Chapter 20
Adrian stepped through the towering entrance of his family’s
grand estate. His polished shoes clicked against the floor, only to
be drowned out by the sharp, grating screech of metal dragging
behind him. A baseball bat glinted under the warm light of the
chandeliers which carved an invisible path as it trailed along the
smooth surface.
His grip on the handle was firm while his knuckles turned
white from the pressure. The usual easy charm that defined
him was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his amber eyes burned
with unrestrained fury as his face darkened with rage.
Santiago, the Blackwood family’s ever–loyal butler, was already
waiting. He had served the household for decades and had seen
his fair share of tempers. But something about Adrian’s
demeanor tonight, something about the quiet, simmering rage
in his movements–put him on high alert.
Still, Santiago did not falter. He stepped forward with his usual calm precision while his hands were clasped neatly in front of him as he greeted, “Good evening, young master. It is a pleasure
to have you visit your family home.”
His voice was steady, polite and measured. But his sharp eyes
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were trained on Adrian’s every move, calculating, waiting.
Adrian didn’t spare him a glance. His steps were slow and
deliberate as each one carried the weight of a man barely
holding himself together. He stopped just a few feet away as his
fingers tightened around the bat.
“Where is that fucking dirty old woman?” Adrian’s voice was
low but lethal and his words felt like a blade stabbing through
the soul.
Santiago remained expressionless, though the maids nearby
stiffened at the venom laced in his words. There was no need to
ask who he was referring to.
“The Madam is in the east wing, young master,” Santiago
answered smoothly and calmly.
Adrian’s jaw clenched. The muscles in his forearm tensed as he
adjusted his grip on the bat. Without another word, he turned
sharply on his heel with the bat scraping against the marble
once more as he stalked toward the east wing.
Santiago exhaled slowly, barely perceptible, before tilting his
head slightly. At his subtle signal, the nearby staff scattered,
their footsteps hurried but quiet. None of them wanted to be in the way–not when the young master looked like a ticking time
bomb, seconds from detonation.
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Tonight, the Blackwood estate would not be peaceful.
And he was right.
The first blow came without hesitation.
Adrian swung the bat and the sharp crack of shattering glass
echoed through the grand hall as the large family portrait
crashed to the ground. The ornate gold frame splintered on
impact. The smiling faces of the Blackwood family were now
marred by a web of fractured glass. His own painted image
stared back at him from the broken shards..
But he didn’t stop there.
The baseball bat was no longer just a weapon, it was an
extension of his fury. So Adrian turned as his muscles coiled
with pent–up aggression, and swung again–this time at the
delicate antique vase sitting atop a pedestal. The porcelain
exploded into fragments, scattering across the polished floor
like fallen stars.
Another swing. Another crash.
The pristine walls of the estate that were once immaculate, bore
the brunt of his anger as the bat slammed against them, leaving
deep dents and streaks of paint scraped away by the force. Expensive decorative sconces crumpled upon impact, their light
Chapter 20
flickering out as they hit the floor in ruin.
The echo of destruction filled the vast space and the sound
ricocheted off the high ceilings. The staff who hadn’t managed
to escape flinched at every impact, whispering prayers under
their breath that he wouldn’t come their way.
Santiago remained standing at a careful distance, unmoving. He
had witnessed the Blackwood family’s dysfunction for years.
Had seen the mess hidden behind their polished reputation but
this… this was something else entirely.
Before Adrian could smash another expensive decor, Carol
appeared in alarm.
“what the hell is wrong with you Adrian?! Those are expensive!”
His mother yelled at him.
Carol Blackwood’s shrill yell echoed through the grand hall as
she stepped into view, her expression twisted in alarm and
outrage.
Adrian’s amber eyes snapped to her, burning with barely contained fury. The bat slipped from his grasp, clattering loudly
onto the marble floor, but he didn’t need it anymore.
He charged.
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Carol barely had time to react before her bodyguards moved in,
blocking his path with solid, immovable bodies. Adrian’s
momentum was halted as one of them shoved him back, but the
fire in his eyes didn’t waver. If anything, it only burned hotter.
For a brief moment, Carol’s face paled, the realization sinking in
-if not for the intervention of her guards, her own son might
have wrung her neck without hesitation.
A bitter, humorless laugh escaped Adrian as he steadied himself.
“Hiding behind your guards, Mother?” he sneered, his voice
dripping with venom. “I just wanted to say hi.”
Then, without warning, he lunged.
The nearest bodyguard barely had time to react before Adrian’s
fist connected with his jaw, the sickening crack of bone–on–bone
echoing through the grand hall. The man staggered back, clearly
underestimating the sheer force behind Adrian’s hit.
If only the media could see him now–their beloved golden boy,
the heartthrob they worshipped–fighting like a rabid beast. His
well–groomed persona shattered, revealing something raw,
something unhinged.
“Restrain him!” one of the guards barked, but Adrian was
already moving again.
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Another guard reached for him, but Adrian twisted, using his
momentum to drive his elbow into the man’s ribs. A choked
grunt escaped the guard’s lips as he stumbled. Adrian didn’t stop
there. He ripped a broken piece of porcelain from a shattered
vase on the floor and hurled it, the jagged shard slicing across
another man’s cheek. Blood welled from the wound, staining his
crisp black suit.
Carol watched, stunned silent, as her son tore through her
security like a man possessed.
Her Adrian.
Her carefully crafted, obedient son.
He was unraveling before her eyes.
Adrian moved like a storm. As another guard lunged at him, he
sidestepped effortlessly and had his knee drive up into the
man’s gut. A pained wheeze escaped the guard’s lips as he
crumpled, but Adrian didn’t stop there.
Another came from behind, attempting to subdue him in a chokehold, but Adrian was faster. He grabbed the man’s wrist, twisted it at an unnatural angle, and sent him sprawling to the marble floor with a sharp grunt of pain. The final two guards hesitated for a fraction of a second long enough for Adrian to
strike. He grabbed the nearest one by the collar, yanking him
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forward and slammed his forehead against the man’s nose.
Blood spurted instantly, and the guard collapsed.
The last one raised his fists, as if still foolishly believing he had a
chance. Adrian scoffed as his lip curled in amusement before he
delivered a brutal punch straight to the man’s jaw. The crack of
impact echoed through the grand hall, and the guard crumpled,
unconscious before he even hit the floor.
Carol stood frozen with her wide eyes darting across the bodies
of her elite security–now either writhing in pain or completely
incapacitated.
And then her gaze lifted. She could see how predatory and
unforgiving Adrian looked at her.
Before she could react, he moved.
Carol gasped as his fingers wrapped around her throat, lifting
her off the ground with terrifying ease. Her manicured nails.
clawed at his wrist, desperate for air as her feet dangled.
helplessly. The room spun around her and the edges of her
vision blurred around her.
Adrian’s grip tightened.
“This is the last time I will ever hear from you interfering in my
life,” he warned.
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Carol choked as her hands trembled against his iron hold. She
tried to speak, to beg, but nothing came out except a strangled
gasp.
Adrian stared at her for a long moment, watching as the woman
who had manipulated Noelle into leaving him, beg for her life.
And then, just as her struggle began to weaken, he let go.
Carol collapsed onto the floor, gasping desperately for air with
her body trembling. Her once–perfect composure was in
shambles–her dress disheveled, her lipstick smeared, her
usually sharp eyes wide with fear.
Adrian didn’t so much as blink.
He merely watched, towering over her like an executioner who
had chosen at the last moment to spare his victim.
“You’re nothing to me,” he said flatly. Then, without sparing her
another glance, he turned on his heel and walked away,
stepping over the unconscious guards as if they were mere
obstacles in his path.
Carol coughed violently, pressing a trembling hand to her throat as she watched him disappear through the grand doors.
For the first time in her life, his own son terrified her.
