The flickering lights were only the beginning.
Suddenly, the violent screech of tires drowned out the storm. A massive black Mercedes G-Wagon tore up the driveway, its blinding high beams slicing through the rain like a blade. It didn’t politely park—it stopped dead right at the base of the marble steps.
Up on the dry porch, Vanessa crossed her arms, smirking in her silver dress. “She actually thought he would choose her,” she mocked, assuming the vehicle was a cheap taxi sent to haul away the trash.
But Adrian’s face had completely drained of color. “Wait… where is she going?” he stammered, watching Claire step fiercely toward the glaring headlights.
“I won’t beg anymore,” Claire whispered to the wind, her voice trembling but her eyes locked in absolute, icy resolve.
The heavy car door swung open. A towering, silver-haired man in a black trench coat stepped out. He didn’t run from the downpour; his presence commanded it. He strode up the marble steps with a terrifying, undeniable authority.
Adrian’s jaw dropped. His arrogant smirk collapsed into absolute terror. “The head of the family…” he breathed, completely paralyzed.
The billionaire patriarch ignored Adrian entirely. He walked straight to Claire, his powerful hands gently wrapping around her shivering shoulders, instantly shielding her from the cold. Then, he slowly tilted his head toward the porch. His eyes were pure, suffocating hellfire.
“You think you can speak to my daughter that way?” his voice boomed over the thunder.
Vanessa choked on a gasp, her hands flying to her chest. *Daughter?*
“The estate, the company, the phantom investor backing your entire pathetic life—it’s all me,” her father snarled at Adrian. He snapped his fingers.
Adrian’s phone immediately buzzed violently in his pocket. *Accounts Terminated. Deeds Transferred.*
Claire looked up from her father’s coat, a glacial smile finally breaking through. “Take off my mother’s necklace, Vanessa. You both have thirty seconds to get off my property before I release the hounds.”