Chapter 3 - The Cold War Begins
By the next morning, the news of the legal battle over the Cherry Hills estate had leaked to Denver’s elite circles. Although Daniel had kept his name out of the initial press releases to protect Chloe’s privacy, the sheer scale of the lawsuit sent shockwaves through the local business community.
Ryan Sullivan was the vice president of a mid-sized commercial real estate firm, Apex Realty. He had spent years building a reputation as a rising star, mostly by using Chloe’s social status and her uncle’s quiet influence to secure high-profile clients.
At 9:00 AM, Ryan walked into the Apex office, his head pounding from lack of sleep. He had spent the entire night arguing with his mother and trying to find a lawyer who would represent them without an upfront retainer—a difficult task since all of their bank accounts had been frozen.
As he walked past the reception desk, he noticed his colleagues whispering, quickly looking away when he caught their eye.
"Ryan," his boss, Marcus Vance (no relation to Daniel), called out from the glass-walled corner office. "In here. Now."
Ryan swallowed hard and stepped inside. "Marcus, look, whatever you’ve heard about my personal life, it’s just a misunderstanding. My wife is going through a post-partum mental episode and her family is trying to—"
"Save it, Ryan," Marcus interrupted, throwing a folder onto the desk. "I don't care about your marital drama. What I care about is the fact that our primary investor, Vance Global Holdings, just pulled forty million dollars in capital from our flagship downtown development project."
Ryan’s heart stopped. "What? Why?"
"Because," Marcus growled, leaning forward, "the CEO of Vance Global is Daniel Vance. Chloe’s uncle. The man who virtually owns half the commercial real estate in this state. He sent a personal letter to our board of directors. He stated that Vance Global will no longer do business with any entity that employs individuals accused of grand theft and elder abuse—or in this case, newborn abuse."
"Marcus, please," Ryan pleaded, his voice trembling. "I can explain. It was my mother's idea—"
"You're fired, Ryan," Marcus said coldly. "And don't bother asking for a severance package. We are launching an internal audit of all your active accounts. If we find so much as a single penny out of place, we will sue you ourselves."
Ryan walked out of the building in a daze. In less than twenty-four hours, he had lost his home, his bank accounts, and his career.
Meanwhile, at Daniel’s estate, Chloe was sitting in the sunroom, holding Liam. The warmth of the room and the peaceful silence of the gardens outside were a stark contrast to the terror she had felt the day before.
Daniel entered, carrying a cup of tea, which he placed gently on the table beside her.
"How are you feeling today, sweetheart?" he asked softly.
"Better," Chloe said, offering a small, fragile smile. "The nurse said Liam is gaining weight perfectly. But Daniel... I’m scared. Ryan isn't the type to give up. He and Patricia are ruthless. They will try to drag my name through the mud."
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Daniel sat opposite her, his eyes radiating a calm, unbreakable strength. "Let them try. In court, public opinion doesn't matter. Evidence does. And Bennett has enough evidence to put them away for a very long time. But I don't want them just to go to prison, Chloe. I want them to experience the exact same helplessness they made you feel."
Chloe looked at her uncle, seeing the fierce, protective love in his eyes. For the first time in years, she felt truly safe. The battle had only just begun, but she knew she had the ultimate champion in her corner.
