Chapter 59 The Ransom Of Trust

• The room was shrouded in cold, artificial light. Ethan sat at the head of the vast mahogany table, its polished surface reflecting the tension that coiled through the air like smoke. Every tick of the grandfather clock on the far wall echoed louder in his ears.
• Alexander Whitaker sat across from him, sharp as a knife in his tailored charcoal suit. His smile was a serpent’s coil, smug and slow.
• “Let me make this simple for you,” Alexander drawled, sliding a sleek folder across the table. “Your company, your legacy… in exchange for Clara’s life.”