Chapter 20 - The Spectre of Vanguard
Clara stood frozen near the hood of her sedan, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at her father.
"Arthur..." Clara whispered, the name feeling like ash in her mouth.
"It's good to see you after twenty years, my child," Arthur replied, taking a slow step forward, his cane clicking against the damp pavement.
Mark stepped out of the passenger side, standing defensively beside his wife.
"Who are you?" Mark demanded, his voice trembling despite his attempts at courage.
"I am Arthur Vance," the old man announced calmly. "The majority creditor of Sterling Logistics."
"My grandfather paid off the London debt in 1999!" Mark shouted, pointing at the intruder.
"Your grandfather paid off the primary principal, young man," Arthur corrected smoothly, pulling a leather folder from his trench coat.
"He forgot to clear the compound interest clause... which currently sits at eighty-four million dollars."
Clara took a step toward her father, her dark eyes burning with fierce, protective fury.
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"You used Eleanor to destroy the Sterling family from the inside," Clara declared, the pieces finally coming together in her mind.
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