THE FORGOTTEN SON-IN-LAW

The chandeliers of the Harlow mansion glimmered like icy diamonds, but no warmth touched Adrian Cole’s heart as he stood at the altar. To the guests in attendance—politicians, tycoons, and socialites—this union was nothing more than a farce. He could hear their whispers, feel their disdain.

“Why would Selene Harlow marry him?”

“Look at his suit—probably borrowed.”

“A useless nobody, becoming the Harlows’ son-in-law? Absurd.”

Adrian ignored the sneers. His gaze rested quietly on Selene, the bride who had not smiled once since stepping into the hall. She was breathtaking, her veil soft as mist, her eyes glacial and distant. She hadn’t chosen this marriage; her family had forced it upon her. And Adrian, bound by a debt of honor, had accepted.

When the vows were spoken, Selene’s lips barely moved. Her fingers trembled as she placed the ring on his hand. The applause that followed was hollow, filled with mockery.

But Adrian only tightened his jaw and whispered inwardly: One day, they will know who I truly am.

The Harlow estate was vast, a palace of glass and steel. Yet to Adrian, it was colder than any prison cell. From the moment they returned after the ceremony, Eleanor Harlow—the iron-willed matriarch—made her contempt plain.

“You will remember your place,” she snapped, her heels clicking against marble floors. “You are here because we allowed it. You will never touch a cent of the Harlow fortune, nor will you tarnish our name with your mediocrity.”

Selene stood silently beside her mother, arms folded, eyes hard. She had not spoken to Adrian beyond formalities. When Eleanor left, she finally turned to him.

“This marriage changes nothing,” she said flatly. “You’ll live here, but don’t expect me to play the loving wife. Do not interfere in my life, and I won’t interfere in yours.”

Her words cut deep, but Adrian only nodded. “Understood.”

Selene left, her perfume lingering faintly in the air. Adrian stood alone in the cavernous hallway, his heart heavy. He had married the woman he had once admired from afar, yet now she was a stranger locked behind ice. Still, he reminded himself: Endure. Protect her, even if she never knows it.

The next morning, Adrian accompanied Selene to the Harlow Corporation’s headquarters. Rumors of their marriage had spread, and the staff were eager to witness the spectacle.

“Is that him? The useless son-in-law?”

“He looks like a delivery boy who got lost.”

“Poor Miss Selene. She deserved better.”

Adrian kept his calm, though the derision stung. He walked a step behind Selene, his head lowered—not in shame, but in restraint.

In the boardroom, Victor Harlow, Selene’s father, made his stance clear. “Adrian, you will stay out of company matters. You are not qualified. Your only responsibility is to remain invisible.”

Adrian bowed slightly. “Of course, sir.”

The directors chuckled. A rival executive, Julian Black, smirked from across the table. His eyes lingered on Selene with barely disguised desire. “Some men marry for love. Others for convenience. I suppose Mr. Cole has neither.”

Laughter erupted. Selene’s face flushed with shame and fury, though she said nothing. Adrian clenched his fists under the table, nails digging into his palms. He longed to reveal who Julian truly was — a vulture feeding on the company’s weaknesses. But it wasn’t time. Not yet.

Instead, he raised his eyes and spoke softly, “Be careful what you say, Mr. Black. Words have consequences.”

The room fell silent. For a moment, something in Adrian’s tone unsettled even the most arrogant men. But then Julian laughed again, dismissing him.

Selene stared at Adrian curiously. She didn’t know why, but for the first time, she wondered if there was more to her unwanted husband than met the eye.

That night, Adrian walked alone through the city streets. A figure emerged from an alley — a man in a dark suit, his demeanor sharp and deferential.

“Young Master,” the man bowed deeply. “We have been waiting for your orders. The Black family grows bolder. Should we move?”

Adrian’s eyes hardened. He had promised himself never to expose his true heritage, never to drag Selene into the chaos of his world. But the insult at the boardroom, the predatory gleam in Julian’s eyes—his patience was fraying.

“Not yet,” Adrian said quietly. “But watch them. Anyone who dares to harm Selene… will pay dearly.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

As the man melted back into the shadows, Adrian looked up at the night sky. The city glimmered with indifferent lights, but within him burned a fire that no one had yet seen.

And when it came to light, the world would tremble.

Two nights later, Eleanor Harlow arranged a formal family dinner. Adrian was invited, though it was clear he was expected to serve as a convenient target for mockery. The long table gleamed with silverware and crystal, yet tension filled the air thicker than perfume.

Julian Black was there, seated far too comfortably among the Harlows, as though he were family already. His smirk widened when Adrian entered.

“Ah, the famed son-in-law,” Julian drawled. “You’ve made quite a name for yourself these past few days. Tell me, Mr. Cole, do you have any ambitions? Or is being a shadow your only talent?”

The table erupted in laughter. Selene pressed her lips together, her eyes darting toward Adrian. She almost expected him to snap—but he didn’t.

Adrian lifted his glass calmly. “Ambition, Mr. Black, is not always paraded before the world. Sometimes it is quiet, waiting. Patient. But when the time comes.. it consumes everything in its path.”

The laughter died, replaced by an uneasy silence. Even Eleanor was frowned, unsettled by his tone.

Julian forced a chuckle. “Such pretty words for a man with nothing.”

Adrian smiled faintly. “We’ll see.”

Selene’s eyes lingered on him longer this time. There was something in his voice—a quiet authority that even her powerful family could not dismiss.