Chapter 9: Prelude

LUCIEN

I read through the document in front of me meticulously, and only signed my name at the bottom after confirming there were no issues.

The entire time, I could feel my trusted assistant—Adrian Hale’s—hesitant gaze lingering on me from across the study table.

He had been like that for the past half hour, ever since he arrived with the documents.

I could tell he had something on his mind—or rather, a question he wanted answered. But since he hadn’t brought it up himself, I saw no reason to force the issue.

Especially since I already had a good idea what it was.

So I deliberately ignored his increasingly heated stare, set the signed document onto the growing pile beside me, and opened the next file.

Finally, he lost his patience.

“Boss,” he said softly.

Suppressing a sigh, I looked up.

“Hm?”

Adrian’s appearance was what the internet would typically call a sunshine boy.

Warm, approachable features. A disarming smile. Dimples that appeared whenever he laughed. Easygoing and friendly.

But anyone who knew him well understood that this was only the surface.

Behind that pleasant exterior lay someone meticulous to a fault, armed with inhuman persistence and a stubborn streak that bordered on frightening.

Once Adrian set his sights on something—or someone—there was only one outcome.

He would get his answer.

By fire or by force.

To be honest, I had recruited him back in college precisely because I admired those qualities.

Unfortunately, now that I had become the target of his persistence, I found myself beginning to sympathize with his past victims.

“When do you plan on returning to the company?” he finally asked.

I knew it.

That thought flashed through my mind the moment the words left his mouth.

For the past week, he had asked the same question repeatedly, and each time I had successfully deflected it. But judging from his tone today, he clearly intended to get a definitive answer.

Considering that the car crash that had cost me my legs had happened only a month ago, and I was still officially on ‘recuperation’ leave, Adrian normally wouldn’t have pressed the matter so insistently.

Which meant only one thing.

Something had happened at the company.

Something he, my mother, and the others were deliberately keeping from me.

At that thought, I set down the fountain pen in my hand and leaned back slightly in the wheelchair that had now become a permanent part of my life.

“Before I answer that question,” I said calmly, “why don’t you tell me what’s happening at the company first?”

Adrian blinked.

Then he avoided my eyes.

Having worked closely with him for years, I knew exactly what that meant.

A complete giveaway.

And yet he still expected me to believe what he said next.

“Nothing really. Everything’s fine.”

“Oh.” I nodded mildly, making no attempt to press him further.

Then I lowered my head and picked up my pen again, making it clear I intended to return to the documents.

Slowly, I counted to three in my head.

One. Two. Thr—

“Fine, I’ll tell you.”

He let out a heavy sigh.

“But just so you know,” he added quickly, “the chairwoman specifically told me to keep this from you. So you absolutely cannot let her know this came from me.”

He looked at me seriously.

“Deal?”

I glanced at him lazily. “Hm.”

Taking that as agreement, Adrian leaned back in his chair, his expression turning serious.

“There have been voices on the Board lately,” he said slowly, meeting my gaze. “Calling for your… dismissal.”

He paused.

“They say that…”

His jaw tightened, as though the remaining words were difficult to say.

But he didn’t need to finish. I could already guess.

My lips curved faintly.

“That a cripple is no longer fit to be CEO?”

Adrian’s face immediately twisted in displeasure.

“Boss!”

The smile at the corner of my lips deepened slightly, my eyes glinting with amusement.

“I’m merely calling a spade a spade,” I replied lightly. “Why are you reacting so strongly?”

“Refusing to say it doesn’t make it any less true.”

His frown deepened, but I pretended not to notice.

“From the looks of things,” I continued calmly, “my return to the company is now uncertain. If you’d like, I can arrange another position for you within the company—”

“Boss!”

This time his voice carried clear anger as well as disappointment.

“Is that really what you think of me?” he demanded. “An opportunist who jumps ship the moment he thinks it’s sinking? Or are you trying to test my loyalty?”

To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure why those words had slipped out.

Or whether I truly meant them.

But regardless of the reason, I knew better than to agree with his accusation.

“Neither,” I said simply. “I just wanted you to have an exit option in case I can’t return.”

His expression softened immediately.

“I don’t need any exit option,” he said firmly. “So don’t even think about sending me away with some meaningless position.”

He leaned forward slightly, ambition burning in his eyes.

“You know my dream is to take over your position after you become Chairman.”

A soft chuckle escaped my lips.

“Then you’ll have to work harder.”

“That’s a given,” he replied with a grin.

Though soon after, his expression darkened again.

“But what are you going to do about those greedy ingrates?” he sneered. “I never heard them voice so many opinions when you were busy filling the company’s coffers.”

“Now suddenly they have plenty.”

My expression turned indifferent, a cold glint flashing in my eyes.

“It’s not that they didn’t have opinions before,” I said calmly.

“They simply didn’t dare voice them.”

“But now…” I added softly, “they won’t let the opportunity to replace me with someone more ‘obedient’ slip away.”

Adrian snorted in contempt.

“They really overestimate themselves.”

Suddenly, I chuckled.

“But in a way, this is good.”

He frowned slightly. “Good?”

“An opportunity like this won’t come again.”

Years of working together had created near-perfect synergy between us.

Adrian only needed a moment to understand the implication.

“You mean…” His eyes lit up.

I nodded faintly.

“Let them celebrate and jump around for a while more.”

“When the time comes, it will be much easier to round them all up.”

Adrian burst into laughter.

“Well then,” he said with obvious excitement, “going to work won’t be so boring anymore.”

“A free clown performance is something I definitely don’t want to miss.”

I shook my head with a faint smile.

Adrian usually appeared calm and dependable, but very few people knew his favorite pastime was quietly watching people he disliked walk themselves straight toward ruin.

In short—

He was a smiling tiger.

Just then, my phone screen suddenly lit up, followed by a faint buzz.

A message notification.

I picked up the phone and opened it.

The message was from my cousin, Isabel.

[Helene asked me for your contact and I already gave it to her. Just thought I should give you a heads up.]

My brows furrowed slightly.

Helene?

The name sounded vaguely familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place the face.

Fortunately, Isabel seemed to anticipate that.

Another message arrived moments later.

[Helene Laurent. Your current fiancée’s sister.]

[She wouldn’t tell me what she wanted to talk to you about, but it seemed important, so I took the liberty of giving it to her first. Sorry~]

At first, I felt mildly annoyed that she had given out my private number without asking.

But after reading her explanation, it was difficult to stay angry.

Isabel had always been someone who understood boundaries.

If she said it seemed important, then it likely was.

My thoughts drifted back to the name she had mentioned.

Helene Laurent.

A vague figure surfaced in my memory.

So it was her.

My former fiancée—the one who had been replaced by her younger sister.

A development I had never particularly cared about. To me, it made little difference which of them it was.

But we hadn’t been in contact for years.

So why was she suddenly reaching out now?

As if answering that question, another message appeared on my screen.

At first I assumed it was from Isabel again.

But it wasn’t.

[Hello, Mr. Blackthorne. This is Helene Laurent.]

[I apologize for contacting you out of the blue, but I have something important to discuss with you regarding the engagement between our families.]

[Do you have time to meet?]

A flicker of surprise passed through my eyes.

Not because of the message itself.

But because—

I glanced at the name displayed at the top of the chat window.

After all these years…

Turns out I had never deleted her number.