THE FORGOTTEN SON-IN-LAW

Chapter Three

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 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.

And though she would not admit it aloud, a spark of curiosity began to stir within her heart.

Later that night, as Selene prepared for bed, she received an anonymous call. A voice hissed through the phone: “Your husband is a danger. Leave him, or you’ll both burn.”

Selene froze, her hand trembling. Before she could respond, Adrian appeared in the doorway, his gaze steady. “Who was it?”

She hesitated. “No one. Just a prank.”

But Adrian’s eyes narrowed. He already knew. Someone was moving against them.

“Selene,” he said quietly, “whatever happens, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”

She scoffed, but her voice lacked conviction. “Protect me? From what?”

Adrian didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped onto the balcony, his figure outlined by moonlight. In the shadows beyond the estate, unseen eyes watched—and waited.

And Adrian knew the game had only just begun.

The next morning, Selene discovered that one of her late grandmother’s priceless heirlooms—a jade necklace—had been shattered in her private dressing room. There were no signs of forced entry. Panic stirred within her chest.

She confronted Adrian. “This happened because of you! Ever since you came, misfortune follows.”

Adrian examined the shards carefully, his eyes narrowing. “This wasn’t an accident. It’s a warning.”

Selene’s lips tightened, her skepticism warring with unease. “And you expect me to believe you?”

“Believe what you wish,” Adrian said calmly. “But those who did this wanted you shaken. They’re testing how far they can push before I respond.”

She stared at him, confused by the quiet steel in his tone. For the first time, she wondered— what exactly was he hiding?

Two days later, as Adrian left the Harlow Corporation building, a group of thugs intercepted him in a narrow alley. They carried pipes and knives, their eyes filled with cruel confidence.

“You’re in over your head, Cole,” one sneered. “Walk away from the Harlows, or we’ll carve you out of the picture.”

Adrian sighed. “I gave you a chance to turn back.”

They lunged.

Minutes later, the thugs lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. Adrian stood unscathed, his shirt barely wrinkled. He leaned down to the last conscious attacker. “Tell your employer,” he whispered coldly, “the son-in-law is not so harmless.”

When the beaten men fled, Adrian straightened his collar and walked into the evening light. No one on the street would guess that the quiet, ridiculed husband had just dismantled an ambush without breaking a sweat.

But someone had been watching—from the shadows across the street. A woman with sharp eyes and a hidden smile. “So, you’ve finally shown your claws, Adrian Cole.”

At dinner that evening, Selene noticed a faint bruise near Adrian’s knuckles. Her fork paused mid-air. “What happened to your hand?”

“Nothing worth mentioning,” Adrian replied simply.

She frowned, but before she could press further, Julian arrived at the Harlow estate uninvited, carrying a bouquet of expensive roses. “Selene,” he said smoothly, ignoring Adrian, “you deserve better company than what fate has dealt you. Allow me.”

Eleanor beamed at him, clearly approving. Victor said nothing, though his silence was its own form of consent.

Selene’s eyes flicked to Adrian, who sat calmly sipping his tea. Something inside her twisted. She had expected him to react with jealousy or anger. Instead, his serenity unsettled her. It was as though he knew something no one else did.

For the first time, Selene realized she wanted to understand the man she had sworn to dismiss.

That night, as Julian left the estate, he received a call. “We failed,” the thug leader’s voice rasped. “He… he isn’t normal. We couldn’t touch him.”

Julian’s jaw clenched. “Then find another way. I don’t care what it takes—Adrian Cole must disappear.”

Unaware that Selene was eavesdropping nearby, Julian ended the call with a curse. When she stepped into the light, he forced a smile. “Selene, you look troubled. Is everything alright?”

But Selene’s heart pounded. For the first time, doubt crept into her mind—not about Adrian, but about Julian.

And in that fragile crack of suspicion, Adrian’s quiet shadow began to grow stronger in her heart.

Late at night, Selene wandered into the Harlow library, hoping for peace. Instead, she found Adrian reading an old, leather-bound book under the glow of a single lamp. His posture was relaxed, his focus intense. She had never seen him like this.

“What are you reading?” she asked, surprising herself.

Adrian looked up calmly. “Strategies. Ancient ones. Lessons from wars that ended empires.”

Selene frowned. “Why would you need that?”

He closed the book gently. “Because some battles are fought in silence long before the world notices them.”

She shivered at the weight in his voice. For once, she had no reply.

Julian Black met with a shadowy figure in a dimly lit bar. His frustration was palpable.

“He’s more dangerous than we thought,” Julian muttered. “If the Harlows start trusting him, everything I’ve built will crumble.”

The shadowed man leaned forward. “Then you know what must be done. Remove him, before it’s too late.” ..