2

Marcus wore a sharply tailored charcoal suit, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

An antique Cartier panther brooch was pinned to his lapel.

Four bodyguards in black followed him, the outlines of holsters showing under their jackets. The moment they walked in, they blocked the exits.

"Quite the entourage, Marcus." Elena gave him a cold look.

Marcus ignored her and sat down across from Antonio.

He set a black briefcase on the coffee table and slowly slid it toward Antonio.

"Don Ferro, your family's cash flow has been cut off."

He pushed up his glasses.

"The South American port project is in default, and the SEC has its eye on your new casino in Las Vegas.

"Give it three more days, and federal prosecutors will be filing to seize your core assets."

Elena stepped in front of Antonio.

"What happens to the Ferro family is none of your concern."

Marcus smiled. "I have an agreement right here. Hand over the family signet ring and access to your offshore accounts, and the consortium behind me will inject five billion immediately."

Victoria scoffed. "You think five billion is enough to buy everything we spent a century building?"

"Do you have a choice?"

Marcus leaned back, his tone casual.

"A new reserve report on the three South African gold mines I pledged to your creditors just came out. Their valuation has doubled.

"Right now, every one of your creditors is on my side."

Elena stared at him and said nothing.

Marcus seemed to know exactly how she'd react. Without hurrying, he pulled another sheet from his briefcase. It was a list of names.

"London, Zurich, Geneva. Everyone you called last night is on here."

Victoria's expression shifted.

Marcus tapped the list twice.

"It wasn't a coincidence that all three banks in Lugano pulled your credit lines today.

"Right now, there isn't a single person in all of Europe willing to lend you a dime."

Elena clenched her jaw.

"Who's really behind you?"

"That doesn't matter." Marcus looked up with a thin smile. "What matters is that I'm sitting here, which means they've already chosen me."

Victoria looked up too.

"We looked into Shadow Capital. We also checked the transaction records for those three mines.

"Three months ago, nobody had even heard of you."

Marcus glanced at her.

"Which is exactly why you lost.

"You're still trying to trace a name. I've already made everyone choose a side."

Elena's expression darkened further.

"You didn't do all this just for five billion."

"Of course not."

Marcus's gaze dropped to the signet ring on Antonio's hand.

"I want what's actually valuable in the Ferro family."

At that moment, no one in the room believed he'd come merely to negotiate.

He tapped a finger on the table.

"You can object all you want. But in one hour, the banks, the creditors, and the regulators won't care about your family rules."

Simon took a step forward.

"We'd rather die than hand that ring over to you."

"And what good will pride do you?"

Marcus checked his watch, still smiling. "I'll give you one hour."

Then, out of nowhere, he looked up.

His gaze swept toward the staircase and landed squarely on me.

"I've heard Simon's wife is quite the beauty."

The way he looked at me made my skin crawl.

"I wonder if she'll still be able to afford her Bulgari once this family goes under."