The rise of the forgotten son-in-law

Chapter 3

I kept walking down the quiet, shadowed streets, navigating through familiar corners that I hadn't seen in years. 

Despite my resolve, the weight of the day finally caught up with me, and I realized I needed to rest for the night.

 I wasn't entirely sure where the nearest lodging was during my time trapped in that mansion, I was rarely allowed out.

I pulled out my burner phone and used a map to locate a small hotel nearby. When I reached the building, I was relieved to find it modest and quiet.

 In my current state of mind, silence was a luxury I cherished more than gold. I walked up to the dusty wooden counter, booked a room for the night, and paid in cold hard cash to avoid leaving a digital footprint.

When I opened the door to the room, I found exactly what I expected, nothing special.

 It was a basic space with a bed, a small bathroom, and a lone wardrobe standing in the corner. It was clean, functional, and most importantly utterly unremarkable. 

No one would ever think of looking for a man of my former stature in a place like this, which was exactly why I chose it.

I sat on the edge of the creaky bed and tugged at my tie, loosening the knot until I could breathe. Then, I slowly slid the wedding ring off my finger. 

The small circle of gold felt surprisingly light in my palm, considering the heavy burden it had represented for the last three years. 

I placed it on the bedside table and stared at it for a long moment before exhaling a deep, shaky breath. That life was over. My time with the Williams family was dead, and as much as it hurt, I respected the end of it.

By morning, I headed down to the reception to order some breakfast. When the tray arrived, the staff didn't even bother charging me. 

Most people would have viewed that as a random act of kindness from a local business, but I had been in this game too long to believe in coincidences. I knew better.

To confirm my suspicions, I took out my phone and scrolled through a global news site. It didn't take long to find what I was looking for. A headline flashed across the screen ‘Emergency Meeting Called for State Leaders.’ 

The report suggested that the outcome of this meeting would lead to massive, groundbreaking changes across the country.

I smiled faintly. That news meant only one thing, he had received my message, and things were already moving much faster than I anticipated.

In a high security office across town, an elderly man sat behind a massive oak desk, staring intently at his phone. 

His face was giving away no emotion. You couldn't tell if he was happy, terrified, or simply relieved.

“Confirm the signal,” he commanded, his voice eerily calm despite the tension in the room.

“It’s him, sir,” his assistant replied. Her voice quivered with a sense of pure disbelief. “The secret encryption code matches our records perfectly. It's a hundred percent match.”

The man let out a long, slow breath, the first sign of humanity he had shown all morning. 

“After all this time…” A faint, knowing smile finally appeared on his lips. “Get the systems ready. And listen to me, make sure you keep everything anonymous. He’s going to perform a routine security check soon, and I want every single thing to be in perfect order when he looks.”

“Yes, sir,” she responded, hurrying to her workstation.

Back in the dim light of the hotel room, I stood by the window, watching the city below begin its morning hustle. 

The breakfast I’d eaten was surprisingly good for such a cheap location, but I couldn't find it in myself to feel excited. 

Even though I knew my life was about to become fast paced and thrilling again, I felt a strange heaviness.

I wanted to just breathe and let the world move on without me, but I knew I couldn't stay hidden forever. 

Trying to build a third life from scratch would cost me more than the three years I had already wasted with Ada. It was better to return to the world I had already mastered. 

And the universe seemed to agree, playing naturally to what I expected when I sent that message. If I didn't step back in to take control now, the power vacuum would allow the city to be overthrown and broken from the inside and outside.

I had simply run out of time to be a normal man. I didn't need to hide anymore. 

Behind closed boardroom doors, the titans of industry and the shadows of the underworld had already noticed my return.

However, a simple message wasn't enough evidence for my enemies. They would need a big move to be certain I was back, and I wasn't ready to give them that satisfaction yet. 

Past mistakes were lessons I had paid for in blood. This time, I was going to slip back into power taking one step at a time, and appearing only when they least expected it.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. I checked the caller ID and it was an Unknown Number. If this were my encrypted line, I wouldn't have worried, but receiving a call on this fresh iPhone was an immediate red flag.

I placed the phone on my ear and I recognized the voice instantly.

“Adrian, listen to me carefully. We aren't the only ones tracking your movements,” 

Marcus said, his voice panicked with urgency.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“You were declared inactive and dead to most of the world. But your message changed that. An internal sweep was conducted the moment you came online, and your presence was confirmed. And now the two major organizations are fully aware you're alive. I’m sure you know that one of them wants you back in the business,” he said.

“And the other?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“They want you dead,” Marcus stated bluntly. “If you’re still in that hotel room in five minutes, there’s nothing I can do to save you. I’ve sent a driver in a black Porsche to pick you up on the main street. Get out of there now!”

If there was anyone left in this world I could trust, it was Marcus. He had been with me through the highest peaks and the worst moments. I flipped on my jacket and slid both phones into my pocket. 

I glanced at the gold ring sitting on the table for a split second, then grabbed it and headed for the door.

Just as my hand touched the cold metal handle, a sharp knock echoed from the other side.

I stood still. I leaned forward and looked through the tiny peephole. There were Three men in black suits and they were standing in the hallway. 

They had a smile on their face, but not a friendly one, it was as if they were expecting me to peep through.

The knock came again, but it was louder this time. I didn't respond. Everything about their posture told me they weren't here to talk. 

And Marcus’s warning was the only confirmation I needed. I hurried over to the window, but I was two stories up, jumping from there would lead to a dangerous landing onto hard pavement.

“Adrian, come on out,” one of the men called through the door, his voice calm as he threatened. “We don't want to make this difficult for you.”

That confirmed it. There was no way I could open the door and make it through the hallway without encountering them. 

I grabbed the heavy desk lamp and hurled it at the window. The glass shattered with a deafening crack. Instead of jumping, I pressed my back flat against the wall right beside the door.

“Fuck, he jumped!” I heard one of them shout from the hallway.

“So? What’s stopping us? We don't have time to waste, let's go after him!”

Boom!

They kicked the door lock open, and all three of them burst into the room at once, rushing toward the broken window. 

I didn't waste a second. Ran through the open door and sprinted toward the staircase without looking back.

I took the steps three at a time, my heart hammered against my ribs as I jumped. 

Then I heard it the heavy, rhythmic thud of footsteps chasing me from above. I didn't need to look back to know they had realized my trick.

With one flight of stairs remaining, I realized they were closing the gap. I jumped over the side railing, and fell a dozen feet and I landed in a crouch on the ground floor. 

I scrambled up, and leaped over the receptionist’s counter, and leaped towards the wide double doors leading to the street.

 As I burst through, I slammed one of the heavy doors shut behind me. I heard a loud thump as one of the pursuers collided with the wood. I glanced over my shoulder and two of them were already back on their feet and closing in.

I quickened my pace, my lungs were beginning to burn. An apple cart blocked the narrow sidewalk ahead but I jumped over it in one fluid motion and took a left turn into a crowded market area. 

The street was packed with fruit sellers and morning shoppers.

A stacked crate of eggs piled to my shoulder length was blocking my way and instead of turning around, I used my momentum to jump over them. 

I glanced backwards, hoping the obstacle would trip the pursuers. An it did, they had to slow down to find another passage through the tight space, but they weren't giving up

 I couldn't keep this up, I needed to lose them in the market.

I saw a pair of moving horses with heavy goods strapped to their backs. I dropped low and slid under their bellies, I came up on the other side, leaving the confused animals between me and the gunmen. 

I kept running through the clustered market.

If I could just reach Main Street 7, I’d be at the pickup point. But suddenly, three more men in suits stepped out from an alley, blocking my path.

But I didn't slow down, having them stop me could lead to something I'm not prepared for and taking another turn would only lead me into a dead end. 

I reached out and grabbed a crate of eggs, and hurled it with all my strength at the men in front of me. 

As they ducked to avoid the mess, I used a market stall as a stepping stone, jumped over their heads, and sprinted the final block until I burst out onto the wide street of Main Street 7.

I glanced over at the cars in the traffic light, then the road at my back gasping for air as I searched for the Porsche. Damn it, Marcus, didn't give me a landmark!

I kept running along the side, checking every dark car that passed. 

Suddenly, VROOOOM! The roar of a high performance engine drowned out the city noise. 

A sleek, black Porsche speed through the traffic and screeched to a halt directly in front of me. 

The passenger door swung open like an invitation to salvation, and I hopped inside before the wheels had even stopped spinning.