2026-10-12 10:10:31“Someone should have told the beggar that this funeral was for the family, not for people looking for a handout.”
Adrian Cole had barely entered the funeral hall when the insult reached him.
“Thank goodness Isabella hasn't married him yet,” a woman murmured. “Imagine bringing a man like that into our family.”
Another guest shook his head. “And now the VANTEX contract signing has been delayed. Ever since that useless man became part of this family, we've had one problem after another.”
Adrian ignored them and walked toward the coffin at the front of the hall. After his father died, his grandfather had taken him into Whitmore Mansion despite the family's objections and defended him whenever the others tried to drive him away. Now, the only person who had stood up for him was gone.
Adrian knelt and gripped the coffin edge.
“Grandpa, why did you have to leave so soon?”
“You promised I wouldn't have to face everything alone. What am I supposed to do now?”
Tears blurred his vision before a voice sounded behind him.
“Stop making a scene, loser.”
Michael Whitmore grabbed Adrian's arm and hauled him to his feet. Simon Whitmore stood beside his older brother, watching with an unreadable expression.
“Let go of me,” Adrian said, pulling free.
Michael noticed several influential businessmen watching them. He immediately changed his expression and loosened his grip.
“Calm down, Adrian. I know you're upset.”
Before Adrian could respond, four men in black suits approached the coffin.
“Where are you taking him?” Adrian demanded, stepping into their path.
“The viewing period is over, sir,” one attendant explained. “We'll move the coffin to our designated holding room until the burial arrangements are finalized.”
“Please confirm that with your supervisor before you move him.”
The attendant nodded and stepped away to make the call.
Michael leaned closer to Adrian. “You're embarrassing this family in front of our guests.”
“I'm making sure they take care of Grandpa.”
“Keep this up, and you'll have nowhere to go when we return home.”
Simon stepped between them.
“Let me handle this.”
He waited until the attendants were out of earshot before facing Adrian.
“Grandpa was the only reason you were allowed to stay at Whitmore Mansion. Now that he's gone, don't expect the family to keep protecting you.”
Adrian frowned. “So I'm supposed to stay silent while you treat Grandpa's funeral like an inconvenience?”
“Believe whatever you want,” Simon replied calmly. “Just remember that you have no one left to protect your place in that house.”
He turned away before Adrian could answer.
The attendant returned with confirmation from the supervisor, and the men carried the coffin through the doors toward the holding room. Adrian watched them leave as the guests resumed their conversations, leaving him alone beside the empty space where his grandfather's coffin had been.
“Mrs. Whitmore, I'm truly sorry for your loss.”
Adrian turned as Daniel Sterling approached Eleanor Whitmore. As chairman of Sterling Automotive Group, Daniel was one of the most influential businessmen in the automobile industry. He came to pay his last respects because Adrian's grandfather had once helped his father's company through a difficult crisis.
Eleanor accepted Daniel's embrace and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Sterling. My husband always spoke highly of your family.”
“My father never forgot what your husband did for him,” Daniel replied. “He taught me to remember the people who stood by us when we needed help.”
Eleanor nodded, then asked, “Have you had a chance to consider our plans for future business?”
“We can discuss that another day,” Daniel said politely. “Today, we should focus on paying our respects.”
He paused before asking, “Have you decided on the burial date?”
“Not yet,” Eleanor replied. “We're still finalizing the arrangements. We'll inform everyone once we've reached a decision.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Grandma, why hasn't the burial date been settled? Grandpa deserves a proper funeral. We shouldn't leave him in a holding room while everyone waits to make a decision.”
Eleanor turned toward him, her expression hardening.
“Adrian, this is a family matter. You don't need to question every decision I make.”
“He was my grandfather too. Whatever disagreements you had with him, he deserves to be laid to rest with dignity.”
Michael moved toward Adrian, but Daniel spoke before he could intervene.
“I'm sure the family will settle the arrangements soon, Mrs. Whitmore.”
Eleanor forced a smile. “Of course. We will take care of it.”
Daniel then looked at Adrian.
“I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met before. What's your name?”
Before Daniel could respond, Eleanor laughed dismissively.
“Oh, him? That's Adrian Cole, the son of our former gatekeeper. His father worked for this family years ago, and we've been kind enough to let the boy stay at Whitmore Mansion.”
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Chapter 6
Adrian’s phone began vibrating in his pocket. Still on his knees, he reached for it before doing anything else. The hidden exit Gareth had used to pull him out of the mansion led to an exposed roadside, where anyone passing by could see him sitting on the ground with his belongings scattered nearby. A few people glanced in his direction, curious about the well-dressed young man who looked as though his world had fallen apart, but Adrian no longer cared what strangers thought of him. If they knew what he had endured that evening, perhaps they would understand why he had finally lost control.He checked the caller ID and frowned when he saw Charles’s name.“Why is Charles calling me now?” he muttered.He had planned to call Charles himself once he escaped the Whitmore Mansion. He needed somewhere to spend the night, and Charles was one of the few people he had considered asking for help. However, he had to make a decision quickly before the call ended, so he pushed himself to his feet a
Chapter 5
Adrian Cole couldn't bring himself to accept what he had just witnessed. No matter how hard he tried to make sense of it, his mind refused to cooperate. Isabella had been with another man, and when she saw him standing at the bedroom door, she had slammed it in his face instead of offering an explanation. The betrayal was painful enough, but her reaction made him feel as though their years together had meant nothing to her.Only the previous day, Isabella had promised to accompany him to a gala event, despite Eleanor Whitmore's strong objections. They had discussed the preparations together, and Adrian had believed that, for once, Isabella was willing to stand up to her mother for their relationship. Then his grandfather's sudden death had thrown the household into chaos, canceling their plans and changing everything before Adrian could understand what was happening.He couldn't remember having a serious argument with Isabella. They had disagreed over small matters before, but nothing
Chapter 4
“We would be delighted to welcome you back anytime, sir. No matter how small your concern may seem, you are always welcome at Mavelik Bank.”Richard Hayes said this as he escorted Adrian Cole out of his office. He remained beside him in the corridor, maintaining the same respectful attitude he had shown since their first conversation.“Is there anything else we can do for you?” Richard asked. “If you don't mind, I can arrange for one of our drivers to take you wherever you need to go. In fact, you are welcome to use my personal car if that would be more convenient.”Adrian struggled to find an appropriate response. Richard's generosity was difficult to understand, but he reminded himself that the manager was a professional. People working in an institution like Mavelik Bank were expected to treat important clients with respect, and the mysterious fortune in Adrian's account had probably changed the way Richard viewed him. If that money had never appeared, Adrian doubted the man would
Chapter 3
Adrian Cole remained silent throughout the drive, staring at the enormous credit alert on his old iPhone 6s. He had counted the zeros several times, but the amount was still too large for him to comprehend. Less than an hour ago, the Whitmore family had thrown him out of their mansion. Now, the manager of Mavelik Bank had personally arranged to collect him because of a deposit he couldn't explain.“Sir, we should get you some dry clothes first,” Richard Hayes said. “You must be uncomfortable sitting in wet clothes.”Before Adrian could respond, Richard pulled over in front of an elegant boutique and stepped out.Sir?Adrian was still getting used to the way Richard addressed him. He had spent years being treated as an unwanted burden in the Whitmore household, yet a bank manager was showing him more respect than he had received from the people who had raised him.Richard disappeared through the boutique's glass entrance, leaving Adrian alone with his questions.Why had someone transfe
Chapter 2
Adrian’s jaw dropped.The son of a gatekeeper. Was that really how the Whitmores still saw him after all these years?“Oh, the gatekeeper’s son,” Daniel Sterling said, almost mildly. “I was under the impression he was Isabella’s future husband. Your son-in-law, in other words.”Adrian looked at Eleanor, waiting for her to correct the man. She only chuckled.“You never cease to surprise me, Mr. Sterling. How could a woman in my position make such a tasteless choice of son-in-law?”He turned to Isabella. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. That silence cut deeper than anything her mother had said. They had never officially ended things. She had given him no reason to believe she wanted to. Yet here she stood among the guests as if he were barely an acquaintance.Daniel’s expression hardened, though his voice stayed polite.“I see. Well, I should be going. Not every wealthy family would allow the son of a former gatekeeper to live under their roof for so long. Your generosity is… remarkable, Mrs
Chapter 1
“Someone should have told the beggar that this funeral was for the family, not for people looking for a handout.”Adrian Cole had barely entered the funeral hall when the insult reached him.“Thank goodness Isabella hasn't married him yet,” a woman murmured. “Imagine bringing a man like that into our family.”Another guest shook his head. “And now the VANTEX contract signing has been delayed. Ever since that useless man became part of this family, we've had one problem after another.”Adrian ignored them and walked toward the coffin at the front of the hall. After his father died, his grandfather had taken him into Whitmore Mansion despite the family's objections and defended him whenever the others tried to drive him away. Now, the only person who had stood up for him was gone.Adrian knelt and gripped the coffin edge.“Grandpa, why did you have to leave so soon?” “You promised I wouldn't have to face everything alone. What am I supposed to do now?”Tears blurred his vision before a
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