Chapter 8 - The True Ownership
Richard Sterling’s desperate composure completely shattered, his hands balling into trembling fists of absolute panic.
"You don't understand who you're dealing with, you arrogant little fool!" Richard hissed, trying desperately to regain leverage.
"I am a personal friend of Arthur Vance, the global CEO and majority shareholder of Vance International!"
"Vance International owns this entire resort chain! If Arthur finds out you treated me like this, you will be ruined!"
A bizarre, suffocating hush fell over the terrace staff members who were standing along the perimeter walls.
Several seasoned bartenders and senior waitstaff had to bite their lips to keep from laughing out loud.
Elena Vance tilted her head slightly, her hazel eyes glittering with an amused, lethal brilliance that terrified Richard.
"You play golf with Arthur Vance?" Elena asked softly, her tone deceptively sweet.
"Yes! Every damn year in Dubai!" Richard barked, thinking he had finally struck the golden nerve of fear.
"He owes me favors! One phone call from me to Arthur, and you are out on the street with a destroyed reputation!"
Elena reached into the pocket of her tailored trousers and pulled out her private personal smartphone.
She unlocked the device with face recognition, scrolled through her favorite contacts, and tapped the very top name.
She pressed the speakerphone button and held the device out between them in the chilly night air.
The phone rang once. It rang twice.
Then, a deep, distinguished, authoritative voice answered with profound warmth on the other end of the line:
*"Good evening, sweetheart. How is the cliffside gala proceeding at the resort tonight?"*
Richard Sterling froze entirely, his blood running cold as he recognized the distinct, commanding voice instantly.
It was Arthur Vance. The reclusive, multi-billion-dollar titan who controlled one of the largest hospitality empires on earth.
Elena kept her eyes locked entirely on Richard’s pale, sweat-drenched face as she spoke calmly into the microphone:
"Good evening, Dad. I'm afraid we have a slight operational disruption on the oceanfront terrace."
The word 'Dad' detonated across the terrace like a tactical nuclear warhead.
Richard Sterling staggered backward as if he had been shot directly through the chest, his eyes bulging in pure horror.
Victoria’s knees buckled, and she grabbed onto the back of a guest's chair to keep from collapsing onto the flagstones.
Garrett looked between Elena and the phone, his mouth opening in silent, paralyzed, infantile terror.
Elena Vance was not merely a talented, hired young manager who had climbed the corporate ladder through grit alone.
She was the sole heiress to the Vance International dynasty, working on the frontlines of the flagship property by choice.
On the other end of the line, Arthur Vance’s warm tone instantly transformed into a deep, protective, dangerous growl.
*"What kind of disruption, Elena? Are you or your staff in any danger?"*
"No, Dad. Marcus and tactical security have the perimeter completely secured," Elena answered smoothly.
"However, a guest named Richard Sterling, along with his wife Victoria and son Garrett, have committed multiple felonies."
"They assaulted and bound one of our young servers, dumped ice water and food on him, and attempted to intimidate the staff."
"Mr. Sterling also just attempted to bribe me with two million dollars after threatening to use his 'friendship' with you to ruin me."
A terrifying, heavy silence hung over the speakerphone for five agonizing seconds.
When Arthur Vance spoke again, his voice was filled with a cold, absolute finality that sealed the Sterling family's fate forever:
*"Richard. If you can hear my voice through this phone, listen to me very carefully."*
Richard swallowed hard, his throat clicking loudly, his arrogant voice completely stripped away into a pathetic whimper.
"A-Arthur... please, it was a misunderstanding... our sons... there was an accident..." Richard stammered desperately.
*"Do not speak my name, you pathetic coward,"* Arthur Vance commanded with the authority of an absolute monarch.
*"As of this exact second, Vance International is terminating every single commercial lease your firm holds across our global properties."*
*"I am personally calling the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and my legal team will assist the District Attorney in prosecuting every single charge to the maximum extent of the law."*
*"You touched one of our people. You threatened my daughter. I will see your family broke and disgraced before this month ends."*
*"Elena, my darling... call the police and take them down."*
The call ended with a sharp, sterile *beep*.
The silence that followed was heavy, absolute, and suffocating.
Richard Sterling dropped his titanium phone onto the stones, the screen shattering into a spiderweb of cracks.
May you like
The mighty billionaire stood entirely stripped of his power, his wealth, and his arrogance, looking like an empty shell.
And far down the winding coastal highway, the mournful, wailing sirens of approaching police cruisers began to echo off the cliffs.
