Chapter 4 - The Poisoned Arrow
Forty-eight hours after the canceled wedding, the city was vibrating with tension. The Hale family had launched a vicious smear campaign across local media, painting Nathaniel Cross as a paranoid, violent tyrant who had abandoned his bride at the altar due to mental instability.
Despite the press storm, Nathaniel remained untouchable inside his glass tower downtown.
Sitting in his executive board room on the sixty-fifth floor, Nathaniel listened calmly as his corporate attorneys detailed the ongoing legal filings against the Hale corporation.
"We have frozen three of Arthur Hale's offshore credit accounts, Mr. Cross," his head legal counsel reported. "However, Arthur has filed an emergency injunction in court, claiming you are using corporate assets to intimidate his family."
"Let him file," Nathaniel said dryly, sipping his espresso. "He’s bleeding cash. By tomorrow afternoon, his board will force him to surrender his shipping licenses to pay off his debt to Volkov."
Before the lawyer could respond, Nathaniel’s private phone vibrated on the table. It was an unlisted line that only three people possessed.
Nathaniel answered immediately. "Speak."
"Mr. Cross..." Carol’s voice came through the speaker, tight, trembling, and terrified. "They... they took her."
Nathaniel stood up so fast his leather chair crashed backward against the floor. The lawyers in the room froze in terror.
"Who took who, Carol?" Nathaniel demanded, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly calm whisper.
"Ivy," Carol sobbed, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "We were in the private courtyard near the conservatory... two men in delivery uniforms... they had silenced weapons. They knocked out the guard and grabbed Ivy through the side gate! They left an envelope, Mr. Cross!"
A surge of pure, blinding rage roared through Nathaniel’s veins, hotter than anything he had felt in his entire life. The image of the little girl who had tugged on his tuxedo sleeve three days ago flashed in his mind.
"Are you hurt?" Nathaniel growled into the phone.
"No... no, they pushed me down, but I'm fine... please, Mr. Cross, please save my baby!" Carol begged, breaking down into hysterical weeping.
"Listen to me, Carol," Nathaniel said, his tone turning as solid as cold steel. "Stay in the room with Clara. Do not touch anything. I am coming home right now, and I will bring your daughter back before the sun goes down. I promise you on my life."
May you like
Nathaniel ended the call and turned to Marcus, who was already pulling his sidearm from his shoulder holster.
"Mobilize every unit," Nathaniel commanded, walking past his frozen lawyers toward the private elevator. "Lock down the city. No boats leave the harbor. No planes leave the private strip. Find Dimitri Volkov."
