Chapter 13
High in the Apex Holdings skyscraper, the morning sun bathed the penthouse in crisp, vibrant light. Josephine sat safely on the plush carpet, giggling as she brushed the mane of her new mahogany rocking horse. Bennett stood by the window, watching her with a warm, protective smile, before the heavy doors of his office slid open. Marcus, Bennett’s chief of security and most trusted confidant, stepped into the room. His face was grim, carrying a tablet tucked under his arm. "Is it done?" Bennett asked, his voice low and clipped, ensuring Josephine wouldn't hear the danger in his tone. "The eviction at the family estate is complete, sir. Robert and Clara have been completely removed from the premises," Marcus reported. "However, we have lost visual on Silas. He slipped our surveillance net at 5:00 AM." Bennett’s icy eyes narrowed. "He has a broken nose and zero liquid assets. He can't get far." "Sir, you know your brother," Marcus warned gently. "Silas is arrogant and deeply humiliated. A man like that, stripped of his power, will resort to highly irrational measures. We need to double the security detail around Josephine." Bennett looked back at his four-year-old daughter, his jaw locking tight. He remembered the battered, marker-scribbled toy they had shoved at her. "Triple it," Bennett commanded, his American accent sharp and lethal. "If Silas comes anywhere near her, I don't want him arrested. I want him erased."
