She Threw Red Wine on Me and Claimed Her Fiancé Owned My Family’s Luxury Resort—Until One Phone Call Exposed the Biggest Betrayal in the Sterling Empire / Chapter 12 / 20

Chapter 12 - The Shadow InvestorMy corner office was a sanctuary of glass, steel, and white leather, but as I walked in, it felt entirely too small.

Liam Thorne was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the crawling yellow cabs of New York City. He had traded his tuxedo for a sharp, charcoal-gray Tom Ford suit that fit him with dangerous perfection. He turned as I entered, his stormy eyes locking onto mine.

"You saw the file," Liam said. It wasn't a question.

"Viktor Volkov," I said, dropping the tablet onto my desk. I pressed my fingers to my temples, feeling a massive headache brewing. "Thomas borrowed fifty million dollars from a Russian oligarch known for laundering money through Eastern European real estate. Tell me you know something about this, Liam."

Liam walked over and poured two glasses of scotch from the crystal decanter on my credenza. He handed me one. "Drink. You're going to need it."

I took a sip. The liquid burned perfectly down my throat.

"Volkov is a ghost," Liam explained, his voice low and serious. "He doesn't use banks. He uses leverage, intimidation, and violence. Thomas must have approached him two years ago when his personal investments tanked. Volkov gave him the fifty million to keep up appearances, but the interest rate was likely astronomical. When Thomas couldn't pay, Volkov demanded collateral."

"The Aspen Lodge," I realized, the pieces snapping together. "That’s why Thomas was devaluing it. He wasn't just trying to buy it for himself. He was going to hand it over to Volkov to clear his debt."

"Exactly," Liam said, leaning against my desk. "But now Thomas is in federal custody. His assets are frozen. He can't pay Volkov."

"Which means Volkov will come looking for his collateral," I whispered, a chill tracing my spine. "He’ll come after Sterling Hospitality."

Liam set his glass down. "Volkov operates in the shadows. He won't sue you. He will threaten your supply chains, intimidate your staff, and ruin your properties until you are forced to sell the lodge to a shell company he controls. He is a different breed of predator than your uncle, Elena."

I looked at Liam, studying the hard, unyielding lines of his face. "Why are you here, Liam? The immediate threat of Thomas is gone. You could walk away from this mess, keep Thorne Capital safe, and let me deal with the Russian mob."

Liam stepped closer, invading my personal space just enough to make my heart accelerate.

"I told you on that balcony in Aspen," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "I don't do business with snakes, and I don't walk away from a fight. Besides... you and I make a rather terrifying team. I'm not leaving you to face Volkov alone."

A sudden, sharp beep from my secure line interrupted the moment. I answered it.

"Ms. Sterling," the voice of the Denver police captain crackled through the speaker. "Julian Vance is awake. He's refusing to speak to my detectives. He says he will only talk to you."