Chapter 107 Public Renunciation of Old Name
The decision had been forming long before Adrian said it out loud.
It lingered in the background of everything — in the quiet apartment evenings, in Elliot’s laughter, in the notes for the foundation, in the way Lila no longer looked at him like he carried something dangerous in his shadow.
Because he still did.
His name.
Blackmoor.
It followed him into every room, even the ones he tried to keep clean.
The Morning
It was early.
Earlier than usual.
Adrian stood in his small kitchen, staring at his phone. The message draft had been open for nearly twenty minutes.
Marcus was the only person he had told so far.
The reply from Marcus had been simple:
If you’re doing this, do it completely.
Adrian intended to.
He picked up the phone and pressed send.
The Call
An hour later, he knocked on Lila’s door.
She opened it in casual clothes, hair loosely tied back, surprise flickering across her face.
“You’re early.”
“I know.”
Something in his tone made her step aside immediately.
“Come in.”
Elliot was still asleep.
The apartment was quiet.
Adrian didn’t sit.
“I’m making a public statement today,” he said.
Lila’s expression sharpened.
“What kind of statement?”
“I’m renouncing my name.”
Silence filled the room.
Understanding
“You mean…” she started slowly, “you’re distancing yourself?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I’m removing it.”
She stared at him.
“You can’t just—”
“I legally filed the change this morning.”
That stopped her completely.
“You already did it?”
“Yes.”
“What name are you taking?”
“Just Adrian Kovač.”
She absorbed that.
Dropping Blackmoor entirely.
Not modifying.
Not softening.
Removing.
Why Now
“Why today?” she asked.
“Because I don’t want anything tied to what we’re building.”
“The foundation?”
“Yes.”
“And… us?”
“Yes.”
Lila folded her arms, not defensive — thoughtful.
“That name built your entire life.”
“I know.”
“You’re giving it up completely.”
“Yes.”
“No fallback.”
“No.”
“No hidden identity.”
“No.”
The Weight
Lila walked slowly to the window.
“You understand what that means,” she said quietly.
“Yes.”
“You lose access to networks. Influence. People who only respect power.”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be just… Adrian.”
“Yes.”
She turned to face him.
“And you’re okay with that?”
He answered without hesitation.
“That’s the point.”
Elliot Wakes
Elliot padded into the living room, rubbing his eyes.
“Why are you here so early?”
Adrian knelt slightly.
“I wanted to tell you something.”
Elliot blinked.
“What?”
“I’m changing my name.”
Elliot frowned.
“Why?”
Adrian thought for a moment, then answered simply.
“Because I don’t want to carry the old one anymore.”
Elliot processed that.
“What’s your new one?”
“Adrian Kovač.”
Elliot nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
That was it.
No confusion.
No resistance.
Just acceptance.
Children rarely attached meaning to names — they attached meaning to people.
The Statement
By midday, the announcement went public.
Short.
Direct.
No dramatics.
No justification.
Effective immediately, I am relinquishing the Blackmoor name and any association with its legacy. I will no longer operate under that identity, nor will I retain any influence connected to it. My future work will be conducted independently, under my legal name, Adrian Kovač.
No interviews.
No follow-ups.
Just finality.
The Reaction
Marcus texted first.
It’s done. No going back now.
Adrian replied:
That was the idea.
Julian sent a single message:
That’s a clean break. Respect.
Cassia didn’t message at all.
Evelyn didn’t either.
The silence from his family spoke louder than anything else.
Lila Watches
Lila read the statement on her phone while Elliot colored beside her.
She read it twice.
Then a third time.
No hidden wording.
No subtle claims.
Just separation.
She looked up at Adrian.
“You didn’t soften it.”
“No.”
“You didn’t leave yourself room.”
“No.”
“You cut it completely.”
“Yes.”
What It Means
“Do you feel different?” she asked.
Adrian thought about it.
“Lighter.”
She nodded.
“That makes sense.”
He looked at her.
“I didn’t do this for approval.”
“I know.”
“But it matters that you understand.”
“I do.”
A Quiet Shift
The rest of the day passed normally.
Lunch.
Elliot showing them his drawing again.
A short walk outside.
But something had changed.
Not dramatically.
Subtly.
Like a weight removed from the air around him.
People in the street didn’t know.
The world hadn’t visibly shifted.
But internally, something fundamental had.
Evening
As Adrian prepared to leave, Elliot tugged lightly at his sleeve.
“Does this mean you’re different now?”
Adrian crouched.
“I’m still me.”
Elliot nodded.
“Good.”
Then he hugged him quickly before running back inside.
The hug was spontaneous.
Unplanned.
And it landed deeper than any public reaction.
At the Door
Lila stood with him in the doorway.
“You really did it,” she said.
“Yes.”
“No half-measures.”
“No.”
She studied his face.
“You’re not looking back.”
“No.”
She hesitated.
Then said quietly,
“That matters to me.”
Adrian nodded.
“It matters to me too.”
After
When the door closed, Lila leaned briefly against it.
This wasn’t just symbolic.
It was structural.
He had cut the last visible tie to the world that had shaped him.
Not for redemption.
Not for image.
But for clarity.
Outside
Adrian stepped into the evening air.
For the first time in his adult life, he wasn’t carrying the weight of a legacy.
No empire.
No surname that opened doors.
No shadow.
Just Adrian.
And strangely, it felt like he could finally breathe.
Quiet Confirmation
Inside, Lila returned to the living room.
Elliot looked up.
“Is he coming back tomorrow?”
“Yes,” she said.
Elliot smiled.
“Okay.”
That simple expectation — that he would return — felt more meaningful than any name.
Because presence mattered more than identity.
A New Beginning
Lila turned off the lights later that night.
As she passed the fridge, she saw Elliot’s drawing.
Three figures.
Open doors.
She realized something.
They weren’t building a future tied to who Adrian had been.
They were building one based on who he was choosing to become.
And today, he had made that choice permanent.