CHAPTER 3: The Heir's Dilemma
The words "Prince Allen" echoed in Allen's mind like a haunting melody. He stood frozen, staring at Butler Joe, who still knelt before him with a respectful yet firm expression. The living room around them was in shambles—furniture overturned, drawers ripped from their frames, glass littering the floor—but none of it seemed real compared to the bombshell Joe had just dropped on him.
"I don't understand," Allen whispered, barely able to form the words. "This can't be true. My father... my adoptive father was just some guy who barely kept things together. He sold me. How am I... how am I the heir to an empire?"
Joe rose slowly, his posture stiff but dignified, as if he had been waiting years for this moment. His eyes never wavered as he addressed Allen. "Your adoptive father was indeed a man of humble means, but the circumstances surrounding your adoption were far more complex than you were led to believe."
Allen shook his head, pacing the floor, trying to grasp what was happening. "Complex? What does that even mean? My whole life has been a mess. Now you're telling me I'm some kind of prince? Of what? I've never heard of any Morgan Empire."
"The Morgan family is one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country," Joe explained. "Your birthright has been hidden from you for your own safety. Your enemies—our enemies—would stop at nothing to see the Morgan line destroyed. That is why you were placed with an adoptive family, away from the chaos, away from the dangers that have haunted us for generations."
"Dangers?" Allen repeated, still struggling to catch up. "What enemies? Why would anyone want to come after me?"
Joe's gaze darkened as he spoke, the weight of years of secrecy visible in his eyes. "The Morgans control a vast financial empire—real estate, corporations, wealth beyond imagination. But with that power comes great responsibility and... great risk. There are rival families, hostile business competitors, and criminal organizations that would see us ruined."
Allen ran his hands through his hair, pacing again. This was all too much, too fast. "And what does that have to do with me? I've been nothing my whole life. I barely have a roof over my head. How could I be important to anyone?"
Joe stepped closer, his voice lowering with urgency. "You are the last remaining heir, Allen. Without you, the Morgan family will fall. Your identity was hidden to protect you, but now the time has come for you to reclaim your rightful place. If you do not return and assume control of the family fortune, everything your ancestors built will crumble. And with that, so will the protections that have kept you safe all these years."
Allen stopped pacing, staring at Joe. "Protections? Safe? You call what happened today safe?" He gestured around the room, still littered with the wreckage from the debt collectors. "My mom was attacked. My life was threatened. How is that safe?"
Joe's jaw tightened, and for the first time, there was a flicker of something like guilt in his eyes. "What happened today was unfortunate. It was the result of debts your adoptive father accrued—a separate issue from your true heritage. But know this: the moment you claim your title, no one will dare lay a hand on you or your family. The Morgan name commands respect, fear even. No one would dare cross you."
Allen bit his lip, his mind racing. It sounded too good to be true. One moment he was nothing, the next, he was a prince with power beyond his imagination. But there had to be a catch. There was always a catch.
"And what happens if I say no?" he asked quietly, his voice tight.
Joe's eyes darkened. "Then the Morgan Empire will fall. Your enemies will seize the opportunity to destroy everything your family built. The rivals who have waited for years will move in, and those who seek revenge against the Morgan name will stop at nothing to take what's left."
Allen swallowed hard. "And me? What happens to me if I walk away?"
Joe hesitated for a fraction of a second, and that was all Allen needed to understand the gravity of the situation.
"They will come for you too," Joe admitted. "Even without the family fortune, you are still a Morgan by blood. And they will not let that stand. You will be hunted, Allen."
A chill ran down Allen's spine. This wasn't a choice. Not really. Either he embraced the life he never knew existed, or he spent the rest of his days running, always looking over his shoulder, wondering who would come for him next.
But there was something else nagging at him, something he hadn't thought about until now.
"Daisy," he muttered, almost to himself.
Joe raised an eyebrow. "Who is Daisy, if I may ask?"
Allen clenched his fists, the memories of the earlier confrontation still fresh in his mind. "She's... well, she's the one my adoptive father sold me to. It's a long story, but she showed up today, claimed I was her boyfriend, and threw a contract in my face. Apparently, she owns me now."
Joe's expression remained neutral, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes. "I see. And what are your feelings toward this... Daisy?"
Allen shrugged, unsure of what to say. "It's complicated. I don't even know why she's involved. But if she finds out I'm part of this Morgan family, things could get messy."
"Messy how?" Joe asked, his tone measured.
Allen sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him from all sides. "I don't know. She's powerful in her own way. Connected. I just don't know how she'll react if she finds out I'm not the poor kid she thought she could control."
Joe studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I understand. This Daisy may complicate matters, but she is not your priority. Your family legacy comes first, Allen. Everything else can be dealt with in time."
Allen wasn't so sure. Daisy had shown up out of nowhere, inserting herself into his life with alarming speed. She wasn't the kind of person who liked surprises, and finding out he was the heir to the Morgan Empire would be one hell of a surprise.
And yet, what choice did he have? Joe was right—if he didn't step up, the Morgan name would be destroyed, and his enemies would come for him. It wasn't just about him anymore. Elena could be hurt again, and that was something he couldn't let happen.
But as he stood there, staring at the wreckage of his life, one question kept circling in his mind, haunting him.
How would Daisy react when she learned the truth?
The answer to that was far from clear. And that uncertainty left a knot of dread tightening in Allen's chest.