Chapter 11 - Sins of the Father
The chilling photograph slipped from my fingers and fluttered onto the polished hardwood floor.
My breath caught in my throat. Justin was in the crosshairs of a rifle, completely unaware, laughing over coffee with Elena.
I grabbed my phone with trembling hands and dialed my brother’s number. Every second the line rang felt like a blade scraping against my nerves.
"Sabrina? What’s going on? It’s almost midnight," Justin answered, his voice drowsy.
"Where is Elena right now?" I demanded, my voice raw and urgent.
"She’s asleep in the bedroom. Sabrina, what’s wrong? You’re breathing like you just ran a marathon."
"Lock every door in your apartment. Pull the blinds shut right now and do not stand near any windows," I ordered, pacing across my living room. "I just received an envelope at my door. There is a sniper photograph of you and Elena at the café on Market Street."
Silence stretched across the line, heavy and terrifying. I heard the rustle of sheets, followed by the sound of Justin locking deadbolts.
"Who sent it?" Justin whispered, the sleep completely gone from his tone.
"Kenneth’s father," I said, reading the jagged handwriting on the prison paper once more. "Arthur Vance."
Justin let out a sharp, ragged breath. Fifteen years ago, Arthur Vance was an untouchable titan on Wall Street, running an aggressive hedge fund that used extortion and corporate espionage to swallow family businesses whole. Our father had spent two grueling years working with federal prosecutors to uncover Vance's bribery rings and illegal offshore conduits. The resulting trial had destroyed Vance’s empire and sent him to federal prison for a twenty-year sentence.
Our father had saved our family from ruin back then. But none of us had realized how deep the roots of vengeance ran.
"Kenneth wasn't just a greedy opportunist," I realized aloud, the pieces connecting in a sickening wave. "He was a weapon planted by his father. Arthur sent Kenneth to marry me, infiltrate Rollins Global, and drain our family dry from the inside out."
"Arthur was supposed to serve another five years," Justin said, his voice shaking with anger. "How is he getting parole?"
"I don't know, but I’m going to find out," I replied. "Pack a bag for you and Elena. Take the service elevator down to your basement garage. Vincent is going to pick you up in an unmarked car and take you to a secure location outside the city."
I hung up and immediately dialed Vincent. Within ten minutes, my private investigator had mobilized his team.
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I stood by the window, staring out into the glittering Denver night, feeling the shadows closing in. Kenneth had tried to ruin my body and steal my company, but Arthur Vance wanted to destroy my entire bloodline.
I pulled my coat tight around my shoulders and locked the penthouse door. If Arthur Vance wanted a war, he was going to find out that my father’s daughter fought back twice as hard.
