I Proposed To A Scarred Homeless Man To Save My Family's Empire

The Shadow of Betrayal

The sidewalk erupted into absolute chaos. Grace's hired security team immediately moved to form a defensive wall, clashing with the armed intruders. Screams filled the air as the two groups fought desperately. Grace threw her arms around Andrew, shielding his fragile body with her own.

"Hold on to me!" she screamed over the din of the fight. "Don't let them take you!"

From the back of the SUV, a tall, older man in a tailored charcoal coat stepped out. It was Richard Sterling, Grace's uncle and the current acting CEO of Sterling Enterprises. His eyes were cold, filled with a ruthless determination.

"Step away from him, Grace," Richard commanded, his voice dripping with false authority. "You are suffering from grief-induced delusions. This man is a vagrant. My guards are simply taking him to a facility where he can be... properly cared for."

Grace stood up, her sunglasses falling to the pavement, revealing eyes burning with fury.

"You liar!" she spat, her voice echoing off the concrete walls. "I know what you did, Richard! I took a DNA sample from his coffee cup weeks ago. This is Arthur, my husband. The man you tried to murder three years ago so you could steal his inheritance!"

Richard's face hardened, the mask of benevolence slipping away to reveal a sinister sneer.

"A DNA test means nothing if the subject disappears permanently," Richard whispered, gesturing for his remaining men to bypass the guards and seize Andrew. "Take them both if you have to."

Andrew clutched his head as the shouting and the sight of Richard triggered a violent torrent of memories. Images of a dark, rainy night, a car being forced off a bridge, and a cold, laughing face flashed in his mind. The fog in his brain was burning away, replaced by a searing, undeniable truth.