sure she was good at her job.

Finally, they walked into a huge hall. The ceilings were way up high, with shiny chandeliers that made the light sparkle. The floor was super polished, and everything looked rich and powerful. In the middle of the room, standing tall and looking like he was in charge, was the man Finn was trying to wrap his head around.

“Finn Rowe,” the man said, his voice deep and commanding. “Step up.”

Finn froze, then slowly did as he was told, his hands up a little like he wasn’t sure what to do. The man looked him over, his eyes sharp and intense. Finn didn’t know why, but he felt a chill. It was like the man could see through all his lies, weaknesses, and secrets.

“You’re my grandson,” the man finally said, and Finn’s world stopped. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t say a thing. He grew up an orphan, never knowing his parents, never thinking someone like this could be his family. The room spun, and his knees felt weak.

“I’m your grandfather,” the man went on, moving closer. Finn could feel how important he was. The man’s eyes glowed a little, a golden brown color that looked almost unreal. “Do you get what this means?”

Finn shook his head, barely able to talk. “I… I don’t get it. How… how is this even possible?”

The man laughed, a deep sound that filled the hall. He held out his hand, and Finn looked down, then back up as the man turned on his Auburn biometric eyes. The glow got brighter, scanning Finn from top to bottom. Finn felt naked, like everything about him was being looked at and understood.

“You’re the last one in the Blackwell family,” the man said. “Because you’re my grandson, you can have everything I’ve built. You’ll run my empire one day. But first, I need to know if you’re up to it. Do you want to be my heir?”

Finn took a step back, falling to his butt in shock. He felt like he was going to fall. “My heir?” he whispered. His head was racing, trying to take it all in. All the bad stuff he’d been through, all the pain and shame, seemed small now compared to this.

The man’s eyes stared at him, steady. “Yes or no. You can take ten billion dollars now and walk away, or you can choose to be my heir and face what it takes to get the Blackwell legacy.”

Finn’s head was spinning. Ten billion dollars could fix every wrong, every hurt, every embarrassing moment. He could walk away rich and powerful. But the word heir kept going through his head. He’d been beat up, betrayed, and thrown away, but this was about more than money. This was about power, being in charge, and getting a chance to be better than everything he’d been through.

His hand shook as he looked at what the man was holding out. There was a black credit card, fancy and sleek, and a watch that looked like it was worth more than anything he could imagine. The card was the ten billion dollars. The watch showed status and power. Finn swallowed hard, staring at them for a long time.

“No,” he finally said, his voice steady, even though he was still shaking. “I don’t want the money. I want to be your heir. I want to be the next in line. I want the Blackwell legacy. I want to prove I’m good enough.”

The man laughed, sounding pleased. “You’re greedier than I thought,” he said. “You have ambition in your blood. That’s the first thing I want in an heir. You get that money doesn’t make a man in charge. Power has to be taken, respect has to be earned, and you have to prove you’re loyal.”

Finn nodded, feeling determined. He could feel every insult, every hit, every embarrassing moment, pushing him forward. This was the chance he’d been waiting for—a chance to rise above all the suffering.

The man turned a bit and pointed to Mrs. China. “This is China. She’s my secretary, and from now on, she’ll do what you say in my place, but she won’t help you with what’s ahead. You’ll have to face it alone, like all true heirs do.”

Finn bowed a little, showing respect but also looking confident. “I get it. I’m ready.”

The man smiled a little, still looking at Finn with those sharp, almost unreal eyes. “Alright. What’s in front of you won’t be easy. There are ten challenges, each one to test your mind, your strength, and your spirit. Fail one, and you lose everything. Pass them all, and the empire, the legacy, and my respect will be yours. Remember, you’re not a kid anymore. You’re a Blackwell.”

Finn swallowed hard, nodding again. His whole body still hurt from what happened earlier, but his mind was clear, and he was set on doing this. He’d been broken, shamed, and thrown away. Now, he had a chance at a future no one could have guessed.

He looked around the room, at all the riches, the people, and the man who said he was his grandfather. For the first time in years, Finn Rowe felt like he had power inside him. He wouldn’t be the weak nobody, the thrown-away son-in-law, the guy everyone laughed at. He’d be Finn Blackwell, heir to an empire that stretched across the Devine and under World

Mrs. China stepped up, waiting and looking calm. Finn turned to her, nodding again. The challenges would start soon, and he’d face them head-on. No more being scared, weak, or embarrassed.

The man, Lord Sovereign, smiled a little, happy with how determined Finn looked. Then it starts. The Blackwell legacy is yours to take, but only if you’re brave enough. The era is waiting.

Finn balled his fists, feeling like everything was on his shoulders. His past had been rough, but it got him ready for this. He was ready to stand up. He was ready to take the name Blackwell. He was ready to be the next Lord Sovereign.