Chapter 6 - The Weight of Steel
The metallic click of the handcuffs closing around Ryan’s wrists echoed off the polished marble floors of the penthouse foyer like a gavel slamming down in a courtroom.
For a terrifying, silent heartbeat, Ryan didn't fight. He just stared at the gleaming steel rings binding his hands, his chest heaving under his rumpled navy suit. Then his head snapped up, his bloodshot eyes locking onto mine with a look of pure, unadulterated venom.
"You think this is over, Claire?" Ryan snarled, his voice cracking as the federal agents began pulling him backward toward the elevator. "You think your billionaire uncle can just sweep federal wire fraud under the rug? The board has backups! Vanessa has copies of the offshore ledger! When I go down, I'm taking every single Bennett asset down with me!"
"Mr. Mercer, save it for the magistrate," the senior federal investigator said smoothly, giving Ryan a firm shove toward the open elevator car.
I didn't blink. I didn't flinch. I simply watched as the man who had spent nine years treating me like a ghost, a servant, and a fool was swallowed up by the elevator doors, his frantic curses fading into a dull mechanical hum as the car descended.
Arthur walked out from the study, his hands tucked neatly into the pockets of his trousers, watching the doors close.
"Well," Arthur murmured, a faint, sardonic smile playing on his lips. "That certainly beats a traditional divorce settlement."
"He mentioned Vanessa having copies of the offshore ledger," I said, turning my gaze from the elevator to my uncle. My heart was beating hard against my ribs, not out of fear, but from the sudden, sharp realization that Ryan’s mistress wasn't just a panicked bystander—she was an active participant in his corporate sabotage.
Arthur’s expression darkened instantly. "If Vanessa Cole has duplicates of those Cayman transfer records, she’s already packing her bags for Zurich. Julian!"
Julian appeared from the hallway in less than a second, his posture rigid. "Sir?"
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"Track Miss Cole's mobile device and corporate accounts immediately," Arthur commanded, his voice dropping into the tone he used when mobilizing billion-dollar acquisitions. "She’s not getting out of Illinois with my niece’s name attached to her embezzlement trail."
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