2025-02-13 13:00:16The next day, Roman walked through the towering glass doors of the Averne Corporation building like he owned the place.
Because, technically? He did.
The receptionist at the front desk barely had time to glance up before Roman was already striding past her with his long coat sweeping behind him. She called after him, probably to ask for ID or tell him he needed an appointment, but he didn’t slow down.
He knew exactly where he was going.
To the boardroom.
To his family.
To the people who had tried to erase him.
The elevator ride was smooth and silent, but inside, Roman’s mind was anything but. He was still replaying Kade&rsq
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE They Want Proof
The room was dead silent.Roman stood beside the long, polished boardroom table, with his hands pressed flat against the wood. His gaze was sweeping over the stunned faces in front of him.Some of them looked furious. Others looked wary. A few were still trying to process the fact that he was even standing there.Good. Let them sit with it.He straightened up, adjusting the cuff of his jacket, and spoke calmly. “Let’s make this simple. I’m back. And I’m taking my place.”Another wave of murmurs rippled through the room, but Roman didn’t let it grow. He lifted a hand slightly, his expression completely unbothered.“Which means,” he continued, “whoever’s sitting in my chair right now needs to get up.”The room froze again.Then, just as he expected, chaos erupted.“This is absurd!” Alistair snapped, slamming a fist on the table. “You can’t just walk in here and make demands!”“You expect us to hand over everything just because you say so?” Evander added, his lips curling in disbelief.S
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Opening Act
Roman sat in the backseat of the sleek black car, staring out the window as the city passed by in a blur. Kade was driving. He was heading to a hospital. Not for a check-up or for an injury, but to find out if he even was who Kade thought he was.That was a whole new level of messed up, because what if he failed? How would the others take it? The ring was an indication of his heritage, but science still had it’s place. Kade sat at the driver's seat, completely relaxed, like they were on their way to grab coffee instead of taking a test that could shake Roman’s entire life. He just needed to recover his memory, and he would feel whole again. These petty doubts were getting tiring.The car pulled up to the private hospital entrance. Kade didn’t even have to announce their arrival—a small group of hospital staff and security were already waiting because Kade had called ahead.Roman took a deep breath and stepped out.Time to face the truth.When they got to the hospital, Lucian Averne,
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Ambush
Roman pushed the hospital doors open and stepped out into the cool evening air, letting out a slow breath. He should have felt relieved. The DNA test had confirmed everything—he was Roman Averne. The heir.And yet, something in his gut told him that this wasn’t over.Kade walked beside him, hands in his pockets, looking way too relaxed for someone who had just helped shake up an entire empire. He shot Roman a glance. “So, how does it feel? Finally having proof?”Roman rolled his shoulders. “Like I won round one. But I’m guessing the fight isn’t over.”Kade smirked. “Now you’re thinking like an Averne.”Roman scoffed. “That’s not exactly comforting.”Kade chuckled, unlocking his car with a tap. “Get in. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”Roman slid into the passenger seat, closing the door behind him.Something told him this conversation wasn’t gonna be a fun one.The drive was quiet, but not awkward.Kade didn’t feel the need to fill silences with small talk, and Roman was grateful for t
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Stalling Tactics
Roman wasn’t used to having other people make decisions for him. But apparently, Kade didn’t care. Because one minute, they were talking about getting a secure place to stay, and the next minute, Kade had already bought one.Roman found out when Kade casually tossed him a set of keys over breakfast at his place the next day. “What’s this?” Roman asked, catching them mid-air.Kade smirked, sipping his coffee. “Your new home.”Roman blinked. “Excuse me?”“You know you need a place, right?” Kade leaned back in his chair. “So, I got you one.”Roman stared at him. “You didn’t think to, maybe, I don’t know, ask me first? What if I don’t like where you picked?”Kade shrugged. “Nah. And we are going to look at it after now. I will make any changes you want.”The place was insaneA grand penthouse in the heart of the city, with floor-to-ceiling windows, sleek modern furniture, and a skyline view that looked straight out of a movie.Roman stepped inside, looking around in disbelief.The living
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Lazy Threats
Roman fists were clenched at his sides, the anger boiling in his veins was barely contained.Soren’s offer to buy him off had been laughable. Insulting, even. Now, the entire room was quiet.Until Alistair decided to open his mouth.“Roman,” Alistair said, adjusting his cufflinks like he wasn’t about to say something ridiculous. “Have you thought about what people will say?”Roman exhaled sharply, already tired of whatever speech was coming. “About what, exactly?”Alistair leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. “About the company.”Roman’s eyebrow twitched. “Be specific.”Alistair’s expression was calm, collected, but Roman could hear the thin layer of frustration in his voice. “What do you want the world to say about Averne Corporation when they find out we’re having an internal crisis about who the heir is? A long-lost heir suddenly returning and demanding power? What do you think that will do to our stock value?”Roman laughed.Alistair blinked in confusion. “What’s funny?
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Hired For The Plan
Vivienne’s house was as grand and extravagant as ever. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, which threw a warm glow over the shiny marble floors. The air smelled of expensive wine and a faint hint of fresh lilies. It was Vivienne’s personal touch, since she loved lilies. But tonight, no one was admiring her expensive decor. Everyone sat around a mahogany table with flutes of wine in their hands. And their faces were tense.Lucian, Soren, Evander, Alistair, and of course, Vivienne herself—the inner circle of the Averne family. And the only thing on their minds now was Roman. He had just walked out on them earlier that day, making it clear as hell that he wasn’t backing down now or ever. Now, they had no choice but to figure out how to stop him for good.Lucian leaned forward. His fingers were laced together and his expression was unreadable. “We need to move fast.”Soren, who was swirling the wine in his glass, scoffed. “Move fast? With what, exactly? We’ve tried everything to
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Sealed Deal
The evening's orange sun spilled through the sheer curtains of Vivienne’s lavish apartment the next day. It cast a beautiful golden glow across the pristine white furniture. Vivienne was draped in a silky black robe. She poured herself a glass of red wine, despite having too much to drink already. She was never one to follow conventional rules. She leaned against the marble counter of her open kitchen, glancing at the clock.Kristan should be here any moment.And, as if on cue, there was a knock on her door. A slow smirk curled across Vivienne’s lips as she walked gracefully to the door. She opened it, and saw the man she had been expecting.He stood there, tall and ridiculously good-looking. His muscular frame filled the doorway with ease. He had dark, piercing eyes and a smirk that could get a woman into trouble. And Vivienne had already been in trouble with him many times before.Kristan didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her wais
THE TRILLIONAIRE'S UNDERSTATED DOMINANCE Served
Kristan’s apartment was the complete opposite of Vivienne’s extravagant penthouse. Where Vivienne lived in a luxury apartment that screamed money, Kristan’s place was bare, practical, and very masculine. It smelled like his cologne—woody, rich, with a sharp manly scent that suited him perfectly.Vivienne stepped inside. Her heels were clicking softly against the hardwood floor. She glanced around and took in the minimalist decor as if she had never been there before. There was a black leather couch, a glass coffee table, a ridiculously large television that was mounted on the wall, and a stocked bar in the corner. There was no clutter or useless decorations. It was just the essentials. Like he was prepared to leave at a moment’s notice and had no attachment to the space. Given his line of work, it was understandable, but the lack of colour always made Vivienne complain.She smirked. “I thought you would have added some color to this monochrome by now, Kris.”Kristan smirked back. He w
Latest Chapter
Deliberations
Roman leaned back against the couch. Just then, his phone rang. He stared at it on the table for a second, unsure if he wanted to pick it up.It rang again. He moved to pick it, half expecting some hollow message from a board member, or another headline pinged by his news app.But it was Freya.“Just checking in. I hope you are alright?” she said. “No.” Roman did not know when he responded, and why he just did that. She responded instantly. “Want to talk?”Roman stared at the screen for a long second. Then typed back: “I don’t think I can talk. But I also don’t want to be alone.”He barely had time to keep the phone down before it pinged again.“I’m coming over to your place. Don’t argue. I’m bringing ice cream. Just give me the directions.”And so, Roman gave Freya his location and she was on her way to him that night. When she knocked on his door twenty minutes later, Roman stood up slowly and went to open the door. She stood there, smiling warmly, wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, an
Board Suggestion
Roman straightened the cuffs of his blazer as he stepped into the courtroom. Today was different. It was going to be more intense than the last hearing. The press bench was half full, and a few unfamiliar legal faces lined the gallery. They were likely just observers from other firms who smelled blood in the water. Everyone wanted a seat for the show.Kade walked beside Roman silently, while scanning the room. Martin was already seated at their table. There were stacks of binders and a neat yellow legal pad in front of him. He gave Roman a curt nod as he sat.Across the aisle, Ezra Winfield leaned slightly toward Pope and was speaking in low tones. Pope reclined with an expression that looked close to boredom. Prance sat beside him.The room was very tense. At exactly ten o’clock, the bailiff stood. “All rise.”Judge Hauser entered briskly. She adjusted her glasses, surveyed the room once, then sat.“You may be seated.” She said. Everyone settled. She continued immediately. “This
Shifting
Roman reached his office and closed the door quietly behind him. He saw that there was already a coffee cup waiting on his desk.He stared at it for a minute before letting out a small breath through his nose. He could tell that it wasn’t from his assistant. It was a different kind of cup, the kind that came from the cafe just down the block.Freya had been there. It must have come from her. She was the only one he knew who liked that place a bit too much.He picked it up. The cup was still quite warm, meaning that she had been there not long ago. A note was even tucked under the cup.“Didn’t want to interrupt. Thought you might need this.”Roman sat down and stared at the cup for another beat before finally sipping. Too sweet again. She still didn’t know how he took it.But he drank it anyway. It wasn't her fault he didn't like too sweet coffee. It only made him remember Annabel. She knew how to make his coffee perfectly. Roman took his focus to the work at hand, and by late afterno
Stubborn Gf
The days blurred together after his encounter with Freya.Roman moved through them the way a man wades through deep water. Work didn’t pause for grief, or exhaustion, or the quiet unraveling of everything he had built.The lawsuit was bleeding him dry. And if he wasn't as wealthy as he was, he would have been bankrupt. Investors were calling in daily to withdraw their stocks. His board members held emergency meetings he wasn’t always invited to.The press did not help much either, with their news. Roman responded the only way he knew how, which was to bury himself deeper into the grind.But even that did not feel like armor anymore. It felt like weight. Overworking. And the worst part wasn’t the pressure, or the losses stacking up in inevitable columns.It was the silence, the empty apartment he came home to, the unanswered messages, and the way Annabel’s name sat in his phone like a ghost he didn’t know how to speak to anymore.And as if it was some wrong timed thing, Freya started
Mislead Her
In no time, two weeks ran by and it was time for the second court hearing. The second hearing moved faster than the first.Roman sat at the defendant’s table again. His hands were loosely clasped together. Martin sat beside him, flipping calmly through the day’s submissions, but even he couldn’t hide the sharpness in his movements.The Valeys sat across the aisle, looking confident. Pope, Dexter, and Prance; they were all dressed in shades of gray and black. Ezra Winfield sat nearest to the bench, perfectly composed, with a faint smirk at the corner of his mouth.The courtroom beamed with a restrained energy. Today mattered.The bailiff called them to order, and Judge Hauser took her seat with the same clipped efficiency as before."This is the matter of Valey Group Incorporated versus Roman Averne, continued for preliminary evidentiary review," the clerk announced.Judge Hauser peered over the rim of her glasses. "I understand both sides have submitted documentation since our last he
Another Coincidence
The morning light was very bright. Annabel blinked against it, realizing only as she sat up that she hadn’t made it to her bed the previous night. She was still curled on the living room couch, with a thin throw blanket tangled around her legs. Her sweatshirt was rumpled from hours of restless half-sleep.Her mouth was dry. Her head ached from the tension that had knotted her entire body and refused to let go.Her phone buzzed once on the table, and it made her stomach tighten immediately. She picked it up without thinking. It was Roman.The message was clipped. “I’m sorry. Call me when you’re ready.”She stared at it for a long time. She could almost hear his voice, the way it had sounded when he tried to explain, right before everything had broken.Annabel kept the phone back down without replying. She pushed herself up and made her way toward the kitchen. She found a little solace in the normal rhythm of her morning routine, which was coffee, breakfast, emails and other mundane st
Not From Him
Annabel was busy scrolling through the internet when she saw it.She was sitting at the kitchen counter at home, with her laptop open while a half a bagel was growing cold on her plate. Her coffee was already lukewarm. It was a quiet morning and she had called in sick at work, just to be able to spend the whole day at home. So, that morning, it was just her, and the comfort of an unhurried breakfast.She was scrolling mindlessly and clicking through headlines on a news app out of boredom more than interest. There were politics, a celebrity divorce, and even a new city ordinance on traffic lights. Then—“Roman Averne Faces Lawsuit Over Breach of Contract”She blinked.Her finger hovered for a second before tapping the article. And when she did, the headline expanded and a photo loaded. Roman was walking out of a courthouse with Martin beside him. There was no expression on his face.The article was short. "Valey Group Incorporated filed a civil lawsuit against Mr Roman Averne citing
Preliminary
The conference room on the forty-second floor of the Valey tower was cold. There were no windows and no distractions. Pope sat perfectly still at the head of the table with his hands folded beneath his chin as he read through the printed schedule for tomorrow’s court hearing. Even though it was night already, his suit remained neatly pressed and unwrinkled, as if it had been made exactly for this moment. Dexter leaned back in his chair across him, while chewing on a toothpick and spinning a silver pen between his fingers. Prance sat beside him, scrolling on a tablet, and occasionally tapping out notes.At the far end of the table, Ezra Winfield was flipping through a tabbed binder, page by page. He was skimming but not rushing. Every tab was color-coded. Every section was marked. And his glasses rested low on his nose.“So,” Ezra said without looking up, “we’re first on the docket. Judge Hauser. 9:00 a.m sharp.”“Hauser’s a stickler,” Pope said. “I assume you’ve played this clean?”
Mediate
The house smelled like cinnamon tea and lavender polish. Freya had lit one of the scented candles again. Janice noticed it the moment she stepped into the kitchen. It was late afternoon. Marren was upstairs in Janice's guest room napping or reading something. Donald hadn’t shown up all day, and that was good as well. Janice preferred calm when she was collecting results.Freya sat at the counter, scrolling on her phone. She looked up when Janice walked in.Janice poured herself a cup of tea without asking. “So?”Freya blinked. “So what?”Janice glanced at her over the rim of the cup and blew softly on the steam. “Don’t be coy, Freya. You said you’d be near the cafe around noon. I assume you found him.”Freya shifted slightly on the stool, trying to look nonchalant. “I saw him briefly.”Janice sat across her in a perfect pose. “Briefly?”Freya nodded. “He was just sitting there alone. I said hi and we talked for a few minutes. That’s all.”Janice didn’t say anything for a few seconds.
