Adrian looked directly at him.

"I want the right to choose who I spend my life with."

His father’s eyes narrowed immediately.

"So you’re saying you want a life with a criminal?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Adrian’s expression hardened instantly.

"I told you already," Adrian said sharply. "I’m here for myself."

He stepped forward slightly, his voice growing firmer.

"And when you talk to me, keep this conversation between the two of us. Don’t bring Matteo into it, and don’t speak about him like that."

Maxwell quietly looked between the two men as the tension in the room thickened.

"This is my decision," Adrian said. "I want happiness for myself, and whoever I choose to spend my life with should be my choice, not yours."

His father let out a cold laugh.

"You think this is about love?" he asked mockingly. "You think life works that way?"

"Yes," Adrian shot back immediately. "At least my life should. I’ve spent my whole life without feeling loved by you, so I deserve to be loved by someone who would burn the world down for me without hesitation."

His father’s expression darkened further.

"You’re acting like a child."

"And you’re acting like my life belongs to you!" Adrian fired back.

The room fell silent for half a second before both their voices started rising.

Maxwell sat quietly on the side, watching the argument spiral higher and higher.

"I’ve sacrificed enough already!" Adrian shouted. "I’ve listened to you my whole life! I’ve stayed quiet, I’ve obeyed you, and where did it get me?"

His father slammed a hand against the table.

"It got you protection! It got you a future!"

"No," Adrian snapped back. "It got me misery!"

His breathing turned shaky, emotion spilling into every word.

"I don’t want Iris!" Adrian said again. "I don’t love her. I don’t have feelings for her, and I am not going to marry her."

The room went completely still.

Then Adrian turned around sharply.

"Come on," he said to Maxwell. "Let’s leave."

He started walking toward the door without waiting for another response.

Maxwell immediately stood up and followed after him.

But before they could even reach the door—

"LOCK THE DOOR!"

His father’s furious voice thundered through the room.

"NO ONE LEAVES!"

Immediately, the bodyguards near the entrance moved.

The large doors were shut instantly.

Adrian stopped short.

Then he spun around sharply.

"Tell your men to open the door," Adrian snapped, anger flashing across his face.

But his father’s expression remained cold.

"You’re not leaving this estate," he said firmly. "Not until you come back to your senses."

Then he turned toward the bodyguards.

"Take him upstairs," he ordered coldly. "Lock him in his room."

The men immediately started moving toward Adrian.

Adrian stepped back instantly.

"Don’t touch me," he warned. "None of you should come closer to me."

But the bodyguards didn’t stop.

They kept moving forward.

Adrian’s breathing grew uneven again. "I said don’t come closer!"

Still, they ignored him.

Then suddenly—

Click.

The sharp sound echoed through the room.

Everyone froze.

Adrian’s eyes widened slightly as Maxwell calmly pulled a gun from behind him.

And not just any gun.

The weapon looked sleek, deadly, and expensive enough to make every guard in the room pause instinctively.

Maxwell held it casually in one hand, as if it weighed nothing.

But the look in his eyes had completely changed.

Cold.

Dangerous.

Playful.

"Wow," Maxwell murmured. "You people really don’t listen."

The room instantly turned tense.

The guards stopped moving immediately, their eyes locked on the weapon pointed directly toward them.

Adrian stared at Maxwell in complete shock.

He genuinely hadn’t known Maxwell carried a gun.

Maxwell tilted his head slightly before smiling.

"Maybe I should introduce myself properly," he said casually.

His smile widened faintly.

"I’m Maxwell Marcone."

The room went dead silent.

Even Adrian’s father’s expression changed slightly at the mention of the name.

Maxwell twirled the gun lazily once before aiming it again.

"I’ve never actually killed anyone before," he admitted lightly. "But my father gave me a gun and taught me how to shoot."

His eyes slowly moved across the guards standing around them.

"So..." he said softly. "Who wants to volunteer as my first?"

Nobody moved.

Nobody even breathed loudly.

Maxwell smiled wider at the silence.

"That’s what I thought."

Then he slowly reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a small black device.

He held it up between his fingers casually.

"And just so we’re all clear," he continued calmly, "I’m not here alone."

His thumb brushed over the button.

"My bodyguards are already outside this estate."

Then his eyes lifted toward Adrian’s father.

"And Matteo is nearby too."

The air in the room turned suffocatingly tense.

"All I have to do is press this button," Maxwell said softly, "and my father will know exactly where I am."

A dangerous smile spread across his face.

"So, Mr. Grayson..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Are you sure you want Luciano Mike Marcone showing up here?"

Even the bodyguards visibly hesitated now.

Maxwell took one slow step forward.

"Because if your men take one more step toward Adrian..." he said quietly, his voice suddenly dropping into something terrifyingly calm, "I will turn this entire place into a war zone."

His finger rested lightly near the trigger.

"Try me."

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous silence.

Adrian himself looked stunned beside him.

He genuinely hadn’t expected this side of Maxwell.

His father’s jaw tightened sharply.

"So this is the kind of life you want?" his father asked coldly, looking directly at Adrian. "Surrounded by dangerous people and criminal families? First Matteo... and now this?"

Maxwell’s smile disappeared instantly.

"With all due respect, sir," he said calmly, "watch your mouth."

The room froze again.

Maxwell’s expression remained strangely relaxed, but the danger in his eyes only grew sharper.

"You can insult me all you want," he continued softly. "But don’t mistake my patience for weakness."

Then he pointed the gun slightly upward again.

"Now tell your men to step back..."

His voice lowered dangerously.

"Or let’s really see what happens next."

Adrian’s father stared at Maxwell for a long moment before slowly turning his gaze toward Adrian.

The anger on his face darkened instantly.

"Sometimes," he said coldly, "I regret ever having you as my son."

The words hit harder than a slap.

Even Maxwell’s expression shifted slightly.

But Adrian just stood there frozen for half a second.

Then slowly, the hurt in his eyes disappeared behind something colder.

His father pointed toward him angrily.

"You’ve become nothing but disappointment after disappointment," he continued harshly. "You embarrass me. You stand in front of me defending criminals, threatening me in my own house, throwing away your future over emotions."

His jaw tightened.

"You were a mistake I should’ve corrected a long time ago."

The room became painfully quiet.

Then finally, Adrian spoke.

His voice was calm this time. "And I wish," Adrian said quietly, "that I had a father who saw me as his son instead of something he could use for his own plans."

His father’s expression hardened instantly.

Adrian took a slow breath before continuing.

"I wish I had a father who looked at me with pride instead of seeing me as a problem to control."

His eyes burned with tears, but he forced himself not to cry.

"So if you regret having me as your son..." Adrian said softly. "Then I regret growing up wishing you could be the kind of father I needed."

Adrian looked directly at him one last time. "I’m going to choose my own happiness," he said. "And I’ll choose whoever I want to spend my life with."

Then he turned away.

His father’s jaw clenched tightly before he finally looked toward the guards and barked out an order.

"Step back. Open the door and let them leave."

The bodyguards immediately obeyed, moving away from the entrance as the doors were opened.

Maxwell slowly lowered his gun but didn’t put it away yet.

Without another word, Adrian walked out first. Maxwell followed beside him closely while the guards stepped aside to clear the path.

The moment they stepped outside, Adrian’s driver quickly opened the car door for them.

Both of them got inside immediately.

Seconds later, the car pulled away from the estate.

The moment they passed through the gates, Adrian turned his face toward the window.

His eyes burned painfully.

He looked like he was trying not to cry.

Maxwell glanced at him quietly before finally speaking.

"I’m not Matteo," he said casually. "But I heard your eyesight gets really bad when you cry."

Adrian let out a weak laugh, even through the pain.

Maxwell leaned back slightly before speaking again.

"So if you’re thinking about crying because of that man," he said softly, "then don’t. Someone like him doesn’t deserve a single tear from you."

Adrian looked at him quietly.

Then he whispered. "Thank you."

Maxwell shrugged lightly. "You’re welcome."

Then a small grin appeared on his face. "You’re my brother-in-law," he said casually. "So obviously I’m going to protect you."

Adrian blinked slightly.

Maxwell smirked and added. "Besides... someone specifically asked me to."

Adrian stared at him quietly for a few seconds.

Maxwell looked back at him innocently.

When Adrian still said nothing, Maxwell suddenly grinned.

"Wait," he said playfully. "Are you staring at me because you’re reconsidering your choices? Because honestly, that intense stare is starting to make me shy."

Adrian immediately looked away toward the window, but this time, instead of crying.

He started laughing softly.

The tension inside the car slowly eased.

Maxwell watched him for a second before smiling faintly.

"Your laugh is beautiful," he said casually. "Almost as beautiful as your face."

Adrian shook his head...

NOTE: I added Maxwell’s character picture and James’ character picture too, so don’t forget to vote for them ❤️

I love you all, and thank you so much for your endless support.