Chapter 10: The Buyout

“He’s not waiting until nine.”

The intercom buzzed again. Longer.

Bastian hit the button. “Send him up.”

“Sir,” security started.

“Now.”

The line cut.

James came out of the hallway, a small black device in his hand. “Clean. No bugs.” He saw Bastian’s face. “He’s here?”

“Elevator,” Bastian said.

Bisi stood. “Do I look like someone you hide in a closet or someone you introduce to your evil dad?”

“You stand with her,” Bastian said to Bisi, nodding at Zara. “He sees you together, he understands the cost.”

“Cost of what,” Zara asked.

“Of buying one without the other.”

The elevator dinged. Hallway, not in the apartment. Private lift. It opened directly into the foyer.

A man stepped out.

Cole Senior didn’t knock.

He was sixty-two, silver hair, suit that cost more than Zara’s hospital made in a day. He looked like Bastian with thirty years of harder choices carved in. No briefcase. No assistant. Just him.

His eyes went to Bastian first. Then to Zara. Then to Bisi. Then back to Bastian.

“You’re alive,” he said. Not relief. Confirmation.

“Yes,” Bastian said.

“Good. We can skip the reunion.” Cole Senior stepped inside. James didn’t move to stop him. “Miss Thomas. Miss Adeyemi.”

Zara went cold. He knew Bisi’s last name.

“How,” Bisi asked. No honorifics.

“I make it my business to know who my son is housing,” Cole Senior said. He looked around. “This is smaller than I remember.”

“You’ve never been here,” Bastian said.

“I own the building.”

“You own thirty percent.”

“Today.” Cole Senior smiled. It wasn’t kind. “Tomorrow we’ll discuss.”

He turned to Zara fully. “May I speak with you alone?”

“No,” Bastian said.

“I wasn’t asking you.”

Zara looked at Bastian. His jaw was tight, but he gave her one short nod. _Your call._

“Five minutes,” Zara said. “Here.”

“Smart,” Cole Senior said. “Witnesses keep people honest.” He gestured to the balcony. Glass door, still inside, visible but out of earshot. “Shall we?”

Zara walked. Legs steady. Heart not.

Bisi started to follow.

“Miss Adeyemi,” Cole Senior said without turning. “Stay.”

Bisi stopped. Looked at Bastian. He shook his head once. _Don’t._

Zara slid the door open and stepped onto the balcony. City air hit her. Cold. Five AM and the sky was still black.

Cole Senior joined her. Shut the door. The soundproofing was good. She could see Bastian and Bisi, but not hear them.

“You’re prettier than the photos,” Cole Senior said. “Daniel’s photos.”

Zara didn’t flinch. “You’ve seen them.”

“I’ve seen everything posted in the last hour. My team flagged it. ‘Welfare check.’ Clever boy. Dangerous.”

“He’s not my boy.”

“I know. He’s Vivienne’s.”

Zara kept her face still. “I don’t know who that is.”

“No,” Cole Senior said. “But you will.” He studied her. “You’re thinking I’m here to threaten you. I’m not. Threats are inefficient.”

“What are you here for?”

“To give you what you want.” He took out his phone. Tapped twice. Held it out.

A bank transfer screen. No name yet. Just a field. And a number.

$2,000,000.

Zara stared. “For what.”

“For walking away. Tonight. You take Miss Adeyemi, you get on a plane, you don’t contact my son again. The money is clean. Tax accounted for. You can finish school. Open a clinic. Whatever you planned before you picked the wrong floor.”

Zara’s mouth was dry. “And if I don’t?”

“Then I can’t protect you,” Cole Senior said. Simple. “From Daniel. From Vivienne. From the press when they find out you’re living with the missing heir of Cole Capital during a merger. You’ll be called a gold digger. A liar. Worse. Your hospital will cut you loose to avoid scandal. Your name will be a headline.”

“Are you threatening me.”

“I’m describing weather,” he said. “You can’t sue a storm.”

Zara looked through the glass. Bastian was watching. Not moving. Bisi was next to him, arms crossed, glaring at Cole Senior like she could set him on fire.

“Two million,” Zara said.

“To start,” Cole Senior said. “Prove you can disappear and it becomes five. I respect competence.”

“What if I want him, not the money?”

“Then you’re a fool,” Cole Senior said. Not unkind. Just factual. “He’s not built for keeping. He’s built for acquiring. Look around. This is what he does. He finds broken things and locks them up.”

“I’m not a thing.”

“No. You’re a variable. And variables get solved.” He put his phone away. “You have sixty seconds. After that, I talk to him. And my offer to him won’t include you.”

He slid the door open and stepped back inside.

Zara followed. Sixty seconds were up.

Cole Senior didn’t look at her. He looked at Bastian.

“Outside,” he said to James and Bisi. “Now.”

James hesitated. Bastian nodded. “Go.”

“Bastian,” Bisi said.

“Go,” Zara said. Softer.

James opened the door. Bisi walked out last, eyes on Zara. _Don’t you dare._

The door shut.

It was just the three of them.

Cole Senior faced Bastian. “You’ve had your run. Six months. It ends today.”

“I’m not done,” Bastian said.

“You are if I say you are,” Cole Senior said. “Ashford merger votes in eleven days. You’re either at the table or you’re out of the company. No more ghosts.”

“I said I’m not doing the engagement.”

“You don’t have to,” Cole Senior said. “Vivienne agreed to terms. Business only. No marriage. She wants the merger, not you. She’ll take a seat and a headline.”

Bastian went very still. “She told you that.”

“She told my lawyers. Last night. After she told me where you were.”

Zara felt it. The trap.

Cole Senior turned to her. “He can have the company. Full control. My shares. My vote. My retirement. Today. He signs, it’s his.”

He looked at Bastian.

“Or he can have her.”

Silence.

Bastian didn’t look at Zara. He looked at his father.

“And if I choose her?”

“Then you choose poverty,” Cole Senior said. “Relative poverty. No trust. No board seat. No building. You’ll have your name and whatever she costs you.”

“Costs me,” Bastian repeated.

“Daniel. Vivienne. The press. Your peace. She’s expensive, son.”

Bastian was quiet for a long time.

Then he looked at Zara.

And Cole Senior said, “You have sixty seconds.”