Chapter 2 – Five Minutes Later
Chapter 2 – Five Minutes Later
Clare never heard the call end.
The phone slipped from her trembling hand as sirens echoed faintly through the Manhattan streets below.
Hundreds of miles away, inside Sterling Global's headquarters in Greenwich, Edward Sterling walked out of his private office without his jacket.
Every executive in the hallway froze.
No one had seen him move that fast in years.
"Henderson."
"Yes, sir."
"Dispatch medical."
"It's already done."
"Legal."
"Waiting."
"Corporate intelligence."
"On standby."
Edward's expression never changed.
"I want everything we have on Matthew Hayes."
A young analyst hesitated.
"Everything, sir?"
Edward looked at him once.
"Everything."
Within seconds, Sterling Global's internal investigation team began pulling records.
Board minutes.
Financial statements.
Vendor contracts.
Private communications.
What began as a father's response quickly became a corporate audit.
Back in Manhattan...
The penthouse elevator opened.
Matthew stepped out, laughing beside Lauren Thorne.
She slipped her arm through his.
"Did she finally learn her lesson?"
Matthew smirked.
"She won't question me again."
Neither of them noticed three black SUVs stopping outside the building.
Nor did they see the emergency vehicles arriving moments later.
By the time they entered the apartment...
Police officers were already inside.
Paramedics surrounded Clare.
Edward Sterling stood beside his daughter's stretcher.
His tailored overcoat was still unbuttoned.
His eyes settled on the welts across Clare's back.
He said nothing.
He didn't need to.
Matthew's confidence disappeared.
"Mr. Sterling..."
Edward slowly turned toward him.
"You touched my daughter."
It wasn't a question.
Matthew forced a smile.
"This is a misunderstanding."
Edward glanced at the antique cane lying on the sofa.
"Is it?"
A detective carefully lifted it into an evidence bag.
Blood.
Skin tissue.
Fingerprints.
No misunderstanding.
Only evidence.
Matthew suddenly realized he was no longer speaking to an estranged father-in-law.
He was facing one of the most influential businessmen on the East Coast.
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And this time...
There would be no second chances.
