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The workshop air turned cold, tasting sharply of pine sawdust and old motor oil. My pulse hammered in my throat, rhythmic and heavy as a war drum. Thirteen years in Army intelligence had taught me one fundamental rule: never panic when trapped, but always assume the threat is lethal. / Chapter 8 / 10

Chapter 8 - The New FoundationLiam walked past Sterling as if the tycoon were invisible, stopping right in front of me and offering a calloused, powerful hand.

"The union crew is ready, Captain," Liam announced loudly. "All twenty master carpenters from your father’s old lodge. We signed the contracts this morning. The Caldwell & Daughter Heritage Construction Firm is officially open for business."

The crowd of developers let out a collective gasp.

Sterling’s face turned the color of spoiled milk. "Caldwell & Daughter? You think you can run a construction empire out of a dusty old barn?!"

"Not a barn, Sterling," I said, stepping forward until I was standing inches from him, my military bearing making him instinctively take a half-step back. "A stronghold. And unlike your shell companies, everything my father built—and everything I am building—is backed by solid wood, legal titles, and absolute integrity."

I pulled a crisp, gold-embossed business card from my pocket and pressed it firmly against Sterling’s designer lapel.

"Now, get off my property before I have you ticketed for trespassing," I commanded.

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Sterling glared with pure, impotent rage, turned on his heel, and stormed back to his luxury sedan, peeling rubber down the suburban street as the crowd murmured in astonishment.

Liam burst out laughing, clapping a heavy hand on my shoulder. "Your old man is smiling down from heaven right now, kid."

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