Chapter 4 - Inside the Lion’s DenThe interior of Richard’s mansion smelled of polished mahogany, expensive cigars, and old money. The marble foyer stretched out beneath a towering crystal chandelier, dimly lit by amber wall sconces.
I moved like a ghost, keeping my footsteps light on the plush oriental runners. My target was the second-floor executive study—the very room where Richard kept his personal files, his desktop terminals, and the master server hub for the estate’s security cameras.
As I reached the top of the grand staircase, I heard a low murmur of voices coming from down the hall.
I froze, pressing my back flat against the dark wood paneling of the hallway.
“The judge bought every word of it,” a sharp, cold voice echoed. Richard. He was on his private phone line in the study. “The mother looks unhinged, the boy is compliant, and by next month’s final hearing, the guardianship will be permanently transferred. Mercer Automotive stays in the family bloodline.”
A cold shiver raced down my spine, followed instantly by a surge of white-hot fury. He wasn't just trying to comfort a grieving family; he was executing a calculated corporate strategy to claim Noah as his legal heir and erase me completely.
“Yes, yes, draft the asset protection trust tomorrow,” Richard continued into the phone. “And make sure the boy doesn't mention his mother. He’s learning that disobedience has consequences.”
May you like
The call ended. I heard the scrape of a leather chair moving across the hardwood floor.
Richard was getting up.
