The metallic rattle of the shattered phone screen against the marble floor was the only sound in the penthouse, aside from Victoria’s ragged, choking breaths.

Julian’s polite smile vanished completely.

The handsome corporate executive was gone. In his place stood a desperate, dangerous man cornered by his own sins.

He laughed—a low, dry, raspy sound that sent chills through the room.

"You think you’ve caught me, Victoria?" Julian sneered, taking a step toward her. "You think a stupid video snippet and some corporate rumors are going to destroy me? Do you have any idea who I’m working with?"

Victoria stood her ground, her chin held high. "I don't care who you’re working with, Julian. The police are on their way."

Julian’s hand shot out like a striking cobra.

He grabbed Victoria by her hair, yanked her head back, and slammed her against the wall.

"Victoria!" Maria screamed, rushing forward.

"Stay back, you pathetic little bitch!" Julian roared, pulling a small black pistol from his inner jacket pocket and pointing it straight at Maria’s chest.

Maria froze, her hands flying up in terror.

Victoria gasped against the pain in her scalp, her hands gripping Julian’s wrist, but his grip was iron.

"You really thought you could trap me in my own penthouse?" Julian hissed into Victoria’s ear, his hot breath smelling of expensive coffee and mint. "You think I did this just for eighty million dollars? Your father ruined my family twenty years ago, Victoria! Old Arthur Vance bought out my father’s shipping company, bankrupted us, and drove my dad to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge!"

Victoria’s eyes widened in horror. "What... what are you talking about?"

"I spent ten years changing my identity, building Sterling Financial, and working my way into your father’s elite social circles just to marry you!" Julian snarled, his eyes wild with insane malice. "I was going to take your father's wealth, destroy his grandson, and watch Arthur Vance die of a broken heart! And you... you were going to spend the rest of your life in a psychiatric facility, blamed for your own baby’s death!"

"You monster..." Victoria wept, struggling against his grip. "You evil, sick monster!"

"Quiet!" Julian backhanded her across the face.

Victoria’s head snapped sideways, her lip splitting open against her teeth. She fell to the floor, blood trickling down her chin—a mirror image of Maria’s suffering earlier that morning.

Julian racked the slide of his pistol, pointing it at Victoria’s head.

"Give me the flash drive, Maria," Julian commanded, his voice cold and steady. "Give it to me right now, or I put a bullet through her brain before your very eyes."

Maria was shaking violently, tears blinding her vision. She held out the manila envelope with trembling hands. "Don't shoot her... please... here, take it!"

Julian snatched the envelope from Maria’s hand, stepping back while keeping the gun trained on Victoria.

"You women are so predictable," Julian scoffed, backing toward the hallway that led to the private express elevator. "I’m going to take Leo with me. He’s my insurance policy. If your father tries to use his connections to track me down, the baby dies."

"NO!" Victoria screamed, scrambling up from the floor like a mother lion. "NOT LEO! DON'T YOU TOUCH MY BABY!"

Julian kicked her hard in the stomach. Victoria collapsed onto the marble, gasping for air as pain exploded through her body.