THE ILLEGITIMATE SON

"We couldn't find her, sir."

The man standing behind him lowered his head as he delivered the report. Across the room, he stood on the balcony, his hands resting against the railing as he stared at the towering Ravencrest Empire building in the distance.

It had been a month, a full month since that night. A month since the mysterious woman had disappeared without leaving a single trace behind.

"What do you mean you couldn't find her?"

His voice was calm, but the warning beneath it made the room tense.

"We searched everywhere, sir. The hotel, the surrounding streets, the parking area, and every place we could think of. We even questioned some of the people who were at the bar that night."

"And?"

"Nothing."

The man's voice lowered.

"No one knows where she came from, and no one seems to know where she went."

Adrian's expression darkened.

"What about the security cameras?"

"She avoided them."

A brief silence followed.

"She deliberately stayed away from every camera while leaving the hotel."

"And the bar?"

"We checked."

The man hesitated.

"There are no cameras inside the bar. The owner doesn't allow surveillance in the customer area because of privacy concerns."

He slowly turned his gaze toward the city, he had spent an entire month trying to find a woman whose identity he didn't even know. He didn't know her family or know where she lived. All he had was a memory.

Her face.

Those beautiful brown eyes.

The sadness hidden behind them.

The way she had looked at him that night.

For weeks, he had tried to convince himself that it meant nothing. It had been one night. One strange, unexpected night between two strangers. Yet somehow, she had stayed in his mind. Every night when he closed his eyes, he saw her. Sometimes, he remembered the way she looked at him, the sound of her voice and sometimes, he simply remembered her face.

But lately, something had begun to change. The image was becoming less clear. He could still remember her eyes, but he was slowly forgetting the exact shape of her face. He could remember the feeling of having her beside him, but the sound of her voice was becoming harder to recall. It irritated him more than it should have because he had never been the kind of man who allowed someone to occupy his thoughts for this long.

"Then find another way."

The subordinate looked at him.

"Sir, we've already—"

"I don't care."

Adrian's voice became colder.

"Find her."

"Yes, sir."

The man immediately turned to leave.

"Wait."

He stopped.

"Do not alert anyone in the Ravencrest family about this."

The man's expression became serious.

"Understood."

"Especially my father."

"Yes, sir."

The door closed behind him. He remained alone on the balcony, his gaze returned to the city below. Somewhere out there was the woman he had spent an entire month searching for and perhaps the strangest part was that he didn't even understand why finding her mattered so much.

Maybe it was because she had appeared at the exact moment he had needed someone. Maybe it was because, for one night, she had made him forget the war he had spent years preparing for. Or maybe it was simply because she had vanished before he had the chance to understand what that night meant.

Adrian exhaled slowly.

Perhaps it was time to let her go. After all, whatever had happened between them belonged to the past and soon, even her face would become nothing more than a distant memory.

The man picked up his jacket and slipped it on, he had a banquet to attend. His father had personally invited him to the event to announce his return to the Ravencrest family. Tonight, the entire elite world would learn that he was back. By the time he arrived at the banquet, the grand hall was already filled with influential businessmen, socialites, and members of the city's most powerful families.

The moment he stepped inside, conversations slowly died down. Heads turned, and whispers spread across the room.

Adrian's tall, commanding presence and striking appearance immediately caught the attention of the women around him.

"Who is he?"

"Is he from one of the major families?"

"I've never seen him before."

Several young women began discreetly asking about his identity and family background. After all, an eligible bachelor with that kind of presence was rare in their world. If his family background matched theirs, he would immediately become one of the most desirable men in Country D. He ignored every curious stare, he had no interest in the women surrounding him or the whispers following his every step and his eyes remained fixed on one person, Richard Ravencrest, the host of the banquet and his father.

Adrian walked toward him. Richard's expression immediately brightened when he saw him. For years, Richard had avoided speaking publicly about the son he had once rejected. Tonight, that would change, he lifted the glass in his hand and tapped it lightly with a spoon.

The sound immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Everyone, may I have your attention?"

The room gradually fell silent.

Richard smiled as he placed one hand on Adrian's shoulder.

"I know many of you are probably wondering who this young man is."

He paused deliberately.

"Allow me to introduce my son."

A murmur swept through the hall.

"This is Adrian Ravencrest."

Silence.

Then gasps erupted throughout the room.

Adrian remained expressionless.

Everyone knew Richard Ravencrest had two sons.

Alexander Ravencrest, the legitimate heir and current successor of Ravencrest Holdings.

And Bryan Ravencrest, his younger son.

So who was this man?

Then someone whispered the name that had been buried for years.

"Elena..."

The whispers quickly spread.

"Is he Elena Williams' son?"

"The child she had with Richard Ravencrest?"

"I thought that child was gone."

"So the rumors were true?"

Richard's expression remained composed.

"Yes."

The room fell silent again.

"Adrian is my biological son."

The announcement sent another wave of shock through the banquet. For years, the existence of Richard's illegitimate son had been nothing more than an old scandal whispered about behind closed doors. Elena Williams had once been Richard's lover, and shortly after their relationship began, she gave birth to his son. But after Richard chose his marriage and his empire over Elena, both mother and child disappeared from the elite world.

Now, years later, that forgotten child had returned. He was a powerful man standing in the middle of their world. Across the room, Alexander Ravencrest's face had gone completely still, his fingers tightened around his glass. Bryan, however, stared at Adrian with something closer to curiosity than anger.

Richard looked around the room.

"Adrian has returned to Country D, and from today onward, he will be taking his rightful place within the Ravencrest family."

Adrian said nothing.

Instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips, his eyes slowly moved across the room until they met Alexander's. For several seconds, neither brother looked away. There was no greeting, no smile, no brotherly warmth only a silent warning.

Alexander's jaw tightened and Adrian's smile deepened.

He had finally returned and Alexander knew exactly what that meant.

The battle for Ravencrest Holdings had begun.

Nadia stared at the two pregnancy test kits in her trembling hands, both displayed the same result. Positive. She couldn't believe it, she was pregnant. Pregnant from the one night she had spent with the mysterious stranger. Since arriving in Country A, Nadia had been so occupied with finding a place to stay, settling into her new surroundings, and trying to piece her life back together that she had barely thought about that night.

Until a few days ago, she had started feeling unusually sick, especially in the mornings. At first, she thought it was simply the stress of everything she had been through but when the nausea continued, Jade insisted they visit a pharmacy. The pharmacist listened to her symptoms and suggested she take a pregnancy test just to be certain and now, here she was.

"Nadia?"

Jade's voice came from outside the bathroom.

"What is it? It's negative, right?"

Nadia slowly cleaned herself up before opening the door. She stepped outside, still holding the two pregnancy tests. Jade's expression immediately changed when she saw Nadia's face.

"What happened?"

Nadia held out the tests.

"I'm pregnant, Jay."

Jade's eyes widened.

"What?"

"The two tests are positive."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Jade looked at the tests, then back at Nadia.

"Oh my God."

She lowered her voice.

"Nadia, do you want to keep the baby?"

Nadia remained silent.

"If you don't want to, that's okay too," Jade continued gently. "It's still very early. Whatever decision you make, I'll respect it."

Nadia looked down at the tests again.

A tiny life was growing inside her.

She had lost Owen.

She had lost her family.

She had left behind everything she had ever known.

But somehow, this little life had come to her during the loneliest moment of her life.

She placed a hand over her stomach.

"I'm going to keep it."

Jade stared at her.

"Are you sure?"

Nadia nodded.

"Yes."

A small smile appeared through her tears.

"It came to me when I had nothing left."

She looked at Jade.

"So I'll protect it with everything I have."

Jade immediately pulled her into a hug.

"I'll help you, Nadia."

She held her tightly.

"Whatever you need, whenever you need it. You won't do this alone."

Nadia closed her eyes.

For the first time since leaving Country D, she felt something other than pain. She had a reason to keep going.

A reason to become stronger.

A reason to build a new life.

She didn't know who the child's father truly was.

She didn't know what the future held.

But she knew one thing.

She would protect her baby at all costs.

Meanwhile, inside the Ravencrest mansion, raised voices echoed through the halls. Richard Ravencrest had barely returned from the banquet when he retreated to his study, hoping for a moment of peace but the door suddenly swung open.

Linda Ravencrest stormed inside.

"Explain what that slut's son is doing here!"

Richard's expression immediately hardened.

"She has a name."

Linda scoffed.

"Her name is Elena, and she wasn't a slut."

"Oh, really?" Linda snapped. "And yet you slept with her until she became pregnant with your child."

Richard rubbed his temple.

"I am not having this conversation with you tonight, Linda. We just returned from the banquet, and I'm exhausted."

"You're exhausted?"

Linda laughed bitterly.

"Or you simply don't want to hear my voice?"

She pointed toward the study around them.

"You're sitting comfortably in your study, yet you're telling me you're too tired to talk to your wife?"

"Wherever I choose to rest is none of your concern."

"It is my concern!"

Linda's voice rose.

"I am your wife and the mother of your sons."

"And who is denying that?"

Richard's patience was wearing thin.

"I know exactly who you are, Linda."

"Then you should remember your promise to me."

Her eyes burned with anger.

"I will not stand by and watch you welcome Elena's son into this family as though nothing happened."

Richard's jaw tightened.

"That boy has a name."

He stared at her.

"Adrian."

"He has been abandoned by this family for twenty five years," Richard continued. "I failed him as a father once. I am not going to make the same mistake again."

Linda's expression hardened.

"He is an illegitimate son."

"He should have remained forgotten."

Richard stared at her in disbelief.

"How can you say that?"

"He is the son of another woman."

"He is my son."

The words silenced her.

Richard stepped closer.

"I have stood by your sons their entire lives. I provided for them, protected them, and gave them everything I could."

His voice became colder.

"And now that my other son has finally returned, you expect me to abandon him again?"

"He didn't grow up with his mother."

He paused.

"She died."

"And he didn't grow up with his father either."

Richard's eyes darkened.

"Because I allowed this family to take him away from me."

Linda's expression changed slightly.

"You made a promise."

Richard laughed bitterly.

"Yes."

"I promised you that I would have nothing to do with Adrian or Elena."

He looked directly at her.

"And why did I make that promise?"

Linda said nothing.

"Because you threatened me."

Richard's voice hardened.

"You told me that if I acknowledged Adrian, your family's support would be withdrawn from Ravencrest Empire."

"And did they not help you?"

Linda's eyes narrowed.

"Did my family not help build this empire?"

Richard shook his head.

"Is that what they told you?"

He stepped toward the door.

"If not for Celena Corporation stepping in when Ravencrest Holdings was struggling, and if not for the work I put into rebuilding this company, your family's support would have meant nothing."

Linda's face reddened.

Richard opened the door.

"So before you stand in front of me and accuse me of nonsense, Linda, think carefully about what you're saying."

He walked out, leaving her standing alone in the study. Linda stared after him, her hands clenched into fists. For twenty five years, she had believed Adrian Ravencrest was nothing more than a forgotten mistake but now that mistake had returned. And she had no intention of allowing him to take the place she had fought so hard to secure for her sons.