Chapter 7 - Nathan Chooses a Side
Nathan had spent his entire life obeying systems.
Contracts.
Courts.
Boards.
Power.
That morning, every instinct told him to grab Lily and walk out of the hospital.
Instead, he forced himself to trust Marcus.
“If I refuse the order, what happens?”
Marcus answered quietly.
“They can arrest you.”
“And Grace?”
“It destroys her defense.”
Nathan looked at Lily.
Then he knelt.
“I need you to be brave for me.”
Lily’s face crumpled.
“No.”
Nathan nearly broke.
Grace took her daughter’s hands.
“Listen to me, sweetheart.”
Lily sobbed.
Grace wiped her tears.
“You remember what we always say?”
Lily nodded weakly.
“Being scared doesn’t mean we stop.”
Grace kissed her forehead.
Nathan watched child-welfare officers lead Lily away.
The elevator doors closed.
Grace turned toward the wall.
For several seconds, she made no sound.
Then her knees gave way.
Nathan caught her.
“I’ll bring her back.”
Grace looked at him.
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can.”
Nathan’s voice changed.
“They built this using my family’s money.”
“I’ll use every dollar left to destroy it.”
That afternoon, Nathan returned to Cole Tower.
Victoria was waiting in his office.
She wore sunglasses.
Nathan closed the door.
“Leave.”
Victoria removed them.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
Or pretending to cry.
“Nathan, you’re making a catastrophic mistake.”
“You attacked a child.”
“I was protecting you.”
Nathan laughed once.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Grace came back because she wants your money.”
“Then why did your father fabricate evidence?”
Victoria’s face changed.
Nathan saw it.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Victoria looked toward the windows.
“My father protected your company when nobody else would.”
“My father paid him back.”
“No.”
Victoria turned.
“Your father paid interest.”
Nathan went still.
“The principal remains.”
“How much?”
“Enough to take everything.”
Nathan stared at her.
Victoria continued.
“You marry me, the debt disappears.”
“You recognize Lily, the succession agreement collapses.”
“My father calls the loans.”
“Cole Industries enters default.”
“Eleven thousand employees become collateral damage.”
Nathan understood the trap.
Victoria approached.
“You can have private contact with the girl later.”
Nathan looked disgusted.
“You expect me to abandon her?”
“I expect you to think like your father.”
Nathan’s eyes hardened.
“That is exactly what I refuse to do.”
Victoria picked up her purse.
At the door, she stopped.
“Then prepare to watch everyone who depends on you lose everything.”
After she left, Nathan summoned his chief financial officer.
He ordered him to locate every debt tied to Vale-controlled entities.
The CFO hesitated.
“Nathan.”
“What?”
“There’s something you should know.”
He placed a confidential report on the desk.
“Three board members sold their shares this morning.”
Nathan frowned.
“To whom?”
The CFO swallowed.
“A holding company connected to Richard Vale.”
Nathan stared at the numbers.
May you like
Victoria had not come to threaten him.
The takeover had already started.
