The dining hall of the Moore estate was a cathedral of wealth.Crystal chandeliers cast golden light over polished marble floors. Silver cutlery gleamed against plates worth more than most people's rent.
But the beauty of the room did nothing to ease the tension hanging in the air.
At the head of the long table sat Reginald Moore, patriarch of the Moore family, his eyes sharp and calculating.Beside him, Elena stirred her tea in silence, her thoughts elsewhere — on a man she once claimed to love.
The Meeting Begins
"So," Reginald began, setting down his newspaper. "Adrian Vance has returned."
Elena froze mid-motion. "What?"
He turned the page, revealing a business headline:
'Vance Holdings to Resume Operations under Heir, Adrian Vance.'
Her stomach dropped. The tea spoon clinked against porcelain.
"That's impossible," she murmured. "He— he lost everything. He was ruined."
Reginald's smile was thin and humorless. "Ruined men don't rebuild empires, my dear. They disappear. But he didn't."
He folded the paper, eyes narrowing. "Which means someone is backing him. Find out who."
Elena hesitated. "Father, maybe this isn't—"
"Don't start," he interrupted sharply. "That boy was useful once, but now he's a liability. If he's gathering support again, he becomes a threat."
Elena lowered her gaze, fingers tightening around the cup.A flicker of guilt stirred in her chest — one she had buried for years.
Flashback: The Betrayal
The night it all fell apart was still vivid in her memory.She'd stood in her father's office, trembling, watching him slide a contract across the desk.
"Just get him to sign this, Elena. It's for his protection."
She'd believed him. She wanted to believe him. Adrian had trusted her, and she thought she was helping him secure the Vance company's assets.
But the papers she'd handed him weren't protection.They were surrender.
By the time she realized, it was too late.Adrian's company had crumbled overnight — and Reginald Moore had absorbed everything left.
The last time she saw Adrian, he'd been broken but silent, standing in the rain, watching the Moores' convoy drive away.And when news of his "accident" reached her, the guilt nearly consumed her.
Back to the Present
"Elena," Reginald's voice snapped her back. "You're pale."
"I just— I didn't expect him to come back."
"People like Adrian Vance don't stay dead," Reginald said coldly. "They linger like smoke — until someone puts them out for good."
He rose, buttoning his vest, his tone growing darker.
"I want every record of our past dealings buried. No traces left. If Vance is digging, he won't find anything to use."
Elena's lips parted. "And if he does?"
Reginald looked at her, eyes hard as iron. "Then he'll wish he hadn't."
Meanwhile — Adrian's Penthouse
Across the city, Adrian stood by the window, watching rain bead against glass.Luna sat on the couch, typing rapidly, her monitors showing satellite feeds and email intercepts.
"They're moving," she said without looking up. "The Moores just started wiping data from four old shell companies. They know we're coming."
Adrian's voice was calm — too calm."Good. Let them run."
He turned, his reflection dark against the city lights.
"Because when they're done hiding," he said softly, "I'll be waiting."
Back to Elena
When her father left the room, Elena sat alone, her tea long gone cold.
She looked down at her trembling hands.
"Adrian… what happened to you?"
She didn't know it yet, but the man she remembered — the gentle, forgiving one — had died in that fire.The one who returned wasn't seeking reconciliation.
He was seeking judgment.
Outside the estate, thunder cracked — a sound like the heavens splitting in half.The Moores thought they were cleaning their tracks.
But Adrian Vance had already set his trap.