Chapter 10 - An Unexpected Alliance
The restaurant at the Shard offered a panoramic view of London,
the city stretching out beneath a blanket of gray clouds.
I sat at a corner table,
watching the rain hit the glass,
feeling a strange sense of calm.
Arthur Vance sat across from me,
his silver hair perfectly styled,
his posture radiating confidence.
"You've handled this beautifully,
Clara,"
he said,
raising his glass of sparkling water to me.
"Gideon is completely blindsided."
"I didn't do this to help you win a corporate war,
Arthur,"
I said openly,
not touching my drink.
"I know your history with his father.
I don't want to be a pawn in your game."
Arthur smiled,
a genuine expression that softened his sharp features.
"I respect that,
Clara.
But our interests happen to align perfectly.
Gideon is a destructive force,
both in his personal life and in business.
He thinks he is untouchable.
By taking his European assets,
you weaken him.
By taking his shares,
I remove him from the throne.
It's justice,
pure and simple."
I looked out at the city,
thinking about the years I spent watching Gideon build his empire on the backs of others. He was ruthless,
never caring who he hurt along the way.
I had been his biggest casualty,
but I wouldn't be his last unless he was stopped.
"What do you need from me?"
I asked,
turning my gaze back to him.
"Just stand firm,"
Arthur said softly.
"Don't accept any private settlements.
Let the court handle the asset division publicly.
The more public the trial,
the more his board will panic.
By the time the final decree is signed,
he will be completely neutralized."
Before I could answer,
my phone vibrated on the table. It was an unknown number,
but I knew the digital pattern.
I picked it up,
pressing it to my ear without speaking.
"Clara,"
Gideon's voice came through,
sharp and desperate.
"I know you're with Vance.
Don't do this.
He's using you to destroy everything I built."
I looked at Arthur,
who was watching me with a calm,
reassuring expression.
"You destroyed it yourself,
Gideon,"
I said into the phone,
my voice completely steady.
"I am just letting the world see the ruins."
I hung up before he could respond,
feeling a sudden,
May you like
empowering rush of control.
The quiet girl was gone forever.
