The ballroom went deathly silent. Marcus stared at Jax, then at Ronan, then at the tablet.
"What did he just call you?" Marcus whispered. "Boss?"
Ronan took the tablet. He swiped the screen. "Fire the board of directors, Jax. All of them. Especially Leo's father. Tell him he has one hour to clear his desk before the police arrive."
"Yes, Boss," Jax said. He stood behind Ronan like a mountain of stone.
Marcus started to laugh, but it sounded forced. "This is a joke, right? You found some actor to play a part? You're a dishwasher, Ronan! You don't own companies!"
Ronan looked at the crowd. Every billionaire in the city was watching him. He saw Elena Cross standing near the back, her camera flashing like a heartbeat.
"Twelve years is a long time, Marcus," Ronan said. He stepped closer to his cousin. "You thought I was surviving in the slums. You thought I was begging for scraps. But the slums are where the real money moves. No taxes. No rules. Just power."
"You... you've been building an empire?" Marcus gasped.
"I am the Black Harbor underground," Ronan said quietly. "Every casino, every dock, every street gang. They all answer to me. I didn't need the Vale name. I built my own."
Marcus's face twisted with rage. "You think this changes anything? This is the Vale Mansion! You're still a discarded son! I am the heir!"
"The heir?" Ronan tilted his head. "Grandfather is upstairs, isn't he? Let's go see what he thinks."
"You aren't going anywhere!" Marcus shouted. He turned to the crowd. "Security! Remove this impostor!"
Ten security guards rushed forward. These were Marcus's personal men. They were trained professionals.
Jax stepped in front of Ronan. He didn't even draw a weapon. He just cracked his knuckles.
"Wait," Ronan said, putting a hand on Jax's shoulder.
Ronan looked at the guards. "I know your names. I know where your families live. I know how much Marcus pays you. I will pay you triple to go home and enjoy your evening."
The guards stopped. They looked at each other.
"Don't listen to him!" Marcus screamed. "I'll kill you all!"
"He can't pay you if his accounts are frozen," Ronan said calmly. "And if you touch me, my men outside will make sure you never see the sun again."
One by one, the guards lowered their heads. They turned around and walked out of the ballroom.
Marcus was shaking now. He was all alone.
Ronan walked past him. He didn't even look at him. He headed for the grand staircase.
On the way, he passed Sasha. She had broken away from the guards and was hiding behind a pillar. She saw Ronan. She saw the way everyone looked at him with fear and respect.
"Ronan!" she cried, running out. She tried to grab his arm. "Ronan, honey! I knew it! I knew you were special! I was just acting with Leo to see if you'd fight for me! Please, forgive me!"
Ronan stopped. He looked at her hand on his sleeve. Then he looked at her face.
"You were right about one thing, Sasha," Ronan said.
"What? What is it?" she asked, her eyes full of fake hope.
"I do smell like garbage," Ronan said. "But it's not from the café. It's from being near you."
He pulled his arm away. "Jax, make sure she is banned from every club and restaurant I own. Which is all of them."
"No! Ronan! Please!" Sasha sobbed as Jax moved her aside.
Ronan walked up the stairs. At the top, he saw Elena Cross. She was leaning against the railing, her camera around her neck.
"That was a hell of a show," she said. Her eyes were sharp. "But you just started a war, you know. The Vale family doesn't like being humiliated."
"I didn't come here to be liked," Ronan said.
"What did you come for then?"
Ronan looked at the heavy oak doors of his father's bedroom.
"I came to collect a debt," Ronan said. "With interest."
He pushed the doors open. The room was dark. It smelled like medicine. A very old man lay in a massive bed, hooked up to machines.
The old man opened his eyes. "Ronan?"
"Hello, Father," Ronan said. He walked to the bedside.
"You... you survived," the old man whispered. "You look... different. You look like a monster."
Ronan leaned down. He whispered into his father's ear. "I'm the monster you created. And now, I'm going to take the one thing you love more than your children."
"What?" the old man wheezed.
Cliffhanger:
Ronan pulled a legal document from his pocket. It was already signed and stamped.
"The Vale Family Trust," Ronan said. "I bought the debt from the banks this morning. As of five minutes ago, Father... I don't just own the company. I own this house. I own your medicine. I own your very life. And my first act as the owner? I'm evicting everyone."
Downstairs, a loud crash echoed through the mansion as the front doors were kicked open. A hundred men in black leather jackets—Ronan's street army—marched into the ballroom.
"The King is home!" Jax shouted.
Ronan looked at his father. "Would you like me to call the moving trucks, or should I just have my men throw your things into the mud?"