Chapter 5: Inherits His Legacy

Rick sat back in his chair, as he had just finished his meal and the remnants still laid out before him on the large dining table in the grand estate. The house, with its massive rooms, expensive furniture, and quiet elegance, was far removed from the cold, sterile walls of the prison he had known for years.

Yet, despite the luxury that surrounded him, Rick’s expression was calm, almost indifferent. The years behind bars had hardened him, molded him into someone who could no longer be fazed by wealth or grandeur. It was as if the hardships of prison life had prepared him for this exact moment.

He wiped his face with the napkin, placed it neatly on the table, and called out, “Mr. Charles.”

The butler appeared almost instantly, stepping quietly into the room with his hands folded neatly in front of him. “Yes, young master?”

Rick leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table as he fixed his eyes on Charles. “I want to know if you have any information about my wife. How is Laura faring?”

Charles hesitated for a moment before speaking, carefully choosing his words. “Young master... according to the research I’ve done, Laura isn’t doing well.” He paused, watching Rick’s face for a reaction, but Rick remained still. “She’s been working as a maid at the Eldwolf mansion. From what I’ve gathered, she’s being treated... poorly. Her son—”

Rick's hand froze in mid-air as he reached for his glass of water. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and he set the glass down gently, his eyes narrowing. “Her son?”

“Yes, young master. Laura has a son, a boy around five years old. He’s been maltreated as well, from what I’ve learned.”

*Paaaah!*

The sound of glass shattering filled the room as Rick’s hand involuntarily crushed the glass he had been holding, shards of it scattering across the table. A deep, sharp pain lanced through his hand as blood dripped from his knuckles, but Rick barely noticed.

The table shook as he slammed his other fist down on it.

“She has a child?” he was surprised

“How... how could I not know?”

His mind raced through the possibilities. Could the child be his? Was this something that had happened after he was imprisoned? Even if the boy wasn’t his by blood, the thought of Laura—his Laura—being mistreated, and her son suffering as well, filled him with a rage so potent he could hardly contain it.

Charles remained silent, watching Rick carefully. He knew better than to interrupt him. After a few moments, Rick straightened up, his face now was now as cold as someone who had just passed through hell.

“Even if the boy isn’t mine,” Rick said slowly, “I will take care of him. I will protect both of them.”

“They will pay for making my wife their slave. Everyone one last one of them would regret leaving in this world” Rick clenched his feast.

Charles nodded. “What would you like to do, young master?”

“Get the car ready,” Rick commanded, his voice firm. “We’re going to the Eldwolf mansion.”

************

At the Eldwolf mansion, Laura stood in the corner of the large dining room, her clothes tattered and dirt-streaked, her eyes downcast as she clutched the hand of a small boy. He couldn’t have been more than five years old.

Across the room, Melissa Eldwolf sat at a lavishly set table, sipping from a glass of wine as if nothing in the world could disturb her peace. Her eyes flicked over to Laura with disdain, her lips curling into a cruel smile.

“My son hasn’t eaten since morning,” Laura pleaded softly, her voice trembling as she stepped forward. “Please... he’s just a child. Let me get him something to eat.”

Melissa’s eyes glinted with malice as she set her glass down on the table with a deliberate clink. “He can eat with the dogs, for all I care,” she said coldly. “Or, better yet... he can eat 'like' one.”

Laura’s heart sank as she looked down at her son, who was staring at the floor, his small body trembling. She tried to hold back her tears, but they threatened to spill over as she fought to keep her composure.

Laura found out that she was pregnant after Rick was sent to prison. She had despised Rick for putting her in this situation. But, when she saw the true colors of her family for bearing a child for Rick, she had suffered ever since that day. Meanwhile, Melissa claimed ownership of the company.

Melissa, enjoying Laura’s misery, picked up her glass again and swirled the remaining wine around before casually dumping it onto the floor in front of her. “If you want your precious son to eat, then you’ll clean this up. With your dress.”

Laura’s son tugged at her hand, his small voice barely audible. “Mom... don’t do it. I’m not hungry anymore.”

The boy’s words cut deep into Laura’s heart, and she bent down to comfort him, cupping his small face with her hands. “It’s okay,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “ All is going to be okay.”

She turned back to the mess on the floor, with the  shame and humiliation. Slowly, she sank to her knees, her hands trembling as she reached for the hem of her already ragged gown. Cleaning the floor like an animal, for the sake of her child’s well-being, wasn't what she had expected would happen to her in her wildest dream, but she knew she had no choice.

Just as she lowered her head to the floor, the front doors of the mansion burst open with a thunderous bang, startling everyone in the room. Laura froze, her hands still gripping her dress, her body shaking as she lifted her eyes.

In the doorway stood a man—a man she thought she would never see again.

Rick.

His figure was framed by the light pouring in from outside, and for a moment, Laura could hardly believe her eyes. He was older, more hardened, but his face was unmistakable. His gaze swept across the room, searching for something—someone.

And then, his eyes found her.

Laura’s breath caught in her throat as their gazes locked. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the shock, the pain, and the anger that flashed across Rick’s face. His eyes darted down to her filthy gown, then to the small boy at her side, and the shattered remains of a glass on the floor. It was too much to bear.

Rick’s chest tightened painfully as he took in the scene before him. Laura—his beautiful, strong Laura—reduced to this. Her son, their son, standing by her side with wide, terrified eyes. His heart broke in that moment, and without realizing it, tears began to form in his own eyes. He took a step forward, but the weight of everything he had missed, everything that had happened in his absence, pressed down on him like a crushing force.

“Laura...” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Melissa, who had been sitting silently in shock, suddenly shot up from her seat, her expression quickly twisting into one of fury and panic. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, her voice sharp. “How dare you—”

But before she could finish, Rick’s hand slammed down on the table with a force that silenced her immediately.

“If you dare,I promise I will kill you" he confronted Melissa.

He immediately knelt beside Laura, gently lifting her to her feet as tears streamed down her face.

“I’m sorry,”