Chapter 9 - FACE TO FACE WITH THE DEVIL
Daniel stepped out onto the porch, closing the heavy wooden door firmly behind him.
Arthur Sterling walked up the wooden steps, his polished leather shoes clicking against the timber. He was a tall, silver-haired man in his late fifties with cold, calculating blue eyes—the kind of man who could order a life destroyed while sipping an espresso.
"Daniel," Arthur said smoothly, as if visiting for a casual weekend chat. "You're a hard man to find when you don't want to be found."
"You're trespassing, Arthur," Daniel replied coldly, keeping his hands in his coat pockets. "State your business and get off my land."
Arthur chuckled dryly, looking around at the serene pine trees. "Always so dramatic. Just like your father. I came here to offer you a resolution to this unpleasant business. Margaret informed me about the... accounting books your little maid found."
"Her name is Emily Reed," Daniel corrected harshly. "And those aren't accounting books. They are proof of your grand larceny, forgery, and murder."
Arthur’s smile vanished, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Murder is a strong word, Daniel. Benjamin Reed had a weak heart. His stress in prison was unfortunate, nothing more."
"You put him there!"
"I put him where he belonged because he lacked the vision to build an empire!" Arthur sneered, dropping his sophisticated facade. "Listen to me very carefully, Daniel. You are playing a hero for a penniless girl who has nothing to offer you. If you bring those ledgers to the press, you won't just destroy me—you will destroy Vance Enterprises. Your mother will go to federal prison. Your family's assets will be frozen. You will lose everything you were born to inherit."
"I'd rather lose it all than share a table with a monster," Daniel spat.
Arthur sighed softly, adjusting his leather gloves. "I hoped you would be more pragmatic. Vanessa was deeply hurt by your actions at the party, Daniel. But she is willing to forgive you. Marry my daughter, let the Reed girl disappear with a generous settlement, and our families will control this state for the next fifty years."
"Get off my property," Daniel said, his voice deadly quiet. "Before I show you what a Vance does to an intruder."
Arthur stared at him for a long, tense moment, then turned around. As he reached his SUV, he paused and looked back over his shoulder.
May you like
"You have until midnight tomorrow, Daniel. If those ledgers aren't handed over to me by then... Emily Reed won't live to see her father's name cleared. And neither will anyone who stands with her."
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