The next morning, Adrian was lying in bed with a woman.
The sheets were tangled, the room filled with the smell of wine and smoke.
He was half-asleep when his phone started ringing.
He groaned, picking it up lazily. "Who is this?"
"Sir," came a voice on the other end, shaky.
"Your father—he's been shot. Damian… Damian shot him. He's in the hospital."
Adrian's eyes flew open.
"What?"
He sat up so fast the woman beside him stirred in surprise.
"Repeat that!"
The man stammered. "Your father… was shot in the leg. He's alive but—"
"When did this happen" Adrian asked him angrily.
"Last night sir, he went to see Damian and he got shot so I rushed in to take him to the hospital".
Adrian didn't wait to hear the rest. He threw the phone down, grabbed his shirt from the floor, and dressed quickly.
He was texted the address of the hospital.
The woman called his name, but he ignored her, already storming out the door.
Minutes later, his car tore through the city streets, tires splashing water from last night's rain.
He reached the hospital, pushed through the sliding doors, and spotted one of his father's men waiting in the hallway.
"Where is he?" Adrian barked.
"Room 307, sir," the man said quickly.
Adrian rushed down the corridor.
When he opened the door, he saw his father lying on the bed, pale but awake, his leg bandaged.
"Father, what happened?" Adrian asked, voice tight with worry and anger.
Leonid looked at him with pain in his eyes.
"That stupid Damian," he hissed. "He shot me. That boy—he's going to regret it."
Adrian clenched his fists, rage spreading through him like fire.
Leonid nodded weakly.
"I will have to inform grandfather about this" Adrian said as he left the hospital room.
He told one of his men to go to his grandfather's mansion to inform him about what Damian did to his father.
***
The sound of clinking cutlery and light conversation filled the dining hall as Grandfather, Irina, Elena, and Tia had breakfast together.
Then, the heavy front doors creaked open. A man in a black coat walked in, his shoes echoing against the marble floor.
The butler appeared beside him, looking uncertain.
"Sir, one of Young Master Adrian's men is here," he said carefully.
Grandfather raised a brow. "At this hour? Bring him in."
The man entered respectfully, bowing deeply before the table.
"Good morning, sir."
Grandfather set down his teacup.
"You may speak. Why has Adrian sent you here this early?"
The man hesitated, glancing briefly around the table—at Irina, at Elena, then back to the old man.
"Sir, Mr. Leonid… he's in the hospital. He was shot."
Irina's fork fell from her hand with a sharp clang.
Grandfather straightened instantly, his voice rising.
"What did you just say?"
The man swallowed hard.
"Mr. Leonid was shot on the leg, sir. The one who shot him… was Mr. Damian."
The entire room fell silent.
Elena froze, her eyes wide in shock.
Damian… shot his uncle? Her heart thudded in her chest.
Grandfather's face darkened, his expression stormy.
"That boy… that ungrateful boy!" he thundered, slamming his cane against the floor.
Irina was trembling. "My God?"
Tia, on the other hand, leaned back with a smirk.
"Well, uncle Leonid finally got what was coming to him," she muttered under her breath.
"I love my cousin for that."
"Tatiana!" Irina snapped, horrified.
But Tia just shrugged and picked up her teacup, hiding her smile.
Grandfather turned to the messenger again, his tone sharp and commanding.
"Is Leonid okay?"
"I—I have no idea, sir. He was still conscious when we left."
Grandfather pushed his chair back angrily, standing up with the help of his cane.
"Prepare the car," he barked to the butler. "Right now! I want to see my son."
"Yes, sir." The butler rushed off immediately.
Grandfather's hands trembled slightly as he leaned on his cane, fury and disappointment filling his voice.
"That reckless boy has lost his mind. Shooting his uncle—his own blood! He'll answer for this, I swear it."
Elena sat there quietly, her mind spinning, worry clawing at her chest.
Why would Damian do something like that?
Tia looked at her and whispered with a grin, "Your man's got fire in his veins, Elena."
Irina stood up at once, panic written all over her face. "Father, I will come too"
As the three of them—Grandfather, Irina, and Adrian's man—headed toward the door, the air in the mansion grew heavy.
Elena sat frozen in her chair, her mind spinning. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Damian had really shot his uncle?
Tia nudged her arm lightly and whispered, "Relax, Elena. Uncle Leonid had it coming."
She stood up slowly, ignoring the questions from Tia and walked upstairs to her room.
Once inside, she shut the door and pulled out her phone. Her hands trembled slightly as she scrolled to Damian's number.
She pressed "call."
The phone rang once… twice… three times.
No answer.
She tried again. Still nothing.