Chapter 10
Arthur Vance stood in the center of the modest living room, his sharp eyes taking in every detail of the modest apartment—the well-read bookshelves, the framed family photographs, and the bright Lego castle scattered across the rug where young Toby sat watching with wide, curious eyes. Emily stepped in front of her son protectively, her posture straight and her expression firm, while Liam closed the front door quietly behind the uninvited guest. "You have some nerve showing up here, dad," Emily said, her voice steady and resonant, carrying no trace of the intimidated daughter she used to be. Arthur turned to face them, his chest heaving as he tried to regain his usual commanding authority. He looked past Emily, fixing his cold gaze squarely on Liam. "I know the truth, Liam," Arthur said, his voice laced with bitter resentment and a desperate undercurrent of negotiation. "Marcus showed me the files. You hid your wealth, you played games, and you made a mockery of my family name by sneaking into my house under false pretenses." Liam walked over to the kitchen counter, casually pouring himself a glass of water before turning to face the patriarch. He didn't raise his voice, nor did he display any sign of intimidation. "I never hid who I am, Arthur. You simply refused to see past your own prejudice," Liam replied calmly, taking a slow sip of water. "When I met Emily, my bank account was irrelevant to our love. I didn't care about your empire, your boardrooms, or your conditional affection." Arthur stepped forward, his face flushing crimson. "Enough of this sanctimonious garbage! You hold assets that could save Vance Global from a hostile market shift. If you have any decency left toward my daughter, you will sign a strategic partnership agreement transferring a controlling stake in your tech holdings to my corporation." Emily let out a sharp, incredulous laugh that cut through Arthur's demands like glass. "A partnership? After you threw us out? After you called my husband a broke nobody and told us to leave and never come back?" She stepped forward, her eyes flashing with righteous anger. "You didn't come here to make peace, dad. You came here because your empire is collapsing, and you realized too late that you bullied the wrong man." Toby clung to the hem of Emily's blouse, looking up with tearful eyes, whispering, "Mommy, is grandpa going to hurt us again?" Emily knelt, hugging her son tightly, while Liam stepped between Arthur and his family, his presence blocking the old man out completely. "Get out of our home, Arthur," Liam said quietly, his voice carrying an absolute finality that brook no argument. "You are not welcome here."
