Chapter 4 - The Golden CageJulian Sterling looked almost identical to Daniel—same sharp jawline, same piercing blue eyes—except Julian wore a bespoke white tuxedo jacket and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
When the elevator doors opened and he saw his older brother standing there, bleeding, pale, and flanked by a tired waitress holding two infants, Julian didn't look shocked. He looked profoundly disappointed.
"Well, well," Julian purred, swirling the amber liquid in his glass as he stepped forward. "Death must be exceptionally busy today, considering it apparently missed its appointment with you in the alley, brother."
"You wasted your best hit squad, Julian," Daniel replied, his voice steady despite the blood soaking through his clothes. He stepped past me, putting himself between his brother and the twins. "Marcus Vance is incompetent, and your ambition has always outpaced your intellect."
Julian's smile vanished, replaced by a mask of cold fury. He snapped his fingers, and instantly, a dozen armed private security guards emerged from the shadows of the expansive living room, their assault rifles raised and trained directly on our chests.
"Drop the tough-guy act, Daniel," Julian snarled, taking a slow sip of his scotch. "You're bleeding out on my imported Persian rug. The board has already ratified my emergency takeover. The police department is currently releasing a press statement about your untimely demise in a fiery wreck. As for the twins..." Julian's gaze flickered toward my backpack, where the babies were beginning to stir. "An unfortunate pediatric tragedy. A gas leak in the nursery, perhaps. How devastating."
My blood ran ice-cold. Gas leak? He was planning to murder his own infant niece and nephew without a second thought.
"You're a monster," I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Julian’s eyes snapped toward me, narrowing with mild amusement. "And who is this, Daniel? A charity case? Did you pick up a stray pet on your way to the morgue?"
"She's the one who's going to watch you lose everything," Daniel countered smoothly.
Before Julian could bark an order to fire, Daniel reached behind his back, pulled out his encrypted gold-plated smartphone, and slammed his thumb against the biometric scanner.
BEEP.
A massive, wall-mounted holographic display flickered to life behind Julian, illuminating the entire penthouse with glowing financial ledgers, recorded audio files, and high-definition video feeds.
"What is that?" Julian snapped, spinning around.
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"That," Daniel said, a grim smile touching his lips, "is the live-streamed confession of every offshore shell corporation, illegal weapons shipment, and corporate bribe you've funneled through Sterling Global over the last five years. It's currently being broadcasted directly to the Securities and Exchange Commission, every major news outlet in the country, and—most importantly—the board of directors."
Julian's face drained of color in an instant. He lunged forward, dropping his crystal glass. "Shut it down! Shoot him! Shoot them all right now!"
