Chapter 3 - The Price of Greed
Julian stared at the manila folder as if it were a venomous snake coiled on the pristine marble floor. The pages inside represented the culmination of everything he had built over the past decade—his tech startup, his real estate holdings, his entire public identity.
"You can't just take it all," Julian protested, his voice cracking with desperation. "We had a partnership agreement. Elena knew what she was signing when she moved into this house!"
"A partnership implies mutual respect, Julian, not financial hostage-taking," Christian replied calmly, his eyes never leaving the trembling man. "You drained her personal accounts yesterday. We have the bank records. We have the text messages where you threatened her safety if she contacted our father's legal team."
Elena leaned against Christian’s shoulder, closing her eyes as the reality of Julian’s betrayal washed over her once more. She remembered the man she had fallen in love with—the charming, ambitious entrepreneur who promised her a life of security and unconditional love. That man had vanished long ago, replaced by a desperate narcissist who cared only about status and survival.
Clara slowly backed toward the corridor's service exit, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She hoped to slip away unnoticed while the brothers settled their accounts.
"Where do you think you are going, Clara?" one of the bodyguards asked, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a razor blade. He did not block her path physically, but the sheer weight of his presence made moving forward impossible. Clara froze, her golden silk dress rustling as she turned back to face the group with a forced, fragile smile.
"I have nothing to do with their financial affairs," Clara said, her voice trembling slightly. "I was merely a guest in this apartment. I suggest you let me leave before my fiancé hears about this harassment."
"Your fiancé is currently sitting in a holding cell at the precinct downtown," Christian said without looking at her. "He was arrested forty minutes ago for corporate espionage and tax evasion. Your lifestyle, Clara, is officially canceled."
Clara gasped, her carefully applied makeup suddenly looking stark and mask-like against her drained skin. She sank onto a velvet bench against the wall, her grand illusions evaporating into thin air.
"Sign the papers, Julian," Christian commanded, tapping the cover of the folder against his palm. "The clock is ticking, and my patience expired the moment I saw my sister crying on that floor."
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Julian looked at the pen extended toward him. His hand shook so violently he could barely grasp the metallic barrel.
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