Chapter 3 - The Wolves at the DoorBy 8:00 AM the next morning, the storm had cleared, leaving the estate draped in a cold, gray mist. I sat at the grand mahogany dining table, wearing a simple silk robe, while Adrian sat across from me. He had already put the Alden Vale mask back on, his shoulders slumped, his voice returning to the raspy, fragile whisper of an octogenarian.
The heavy double doors of the dining room burst open, and my brother, Marcus, strode in, his expensive suit smelling of cigar smoke and expensive cologne. My father, Arthur, followed closely behind him, his face flushed with greed.
"Alden, my friend!" Arthur boomed, walking over to shake Adrian's gloved hand. "I trust the wedding night was... satisfactory? Evelyn, I hope you've been showing your husband the respect he deserves."
I took a slow sip of my tea, not looking at him. "Mr. Vale has been very generous, Father."
"Generous indeed!" Marcus chuckled, pulling a stack of legal papers from his briefcase. "Alden, we’ve ran into a minor cash flow issue with our new downtown development. We need the secondary five-million-dollar payout from the marriage contract cleared by this afternoon. Just a quick signature from you, and we’ll be out of your hair."
Adrian, playing the role of the fragile Alden Vale perfectly, let out a raspy cough, his hands trembling as he reached for his reading glasses. "Five million... yes, of course. But my financial advisors tell me there are some... irregularities in your company's latest quarterly report. I cannot release the funds until those are cleared."
Marcus’s smile instantly froze. His eyes darted to me, filled with a sudden, vicious suspicion. "Irregularities? What are you talking about? Our books are clean."
"I looked over them myself, Marcus," I said calmly, setting my teacup down with a soft click. "The four million dollars you claimed was spent on 'subcontractor fees' was actually routed through a shell company registered in Panama. A shell company that lists your personal offshore account as the sole beneficiary."
Arthur’s face turned a dangerous shade of purple. "Evelyn! Shut your mouth! You don't know what you're talking about!"
"She knows exactly what she is talking about, Arthur," Adrian rasped, his eyes shining with a terrifying sharpness behind his old-man glasses. "And until those funds are returned to the construction company’s primary account, the five million dollars remains in my vault. And if you default on your first interest payment on Friday... I take the company."
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Marcus took a step toward me, his fists clenching, but Adrian’s security guards immediately stepped out from the shadows, their hands resting on their weapons.
"I suggest you leave my estate," Adrian whispered, his voice holding a cold authority that made Marcus freeze. "And think very carefully about your next move."
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