CHAPTER 3 — The Empire Behind Her Name

Daniel finally laughed.

"You think a few security guards can threaten me?"

"My father owns judges."

"My uncle is a senator."

"My lawyers will bury all of you."

My father smiled for the first time.

"A senator?"

"Interesting."

He pressed a button on the tablet.

Every television inside the ballroom suddenly came to life.

A live financial news broadcast interrupted the silence.

"Breaking News."

"The International Financial Crimes Bureau has frozen every account belonging to the Ashford Group."

"The company is under investigation for bribery, money laundering, and tax fraud."

Daniel stared at the screen.

His face turned white.

His phone began vibrating.

Again.

Again.

Again.

His father.

His lawyers.

His board members.

He answered with shaking hands.

"What do you mean the banks rejected us?"

"What do you mean the government seized the records?"

His knees nearly gave out.

He slowly looked back at my father.

"Who... who are you?"

My father answered calmly.

"I don't build companies."

"I build the institutions that investigate them."

Then he turned to me.

"I warned you never to hide your identity."

I smiled faintly.

"I wanted people to judge me before they judged my family."

"You saw what they chose."

Around us...

Guests who had ignored my cries only minutes earlier lowered their heads in shame.