Chapter 9 - The Arrest
The recorded audio continued to play, completely shattering the peaceful silence of our penthouse.
My father's greedy, desperate voice answered Daniel on the hidden recording.
"She is extremely guarded, Mr. Reyes, it will take significant time and effort to break down her walls," my father had said.
"I am paying you ten million dollars to create the perfect scenario," Daniel's recorded voice replied ruthlessly.
"If she does not marry me within a year, I will personally destroy your entire real estate firm."
The audio file ended with a sharp click, leaving me completely paralyzed on the sofa.
I slowly looked up from my phone, staring at the man I had passionately loved for three years.
Daniel's face was completely unreadable, his dark eyes locked intensely onto my shaking hands.
"You paid my father to set us up?" I asked, my voice cracking with profound, overwhelming betrayal.
The beautiful fairy tale we had just fought so hard to protect suddenly felt like a sickening, orchestrated trap.
Daniel carefully set his champagne flute down on the glass coffee table.
He did not try to deny the recording, nor did he look away in shame.
"Yes, I did," Daniel admitted, his voice remarkably calm and steady.
I jumped up from the sofa, backing away from him as if he had suddenly turned into a venomous snake.
"You bought me?!" I screamed, hot tears of absolute fury streaming down my face.
"You are no better than the monsters in my family!"
Daniel stood up slowly, keeping his hands entirely visible to show he meant absolutely no harm.
"Meredith, please let me explain the entire context of that conversation," he pleaded urgently.
"What context could possibly justify purchasing a human being like a corporate asset?" I demanded fiercely.
Daniel took a deep breath, his composure finally cracking to reveal a deep, desperate vulnerability.
"Four years ago, you unknowingly saved my life," Daniel confessed quietly.
I frowned in sheer confusion, completely unable to process his bizarre claim.
"I was drinking heavily in a dive bar, completely destroyed by the sudden death of my younger brother," he explained.
"You sat next to me, completely unaware of who I was, and you talked to me for three hours."
I vaguely remembered that night, recalling a sad stranger I had bought a coffee for when I was avoiding my family.
"You gave me hope when I was planning to end my own life that very night," Daniel said, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"I spent a year trying to find you, only to discover you were the isolated daughter of a highly toxic, manipulative family."
I stopped backing away, my heart violently clashing between intense anger and profound realization.
"I knew your father would never let a stranger near his primary punching bag," Daniel continued softly.
"So I bought my way in, entirely to get you out."
I stared into his eyes, desperately searching for any hint of manipulation or deceit.
But all I saw was a man who was absolutely, hopelessly in love with me.
Before I could respond, the heavy steel door of our private elevator violently chimed open.
A team of private corporate lawyers marched directly into our living room, completely uninvited.
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The lead attorney slapped a massive stack of legal documents onto our coffee table.
"Meredith Reyes," the lawyer announced coldly, "you are being sued for the immediate forfeiture of Apex Software."
