Chapter 9 - Sins of the Patriarch
Inside the chilly hangar, Arthur poured hot tea from a thermos, handing cups to Elena and Julian. Elena sat in a folding chair, staring at the legendary billionaire who had supposedly vanished beneath the icy river years ago.
""Beatrice was always ambitious,"" Arthur explained, staring at the hangar floor. ""When we were young, her drive built the company. But her ambition turned poisonous. She aligned herself with the cartel to accelerate our international expansion. When I tried to sever ties and take the evidence to federal prosecutors, she cut the brake lines on my town car.""
""How did you survive?"" Julian demanded.
""Frank dragged me out of the river before the car sank,"" Arthur said, gesturing toward his loyal bodyguard. ""I was broken, crippled. I knew that if Beatrice found out I was breathing, she would hunt down every person I loved—starting with you. I had to disappear to build an ironclad case against her network.""
""She’s dead, Arthur,"" Julian said flatly. ""Her own allies killed her an hour ago.""
Arthur's face remained impassive, though a flicker of sorrow crossed his eyes. ""I know. The Calderons aren't businessmen; they're predators. And now Hector Calderon holds all her financial data. He has access to our offshore accounts, and he will use them to fund an army unless we stop him.""
""We don't care about the money, Arthur!"" Elena cried out, clutching Leo defensively. ""We just want our lives back! We want peace!""
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Arthur looked at Elena, his gaze softening with genuine warmth. ""There is no peace while Hector lives, Elena. He knows your son is the sole remaining legal heir to the trust. As long as Leo lives, Hector’s claim to the funds is disputed. He will never stop hunting you.""
Suddenly, the hangar doors rattled with a deafening metallic clang. The security alarm shrieked, and the outdoor spotlights instantly went dark.
