Chapter 4 - Blood and Betrayal
The lobby erupted into pure chaos.
Reporters shoved microphones toward Julian as security guards finally tackled him to the marble floor.
Julian laughed maniacally even as he was dragged away.
Alex quickly escorted Elena into a private glass elevator, shielding her from the cameras.
The doors slid shut, cutting off the deafening noise.
“Did you know about him?” Alex demanded, his charming facade completely gone.
Elena leaned against the glass, her mind spinning wildly.
“I have never seen that man in my life,” she breathed.
Alex pulled out his phone and rapidly fired off a series of text messages to his legal team.
“If he really is your father’s legitimate heir, my acquisition of your debt is legally void,” Alex explained angrily.
Elena realized this was her chance to escape Alex’s control.
If Julian owned the hotel, the forced marriage contract was useless.
“Then I guess our deal is off, darling,” she said with a mocking smile.
Alex glared at her.
“Don't celebrate yet, Elena.”
He showed her the glowing screen of his phone.
His private investigator had already pulled Julian’s background file.
“Julian isn't just a lost family member,” Alex warned.
“He is the financial front for a notorious Russian syndicate.”
Elena’s smile instantly evaporated.
“If he takes control of this hotel, he will use it to launder money, and the government will seize the property forever,” Alex continued.
Elena realized she had traded a ruthless billionaire for an actual criminal.
She needed to access her emergency offshore accounts to hire her own legal team.
She logged into her banking app with shaking hands.
The screen loaded for a agonizing moment.
Her balance read zero.
She refreshed the app, panicking.
A notification popped up, showing a massive withdrawal made just ten minutes ago.
“Alex, did you freeze my accounts?” she demanded.
Alex looked genuinely confused.
“I haven't touched your personal money yet.”
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Elena clicked on the transaction details and felt her blood run cold.
The money had been authorized and transferred by her own mother, who had supposedly died in a car crash three years ago.
