Chapter 8
The rain began to lash against the reinforced glass of Arthur’s private penthouse overlooking the stormy skyline. Inside, the atmosphere was even more tempestuous. Clara paced across the Persian rug, her heels clicking a staccato rhythm against the floorboards, while Arthur sat rigidly in his leather armchair, staring into the flickering flames of the fireplace.
“You knew he was back,” Clara said, stopping in her tracks to look directly at her father. Her tone was a mix of frustration and profound disappointment. “You knew Viktor was pulling Julian’s strings, and you didn't tell me?”
“I didn't know for certain until today,” Arthur admitted quietly, rubbing his temples with trembling fingers. “Viktor is vindictive, Clara. When I forced him out twenty years ago, he swore he would destroy everything we built. He didn't care about the money; he cared about the legacy. Julian was weak, ambitious, and easily manipulated. Viktor used him to infiltrate our financial department three years ago.”
“And you let it happen just to draw him out?” Clara asked, her eyes narrowing.
“I didn't let it happen, I miscalculated,” Arthur snapped, his voice suddenly surging with rare anger before subsiding into exhaustion. “I thought Julian was just a rogue executive with a gambling problem. I never imagined Viktor would use his own nephew as a suicide mission against the company.”
Clara crossed her arms, letting out a slow, steady breath to regain her composure. Anger wouldn't solve this; cold strategy was the only weapon that mattered now. “If Viktor posted Julian’s bail by midnight, they’re already moving. The Zurich shipping accounts are the key. If Viktor manages to seize legal control of those subsidiaries through an old technicality in the 2012 buyout contract, he can legally block our green infrastructure merger.”
Arthur looked up, his expression hardening as the corporate titan re-emerged from beneath the weary father. “We need to invalidate the 2012 settlement contract before they file the injunction in federal court. And to do that, we need the original signed master document.”
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“Where is it?” Clara asked instantly.
“In the corporate vault on the subterranean level,” Arthur replied grimly. “The same level where they’re holding Julian.”
