Chapter 7 - The Masterstroke
Richard's face went pale. "You... you can't access my private records!"
"I can when your primary debt holder happens to be a casino enterprise my firm acquired two years ago," Nathan said with a cold, terrifying smile. "You owe my subsidiary $180,000 in defaulted lines of credit, Richard. And according to Detective Miller here, you've been using fraudulent social security numbers to evade child support enforcement."
The police detective stepped forward, placing a pair of silver handcuffs on the mahogany table with a loud clink.
"You have two options, Mr. Vance," Nathan continued, his tone clinical and absolute. "Option one: You proceed with your custody claim. My legal team will file criminal fraud and extortion charges against you before lunch. You will be arrested in this room, your assets seized, and you will spend the next five to seven years in a state penitentiary."
Richard swallowed hard, his throat completely dry, sweating through his shirt. "What's... what's option two?"
Nathan pulled a crisp document from his leather portfolio.
"Option two: You sign this irrevocable surrender of parental rights and consent to sole legal adoption. You forfeit all claims to Amara and the children, and in exchange, my firm writes off your gambling debt and declines to press extortion charges."
Richard looked at the handcuffs on the table, then at the six stone-faced corporate lawyers staring at him. He realized in an instant that he had tried to blackmail a apex predator, and he had been caught in a trap with no exit.
Shaking violently, Richard grabbed a pen from the table and signed his name on the dotted line.
May you like
"Get out of my city," Nathan said softly.
Richard grabbed his jacket and bolted out of the boardroom without looking back.
