Adrian immediately grabbed his friend's wrists and pushed her back, restoring his personal space. "Why does everyone in this family feel the urge to throw themselves at me today?"
"Oh, hush! You haven't changed a bit, Adrian!" She laughed unfazed, reached out, unceremoniously grabbed his forearm and tugged him toward the heavy double doors of the manor. "Come on, let's go inside! I missed you so much, and I have a million things to tell you!"
Leo watched them go while his small frame remained frozen on the gravel driveway as Adrian was dragged up the marble steps. A strange, unfamiliar heavy sensation settled deep within his chest, a tight ache he didn't quite know how to name. He stared at his own shoes, his lower lip trembling as his eyes grew glossy with unshed tears. He was just a mute while everyone around Adrian was so vibrant, so charming, and so effortlessly loud.
Just as the sting in his eyes threatened to spill over, the sound of retreating footsteps abruptly stopped. Adrian halted right at the threshold. Ignoring his friend's impatient tugs, he turned around.
Their eyes met across the space. And the moment, Adrian's gaze locked onto Leo's watery downcast eyes, he felt an unfamiliar pang in his chest. He didn't know how to describe that feeling, it's like suffocating tightness, an instinctual urge to wipe away the vulnerability on the boy's face. Without thinking twice, Adrian yanked his arm free from his friend's grip.
He didn't say a word to her. Instead, Adrian extended his hand out toward Leo. "Let's go inside. We are already late."
Leo blinked, his long eyelashes fluttering in surprise.
Beside them, Madam Hale let out a delighted, high-pitched squeal. Before Leo could even process the gesture, she gently took Leo's trembling hand and placed it directly into Adrian's open palm. Adrian's long fingers immediately closed around Leo's.
Together, they turned and walked through the grand entrance.
Behind them, Adrian's childhood friend stood frozen on the steps, her face contorting into a violent scowl of pure fury. "Who on earth is that boy?"
Madam Hale offered a mysterious yet excited smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oh, my dear Chloe, you will find out very soon," she hummed, grabbing Chloe's arm and pulling her inside after them. "Now come along, don't miss the show!"
The moments they crossed into the main hall, the scale of the gathering crashed over Leo like a tidal wave.
Inside, every single prominent member of the Hale lineage was present, uncles in bespoke suits, glamorous aunts covered in diamonds, Adrian's quiet older brother, Julian, and his energetic younger cousin, Tristan, who was currently sneaking pastries from a waiter's tray.
Standing near the grand fireplace was Adrian's father, Raymond Hale, engaged in deep conversation with an older, highly influential man, Uncle Marcus, a long-time family friend and titan of the steel industry.
Seeing so many powerful, high-society figures clustered in one room made Leo's breathing hitch. He swallowed hard, a dry knot forming in his throat, and his small hand instantly became slick with nervous sweat inside Adrian's grasp.
Adrian felt the sudden dampness and the frantic tremor in the boy's fingers. Without breaking his stride, he tightened his grip, his thumb rubbing a slow, grounding circle against the back of Leo's hand.
"Do not worry," Adrian murmured quietly. "I am here."
As they walked further into the hall, a palpable shift ripple through the crowd. Conversations slowly died down and heads turned to them.
The man walking down the center aisle was not just anyone. Adrian was the sole heir of the primary Hale branch, a ruthless but brilliant corporate prodigy who had expanded the family's international enterprise tenfold in less than a decade. Everyone respected him and everyone feared his sharp mind. For weeks, the entire extended family had been buzzing with anticipation. Madam Hale had gleefully spread the word that her cold, workaholic son had finally tied the knot and would be introducing his new bride tonight.
They had all gathered to see the extraordinary, high-class woman who had somehow managed to melt the icy heart of Adrian Hale.
Instead, all they saw was Adrian stepping into the light, holding hands with a delicate, terrified young boy.
A heavy silence fell over the room. One of the older aunts, Aunt Beatrice, stepped forward to break the quiet.
"Adrian, darling! You've finally arrived," she nodded politely at him. Adrian gave her a noncommittal nod in return. Aunt Beatrice laughed nervously, looking around the empty space behind him. "We have all been waiting so impatiently for you to bring your new wife! Well...where is she? Hiding in the foyer?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately. He wasn't awkward, nor was he scared of their judgment, but for the first time in his life, he found himself momentarily speechless. He simply didn't know how to phrase the introduction of a secret, mute husband to a room full of traditional snobs.
Behind them, Chloe pushed her way to the front, her. "Yes, Adrian, stop keeping secrets! Where is your bride?"
Before Adrian could speak, Madam Hale stepped smoothly to his side, clapping her hands together with radiant delight. "Oh, stop looking around, everyone! He is right here! Allow me to introduce Adrian's spouse, Leo Ward!"
Across the room, Raymond Hale froze mid-sip. He instantly choked violently on his hot tea, coughing into a silk napkin while Uncle Marcus patted his back in utter shock.
A collective, sharp gasp echoed across the grand ballroom.
At first, a few subtle whispers broke out. Many assumed Madam Hale was simply playing one of her notorious, eccentric jokes. She was known for her dramatic flair, and surely this was just a harmless prank. But as the seconds ticked by, everyone turned their eyes toward Adrian, searching his face for a smirk, a dismissal, or a correction which never came. His expression remained a stone-cold, fierce wall of absolute confirmation.
As the horrifying realization set in that this was no joke, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Shocked, critical eyes pinned Leo to the spot. Feeling the suffocating weight of their intense, judging stares, Leo panicked. He unconsciously took a tiny step backward, trying to hide himself completely behind Adrian's tall frame, his small teeth digging so hard into his lower lip that it nearly bled. He looked like a frightened hamster exposed to a room full of hungry hawks.
Adrian felt the boy cowering behind him. His eyes darkened into a dangerous, icy black. Moving with dominance, Adrian shifted his body, completely shielding Leo from the sea of hostile eyes, his hand squeezing Leo's so tightly that their wedding bands pressed together.
With his hand firmly wrapped around Leo's cold, trembling fingers, he guided the boy straight toward the center of the room where Raymond Hale stood. Leo felt like he was walking toward an executioner, his knees shook so violently he could barely keep his footing, his gaze glued to the floor as his free hand nervously picked at the silk cuff of his jacket.
Adrian looked straight in his father's eyes and announced. "Allow me to officially introduce my husband, Leo."
Raymond's face contorted into a terrifying mask of rage. His eyes burned into Adrian with pure venom before snapping down to Leo, who shrank back as if he had been struck, hiding behind Adrian's shoulder. Raymond gritted his teeth, his knuckles white around his glass.
"How dare you," Raymond hissed, his voice trembling with suppressed fury. "How dare you embarrass me like this in front of the entire family? In front of our guests?"
Adrian's lips curved into a mocking smirk. He tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes locking onto his father's. "Embarrass you? I made a personal choice regarding my own life. Since when does my marriage insult you? Was it not agreed upon that I had the absolute freedom to marry whomever I chose?"
"Not a boy!" Raymond barked at him furiously, barely able to keep his anger at bay. "You are the primary heir of the Hale family! You have a duty to this lineage!"
Adrian raised an eyebrow, his expression dripping with dark amusement. "And why can I not marry a boy? If my older brother could, why can't I?"
A collective gasp rippled through the gathered relatives. Standing a few paces away, Adrian's older brother, Julian Hale, stiffened. Julian remained completely silent, his jaw tight as his dark eyes studied Adrian. Julian knew better than anyone how rebellious and utterly unpredictable his younger brother could be. He had no idea what game Adrian was playing tonight, but bringing a boy home was a move no one in the family could have anticipated.
Raymond's face flushed a dangerous shade of crimson.
"That is precisely why your brother was stripped of his title and disowned!" he spat out, pointing a trembling finger at Julian before glaring back at Adrian. "He disgraced this family!"
The playful smirk instantly vanished from Adrian's face. His eyes darkened into a lethal, pitch-black abyss. The air around him dropped several degrees as he took a slow, deliberate step toward his father.
"Are you saying..." Adrian purred, his tone deceptively soft yet sharp as a razor. "...that you intend to disown me as well? Do you truly believe you have that power, Father?"
Raymond clenched his jaw so hard the muscles in his neck strained. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words died in his throat. The terrifying reality hit him like a physical blow. Adrian wasn't Julian. Adrian Hale was a name that dominated the global market, a prodigy who held eighty percent of the Hale Corporation's shares in his own palm. Raymond didn't own Adrian; Adrian owned him. Raymond had zero power over his son, and everyone in the room knew it.
Seeing the explosive tension reaching a point of no return, Julian stepped smoothly between the two men, placing a calm hand on Adrian's shoulder.
"Enough, Adrian. Grandpa is waiting for you upstairs in his study. You know he doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Adrian stared at his father for two agonizing seconds longer before backing away. The murderous aura surrounding him dissipated in an instant as he turned his attention back to the small, shivering figure behind him.
Resting both of his hands gently on Leo's delicate shoulders, Adrian leaned down slightly. The moment his dark eyes met Leo's wide, tear-filled ones, the terrifying coldness in Adrian's face completely melted away. His eyes softened into a look of quiet, uncharacteristic tenderness, a gentle warmth that no one in the Hale family had ever seen him display.
Leo blinked, his breath hitching as he felt the soothing weight of Adrian's hands.
Around them, the relatives watched the interaction in shock. Whispers broke out instantly. Are they seeing this right? Is that really Adrian?
Standing nearby, Chloe, Adrian's childhood friend clenched her fists so tightly her manicured nails bit into her palms. Her face was flushed with pure fury. She stared at the quiet, fragile boy who had somehow captured the attention of the most powerful man in the room. Her mind raced in denial. This is a nightmare.
He betrayed me, how could he choose a boy over me?! I'll never forgive him!
Ignoring the glaring eyes of the entire room, Adrian gently placed his hand on the small of Leo's back.
"Let's go upstairs."
Leo gave a tiny nod, his heart fluttering foolishly as he allowed Adrian to lead him toward the grand staircase, leaving the silent, stunned relatives behind them.
Downstairs, the atmosphere remained uncomfortably tense. Seeing the spectacle end, Uncle Marcus, Raymond's long-time friend let out an awkward sigh and cleared his throat. He turned to Raymond, whose face was still dark with embarrassment.
"Raymond..." Marcus said quietly, adjusting his suit jacket. "I think...my daughter and I should take our leave for tonight."
Raymond looked at his friend with a bitter expression settling on his face. "Marcus...I am deeply sorry about this."
"It's alright," Marcus replied with a tight nod before turning to walk out toward the courtyard, his daughter, Chloe, trailing behind him with stomping angry strides.
The truth was, tonight had been a trap. Raymond had invited Marcus and Chloe with a specific scheme in mind. He had been entirely convinced that Adrian's talk of marriage was a bluff, that his cold, workaholic son wouldn't actually bring anyone home. Raymond had planned to corner Adrian in front of the entire family, forcing an arrangement between Adrian and Chloe. It would have been the ultimate power move. But Adrian had shattered the trap before it could even be set.
Out in the cool night air of the driveway, Marcus pulled his daughter toward their luxury sedan. As soon as the car doors clicked shut, the silence exploded.
"I can't believe this!" Chloe shrieked, slamming her purse against the leather seat. "Dad, did you see him?! He married that pathetic boy! What about me?!"
Marcus rubbed his temples, letting out a harsh, exhausted breath. "Calm down, Chloe. I am just as furious as you are."
"Then do something!" Chloe demanded. "You promised me I would marry Adrian!"
Marcus turned to his daughter. "Listen to me. I don't care about Adrian's romantic preferences, nor do I care about that boy he brought home. I want Adrian Hale for his brain. His mind is a goldmine. If we tie him to our family through marriage, our business empire will double in value overnight. Combining his brilliant mind with your marriage was supposed to be a win-win situation for both of us."
"It will be," Chloe hissed, her voice dropping into a dangerous tone. She straightened her posture, a venomous smile touching her lips as she stared out the tinted window at the grand Hale manor. "Do you really think a timid, silent little rat like that can hold Adrian's attention for long? Adrian is a man of power. He will get tired of a helpless doll soon enough."
"Leave Adrian to me, Dad," Chloe sneered quietly into the dark interior of the car. "I will break that boy into pieces. Mark my words...Adrian will be mine."