The Billionaire Stolen Bride

Chapter 9: The Boss's Demand

The men in black didn’t look like debt collectors.

They looked like killers.

Adrian’s hand tightened around mine as we stood in the foyer. The broken glass from the window crunched under their boots.

"Mr. Sterling," the taller one said. He had a scar running down his cheek. "You know why we’re here."

"I know you’re trespassing on private property," Adrian replied. His voice was calm, but I could feel him shaking. Or maybe that was me. "Get out. Now."

The man smiled and held up his phone. On the screen was a picture of my father. Tied to a chair. Bloody.

My stomach dropped. "Dad?"

"Your father’s debt didn’t die when he ran, Miss Hart," Scarface said. "And it didn’t die when you married into the Sterling family. 50 million. Plus 10 years of interest."

"I don’t have it," I whispered.

"We know," the other man said. He was younger, with cold eyes. "That’s why the boss wants to make a new deal."

Adrian stepped in front of me again. "Whatever deal you have, you make it with me. Leave her out of this."

"Can’t do that," Scarface said. "The boss specifically asked for Miss Hart. Says it’s family business."

"Then the boss can come here and say it to my face," Adrian snapped.

The younger man checked his watch. "He will. In 30 minutes. At the old Sterling warehouse on 5th."

Adrian’s jaw clenched. "That place was shut down 8 years ago."

"Guess he reopened it. For you." Scarface turned to me. "Be there, Miss Hart. Or we come back for your father. And this time we won’t be so polite."

They left as quickly as they came. The sound of their car tires screeching faded into the night.

Silence.

I collapsed onto the stairs, my legs giving out. "Adrian, what’s happening? Who are they?"

Adrian crouched in front of me. For the first time, he looked scared. Truly scared.

"They work for Victor Kane," he said. "My father’s old business partner. And your father’s biggest enemy."

I shook my head. "I don’t understand. My dad was an accountant. A small business owner. How does he owe 50 million to a crime lord?"

"Because he wasn’t just an accountant." Adrian sighed and sat beside me on the stairs. "10 years ago, your father, my father, and Victor Kane started a company together. Sterling-Kane-Hart Enterprises. SKH."

"The name on the contract in that room..."

"Yes." Adrian rubbed his face. "It was supposed to be a construction company. But Victor was laundering money through it. Your father found out. He tried to shut it down."

"So he stole the money?"

"He took evidence. Documents that could put Victor in prison for life. And then he disappeared with it." Adrian looked at me. "Victor has been looking for those documents for 10 years. And for your father."

"And now he thinks I have them."

"Yes." Adrian took my hands in his. His hands were ice cold. "Amelia, listen to me. We have two options. We go to the warehouse and hear what Victor wants. Or we run. Tonight. Right now."

"Run?" I laughed, but it came out as a sob. "Where? They found us here. They’ll find us anywhere."

"Not if we’re smart." Adrian’s thumb brushed over my knuckles. "I have a jet. We can be out of the country in 2 hours."

"And my father?"

Adrian was quiet.

"That’s what I thought," I said softly. "We can’t run. Not if they have him."

"Then we go to the warehouse," Adrian said. "But we go prepared."

---

30 minutes later we were in Adrian’s black SUV. He drove like a man possessed, weaving through the empty streets of Eldoret at 3AM.

"Here," he said, pulling out a small gun from the glove compartment. "Do you know how to use this?"

I stared at it. "No."

"Good. Don’t touch it unless I tell you to." He put it back. "Victor respects strength. So we give him strength. We don’t beg. We don’t cry. We negotiate."

"What are we negotiating with? We have nothing."

"We have you," Adrian said quietly. "And we have me."

The warehouse was on the edge of town. Abandoned. Windows broken. But there were lights on inside. And cars. Lots of them.

Adrian parked far away. "Stay close to me. Don’t speak unless I tell you to. And whatever happens, don’t sign anything."

We walked to the big metal doors. Two guards opened them for us.

Inside, it was worse than I imagined.

Victor Kane sat behind a desk in the middle of the empty warehouse. He was in his 60s, with white hair and a suit that probably cost more than my old house. Around him stood at least 10 men with guns.

And in the corner, tied to a chair...

"DAD!"

My father looked up. His face was bruised. One eye was swollen shut. But when he saw me, he started crying.

"Amelia! Baby, don’t look at me. Don’t—"

"Shut up," one of the guards hit him.

"TOUCH HIM AGAIN AND I’LL KILL YOU!" Adrian roared. The entire room went silent.

Victor raised a hand. The guard stepped back.

"Adrian Sterling," Victor said, standing up. "It’s been a long time."

"Victor."

Victor turned to me. His eyes were like ice. "And you must be Amelia. You have your mother’s eyes."

I didn’t answer.

"Let’s get to business," Victor said. "Your father stole from me. 50 million dollars. And evidence that could ruin me."

"My father is not a thief," I said before I could stop myself.

Victor laughed. "Oh, but he is. A very good one. He ran with the money and the files. I want them back."

"We don’t have them," Adrian said.

"Then you have 24 hours to get them," Victor said. "Or I kill him." He pointed at my dad.

"You can’t do that," I said. "This is illegal."

"This?" Victor gestured around the warehouse. "This is business, Miss Hart. The same business your father was in."

Adrian stepped forward. "What if I pay the debt? 50 million. Cash."

Victor smiled. "You could. But I don’t want money, Adrian. I want the files. And I want your father’s shares in SKH. The ones he signed over to you when he died."

Adrian went pale. "My father’s shares are mine. They’re not part of this."

"They are now," Victor said. "Sign them over to me, and I let your father-in-law live. Don’t... and I kill him tonight. And then I come for her." He pointed at me.

My blood ran cold.

"24 hours," Victor said. "That’s all you get. Bring me the files, the shares, and 50 million. Or someone dies."

He snapped his fingers. The guards untied my father and dragged him to another room.

"DAD!" I screamed.

Adrian pulled me back. "Amelia, stop. You’ll get us both killed."

As we were escorted out, Victor called after us. "Oh, and Adrian? Welcome back to the family business."

---

We didn’t speak on the drive home.

The moment we got inside, I broke down. "They have my dad, Adrian. They’re going to kill him."

"I know," Adrian said. He pulled me into his arms. I tried to push him away but he held on tighter. "I know, baby. And I’m so sorry."

"Don’t call me that," I cried into his chest. "You lied to me. This whole marriage is a lie."

"It started as a lie," he whispered. "But it’s not anymore."

I pulled back and slapped him. Hard.

"Don’t you dare," I said, tears streaming down my face. "Don’t you dare pretend you care about me. You married me for my father’s debt!"

"Yes," Adrian admitted. "At first. But then I met you. And I saw how scared you were. And how brave. And I..." He stopped.

"What?"

"Nothing." He turned away. "We have 24 hours to figure this out. I’m going to call my lawyer. And my security team."

"What about the files? We don’t have them."

"Then we find them," Adrian said. "Your father had to hide them somewhere. Think, Amelia. Where would he put them?"

I wiped my tears and tried to think. My dad... he was always careful. Always had a safety deposit box. Always had a hiding place.

"The bank," I said suddenly. "He had a safety deposit box at First National. He told me if anything ever happened to him, to check box 247."

Adrian’s eyes lit up. "That’s it. That’s where the files are."

"But the bank opens at 9AM. And we only have until tomorrow night."

"Then we wait," Adrian said. "And in the meantime, we plan."

He walked to the window and looked out. I watched him. The strong, cold billionaire who married me out of obligation.

But tonight he looked different. Tired. Human.

"Adrian," I said softly.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. For not running. For staying."

He was quiet for a long time. Then he said, "I’m not letting them hurt you, Amelia. Not while I’m still breathing."

And for the first time since this whole nightmare started...

I believed him.