Chapter 6 - The Cold Bluff
I closed my eyes and braced myself for the agonizing impact of the bullet.
I held my son as tightly as I could, silently promising to protect him with my final breath.
Just as Julian prepared to fire, Sterling subtly cleared his throat.
I opened my eyes and saw Sterling give me a nearly imperceptible, reassuring wink.
Before Julian could pull the trigger, Sterling's elite security team flooded into the mansion.
They moved with terrifying military precision, instantly disarming Julian and pinning him to the floor.
One of Sterling's men gently took the baby from my trembling arms and wrapped him in a warm coat.
Sterling walked over to Julian and kicked the dropped pistol far across the marble floor.
"You are an absolute fool if you thought you could extort me," Sterling growled.
Julian struggled uselessly against the heavy boots pressing him into the cold ground.
"You cannot do this to us, we created your only heir!" Eleanor screamed hysterically.
Sterling looked down at her with a mixture of pity and absolute disgust.
"I received a very interesting encrypted file from an anonymous auditor tonight," Sterling revealed.
My heart leaped in my chest as I realized my desperate plan had actually worked.
"Those files proved that you have been embezzling from my empire for half a decade."
Sterling pulled a heavy set of bolt cutters from a guard and expertly snapped the chain binding my wrist.
He offered me his hand and helped me stand up on my trembling legs.
"You are incredibly brave, Vivian," Sterling whispered sincerely.
I took my baby back from the guard, finally feeling a genuine sense of safety.
Julian screamed in rage and managed to pull a hidden combat knife from his boot.
He slashed the guard's leg and desperately sprinted toward his mother.
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Eleanor pulled a small electronic detonator from her designer purse and pressed the red button.
Heavy steel blast doors instantly slammed down over every single exit in the mansion.
