A dangerous, violent shadow crossed his face. He hated being reminded of his father unwavering moral compass. He hated knowing that his power was entirely dependent on warren approval. He took another step forward, backing me against the heavy wooden bookshelves. He thought he was intimidating a helpless government clerk.
He had no idea he was attempting to threaten a sitting judge of the Supreme Court. ‘You listen to me very carefully, you miserable little paper pusher.’ Terrence hissed all traces of his charming billionaire facade completely gone. ‘You are going to close that laptop, walk out of this room, and keep your mouth shut.
You are going to take the fall for this debt, and you are going to let my wedding proceed perfectly. And if I refuse, I challenged, refusing to break eye contact. Terrence leaned in so close I could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him. His voice dropped to a lethal, menacing whisper.
If you breathe a single word of this to my father, I will personally see to it that you rot in a federal cell. I will testify that you came to me begging for the money. I will sue you for fraud because the signature on the contract is yours. and with my family legal team backing me, you will not stand a chance.
‘ The heavy mahogany door swung open with a violent thud, shattering the tense silence of the library.’ Brenda, Richard, and Britney poured into the room, their faces flushed with a mixture of panic and hostility. Brenda immediately reached backward and slid the deadbolt into place, locking us inside.
The loud click of the lock sounded exactly like a prison cell slamming shut. They took one look at Terrence standing over me and instantly assessed the situation. I expected at least a fraction of parental instinct to kick in a momentary hesitation, seeing their eldest daughter threatened by a wealthy outsider, but there was no hesitation.
The hierarchy of this family was set in stone. Terrence was the golden goose, and I was the sacrificial lamb. Terrence smoothly adjusted his suit jacket, his menacing demeanor dissolving into a charismatic, predatory smile. He looked at my father and nodded. Your daughter and I were just finalizing the terms of her financial contribution to this union.
Richard, I believe you have the necessary paperwork ready. Richard did not look at me. He reached into the inner breast pocket of his tailored tuxedo and pulled out a thick folded legal document. He stepped forward and slapped the papers down onto the center of the desk, right next to the glowing laptop screen that still displayed their federal crime.
