Chapter 17 - "A TWIST BEYOND BETRAYAL: THE MASTERMIND IN THE SHADOWS"
"How touching," a cold, smooth voice echoed from the shadowed staircase behind them.
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.
Out from the darkness stepped Julian Vance—the man who was supposed to be in federal custody in New York. Beside him was an armed guard holding a silenced pistol.
"Julian?" Daniel gasped. "How are you here?"
"Did you really think the NYPD could hold me?" Julian laughed, stepping into the dim light of the lighthouse. "I bought off the transport guards before the police car even left Manhattan. You see, Daniel, Vanessa was never the genius behind this plan. She’s just a broken, obsessive lunatic I used to draw your attention away from what really matters."
"What do you want, Julian?" Daniel growled, stepping back to shield the space between Julian and Clara.
"I want what was stolen from me thirty years ago!" Julian hissed, his composure breaking into wild rage. "Our father threw my mother into the gutter with a couple million dollars while he handed you the keys to a global empire! I was the older son! I was smarter, harder, and better than you! But I was hidden away like dirty laundry!"
Julian pulled a legal deed from his coat pocket.
"You’re going to sign over every asset, every offshore account, and every share of Harrison Freight to my offshore holding company right now. Once you sign, you and your little bastard child can disappear into the ocean, and Vanessa will take the fall for your murder."
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Vanessa froze, staring at Julian. "What did you say? You said we were going to run away together!"
Julian looked at Vanessa with absolute disgust. "You really are stupid, aren't you, Vanessa? You’re a convicted felon and a fugitive. You were just my scapegoat."
