William left the lawyer's office with the weight of his inheritance pressing down on him. The dragon-shaped ring on his finger felt heavy, not just in the physical sense, but with the responsibility it now carried. He kept turning it absentmindedly as he walked, feeling its cool metal against his skin as if it were grounding him.
For years, he had lived in the shadows of others, unseen and unwanted. Now, for the first time in his life, he understood that he didn't have to remain there. He had the power to rise. But that power came with a price, one he hadn't yet fully understood.
The crisp morning air bit at his skin as he walked through the streets, his mind still reeling from everything that had happened in the past few days. The betrayal, the call from Reginald, the sudden revelation of his father's world—everything was happening too fast, and yet, somehow, it felt like it had all been leading to this moment. His 21st birthday, the day he finally understood his place in the world.
But that understanding didn't bring comfort. It brought fear.
The world his father had built—the empire now passed to William—was one of shadows, of deals made in secret and alliances forged in the dark. It was not the world of business meetings and boardrooms that most people would assume when they thought of the Rothschild name. It was a world of underground connections, power brokers who thrived on manipulation and control. William was no stranger to cruelty, but this… this was a new kind of danger.
As he walked, William found himself heading back to the estate. His body moved automatically, as though drawn back to the one place he had known all his life. He didn't want to return—didn't want to face Ethan, or Kate, or any of the people who had treated him like dirt for so long—but there were still things to be settled. Now, with the knowledge and power of his father's legacy behind him, everything felt different.
By the time he arrived, the estate was still and quiet, the sun just beginning to climb into the sky. He entered through the side gate, hoping to avoid any encounters, but as he made his way through the garden, he heard voices ahead. His body tensed as he recognized them.
Ethan and Kate.
They were standing by the ornate fountain, their laughter drifting through the cold morning air like nails on a chalkboard. William's heart clenched as he watched them, the memory of their betrayal still fresh and raw. He had seen them in bed together only hours before, and now they stood there, carefree, as if nothing had happened.
Anger flared in William's chest, but this time, it didn't consume him. It didn't leave him feeling powerless. Instead, it simmered beneath the surface, controlled, tempered by the knowledge of what he now possessed. He no longer needed to lash out in rage. He had the means to destroy them both, and that thought gave him an odd sense of calm.
Ethan was talking, his voice loud and obnoxious as usual, boasting about some business deal or another. Kate laughed in all the right places, her eyes fixed on him with that same calculating look William had seen before, the one that had been hidden beneath layers of false affection when she had been with him.
They hadn't noticed him yet, and for a moment, William considered walking away. But then Kate's voice drifted toward him, her words like poison.
"You know, Ethan," she said, her tone dripping with feigned sweetness, "I'm glad you finally realized William was never going to be a threat. He's such a joke. I don't even know why I bothered pretending for so long."
William's jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides. But this time, the anger didn't control him. He controlled it.
Ethan laughed, pulling Kate closer. "He's nothing. Always has been. Just a stepping stone, really."
William felt the cool metal of the dragon ring against his skin, a reminder of the power he now held. They didn't know yet. They had no idea what was coming.
Taking a deep breath, William stepped forward, his voice steady, though the fury burned beneath the surface. "Funny how people underestimate those they think are beneath them."
Ethan and Kate froze, their heads snapping in William's direction. For a moment, they looked shocked, as if they hadn't expected to see him again so soon. But then Ethan's expression shifted, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Well, look who it is," Ethan sneered. "Finally decided to crawl out of whatever hole you've been hiding in?"
William met his gaze, calm and unflinching. "I've been learning a few things about myself," he said, his voice cool. "And about my family."
Kate shifted uncomfortably, but Ethan's smirk widened. "Your family? What family? The Cains? Because we both know you're not really one of us."
William smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in it. "I wasn't talking about the Cains."
Ethan frowned, his smirk faltering as he studied William more closely, as if trying to understand what had changed. But before he could respond, Kate stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "What are you playing at, William? This pathetic act isn't going to get you anywhere."
For the first time, William didn't feel the sting of her words. Instead, he felt a sense of quiet satisfaction. He wasn't playing any games. This was no act. The power he now held—the legacy of his father—was real, and soon enough, they would understand just how wrong they had been.
"You're right," William said, his gaze steady as he looked between them. "This isn't going to get me anywhere. But I don't need it to."
Ethan exchanged a quick glance with Kate, confusion flickering in his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?"
William smiled again, turning his back on them without another word. He could hear Ethan shouting something behind him, but he didn't care. Let them wonder. Let them stew in their confusion.
They didn't know it yet, but their days of mocking him—of controlling him—were over.
As William left the estate, heading toward the city to meet with Reginald once more, the dragon ring on his finger felt like a key—a key to a future that was now within his grasp. He had made his decision. He would claim his father's legacy, but not just for the wealth, not just for the power.
He would rise, not for them, but for himself.
And when the time came, Ethan, Kate, and everyone else who had treated him like dirt would learn what it truly meant to face a Rothschild.