Chapter 6 - The Counter-AttackThe impact sent Julian and his guards stumbling backward, disoriented by the sudden chaos.
The door of the battered SUV flew open, and a tall figure stepped out into the fog, a tactical flashlight blazing in one hand and a heavy iron crowbar in the other. It was Ethan. His eyes were cold, hardened by a decade of exile and bitterness.
"Party's over, Uncle Julian," Ethan shouted over the roar of the idling engine. "Or should I say, imposter?"
Julian wiped soot from his cheek, his face purple with rage as he pointed a trembling finger at Ethan. "You! You miserable parasite! Kill them both! I want them in the harbor before the police arrive!"
The two enforcers drew heavy handguns, charging toward Ethan with lethal intent. But Ethan didn't flinch. With a sudden, synchronized motion, three more figures emerged from the back of the SUV, clad in dark tactical gear, and intercepted the guards in a flurry of disciplined combat maneuvers. Within seconds, both enforcers were pinned face-down to the concrete, their weapons kicked away into the darkness.
Vivian screamed, her face draining of all color as she realized her backup had just been dismantled in under thirty seconds. "Dad! Do something!"
Julian didn't hesitate. With a desperate, feral snarl, he lunged past the chaos toward Elena, his hands clawing out to grab her throat and rip the journal from her jacket.
Elena didn't run. As Julian lunged, she sidestepped sharply, using his own momentum against him, and swept her leg behind his ankle. Julian tripped violently, crashing hard onto the wet concrete with a bone-jarring thud.
Ethan walked over, pressing the heel of his boot firmly onto Julian's chest, pinning the grand CEO of the Vance empire to the filthy ground.
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"It’s over, Julian," Ethan said softly, leaning down. "The federal marshals have already seized the corporate accounts. Every offshore account, every forged deed, every shell company—it's all frozen. The Vance empire belongs to its rightful bloodline now."
Julian glared up with bloodshot eyes, spitting blood onto the pavement. "You think... you think you've won? Check the media, Ethan. Check the news right now. I’ve already set the trap for you."
