All Chapters of DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH : Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

333 Chapters

Chapter 170: The Alpine Shadow

Chapter 170: The Alpine ShadowThe rain that had followed them from London turned into a heavy snowfall by the time the Gulfstream flew over the Bernese Alps. Below Zurich's lights were spread out around the dark freezing Limmat River, a shining grid of money and deep banking secrets that had stayed hidden through two world wars. To the market this was a safe place for money, a place where assets went to hide.To Julian and Elena it was the next stop on their list to get back their assets.Inside the jet's rear cabin it was warm, smelling of rich leather, scotch and the quiet metallic scent of secure digital servers. Julian sat in a leather armchair, his big frame taking up most of the space. He had unbuttoned his white shirt collar, his tie thrown on the side table. He didn't look relaxed. His gray eyes were fixed on the interface in front of him, his jaw set in a hard line that meant business.Elena sat on his lap, her legs over his thighs, her head on his broad shoulder. She wore a

Chapter 171: The Alpine Foreclosure

Chapter 171: The Alpine ForeclosureThe armored Mercedes convoy cut through the snow of the Alpine winter, its snow tires crunching on the steep winding roads of Zürichberg. Below them Lake Zurich looked like a sheet of steel under the hanging winter clouds. Here tucked away in the hills rich Europeans lived behind stone walls, security cameras and private guards.They were approaching Gunter Keller's estate.Inside the cabin of the lead SUV the air was thick with anticipation. Julian sat in the darkness, his frame shifting slightly as the vehicle turned a sharp corner. He wore a heavy wool coat over his dark suit, his gloved hands resting on his knees. Next to him Elena sat up straight, her eyes fixed on the tablet on her lap. The soft blue light of the screen lit up her cheekbones and her determined eyes.Julian's large hand suddenly reached out. Gripped Elena's thigh tightly. He didn't look at her. His grip showed how protective he felt."Marcus has disabled the gate's security sys

Chapter 172: The Continental Sweep

Chapter 172: The Continental SweepThe wooden doors of Keller's house in Zürichberg slammed shut behind them. This left the shaking banker alone in his own broken home. Outside the wind from the mountains was blowing hard through the pine trees. It was carrying a lot of powdery snow across the stone courtyard. Julian did not look back. His long black coat was blowing behind him as he walked with Elena towards the waiting car. His big hand was holding her neck, keeping her safe from the cold with his body.The moment the heavy door of the car closed they were back in the cozy space inside. The noise of the storm was replaced by the sound of the car's engine. Elena quickly opened her computer. Started typing on the screen. The secret information they had just taken from Keller's computer was already being decoded. Thousands of lines of data were scrolling down the screen in green.Julian pulled Elena onto his lap without saying a word. His big arms were wrapped around her waist holding

Chapter 173: The Manhattan Return

Chapter 173: The Manhattan ReturnThe private Gulfstream flew through the low-hanging clouds over the Atlantic going down into the New York airspace as the first cold light of Monday morning started to appear across the East River. Below the rough grey skyline of Manhattan rose like a monument of steel and concrete. The very concrete that had started the Vane dynasty and the very city that was about to see its complete structural remodeling.Inside the cabin the atmosphere was thick with a heavy focused stillness.Julian sat on the leather banquette, his big frame hunched a bit forward as he looked at the copies of the newly secured European deeds. He had taken off his traveling sweater for a tailored charcoal-grey shirt; the top two buttons open, his sleeves rolled up to show his thick scarred forearms. His face was a mask of executive hostility. The excitement of the Alpine campaign had turned into something more dangerous: a quiet calculated determination to finish what his family

Chapter 174: The Ink of the Foundation

Chapter 174: The Ink of the FoundationThe study of the Manhattan townhouse was really something special. It was like a room that showed off the power of the people who lived there. In a very quiet way. The walls were made of wood and the room smelled like old leather and smoke from a fire. You could also smell the air coming in from the stone patio outside.. Even with all the noise from the morning traffic in New York you could not hear a thing inside the room because the windows were made to keep the sound out.In the middle of the room there was a heavy desk made of mahogany wood. This desk had been used by the men in Elena's family for a long time.. Today Julian was standing behind Elena not sitting in the chair. He was very tall. His big body made her look small. His grey shirt was tight on his shoulders. His sleeves were rolled up showing his strong muscles. One of his hands was on the desk next to her and the other was in her hair touching the back of her neck.On the desk ther

Chapter 175: The Sovereign Verdict

Chapter 175: The Sovereign VerdictThe private elevator climbed up the outside of the Wall Street tower in silence. Through the glass wall the grey city of Manhattan looked like a grid of stone and steam.. Julian and Elena didn't look out at the city they had spent three years bringing to its knees.The elevator bell chimed softly as the doors opened into the lobby on the sixty-third floor.The penthouse boardroom was a space with smoked glass walls and a massive black obsidian table. The five remaining directors of the New York branch sat around the table looking pale. Crumpled in their expensive suits. Three senior lawyers from a law firm stood behind them, their files open and their pads covered in scribbles.Soon as the doors opened the murmuring in the room stopped.Julian walked in first. His tall frame and physical presence seemed to change the atmosphere in the room. He walked slowly, his long coat unbuttoned to show his shirt and powerful shoulders.Elena walked beside him, h

Chapter 176: The First Decree

Chapter 176: The First DecreeThe big boardroom on the sixty-third floor was really quiet now. All the crazy energy from the directors was gone. Outside the glass wall the grey sky over Wall Street was starting to clear up. Sunbeams were coming through the clouds. Shining on the black table.Julian was standing close to Elena, his body right between her legs. He had his hands on her hips. Was looking at her with a lot of heat in his eyes. He did not say anything for a while. He just kept looking at her.For three years Julian and Elena had been in charge moving from one place to another and taking down their enemies.. Today they stopped moving. They had taken over the territory."They did not even try to fight us, " Elena said softly. Her hands were on Julian's chest. She could feel his heart beating. "They were so used to depending on their friends in Europe that they did not realize they were already in trouble."Julian made a noise and put his hands on Elena's face."They spent thi

Chapter 177: The Forty-Eight Hour Lock

Chapter 177: The Forty-Eight Hour Lock The walnut door of the executive suite did not just close it sealed shut. This door was specially made with three inches of wood and lined with special sheets that blocked out all the noise from outside. The city was in a panic. Inside the suite it was quiet. The only sounds were the hum of the air filter and the crackle of the heater in the corner. Julian did not let go of Elena's wrists. He held them up against the door, his big hands wrapped around them. His large body was pressed up against hers trapping her between him and the door. His shirt rubbed against her sweater making a buzzing sound. The air between them felt thick and hard to breathe. "The market is going to drop two hundred points today Julian " Elena said quietly. She did not sound worried. Her dark eyes looked at him and they were full of heat. "The computers do not know what to do when something big disappears. They will think it is a disaster." "Let them think about what t

Chapter 178: The Static Layer

Chapter 178: The Static LayerThe first twenty-four hours of the lockdown crept over Manhattan like a shadow. Down in the district sixty-three stories below the executive suite chaos erupted. The Vane Holding Group had suddenly vanished from registries sparking a panic that rippled through mid-tier investment houses. These firms had bet against the family's legacy stock over the past decade.Inside the penthouse suite's copper-lined walls the turmoil was silent. It was a heavy oppressive quiet.The fire in the hearth had dwindled to a low steady glow. It cast a golden light across the polished oak floor. Julian lay on the leather sofa, his massive frame partially hidden by the high back. His charcoal shirt was discarded, revealing his scarred chest. His gray eyes were open watching Elena's bare shoulder rise and fall as she slept beside him.Elena was curled up against Julian, her face buried in the crook of his neck. One of her legs was hooked over his thighs holding her close to his

Chapter 179: The Residual Ash

Chapter 179: The Residual AshThe second day of the lockdown had. The financial district below the Blackwood-Vane infrastructure was no longer in a state of panic. It was numb. The high-frequency trading desks downtown had stopped trying to buy or sell Vane assets. When a big entity like that disappears from records the market just stops trying to make moves. It builds a wall around the empty space and treats it like a big unknown.Inside the suite the light had changed from a warm golden color to a cold pale purple as the winter sun rose over the East River.Elena stood by the window wrapped in a heavy dark robe that was tight across her shoulders as she crossed her arms. Her hair fell down her back in waves and her bare feet were on the cold floor near the window. She was holding a cup of coffee in her right hand and the steam was rising up against the cold glass. Her dark eyes were fixed on the line of barges moving through the grey ice in the harborIt was completely quiet inside

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