Chapter 4 - The Threat of Retaliation
Silence descended upon the study like a crushing suffocating blanket. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner sounded like hammer strikes against an anvil.
Hannah sat frozen, her breath caught in her throat. Thirty-eight million dollars? The family manor? Total control over the debts that kept Marlene and Bram afloat? Her mind spun back to the cold hallway, the paper eviction notice crumpled beneath her thin mattress, and the worn leather shoes she had glued together because she couldn't afford a new pair.
Marlene’s face twisted into an expression of sheer, unadulterated madness. The polished veneer of high-society elegance cracked wide open, revealing the bitter monster beneath.
""No!"" Marlene screamed, lunging across the desk toward the documents. ""This is fraud! This orphan girl manipulated him! She poisoned his mind while he was senile! She's a thief, a parasite who lived off our charity!""
Before Marlene’s manicured nails could touch the will, Gabriel's associate stepped smoothly in front of the desk. He didn't raise a weapon or shout; he simply stood like an immovable wall of stone, his broad chest blocking her path. Marlene recoiled, stumbling backward against Bram.
""Mother, calm down,"" Bram hissed, his eyes darting frantically between Gabriel and the lawyer. ""We can fight this. We have connections. We'll hire the best attorneys in New York.""
Gabriel let out a short, humorless laugh that made the fine hair on the back of Hannah's neck stand up. ""You don't have connections, Bram. You have creditors. And as of ten minutes ago, your sole creditor is sitting right there on that wooden stool.""
Gabriel walked slowly toward Hannah. He stood beside her, his towering frame casting a protective shadow over her trembling shoulders.
""Hannah,"" Gabriel spoke softly, his tone completely different from the ice he aimed at her relatives. ""Under the terms of the trust, you have immediate discretionary power. The manor, the bank accounts, and the liens on their properties belong to you right now. If you want them removed from this house, they leave. If you want their cars repossessed by nightfall, a single phone call will make it happen.""
Hannah looked up at Marlene. For two years, she had lived in terror of this woman's sharp tongue and cruel dismissals. Marlene had confiscated Hannah’s mother’s jewelry, relegated her to an unheated servant's room, and made her feel like a burden to the world. And Bram had mocked her every single day, treating her like cheap domestic help.
Yet, despite the sudden, overwhelming power placed into her hands, Hannah felt no desire to gloat. She simply felt tired. The grief of losing her grandfather was still a gaping wound in her chest.
""I don't want your cars,"" Hannah said quietly, her voice gaining strength with every word. ""And I don't want your designer clothes. But you will pack your belongings and leave this house before sundown. You made Grandpa feel alone in his final days. You won't sleep under his roof for another night.""
Marlene’s jaw dropped. ""You dare kick me out of my childhood home?! You ungrateful little wretch! My brother brought you into this family out of pity after your parents died! You would be on the streets without us!""
""Get out, Marlene,"" Hannah repeated, her gaze unflinching.
Bram stepped forward, his eyes burning with venomous hatred. He ignored Gabriel's bodyguards and leaned toward Hannah, baring his teeth. ""You think you’ve won, don't you? You think this fancy mobster is going to protect you forever? You don't know the first thing about running Edmund's companies. You'll sign everything over to us within a month, or I swear to God you will regret ever being born.""
Gabriel didn't wait for Bram to finish his sentence.
In a movement so fast it seemed almost impossible for a man of his size, Gabriel grabbed Bram by the collar of his designer shirt, lifted him clean off his feet, and slammed him hard against the oak bookcase. Leather-bound books rattled and fell to the floor.
""You have five seconds to walk out that front door,"" Gabriel whispered directly into Bram's ear, his voice deadly and smooth. ""If you take six, I will dismantle your life down to the bedrock. You will not have an apartment, you will not have a bank account, and you will not have teeth. Move.""
Gabriel released his grip. Bram hit the floor, gasping for air, clutching his bruised throat. Marlene shrieked, grabbing her son’s arm, and dragged him toward the hallway.
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""This isn't over!"" Marlene spat, her mascara running down her cheeks as she backed out of the room. ""You hear me, Hannah? This isn't over!""
The heavy oak doors slammed shut behind them, leaving the study in profound, ringing silence.
