Chapter 5 - The Ransom Memory
Glass crunched under Marcus Vance's expensive shoes.
His heavily armed mercenaries quickly secured the room, pushing Arthur to his knees.
Julian clung to his mother, while Leo stood perfectly still, watching the man who had raised him in the shadows.
"You look well, Eleanor," Marcus said softly.
Eleanor spat at his feet.
"You ruined our lives."
Marcus chuckled, a dark, rumbling sound that filled the ruined penthouse.
"Arthur ruined your life when he sold me my own dying son for a million dollars in hush money."
Leo's head snapped up at that sentence.
The memories he had repressed for years suddenly flooded his mind in a dizzying rush.
He remembered a cold warehouse, a doctor giving him medicine, and a briefcase full of cash changing hands.
"You didn't rescue me," Leo whispered, looking at Marcus with wide eyes.
"You bought me."
Marcus turned to Leo, his expression hardening.
"I kept you alive, boy."
"And when I lost my fortune, I put you on the streets so you would learn how to survive."
Arthur laughed from the floor, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead.
"You're pathetic, Marcus."
"You came all this way just to play family?"
Marcus struck Arthur across the face with his golden cane, sending the CEO sprawling.
"I came for the keys to your empire, Arthur."
Marcus pulled a digital tablet from his coat and threw it onto the floor.
"Transfer all corporate assets to my offshore accounts, or I take the boys."
Arthur coughed up blood and smiled a wicked, defiant smile.
"Take them."
"They aren't my blood anyway."
Eleanor screamed as two mercenaries grabbed Julian by the arms and dragged him toward the elevator.
"No, take me!" Leo yelled, lunging forward.
A mercenary struck Leo in the stomach with the butt of a rifle, dropping him to the floor.
"I'll take the soft one," Marcus sneered, looking down at Leo.
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"You have twenty-four hours to pay me, Arthur, or Julian dies."
The elevator doors closed, leaving Leo gasping for air on the broken glass, watching his brother disappear.
