The subterranean office was Karvin's mind, but Adrian Cole was the engine that powered its operations.
While Karvin Blackwood sat upstairs, the picture of bored, spoiled youth, Adrian was three floors down, navigating the billions. He was a man of forty, with neat, short-cut hair and eyes that rarely missed a detail. He moved with the silence and precision of a highly trained operative.
Adrian looked up from the glowing market data on his primary monitor, having just finished redirecting the final, trickiest assets from the collapsed Kane Industries. The takeover was flawless. He was the ghost of Karvin's operations, the right hand that reached into the financial world while Karvin's own hands remained clean. The question that always lingered was not "Who is Karvin?" but, "Who is Adrian Cole, and why does he serve an eighteen-year-old?"
The Cost of Trust
Adrian Cole was once a rising star in cybersecurity, but he carried a wound far deeper than corporate betrayal. He had been gutted by the two people he loved and trusted most: his fiancée, Amelia, and his supposed best friend, David. Together, they executed a perfect, cold-blooded scheme, systematically stripping Adrian of every asset—his real estate, his investments, and his personal funds—leaving him completely destitute.
The betrayal culminated on a rainy night in a deserted downtown parking lot. David and Amelia were done with the performance. They didn't just want his money; they wanted to erase him. Adrian found himself dragged into the cold darkness, beaten savagely, and left for dead on the slick asphalt.
The Proposition
Adrian lay broken, the rain washing over his face, when a sleek black sedan, silent and almost invisible, pulled up in the darkest corner of the lot. The passenger door opened, and a slight, young figure stepped out. It was a boy, no older than sixteen, observing the scene with eyes that held no fear, only deep, unsettling calculation.
It was Karvin Blackwood.
Karvin stood over the bleeding man. His voice was low and even. Adrian, weak and in shock, heard the words clearly, though his vision blurred.
"Are you done, or are you not done? Are you finished, or what?"
The cruelty in the question was matched only by the chance it offered. Adrian managed to ask, his voice a choked whisper, "Why did you save me?"
"I'm looking for a guy who is damaged by heart and loyal from heart," Karvin stated. "The system broke your loyalty, but they didn't kill it. They just focused it."
Adrian was crying, deep and visceral sobs of despair and relief. "Thank you for rescuing me," he choked out.
Karvin then came closer, leaning down to Adrian's ear. "Do you want to follow me? If you do, I will let you have revenge on her and whomever else you want."
"I will follow you until the last," Adrian whispered, the promise a silent oath. He had lost everything, but in this strange boy, he saw the ultimate weapon.
Karvin moved swiftly, checking his phone. "Don't faint here. We're moving. Take him to the private clinic. Highest priority, full anonymity."
The Veil Lifts
Twelve days later, Adrian was recovering in a spotless, private hospital room. His head throbbed, and his body ached, but the wounds were healing. He was still deeply broken.
The door opened and Karvin walked inside. Adrian was momentarily frozen by the cold, analytical gaze of the boy. Then, Karvin smiled—a quick, practiced, and innocent gesture.
"Oh, my dear Karv!" Karvin's mother, Elizabeth Blackwood, swept into the room behind him. She was all elegance and concern. "This is the brave young man who found you in the parking lot! He was full of blood. I was scared for him."
Elizabeth approached Adrian. "What is your name, dear?"
"Adrian Cole," he replied.
Elizabeth froze, her eyes widening in genuine shock. "Cole? Are you the Adrian Cole who owned the Black City Villa 4?"
"Yes, ma'am," Adrian confirmed, looking at Karvin who gave a slight nod, the permission to continue.
Adrian recounted the tale of betrayal, omitting Karvin's prophecy, focusing only on the fiancée and friend who had stolen everything.
Elizabeth was appalled. "How could she, a woman, do something like that? If you need any help, please contact my husband. Oh, you don't know my husband. His name is Richard Blackwood."
The name hit Adrian like a physical blow. Blackwood? Karvin was the son of Richard Blackwood? He was the heir to the most powerful family in the city. The boy was not just rich; he was the future of power, and he had used his privileged status to cover their first meeting.
"We'll leave you to rest, dear," Elizabeth said. "We can't have you resting properly if we're here."
"Mommy, I want to be with big brother Adrian," Karvin pleaded, perfectly playing the part of the spoiled, clingy son.
"No, honey," Elizabeth insisted.
Adrian intervened. "It's okay, ma'am. It's actually boring here; he can stay."
Elizabeth relented. "Okay, just three minutes, Karv. I'll be at the car." She left.
The door clicked shut, and Karvin's innocent facade vanished. His eyes were cold and focused. "Are you ready?"
"Two days, I will be ready," Adrian replied, his voice firm, his allegiance sealed.
"Okay. I will meet you then."
"Thank you, Master."
Adrian's vow was complete. He had lost his life, but in its place, he gained a weapon and a new master. He was no longer Adrian Cole, the victim; he was Adrian Cole, the Right Hand of the Hidden Billionaire.