Chapter 32 - The Cold Horizon
The emergency room was overrun within ninety seconds.
Swat officers in tactical gear swarmed the corridor, securing the broken doorway and sweeping the stairwells.
Daniel hauled himself to his feet, ignoring the burning ache in his chest, and wrapped both arms around Emily.
She was sobbing hysterically, burying her face into his bloodstained tuxedo shirt.
"He was going to kill me," Emily wept, trembling violently against him. "Daniel, he was standing right over me."
"I have you," Daniel whispered fiercely into her hair. "Nobody touches you again. I swear on my life."
The Aspen chief of police pushed through the perimeter, his expression grim and exhausted.
"We lost him in the underground garage," the chief reported, looking at Daniel. "He had a getaway vehicle waiting with diplomatic plates."
"Diplomatic plates?" Daniel snapped, his jaw tightening into iron. "My uncle is a corporate trustee, not an ambassador."
"He's been funding private accounts in Eastern Europe for fifteen years, Mr. Van Allen," the chief replied.
Daniel pulled his phone from his pocket with shaking hands, redialing Marcus.
To Daniel’s immense relief, Marcus answered on the second ring, coughing heavily through the receiver.
"Boss," Marcus groaned, his voice raspy. "They hit our security dispatch in New York with nerve gas. Three men down, but we locked the vault."
"Is the main server intact?" Daniel demanded, keeping one arm securely locked around Emily.
"Negative," Marcus said grimly. "Arthur executed a global override. He revoked your signature authority on all Van Allen Trust accounts five minutes ago."
The realization hit Daniel like an icy tidal wave.
He wasn't just defending his wife’s life; he was being erased from his own dynasty.
"He froze everything?" Daniel asked, his voice dead and dangerous.
"Every penny, Mr. Van Allen," Marcus confirmed. "Your credit lines, the jet fuel accounts, the Aspen property deed. As of right now, you are penniless on paper."
Daniel looked down at Emily, who was watching him with wide, frightened eyes.
"We don't need their money," Emily whispered, squeezing his hand. "We just need to survive."
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Daniel kissed her forehead, his eyes burning with an unshakeable fire.
"We will do more than survive," Daniel said softly. "We are going to tear his empire down to the dirt."
