Chapter 10
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The ride back to the Sterling penthouse was quiet. Elena leaned her head against the soft leather seat of the limousine, watching the city lights blur past the tinted windows. The stinging in her lip had dulled to a dull throb, but the adrenaline of the evening was still fading from her system.
Alexander sat beside her, holding her hand in a vice-like grip. He was on his phone, typing out rapid, ruthless commands to his executive team. Elena knew exactly what he was doing. He was dismantling the Vance family's entire financial infrastructure piece by piece.
"You don't have to destroy everything they own tonight, Alexander," Elena said softly, tracing the veins on the back of his hand. "The public humiliation was a strong start."
"It was just the prologue," Alexander replied, his eyes never leaving the glowing screen of his phone. "Richard Vance leveraged his entire logistics company on a margin loan from our bank. He thought he was untouchable because he married into old money. I am pulling the loan. By sunrise, his company will be in default."
Elena didn't argue. She had built her own empire from nothing, starting as a waitress scrubbing tables to pay for business school. She knew exactly how cruel the world could be to those without power. Cassandra Vance had assaulted her simply because she believed Elena was a lesser human being. Elena felt no pity for the woman's impending downfall.
When they arrived at their luxurious penthouse, Alexander led Elena straight to the master bathroom. He wet a soft washcloth with warm water and gently cleaned the dried blood from her chin and jaw. His touch was incredibly gentle, a stark contrast to the ruthless CEO he projected to the world.
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"I am going to make sure she never forgets your name," Alexander whispered, kissing her forehead.
"I think she already knows it," Elena smiled, wincing slightly as the washcloth brushed her cut lip. "Tomorrow is going to be a very long day for Cassandra Vance."
