The Dominant Heir

The Plan

Enzo was walking barefoot along the edge of the woods, his steps slow and uneven against the damp earth.

His clothes were completely soaked, clinging heavily to his skin as cold water dripped from the ends of his sleeves. The evening wind sliced through him mercilessly, sending painful chills deep into his bones.

The forest around him was unnaturally quiet.

Too quiet.

Only the sound of his breathing and distant rustling leaves filled the darkness.

It was that dream again.

Of course it was.

He knew every part of it by heart at this point because it haunted him almost every night.

Sometimes the details changed slightly.

Sometimes the weather was colder.

Sometimes the woods looked darker.

But the feeling always remained the same.

That suffocating feeling of being chased.

Slowly, Enzo turned around.

Two men in black suits were rushing toward him through the trees, their footsteps crushing dead leaves beneath them. Their faces were unclear, blurred by the darkness, but he already knew who they were before they even got close.

They were always there.

Always chasing him.

Always reaching for him.

And just before they could grab him—

A freezing splash of water crashed over his body.

“Get up, loser!”

Enzo’s eyes snapped open immediately.

For a few seconds, he simply lay there silently, his chest rising and falling slowly as reality settled back into place.

Water dripped from his hair onto the pillow beneath him. His shirt clung damply to his skin.

Then he looked up.

Laura stood over him holding a small empty pail, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

Enzo blinked once.

Did she seriously just pour water on him?

“Gramps said to wake you up for breakfast,” she said coldly. “Now get the hell up.”

Without waiting for a response, she tossed the small pail onto the bed beside him and walked out of the room.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Slowly, Enzo pushed himself upright, wet hair falling slightly over his eyes.

His gaze remained fixed on the closed door for several long seconds.

How could someone possibly be this rude?

At this point, he was genuinely impressed.

There was absolutely no way he was spending the rest of his life with that woman.

Not even six months suddenly sounded survivable.

A while later, after changing clothes, Enzo made his way downstairs for breakfast.

The atmosphere at the dining table immediately became uncomfortable the moment he sat down.

Laura’s mother looked visibly disgusted.

“Honestly,” she muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, “it is beneath me to sit at the same table as an errand boy.”

Enzo calmly took a sip of coffee as if he hadn’t heard her.

Since arriving at the estate, Laura’s father had barely spoken at all.

The man remained quiet through almost everything, his expression unreadable.

Whether he hated Enzo or simply didn’t care enough to comment, Enzo had no idea.

And honestly?

He appreciated the silence.

At least one person in this family knew how to keep unnecessary opinions to themselves.

The complaints only stopped after the First Master sent a cold glare around the table.

Instant silence followed.

Even Laura looked irritated enough to stab someone with her fork.

After breakfast, Laura immediately called her two closest friends over to vent her frustration.

The three women gathered in one of the sitting lounges upstairs while Enzo remained elsewhere in the estate.

“I swear, I still can’t believe Gramps forced this marriage on me,” Laura complained furiously. “Every time I look at him, I get so annoyed.”

“We should teach him a lesson he’ll never forget,” Brenda suggested instantly, crossing her arms.

Brenda was tall, fashionable, and just as judgmental as Laura.

“Exactly,” Rosa added with an offended scoff. “Does he seriously think he can just marry you like that?”

She flipped her hair dramatically before continuing. “My brother is the only man truly worthy of you.”

At the mention of Luca, Laura’s expression softened slightly.

Unlike Enzo, Luca fit perfectly into her world. Wealthy. Influential. Well dressed. Sophisticated.

Not some random “poor nobody” with an annoying smirk and cheap sweatpants.

Almost immediately, they called him.

The moment Laura explained everything, Luca’s voice darkened over the phone.

“Bring him to my club,” he said coldly. “I’ll deal with him myself.”

Laura smiled broadly, her mood brightened instantly.