THE SECRET SON-IN-LAW: Heir of War

CHAPTER 2 – The Stranger Who Knows Leon’s Name

The silence between Leon and the mysterious man stretched, heavy enough to choke.

Leon stared at him, unsure if he’d heard correctly. The War God’s Heir? It sounded ridiculous—like something from a movie. But the man’s eyes were dead serious.

Before Leon could respond, footsteps scraped the porch behind him.

Derek leaned halfway out the door. “What the hell is taking you so long—” He stopped, eyes bouncing between Leon and the stranger. “Who’s this?”

Leon didn’t answer immediately. Adrian Holt stepped forward, posture stiff but respectful.

“I’m here for him,” Adrian said calmly. “This is urgent.”

Derek snorted. “For him? Why? You selling something? We don’t need whatever trash you’re peddling.”

Adrian’s eyes shifted, sharp as a blade. “I’m not speaking to you.”

Derek stepped toward him, puffing his chest like a guard dog. “This is my house. You don’t get to—”

Leon lifted a hand. “Derek, go inside.”

“What?” Derek blinked, thrown off by Leon’s tone. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Go,” Leon repeated.

There was something in his voice—steady, low, something Derek wasn’t used to hearing. Not fear. Not submission. Something else.

Derek hesitated for the first time.

Olivia’s voice carried out from the living room. “Derek? Who’s out there?”

Derek jerked, eyes narrowing. “If this is some beggar friend of yours,” he muttered, “I’ll personally throw him out.”

He shot Adrian a glare before retreating inside.

The moment he disappeared, Adrian exhaled, shoulders dropping slightly. He looked like he’d been holding in his breath since the door opened.

Leon crossed his arms. “Now tell me who you are. And don’t say that War God nonsense again.”

Adrian swallowed hard. “I wish I could. But it’s not nonsense. I’ve been tracking you for nine years, sir.”

“Sir?” Leon raised a brow. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“No.” Adrian stepped closer. “I know your face. Your eyes. Your scar.”

Leon froze.

The scar.

A small, barely noticeable line under his jaw—something only someone who truly knew him would recognize.

Adrian continued, voice tight. “You vanished after the Black Ridge Massacre. We believed you were dead. But your father… your father left instructions in case you were alive.”

Leon’s throat tightened. It felt like someone suddenly reached into his chest and twisted everything inside.

“My father?” Leon said quietly. “You knew him?”

Adrian nodded once. “General Aldric Hale was my commander. My mentor. My family.”

Leon’s breath stilled. He hadn’t heard that name in years.

“Why are you here?” Leon asked.

Adrian didn’t hesitate. “Because your existence can no longer remain hidden. Someone found out. Someone dangerous.”

Leon lifted his chin. “Who?”

“I can’t say here.” Adrian’s eyes flicked toward the house. “Not with people listening.”

Leon clenched his jaw. He could practically feel Olivia or Derek hovering behind a curtain.

Inside, loud laughter rumbled from the dining hall—blind, casual, unaware of the storm standing right outside their perfect house.

Leon stepped away from the porch. “Fine. Talk.”

Adrian followed him down the front steps, stopping in the shadow of a tall oak tree. He looked around again before speaking in a low voice.

“We just received word,” Adrian said. “The Shadow Regiment knows you’re alive.”

Leon frowned. “Never heard of them.”

“That’s because they were created to hunt you.”

Leon stared at him. “You really think I’m swallowing any of this?”

Adrian inhaled. “Sir, please. I didn’t come here expecting you to believe me. I just need to get you somewhere safe.”

Leon shook his head. “No one’s hunting me. I’m nobody.”

Adrian reached into his coat slowly, carefully, like he didn’t want Leon to think he was pulling a weapon. Instead, he took out a worn, leather-bound card.

“This was your father’s,” he said softly.

Leon didn’t reach for it, but his eyes involuntarily scanned the engraved initials.

A.H.

The handwriting below it—flowing, sharp—looked painfully familiar.

Leon’s heartbeat thudded in his ears.

“Your father wanted you to have this when the time came,” Adrian said. “Tonight, that time has come.”

Leon took the card before he could stop himself. His fingers trembled when he realized the card wasn’t just leather—it was stained. Faded. Dark.

Blood.

Something burned behind his ribs, but he forced it down.

“Why now?” Leon asked. “After all these years, why show up tonight?”

Adrian hesitated for the first time. His jaw tightened like he was swallowing bad news.

“Because,” Adrian said quietly, “your father’s enemies discovered where you are.”

Leon blinked. “Enemies?”

“Yes.” Adrian stepped closer. “And if we don’t leave this house soon, they’ll come here.”

Leon felt something cold sink into his stomach. He looked back at the bright mansion, the laughter still spilling out like nothing was wrong.

He imagined the Carson family finding out some assassins stormed in because of him. He imagined Sophia caught in the middle.

Leon clenched his fists. “No. They’re not getting dragged into this.”

Adrian nodded firmly. “Then you must leave with me. Now.”

Leon stared at the card, at the faint blood stain, at the letters that looked like they were reaching out from the past.

He closed his hand around it.

Before he could answer, footsteps came again—this time lighter, softer.

Sophia stepped out onto the porch, arms wrapped around herself. “Leon? What’s going on?”

Adrian stiffened instantly.

Leon turned. “It’s nothing. Go back inside.”

Sophia shook her head. “No. I heard Derek yelling. And your voices. Who is he?”

Her eyes landed on Adrian, and the wariness in her face sharpened. “You’re not… some debt collector, right?”

Adrian blinked, confused. Leon dragged a hand down his face. “No, he’s not.”

Sophia walked down the steps, approaching them cautiously. “Then what did he mean by ‘we’ve been searching for you’?”

Leon glanced at Adrian, a silent order to keep his mouth shut.

But Sophia wasn’t backing down. “Leon, is something happening? You look pale.”

He opened his mouth to lie—to say anything that would calm her—but Adrian spoke instead.

“It’s dangerous for him to stay here.”

Sophia froze. “Dangerous? Why?”

Leon glared. “Adrian—”

Adrian bowed his head. “Forgive me, sir. But the truth matters now.”

Sophia looked between them, fear creeping into her voice. “Leon… what truth?”

Inside the house, Olivia’s voice shrieked suddenly, “Sophia! Where are you? The guests want to speak with you!”

Sophia didn’t move. Her eyes stayed locked on Leon.

“You’re hiding something,” she whispered. “Aren’t you?”

Leon swallowed. The weight of her stare felt heavier than Adrian’s revelations.

He took a slow breath. “Sophia… I’ll explain later.”

“No.” She stepped closer. “Explain now.”

Adrian watched quietly, as if recognizing a line he shouldn't cross.

Leon knew Sophia wasn’t going to drop this. She was stubborn in the way only someone raised in chaos could be. She wouldn't leave him alone until he told her something—anything.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s complicated.”

Sophia’s brows knitted. “Complicated how?”

He opened his mouth—

And headlights flashed violently across the driveway.

A black SUV screeched to a stop right in front of them, tires burning rubber. Adrian’s eyes widened.

“No,” Adrian whispered. “Already?”

The back door flew open.

Three men stepped out. All in black. All wearing tactical boots. Their movements were too coordinated to be thugs. They didn’t look at Sophia. They didn’t look at the house.

Their eyes were fixed solely on Leon.

Sophia sucked in a breath. “Leon… who are they?”

Adrian moved instantly, placing himself between Leon and the newcomers.

“Get behind me,” Adrian ordered sharply.

Leon grabbed Sophia’s hand and pulled her behind him. “Stay close.”

The leader of the three men stepped forward, voice cold and flat. “Leon Hale?”

Leon didn’t answer.

The man clicked something metallic—a small, thin device in his hand that unfolded like a blade but glowed faintly blue.

The other two men followed suit, drawing similar weapons.

Adrian whispered under his breath. “Shadow Regiment.”

Leon muttered, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Sophia clutched his arm. “Leon… please tell me this is a mistake.”

He didn’t get the chance to respond.

The leader snapped his wrist, and the glowing blade lunged toward them.

Adrian shoved Leon to the side and yelled, “Run!”

But Leon didn’t move.

He turned instead—shielding Sophia behind him—just as the blue blade slashed downward.

And right then, in the middle of the chaos, the front door swung open.

Olivia stepped out, furious. “What on earth is going on he—”

She froze mid-sentence, eyes widening.

The blue blade was inches from Leon’s face.

Sophia screamed.

Olivia went pale.

Adrian shouted.

The assassin smirked.

And Leon—

His eyes changed.

Cold. Sharp. Familiar.

Something inside him shifted like a sleeping beast waking from a long, long slumber.

The glowing blade came down—

And Leon caught it with his bare hand.

Everyone—Sophia, Olivia, Adrian, even the assassins themselves—stared in stunned silence.

Leon looked up slowly, fingers gripping the blade that should’ve sliced his palm open, but didn’t.

He squeezed.

The glowing weapon shattered.

The assassin stumbled back.

Leon’s voice dropped—deep, steady, dangerously calm.

“I’ll only say this once,” he said.

“You came to the wrong house.”

The assassin flinched.

Adrian exhaled like he’d been waiting a decade to hear that tone again.

Sophia stared at Leon like she didn’t recognize him.

And Olivia’s hands trembled at her sides.

Before anyone could blink, the other two assassins leapt forward at the same time—

And Leon moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

Sophia gasped. Adrian stared in disbelief. Olivia let out a strangled sound.

Leon dodged the first attack, grabbed the second man by the collar, and slammed him into the hood of the SUV so hard the metal dented. The third man swung his glowing blade, but Leon twisted and kicked his legs out, knocking him flat.

The leader tried to recover, but Leon stepped forward, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him to a tree.

Adrian whispered, “My lord…”

Sophia whispered, “Leon…”

Olivia whispered, “Oh my god…”

Leon leaned close to the choking assassin and said quietly:

“Now. Who sent you?”

The assassin’s eyes widened—but then something strange flickered in them.

Acceptance.

Resignation.

As if he expected to die.

Before Leon could react, the man bit down hard on something inside his mouth.

A crack.

A hiss.

Foam.

Leon dropped him instantly. The assassin convulsed, eyes rolling back.

Poison.

Self-inflicted.

Adrian cursed under his breath. “Damn it. They’re trained to die before talking.”

Sophia clung to Leon’s arm. “Leon… what is happening?”

Leon stared down at the dying man, jaw tight.

This was no mistake.

Someone out there truly wanted him dead.

Adrian approached, face grim. “We have to leave. More will come.”

Leon turned to Sophia, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.

He opened his mouth to say he would explain everything—

But behind them, Olivia whispered loudly enough for all to hear:

“What kind of monster did my daughter marry?”

Sophia flinched.

Leon closed his eyes.

And before he could answer her, before he could even defend himself, Adrian’s phone vibrated violently.

He checked the screen—and his face drained of color.

He looked at Leon, voice barely above a whisper.

“They’ve found your father’s vault.”

Leon’s blood turned to ice.

Adrian swallowed.

“And they opened it.”