Chapter 4 - The Midnight Ultimatum
The party was abruptly canceled. The billionaires and politicians were ushered out by confused security staff, the whispers of the "Ghost Heir" already spreading like wildfire across Wall Street.
Inside the mansion’s cavernous library, the atmosphere was suffocating. Victoria paced furiously in front of the roaring fireplace, while Julian sat in a massive leather armchair that swallowed him whole. He remained eerily calm, munching on an apple he had taken from a silver platter.
"How much?" Victoria hissed, turning to him. Caldwell had briefly stepped out to make arrangements with the bank. "Who put you up to this? The Chinese conglomerates? The European banks? I will double whatever they are paying you to walk away tonight."
Julian finished chewing and swallowed. "I don't want your money, Victoria. It's not yours to give."
"You are a street orphan playing a dangerous game!" she snarled, slamming her hands down on the armrests of his chair, her face inches from his. "You think because you look a little like Harrison, you can steal my empire? I built the tech division! I doubled our stock! You are nothing!"
"I am the boy you tried to drown in the river," Julian whispered.
Victoria froze. The blood completely vanished from her lips.
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"You told Grandpa I fell off the yacht," Julian continued, his blue eyes boring into her soul. "But I remember your hands on my back. I remember the cold water. Grandpa found me on the shore. He hid me because he knew you wouldn't stop until I was dead. He waited until he could build a trap you couldn't escape."
The library door clicked open. Caldwell stepped in. "The bank is ready. The vault awaits."
