Chapter 4: The Morning After the Storm
Chapter 4: The Morning After the Storm
The next morning, the headlines were brutal.
"WHITLOCK MATRIARCH ARRESTED AT WEDDING: TEARS BRIDE'S $400K GOWN, DISCOVERS BRIDE OWNS THE ESTATE." "FROM RAGS TO RICHES REALITY: COLD WAR BETWEEN HOUSE OF VANE AND WHITLOCK SHIPPING."
In the penthouse of the Whitlock Manor, the atmosphere was apocalyptic. Arthur Whitlock, Andrew’s father and a powerful city councilman, smashed his coffee cup against the wall.
"You absolute fools!" Arthur roared at his wife and son. Patricia sat on the sofa, her eyes swollen from crying after spending the night in a holding cell before being released on bail. Andrew sat with his head in his hands, staring at his phone, which was blowing up with texts from friends and business partners turning their backs on him.
"How was I supposed to know?" Patricia whimpered. "She lived in a tiny apartment! She drove a ten-year-old sedan! She wore clothes without logos!"
"She is a Vane, you idiot!" Arthur shouted. "The Vanes pride themselves on discretion! And now, because of your pathetic vanity, the Mason-Vane Group has just issued a margin call on our shipping fleet. We have forty-eight hours to pay fifty million dollars, or they seize our assets!"
Andrew looked up, his face pale. "Fifty million? Father, we don't have that kind of liquidity."
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"Then you better go crawl back to your little bride and beg for forgiveness," Arthur hissed. "Because if you don't, we are bankrupt by Friday, and my political career is over."
Andrew swallowed hard. He remembered the look in Clara’s eyes—the cold, detached gaze of a woman who had completely checked out. But he had no choice. He grabbed his car keys.
