Chapter 6 - The Scavengers Turn
Wolves Among the RuinsThe moment the words left Marcus’s lips, the illusion of loyalty vanished entirely.
Evelyn backed away from Dominic as if he carried a contagious plague. Her face was twisted with absolute hatred and venom. "Stay away from me, you pathetic piece of trash! If my father loses his company because of you, I'll make sure you don't survive your first week in prison!"
"Evelyn, wait! Please! We can fix this—" Dominic reached out a desperate hand toward her.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed, turning on her heel and fleeing toward the elevators, dragging her weeping son behind her.
Arthur Pendelton and the rest of the board members glared down at Dominic with pure murderous rage.
"You ruined us, Dominic," Arthur hissed, his voice trembling with fury. "You lied to us. You built a house of cards and invited us to sit inside it while you played God. You're finished. Do you hear me? You'll never work in this city again—not even as a parking attendant."
Dominic didn't answer. He collapsed completely onto the marble floor, his expensive suit stained with spilled champagne, his hands trembling as he stared blindly at the brass keys lying at his feet. All his arrogance, all his condescension, all his cruel ambition—gone in less than thirty minutes.
Victor didn't bother looking at him again. He turned back to Vivienne, offering his arm once more.
"Shall we go, Viv?" Victor asked gently. "Mother made lasagna tonight. She heard Sophia was coming over."
Vivienne smiled, a warm, genuine smile that contrasted sharply with the devastation surrounding them. "I'd love that, Victor."
She turned and looked back toward the pillar. "Come on, sweetie. Time to go home."
Sophia skipped over, proudly holding up her glitter-covered paper necklace. "Look, Uncle Victor! I made this for Daddy, but I think Daddy doesn't deserve it anymore!"
May you like
Victor laughed, a rich, genuine sound, and scooped his niece up into his arms. "You're entirely right, sweetheart. Your daddy has terrible taste in accessories. Let's go make a better one."
As the Sterling family walked out through the parting crowd of ruined executives—leaving Dominic kneeling alone in the wreckage of his stolen empire—the heavy doors closed behind them, sealing his fate forever.
