THE KING RETURNS FOR WAR!

Chapter 2: The Banquet Invitation

Morning light filtered through the thin curtains of the small apartment.

Adrian woke early, his internal clock still adjusting to freedom. Five years of prison routines had trained his body to rise before dawn. Old habits.

Elena was still asleep, curled up on the worn couch. She'd insisted he take the bed, but he'd refused. They'd compromised—both sleeping in the living area, her on the couch, him on a thin mat on the floor.

He looked at her peaceful face. She looked younger when she slept. Less burdened.

Adrian stood quietly and moved to the small kitchen area. He opened the refrigerator. Almost empty. Some vegetables, a few eggs, half a bag of rice. She'd been surviving on scraps.

His jaw tightened.

Not anymore.

He began cooking, his movements efficient and precise. He chopped the vegetables with perfect cuts, heated the pan to exact temperature, added ingredients in a specific sequence.

The aroma filled the apartment.

Elena stirred, her eyes opening slowly. "Adrian? What are you..." She sat up, blinking. "You're cooking?"

"Breakfast," Adrian said simply. "Sit."

Elena walked over, still looking half-asleep. She watched him plate the food—a simple vegetable omelet with rice, but the presentation was oddly refined. Professional, almost.

She took a bite and her eyes widened. "This is... really good. When did you learn to cook like this?"

Adrian sat across from her. "Prison teaches many things."

"They taught you to cook in prison?" Elena looked skeptical.

"Not officially." Adrian's expression remained neutral. "But knowledge can be found in unexpected places."

Elena took another bite, then paused. She picked up a small green leaf from the omelet. "What's this? I don't recognize it."

"An herb," Adrian said. "It helps with energy. You've been working too hard."

Elena smiled softly. "You're taking care of me already."

"Someone should," Adrian said quietly.

They ate in comfortable silence. Then Elena glanced at the clock and gasped. "I have to get ready! I'll be late!"

She rushed to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, she emerged in a plain work dress, her hair tied back simply. She looked tired already, and the day hadn't even started.

"I'll be back around seven," Elena said, grabbing her bag. "There's some money in the drawer if you need—"

"I'll be fine," Adrian said. "Go."

Elena hesitated at the door. "Adrian... about tonight. The banquet. We don't have to go. I can tell my mother—"

"We're going," Adrian said calmly.

Elena bit her lip, worry clear in her eyes. But she nodded and left.

The door clicked shut.

Adrian stood alone in the small apartment. His expression changed. The gentle husband disappeared, replaced by something colder. Sharper.

He pulled out his phone and opened a message he'd received last night. Three words.

Everything is ready.

He deleted it and pocketed the phone.

Time to move.

***

Elena entered the small office building where she worked. The company was nothing special—a third-rate marketing firm that barely stayed afloat. But it was a job. The only place that would hire the wife of a convicted criminal.

"Elena! You're late!" Her boss, Mr. Chen, stood at her desk, his face red. "The reports were supposed to be on my desk an hour ago!"

"I'm sorry, sir. I'll have them ready in—"

"I don't want excuses! Get them done now! And after that, you're covering Sarah's shift. She called in sick."

Elena's shoulders sagged. "But sir, I worked a double yesterday—"

"Do you want this job or not?" Mr. Chen snapped.

"Yes, sir," Elena said quietly.

He walked away, muttering. Elena sat at her desk, exhausted before her day even began.

Her colleague, Linda, rolled her chair over and whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Elena lied.

Linda glanced around, then leaned closer. "Hey, did you hear? The Stone family banquet is tonight. Everyone who's anyone will be there." She paused. "Isn't that your husband's family? Are you going?"

Elena's hands stilled on her keyboard. "I... yes. We're going."

Linda's eyes widened. "Really? With... with Adrian?"

The way she said his name—careful, like he was dangerous—made Elena's chest tighten.

"He's my husband," Elena said firmly.

"I know, I just..." Linda lowered her voice even more. "People are talking. Derek Stone is so successful now. And Adrian just got out of prison. Won't it be... awkward?"

"It'll be fine," Elena said, though her stomach twisted.

Linda nodded slowly, clearly unconvinced. "Well, good luck. I hope everything goes okay."

She rolled back to her desk.

Elena stared at her computer screen, but she couldn't focus. Tonight. The banquet. Facing Derek, facing the Stone family, facing everyone who'd condemned Adrian.

She was afraid. Not for herself.

For Adrian.

***

Adrian walked through the old district of the city. The streets here were narrow, crowded with traditional shops and medicine stores.

He stopped in front of one—Zhang's Traditional Remedies. The shop looked ancient, with dried herbs hanging in the windows and the smell of incense drifting out.

Adrian pushed the door open. A small bell chimed.

An old man sat behind the counter, reading a newspaper. He looked up, his eyes narrowing when he saw Adrian.

"We're closed," the old man said coldly.

"Your sign says open," Adrian replied, his tone neutral.

"I said we're closed." The shopkeeper folded his newspaper. "We don't serve your kind here."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "My kind?"

"Ex-convicts." The old man spat the words. "Word travels fast in this neighborhood. You're Adrian Kane. The thief. Now get out before I call the police."

Adrian didn't move. His eyes scanned the shop, taking in the various herbs and medicines displayed on the walls.

Then his gaze stopped on something in the corner. A small plant in a clay pot, its leaves slightly wilted.

"That's Thunder Root," Adrian said quietly.

The shopkeeper blinked. "What?"

Adrian walked toward the corner, ignoring the old man's protests. He crouched down, examining the plant carefully.

"Thunder Root," Adrian repeated. "Rare. Expensive. Valuable." He looked up at the shopkeeper. "And you're storing it wrong. The humidity here is too high. It needs dry air, indirect sunlight. The way you're keeping it, it'll lose all medicinal potency in three days."

The shopkeeper's face went pale. "How do you... who told you that?"

Adrian stood. "No one told me. I can see it." He walked toward the door. "Three days. After that, it's worthless."

"Wait!" The shopkeeper scrambled from behind the counter. "You... you know medicine? Real medicine?"

Adrian paused at the door, glancing back. His expression was cold. Indifferent.

"I know many things."

He walked out.

The bell chimed again.

The shopkeeper stood frozen, staring at the empty doorway. Then he rushed to the Thunder Root, examining it with trembling hands.

Everything the young man said was correct. Every detail. No ordinary person would know this. Even trained herbalists struggled to identify Thunder Root, let alone diagnose storage problems.

"Who is he?" the shopkeeper whispered.

***

Adrian walked back toward the apartment, his hands in his pockets. His phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

He answered without speaking.

A voice came through. Professional. Respectful. The words were brief.

Adrian listened.

"Good," he said finally. "Don't act unless I say."

He hung up.

No explanation. No context. Just those few words.

He continued walking, his expression unchanged.

***

Evening came quickly.

Adrian stood in the small apartment, looking at the invitation card on the table. Heavy cardstock. Gold lettering. Expensive.

'The Stone Family cordially invites you to celebrate...'

Derek's name was prominent on the card. Derek Stone. Director of Stone Industries. Successful. Respected. Everything Adrian was supposed to be.

Elena emerged from the bathroom, wearing her best dress. It was simple, outdated, but she'd tried her best.

"I'm ready," she said quietly. "Are you sure about this?"

Adrian picked up the invitation. His fingers traced the gold lettering slowly.

Derek Stone wanted to humiliate him publicly. Show everyone how far Adrian had fallen. Parade him in front of high society like a warning—this is what happens to criminals.

Adrian's lips curved into a cold smile.

"Yes," he said softly. "I'm sure."

Adrian slipped the invitation into his pocket and took Elena's hand.

"Let's go," he said.

His eyes had gone cold. Dark. Like a predator smelling blood.

Tonight would be interesting.

Very interesting.