Disguised Boss Ordered Coffee in His Own Bar — Then Froze at the Waitress’s 3 Words!
Chapter 8
They followed the sedan.
It led them across the city to an old hotel owned by Cole Hospitality.
Adrian had never visited it.
The building had been closed for years.
Lucas stepped out.
Adrian got out of his car.
“You took my mother.”
Lucas shook his head.
“Not me.”
“Then where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian approached.
“Tell me everything.”
Lucas looked at Mia.
“I found Eleanor three months ago.”
Mia’s breath caught.
“She was alive.”
“She was.”
“Where is she now?”
“Taken.”
“By whom?”
Lucas looked at the hotel.
“I think the man behind all of this is here.”
They entered.
The hotel lobby was dark.
At the front desk sat a single folder.
Adrian opened it.
Inside were photographs of his family.
His father.
His mother.
His aunt Eleanor.
Richard.
Victor.
And one final person.
The current CEO of Cole Hospitality.
Adrian’s closest business partner.
Nathan Brooks.
Adrian stared.
Nathan had joined the company after Adrian became CEO.
He had helped expand it nationally.
He had access to every account.
Every contract.
Every acquisition.
Adrian’s face hardened.
“It’s Nathan.”
Lucas shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why is he here?”
“Because he works for someone.”
Mia stared at the photo.
“Who?”
Lucas pointed to the last picture.
The man standing beside Nathan was older.
Gray hair.
Calm expression.
Adrian didn’t recognize him.
Then Lucas said:
“Your grandfather.”
Adrian froze.
“My grandfather died before I was born.”
“So everyone thought.”
The lights came on.
A man stepped into the lobby.
Older.
Elegant.
Unhurried.
He looked at Adrian.
Then smiled.
“Hello, grandson.”
Adrian’s body went cold.
The man was Joseph Cole.
His father’s father.
The founder of Cole Industries.
A man whose funeral Adrian’s family had held twenty-five years earlier.
“You’re dead.”
Joseph smiled.
“Legally.”
Adrian stared.
“Why?”
“To protect what I built.”
“You stole from my company.”
Joseph’s expression hardened.
“I built that company.”
“My father built it after you.”
“Your father diluted it.”
“You killed him.”
“No.”
Joseph looked at Lucas.
“Your grandfather protected this family.”
Lucas said quietly:
“You destroyed it.”
Joseph sighed.
“Your father was weak.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You kidnapped my mother.”
“I protected her.”
“From what?”
“From the truth.”
Adrian clenched his fists.
Joseph continued.
“The money was never stolen.”
Mia looked confused.
“What?”
Joseph pointed toward the hotel.
“Cole Hospitality was being drained by your father.”
Adrian shook his head.
“That’s a lie.”
Joseph smiled.
“You’ve seen the documents.”
“Yes.”
“Then you saw the transfers.”
“They were fake.”
“No.”
Joseph leaned closer.
“They were insurance.”
Adrian stared.
“What insurance?”
Joseph’s voice became colder.
“Against the people who wanted this family destroyed.”
Then the elevator behind them opened.
A woman stepped out.
Mia gasped.
“Mom?”
Eleanor Cole walked toward them.
Alive.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakably herself.
She looked at Adrian.
Then at Mia.
And whispered:
“We don’t have much time.”
