Chapter 4 - The Shadow of Victor Drago
By the second day, Emily’s color had fully returned. She was sitting up in the hospital bed, feeding Noah with a quiet, maternal grace that made me fall in love with her all over again.
"He looks like you," she said softly, looking up as I walked into the room carrying a tray of fresh tea and fruit. "He has your eyes, Ryan."
"He has your strength," I said, sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "I’m so sorry, Emily. I should have been here. I should have seen what they were planning."
"You couldn't have known," she whispered, leaning her head against my chest. "They were so careful. For the first year, they were nice. They visited, they brought gifts. But the moment you signed the final expansion contracts in Tokyo, their attitude changed. They started showing up unannounced. They started telling me I was doing everything wrong. They fired the staff I hired and brought in their own people. I felt like a prisoner in my own home."
"They were isolating you," I said, my heart aching with guilt. "They wanted to break your spirit so you wouldn't fight back when they took Noah."
"But you came back," she said, looking up at me with absolute trust. "You saved us."
The door opened, and Detective Torres walked in, his expression guarded. He signaled for me to step out. I kissed Emily’s cheek and followed him into the hallway.
"We have a problem, Ryan," Torres said, leaning against the nurses' station. "A high-priced legal team just rolled into the precinct with a federal writ. They’ve managed to secure bail for your parents and Julian. A judge named Harrison signed off on it—he’s a close associate of your father’s lender, Victor Drago."
My eyes narrowed. "They're out?"
"They're out," Torres confirmed. "And that's not the worst of it. Drago’s men have been spotted near your estate. They’ve occupied the property, claiming they have a legal lien on the house due to a promissory note Arthur signed using your forged power of attorney. Technically, until a judge rules the power of attorney fraudulent in a civil court, Drago has a legal right to occupy the premises under the terms of the default."
"He’s trying to force my hand," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "He thinks if he occupies my home and threatens my family's sanctuary, I’ll pay off my father’s forty-million-dollar debt just to make him go away."
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"Are you going to?" Torres asked.
I looked at him, my expression cold and unyielding. "I don't negotiate with terrorists, Detective. And I certainly don't pay for my father’s sins. I’m going to freeze every single account my father has ever touched. I’m going to dry up Drago’s cash flow within twenty-four hours. If he wants a war, I’ll give him one."
