Chapter 12 - The Grandfather’s Reckoning: Stripping The Bloodsuckers Of Every Cent
Three weeks after the rescue, Arthur Sterling returned to Blackwood Manor.
The great library had been fully cleared of the cardboard boxes. The ripped Victorian painting had been removed and sent to the Metropolitan Museum’s master conservation lab for restoration.
Arthur sat behind his massive mahogany desk, dressed in his finest charcoal three-piece suit, his gold signet ring gleaming on his finger.
Standing before the desk were the four junior directors and senior accountants who had aided Julian in falsifying the corporate books.
"You have twenty-four hours to submit your unconditional resignations," Arthur said, his voice dropping into a register of icy, absolute authority. "You will surrender all stock options, all severance packages, and all corporate indemnity protections."
One of the senior accountants began to sweat through his shirt. "Mr. Sterling, please... we have families... Julian threatened to fire us if we didn't sign the transfer logs—"
Arthur leaned forward, placing both hands flat on the desk.
"You chose to serve a traitor while I was suffocating behind that wall," Arthur said, his voice cutting like a scalpel. "If you sign the resignations by five o'clock today, I will not pursue civil asset forfeiture against your private homes. If you hesitate for one second... my legal team will ensure you spend the next decade in federal prison alongside Julian. Get out of my sight."
The four men turned and fled the room without speaking another word.
Arthur leaned back in his leather chair, letting out a long, slow breath.
May you like
He looked at Daniel, who stood by the tall arched windows looking out over the autumn foliage of the estate.
"It is time to pass the mantle, Daniel," Arthur said softly.
