Chapter 14 - THE KNOCK AT 2:00 AMThe broadcast ended with a shockwave across Wall Street. Federal regulators had already frozen the offshore accounts linked to the Arthur Cole trust before the closing bell overseas could even process.
Back in the penthouse suite, the adrenaline was slowly draining out of my veins, leaving behind a hollow, numbing ache. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, staring down at the quiet harbor lights, holding a glass of scotch I hadn't touched.
Evelyn walked up behind me, wrapping her arms softly around my waist, pressing her cheek gently against my back.
"You did good tonight, Austin," she murmured softly over the hum of the air conditioning. "You took down the man who built your entire life on a foundation of lies. That takes a kind of strength most people never find."
"He was my father, Evelyn," I whispered, my voice thick with an unresolved grief that defied logic or anger. "All those years I spent starving myself of sleep, breaking my back over ledgers just to keep him out of bankruptcy... and it was all a game to him. A setup. A long con."
Before Evelyn could answer, a sharp, heavy pounding echoed through the penthouse suite.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
It wasn't the polite knock of hotel room service. It was violent, frantic, and desperate—the exact same sound of the door crashing open three months ago.
I froze. Evelyn instantly stepped back, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward the entryway.
May you like
I walked slowly across the living room, reached out, and yanked the heavy oak door open.
Standing in the hallway, disheveled, breathing heavily, and drenched in the cold coastal mist, was my father.
Related Stories
