Chapter 6 - Desperate Measures
The courtroom disaster ruined Ryan completely. No reputable company would hire him; his reputation was toxic. His lawyer, Richard Fox, dropped him immediately after the frozen assets meant Ryan couldn't pay his legal fees.
Clara Collins was furious, pacing Ryan’s miserable motel room. "We can't let her win, Ryan! She humiliated our family! There must be a way to make her pay. If we can't get her money through the court, we have to find another way."
"What do you want me to do, Mom?" Ryan groaned, holding his head in his hands. "She has security everywhere. I can't even get near the office or the hotel."
"She’s launching that new charity initiative next week, right?" Clara whispered, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "The public gala for working mothers. It’s a massive public event. If you go there, publicly beg for forgiveness, and create a scene, the media will eat it up. If she rejects a weeping, broken man trying to see his children in public, it will ruin her perfect new image. She'll be forced to settle with you to make you go away."
Ryan looked up, desperation blinding him to how pathetic the plan was. "You think it'll work?"
"It has to work," Clara hissed. "Otherwise, you're going to spend the rest of your life working a minimum-wage job, and I refuse to have a son who is a failure."
Meanwhile, Elle was thriving. She had moved into a stunning, highly secure estate in the hills, away from the city noise. Her twins were growing healthy and strong, and with the help of a professional, compassionate night nurse, Elle was finally getting the rest she deserved. Her beauty had returned, amplified tenfold by her newfound power and confidence.
She was also expanding Vertex Dynamics into sustainable tech, earning praise from international business leaders. She was no longer just a billionaire; she was a visionary.
One evening, as she was reviewing the guest list for the upcoming Vertex Maternal Foundation Gala, her head of security, an ex-military operative named Marcus, stepped into her study.
"Ms. Vance-Rothschild," Marcus said, placing a report on her desk. "Our surveillance on Ryan Collins shows he’s been purchasing high-end suits using a newly opened credit line from a predatory lender. We also intercepted communications between his mother and a freelance paparazzi photographer. They are planning something for the gala."
Elle leaned back in her chair, a slow, amused smile spreading across her lips. "They never learn, do they? They think I'm still the girl who cries in dark hallways."
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"Do you want me to bar them from the property, ma'am?" Marcus asked.
"No," Elle replied, her eyes flashing with anticipation. "Let them in. Let them play their little game. But make sure our own media teams are rolling. If Ryan wants to put on a show, I’ll ensure it’s his final performance."
