The phone rang twice before anyone picked up."Ethan Ashford," said a voice, smooth and unhurried. "I wondered how long it would take you.""Victor Crane.""In the flesh. Well. In the voice, anyway."Ethan sat back in his chair, Isabella watching from across the room, Curtis Doyle sitting pale and silent in the corner. "You built a man from nothing to steal my family's inheritance.""I built a man from nothing to correct a mistake your grandfather made twenty years ago," Victor said. "He took an empire that should have been shared and hid it from everyone who might have earned a piece of it. I'm simply collecting what's owed.""By pretending someone else's son is your puppet.""Lucas has served his purpose well," Victor said. "Better than I expected, honestly. Your family took to him faster than I planned for.""He's finished," Ethan said. "You know that.""Do I." Victor's voice didn't change at all. "You've found one employee. Congratulations. I'd suggest you ask yourself how many mo