Chapter 6 - The Setup
Julian didn't go to the police. The cartel owned half the judges in the city, and Victor had the resources to disappear again. This had to be handled in the dark.
Julian set up a command post in a secure penthouse overlooking the Chicago skyline.
“We need to draw Victor out of hiding,” Julian said to his team. “He won’t show his face until he thinks he has the upper hand. He wants me to sign the company over. We give him the opportunity.”
“It’s a suicide mission to meet him face-to-face,” Marcus warned.
“Not if we control the board,” Julian replied. “I’m going to call David Vance. I’m going to tell him I’m broken. That the siege in Montana terrified Elena, and I’m willing to surrender the company to Vanguard to keep her safe. I’ll tell him I want a parlay.”
Elena stepped forward. “Victor won’t believe you’ll surrender just to save yourself. He knows you’re too proud. He has to believe you’re doing it for us. I have to be there.”
“Absolutely not,” Julian snapped. “You are staying in this vault.”
“Julian, listen to me,” Elena said, her green eyes blazing with the same fire that had made him fall in love with her. “I hid for ten months. I washed dishes and lived in fear while pregnant with your son. I am done hiding. We are a team. We finish this together.”
May you like
Julian looked at her, seeing the fierce, unyielding strength of a mother. Reluctantly, he nodded.
Julian made the call to David Vance. He played the part perfectly—a broken, terrified billionaire desperate to save his family. The bait was set. The meeting was arranged for midnight at an abandoned shipping yard owned by Vanguard Group.
