Chapter 8: The Price of an Empire
Chapter 8: The Price of an Empire
The next morning, Julian Vance arrived at the Santillán estate unannounced. He didn't come alone; two senior board members followed him, carrying black leather briefcases.
Alejandro met them in the grand foyer. He hadn't changed out of his clothes from the night before.
"Alejandro! Excellent news," Julian smiled, stepping inside as if he owned the place. "The London market reacted beautifully to the merger. We just need your final authorization to liquidate the secondary tech holdings."
"Get out of my house, Julian," Alejandro said, his voice deadly quiet.
Julian’s smile instantly vanished. "Excuse me?"
"I’m out," Alejandro said, stepping forward until he was inches from Julian’s face. "I am resigning from the board. Effective immediately. I am transferring my voting shares to a blind trust."
The board members gasped. Julian’s face contorted into pure rage.
“You are throwing away a generational empire for what? To play house?” Julian hissed, pointing a finger at Alejandro’s chest. “Without this company, you are just a man sitting in an expensive, empty box. We will strip your name from the building by noon!”
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“Take the building,” Alejandro countered, his voice steady, ringing with an unshakeable conviction. “Take the shares. Take the titles. My daughters are not for sale, and my time belongs to them.”
From the top of the grand staircase, hidden behind the marble balustrade, four little pairs of eyes watched the confrontation. Valeria gripped the railing, her heart soaring as she listened to her father protect them from the monster who had tried to steal him away.
