Chapter 36
The corporate CEO stared at the damning evidence, his arrogant facade completely shattered. He had tried to play a bureaucratic game with an apex predator and had been utterly outmaneuvered.
"I'll withdraw the acquisition," Julian choked out, tears of humiliation welling in his eyes. "I'll back off."
"You will also transfer twenty percent of your firm's liquid assets into my offshore holding accounts as a penalty," Adrian added coldly, the artistic tattoos on his hands flexing as he laced his fingers together. "If you refuse, I will not rely on Interpol. I will send Dante."
Julian nodded frantically, entirely broken.
Adrian stood up, adjusting his cuffs. "Enjoy your dinner, Julian." He walked out of the private room, the pristine, bright lighting of the restaurant catching the sharp angles of his face. He had successfully defended his legitimate empire without firing a single shot, utilizing the cold, calculating intellect that made him the most feared man in the country.
The return to the estate was peaceful. Adrian walked into the quiet, heavily fortified mansion, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction. He bypassed his study and walked to the west wing, where the girls' bedrooms were located.
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He opened Clara's door first. The teenager was asleep, her homework scattered across her desk. He smiled gently, pulling her blanket up. He moved to Mia's room, finding the ten-year-old curled up with a stuffed animal.
He watched them, the heavy burden of his crown feeling entirely justified. He had built an unshakeable fortress, a dynasty forged in blood and sustained by absolute power, all to ensure these two girls would never know the pain of vulnerability.
