Chapter 22
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Elias Thorne did not flinch at the mention of Richard Blackwood’s disbarment. Instead, his smile widened just a fraction, revealing the depth of his arrogance.
"A convicted notary does not automatically invalidate a corporate contract," Elias’s attorney finally spoke up, adjusting his glasses. "The funds were transferred to Julian’s holding accounts. We have the routing numbers. The debt exists, and the collateral is binding. If we take this to civil court, we will place a lien on the Blackwood estate until the litigation concludes. That could tie up your family’s assets for a decade."
They were threatening a siege. It was a classic legal warfare tactic—starve the opponent through prolonged, expensive court battles until they capitulated and settled.
Maya leaned forward, resting her forearms on the polished steel table. She did not raise her voice, but the sheer authority in her tone commanded the absolute silence of the room.
"You think you can intimidate me with a lien?" Maya asked, looking directly into Elias’s eyes. "I survived Julian Vance. I survived his lawyers, his fixers, and his psychological warfare. You are just a parasite trying to feed off the carcass of his empire."
Elias’s smile finally faltered, replaced by a cold, aggressive glare. "You owe us the money, Maya."
"I owe you nothing," she replied. "Furthermore, as of this morning, I have officially requested a federal injunction against your consortium for harassment and attempted extortion. We are turning this fraudulent document over to the FBI fraud division. If you want a war, Elias, I promise you, I will drag every single one of your offshore clients into the bright, unforgiving light of a federal courtroom."
"You are making a mistake," Elias warned, standing up and buttoning his jacket. "You cannot fight a ghost debt. We will freeze your world."
May you like
"You can try," I said, speaking for the first time since identifying the date. "But we stopped hiding a long time ago. We welcome the light."
Elias snatched the black folder off the table and stormed out of the conference room, his attorney hurrying behind him. The heavy glass doors swung shut, sealing our victory for the day, though we knew the battle was far from over.
