THE KASTELLAN HEIR.

THE MAN BEHIND THE NAME.

Ronan stood still in the rain, holding his small bag close to his chest. He looked around the empty street, but no one else was there. The old man was watching him closely.

“Get an umbrella over him now!” the old man called out over the sound of the storm.

A guard appeared beside Ronan almost instantly. The rain stopped hitting him as a wide black umbrella opened above his head.

“Let’s get out of this rain, young master,” the old man said, his voice calm but firm.

Ronan shook his head and stepped back into the rain. “Young master? I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know why you keep calling me that. You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Ronan. I’m nobody. I’m not who you’re looking for.”

The old man didn’t seem bothered. He walked closer, his boots splashing through the puddles. He grabbed Ronan’s wrist, his grip firmer than expected. “Let’s talk in the car. You shouldn’t be standing out here in this weather. Trust me, Ronan, you’re safe with us. Safer than you’ve been in a long time.”

Ronan paused. He thought about his choices, but he didn’t really have any. Vivienne had the house. Preston had his job. Margaux and Coleman had taken his pride. All he had left was a wet bag of clothes and no money. He looked into the old man’s eyes, searching for a lie, but all he saw was loyalty. Finally, he nodded.

The old man snapped his fingers, and a long black limousine pulled up to the curb. It was the nicest car Ronan had ever seen. A guard opened the door and bowed. Ronan stepped inside and stared in amazement. The inside looked like a small palace, with cream leather seats, polished wood, and the smell of expensive cologne.

As the car started moving, Ronan sat at the edge of his seat, dripping water onto the clean floor. “What’s going on? Where are you taking me?” His voice was shaky.

“Don’t worry, Ronan. You’re safe,” the old man said. He opened a small cabinet and poured a glass of amber liquid. “Here. Drink this. It will warm you up.”

Ronan looked at the glass. “How do you know my name?”

“We’ve been searching this whole city for you. Tonight, we finally got lucky,” the man said, lighting a cigarette. “I know almost everything about you, Ronan. I know about your marriage. I know about what happened to you a few hours ago.”

Ronan felt a chill run through him. This stranger had been watching his life from a distance.

“You’ll catch a cold in those wet clothes,” the old man said, pointing to a suit hanging nearby. “Change into that. We’ll talk after.”

Ronan went to the back of the limo and took off his wet clothes. When he put on the suit, it felt smooth and expensive. He looked at his reflection in the dark window. He looked different. He didn’t look tired or beaten down anymore. He looked strong.

The old man smiled, showing three gold teeth. “Look at you. You really are part of the Kastellan family, Ronan.”

“I’m an orphan,” Ronan said. “I don’t have a family.”

“Actually, you do,” the man said, his face turning sad. “My name is Emeric. I’m the Chief of Staff for the Kastellan family. You were taken from your parents when you were only a year old. It was a kidnapping that destroyed the most powerful family in this country. Your parents spent everything they had trying to find you. They died in a car accident while searching for you.”

He paused, letting the news sink in.

“But your grandfather never stopped looking,” Emeric continued. “And after twenty years, we finally found the heir to the Kastellan family. You’re not just an ordinary man, Ronan. You’re going to inherit a company that controls a huge part of the world’s economy.”

Ronan didn’t say anything. The drink burned his throat. “I don’t believe you,” he whispered.

“Get some rest, young master,” Emeric said kindly. “You’ll understand soon.”

Across the city, Coleman stood in the driveway of his family’s house.

“Mom, I swear it was him!” he shouted. “He got into a limo that costs more than this whole house! Guards were bowing to him!”

Margaux walked out onto the porch, her face tight with annoyance. “Coleman, think for a second. Ronan just lost everything. He’s probably sleeping under a bridge somewhere. You saw a shadow and a fancy car and let your mind run wild.”

“But I saw his face!” Coleman said.

“That’s enough! That man will never be anything more than an embarrassment to this family. Just forget about him.”

They drove for hours. Ronan eventually fell asleep from exhaustion. He woke up when the smooth road turned into a bumpy dirt path. He looked out the window and gasped. They were driving up a mountain toward a huge building made of stone and glass.

“This is your grandfather’s home,” Emeric said as large golden gates opened for them. The gates had the image of a hawk carved into them.

Inside, everything looked expensive. In the middle of a huge living room sat an old man in a wheelchair, petting a large silver dog. He looked weak, his skin pale and thin, but his eyes were sharp when he saw Ronan.

Emeric stepped forward and bowed low. “We brought him home, Mr. Kastellan.”

The old man’s hands shook as he pet the dog. He waved Ronan closer with a shaky finger. “The heir,” he whispered. His voice was weak, but it still carried authority. “It’s really you. Ronan. I thought I would die before I ever saw your face.”

He reached out and touched Ronan’s arm with cold, thin fingers. “When your parents died, this family lost everything good in it. I’ve spent years holding this company together, waiting for the day I could give it all to you. Now I can finally rest. You’re home, Ronan.”

Looking into the old man’s eyes, Ronan felt something cold and dangerous wake up inside him. He wasn’t going to be a victim anymore. The Kastellan heir was back, and everyone who had hurt him was going to pay for it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​