Chapter 4 - THE PRICE OF ARROGANCE
This time, it wasn't bodyguards who entered first. It was six federal auditors in dark blue jackets, followed by four state troopers and a tall, silver-haired man wearing a bespoke charcoal suit that cost more than Julian’s annual salary.
Arthur Vance walked into the room.
When Arthur Vance entered a room, the air pressure shifted. The governor of the state, who had been standing near the bar, immediately dropped his drink onto a tray and rushed over with his hand extended. "Mr. Vance! We had no idea you were arriving personally!"
Arthur ignored the governor completely. His eyes were locked on Julian Cross.
"Dad," I said softly as he reached my side.
Arthur placed a gentle, loving hand on my shoulder, looking at the minor bruise on my wrist where Julian had tried to grab me moments earlier. Arthur’s eyes turned darker than a stormy sea.
"Who touched her?" Arthur asked quietly. The tone was so flat, so lethal, that even the security guards stepped back.
Julian’s knees visibly trembled. He knew Arthur Vance’s face. Every business textbook, every Wall Street journal, every corporate news outlet featured Arthur Vance. He was a man who bought airlines when he was annoyed by flight delays.
"Mr... Mr. Vance," Julian stammered, his arrogance instantly evaporating into terrified sweat. "There’s... there’s been a massive misunderstanding! I didn't know... Clarissa never told me—"
"You called her trash," Arthur interrupted, his voice cutting through Julian's panic like a razor through paper. "You told your domestic staff that my daughter would humiliate you. You left her in an empty house while you paraded your mistress around wearing a diamond necklace paid for by my credit company."
"No! I didn't know!" Julian cried out, looking wildly at Chloe, then at the board members who were already backing away from him as if he had the plague. "Clarissa! Tell him! We’re married! We’re family!"
"Family?" I stepped forward, pulling a thick document from Richard Sterling’s briefcase. "Julian, three years ago, when you started Apex Group, you received a $50 million angel investment from an anonymous entity called 'Elysium Holdings.' Do you remember?"
Julian swallowed hard, nodding frantically. "Yes! Yes! That was our founding capital!"
"Elysium Holdings is my personal private trust," I said calmly. "I wrote the check. The contract you signed stated that if you ever engaged in acts of moral turpitude or brought public disrepute to the brand, the entire $50 million loan, plus accrued compound interest at 18%, would become instantly due on demand."
Julian’s eyes almost popped out of his skull. "Eighteen percent... over three years... that’s..."
"Over $90 million," Richard Sterling supplied smoothly. "And since Apex Group's liquid reserves currently sit at $12 million, you are officially insolvent."
"Wait! No! The acquisition!" Julian screamed, turning to Arthur. "Vance International is buying our Midwest division tonight! That $500 million payout will cover everything! We were supposed to sign at midnight!"
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Arthur Vance looked at Julian as if he were a bug on his boot.
"The acquisition is canceled," Arthur said coldly. "And effective five minutes ago, Vance Logistics terminated all shipping contracts with Apex Group. Vance Real Estate has evicted your corporate headquarters from our downtown tower. And Vance Capital has shorted your stock by 80%."
