Chapter 1: The Boy Who Knew Too Much
The entire restaurant went silent.
Adrian Vale stared at the little boy standing in front of him.
A child covered in dirt.
A child with no shoes.
A child who somehow knew someone wanted him dead.
The billionaire slowly looked down at the salmon sitting on his plate.
For years, Adrian had survived business wars, betrayals, and threats from powerful enemies.
But he had never expected the person who saved his life would be a homeless child holding a broken teddy bear.
“Bring me the plate,” Adrian ordered.
One of the guards immediately stepped forward.
“Sir, we should remove him first.”
Adrian’s eyes hardened.
“No.”
The guard stopped.
“He stays.”
The boy looked surprised.
Nobody had ever listened to him before.
Adrian carefully pushed the plate away.
“Tell me your name.”
The boy hesitated.
His eyes moved around the restaurant.
He looked afraid.
“My name is Leo.”
“Leo what?”
The boy lowered his head.
“Just Leo.”
Adrian noticed something.
The child wasn’t afraid of him.
He was afraid of someone else.
Someone who might be watching.
Adrian leaned closer.
“Leo, how did you know the food was poisoned?”
The boy squeezed his teddy bear tighter.
“Because I saw her put something in it.”
The restaurant guests gasped.
The billionaire’s face became colder.
“Who?”
Leo slowly turned his head toward the crowd.
But the woman with sunglasses was gone.
Adrian immediately stood.
“Lock every exit.”
The security guards reacted instantly.
Guests started whispering.
“What’s happening?”
“Is someone trying to kill him?”
“Who is that child?”
Adrian ignored everyone.
His eyes stayed on Leo.
“What did the woman look like?”
The boy swallowed.
“She was pretty.”
“Black dress?”
Leo nodded.
“Expensive shoes?”
Another nod.
Adrian froze.
Because only one person matched that description.
A woman who was supposed to be dead.
A woman who knew every weakness he had.
His former fiancée.
Victoria Hayes.
Ten years ago, Victoria disappeared after a private plane crash.
No body was ever found.
No explanation.
Only rumors.
Adrian had spent years believing she was gone.
But now a frightened child had just brought her name back from the grave.
Then Leo whispered something that made Adrian’s blood run cold.
“She told someone on the phone…”
The billionaire looked at him.
“What did she say?”
Leo’s lips trembled.
“She said…”
The boy looked around one more time.
Then whispered:
“She said the billionaire would never see tomorrow.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
Because this wasn’t just an assassination attempt.
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It was a warning.
And someone powerful was still inside the restaurant.
