Chapter 33 - A visitor in the rain
The following morning brought a relentless gray downpour that rattled against the high glass windows of Caldwell Tower. Ethan had convened an emergency meeting of the executive board, but before the discussion could begin, his senior receptionist interrupted with an urgent tremor in her voice.
"Mr. Caldwell, there is a representative from Apex International in the private lounge. He says he has an appointment you cannot afford to miss."
Ethan glanced at Grace, who was standing unobtrusively in a tailored dark suit near the door, blending in as his head of personal security. Together, they walked into the private lounge.
Sitting on the leather sofa was a man in his late forties, impeccably groomed, wearing a tailored charcoal suit that cost more than most people earned in a year. His eyes were pale gray, cold as river ice, and along his left jawline ran a thin, surgical scar that ended just beneath his collar.
"Mr. Caldwell," the man said, rising with effortless poise and extending a hand. "I am Alexander Cross. Managing Director of Apex."
Ethan did not take the hand. "I don't recall approving an appointment, Mr. Cross. We don't do business with blind trusts."
Cross smiled, withdrawing his hand smoothly without a trace of embarrassment. His eyes shifted toward Grace, lingering on her face for two deliberate seconds. "A pity. Because Apex holds seventy percent of the debt obligations previously tied to your brother’s late estate. We are here to offer a quiet resolution regarding Lily Caldwell’s trust fund."
May you like
"The trust belongs entirely to Lily," Ethan said coldly. "The court settled that ten years ago."
"Courts settle what they see, Mr. Caldwell," Cross said, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping to a smooth, venomous whisper. "They do not settle what was buried in blood across an ocean. Ask your security officer. She knows what happens when someone refuses to return what doesn't belong to them."
