Chapter 2 - The Blocked Accounts
Victoria stared at her father in absolute disbelief as he kneeled on the wine-stained floor.
The powerful patriarch of the Hartwell family had never bowed to anyone in his entire life.
"Dad, get up right now, what are you doing?" she hissed, trying to pull him up by his tuxedo jacket.
Richard slapped her hand away violently, his eyes completely wide with panic.
"Shut your mouth, Victoria, you have no idea what you have just done," he growled through clenched teeth.
Daniel simply looked down at the older man without a single trace of emotion on his handsome face.
He dropped the stained linen napkin onto a silver serving tray.
"Your daughter has made her hospitality very clear, Richard," Daniel said softly.
The quiet tone of his voice sent a chilling shiver down the spines of everyone listening.
"We will not be signing the merger documents on Monday morning."
Daniel turned on his heel and walked gracefully out of the grand ballroom without looking back.
The crowd parted for him instantly, parting like the Red Sea before a powerful king.
Victoria stood frozen, her previous arrogance rapidly dissolving into a cold, sinking feeling of genuine dread.
"Dad, who was that man?" she finally managed to whisper as the music awkwardly resumed.
Richard slowly stood up, looking at his daughter with a mixture of profound disappointment and absolute fury.
"That was Daniel Torres, the billionaire who was going to save our company from total bankruptcy."
Victoria felt her stomach drop, but her pride refused to let her fully accept defeat.
She stormed out of the gala, determined to prove that her family didn't need anyone's charity.
She pulled out her exclusive black credit card to pay for her waiting luxury limousine.
The electronic machine beeped sharply, flashing a bright red message declaring the transaction was declined.
She handed the driver a different platinum card, only to receive the exact same humiliating error.
Her phone suddenly rang, displaying the private number of her personal wealth manager.
"Miss Hartwell, I am so sorry to call this late," the banker stammered nervously.
"Every single corporate and personal account tied to the Hartwell name has just been frozen globally."
Victoria gasped for air, leaning against the cold metal of the limousine door.
"How is that even possible?" she demanded, her voice cracking with fear.
"Someone just bought the international bank that holds all of your family's assets," the manager explained.
"The new owner ordered an immediate lockdown on all of your funds, effective five minutes ago."
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Victoria realized with terrifying clarity that Daniel Torres had not just walked away from the deal.
He had just officially declared war on her entire existence.
