CHAPTER 13
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime,
revealing a luxurious penthouse office with panoramic views of the entire metropolitan skyline.
Julian Sterling sat behind a massive mahogany desk,
sipping a glass of expensive scotch,
looking completely unbothered by Marcus's sudden,
unannounced arrival.
"Marcus,
what a pleasant surprise,
though I must say,
your manners haven't improved over the years,"
Julian said,
offering a smirk that didn't reach his cold,
calculating eyes.
Marcus walked across the room,
each step deliberate and heavy,
until he stood directly opposite the older billionaire.
"The game is over,
Julian,
I have the flash drive,
I have the account numbers,
and I know exactly what you did to my father,"
Marcus stated,
his voice dropping to a dangerous,
icy whisper.
Julian's smile faltered for a fraction of a second,
a subtle twitch near his eye revealing that the blow had landed perfectly.
However,
the older man quickly recovered his composure,
leaning back in his leather chair and swirling the amber liquid in his glass.
"Proof is a funny thing,
my boy,
it has a habit of disappearing,
just like people who ask too many questions,"
Julian replied smoothly.
He didn't deny the accusations,
confident that his immense wealth and political connections would protect him from any legal ramifications.
Marcus leaned forward,
placing both hands flat on the desk,
staring directly into the eyes of the man who had orchestrated so much misery.
"I didn't come here to threaten you with a lawsuit,
Julian,
I came here to tell you that I am buying out your bank notes,"
Marcus revealed,
watching the color drain from Julian's face.
Over the last twelve hours,
while preparing for this confrontation,
Marcus had quietly liquidated several offshore assets to purchase Julian's massive corporate debt.
By controlling the debt,
Marcus now held the power to foreclose on Julian's entire empire,
effectively bankrupting him by the end of the business week.
"You wouldn't dare,
Thorne,
that would cause a market crash that would damage your own shares,"
Julian hissed,
his smooth demeanor finally cracking under the pressure.
"Watch me,"
Marcus replied,
May you like
turning around and walking toward the elevator without looking back,
leaving Julian alone with his impending ruin.
