The Forgotten Heir's Payback

Chapter 20: The Alliance of Losers

The yellow box of plastic trash bags sat in the wet grass right between Chloe and Beatrice shaking hands.

The armored black limousine rolled up its tinted window and drove away smoothly down the quiet road, leaving the mother and daughter weeping in the mud.

By five o'clock in the evening, movers cleared every piece of furniture out of the grand Vance estate. Mr. Davis locked the heavy iron gates with a massive thick chain, slapping a big red bank seal right on the front gate.

Chloe and her mother stood on the sidewalk with four plastic trash bags filled with their old clothes. Neighbors watched from their balconies, pointing their fingers and laughing at the downfall of the proud Vance family.

Julian Sterling drove up in a small, cheap rental car. His fine sports car had been seized by the court, and his bandaged hand was dirty and sore. He stepped out of the car, looking at Chloe messy hair and Beatrice ruined dress with deep disgust.

"Get into the car," Julian spat out, his voice full of bitterness. "I found a tiny two room apartment on the far edge of the old city. It is the only place my last hundred dollars of personal cash could rent for a few days."

Beatrice held her chest, letting out a loud shriek. "A small apartment in the old city? That place is for poor factory workers! I cannot live in a smelly place like that!"

"Shut your mouth, old woman!" Julian yelled back, his face turning red with anger. "You have no money and no house! If you do not want to sleep on the street tonight, get in the car!"

Chloe pulled her mother by the sleeve, weeping softly. They stuffed their plastic trash bags into the back trunk and sat in the small car.

An hour later, they arrived at a dark, narrow alley in the poorest part of town. The air smelled of old trash and standing water. The apartment building was old, with cracked yellow paint peeling off the walls and broken light bulbs hanging from the ceiling.

They dragged their bags up three flights of creaky wooden stairs into a small, smelly room. A tiny plastic table sat in the middle, and two thin spring mattresses lay directly on the dusty floor.

Sitting on a wooden chair in the corner was Richard Sterling, looking twenty years older. His suit jacket was gone, his tie was loose, and his eyes looked hollow and dead.

"Dad," Julian said, closing the squeaky wooden door behind them. "We are all locked out now. Lucas took the Vance house today, and our company stock is completely worthless."

Richard looked up, his voice raspy and broken. "We are finished, Julian. Every commercial bank has closed our accounts. We cannot pay our factory workers by Friday."

Chloe sat down on the thin mattress, covering her face with her hands. "Is there really no one left in this city who can stop Lucas? He cannot be stronger than everyone!"

Richard eyes suddenly flashed with a dark, desperate light. He stood up slowly from his wooden chair, clutching his knees.

"There is one group," Richard whispered, his voice shaking with fear and hope. "The Grand Council."

Julian gasped out loud, taking a quick step back. "The Grand Council? The four ancient rich families who run the underground business of the state?"

"Yes," Richard nodded fast, his hands trembling. "They have ruled the real estate and trade shipping in this city for fifty years. Their combined wealth is over eighty billion dollars. They do not like Grand Dragon Financial interfering in their territory. If we join hands with them, they have the power to crush Lucas bank."

"Then let us go see them right now!" Beatrice yelled from the corner, her eyes greedy again. "Tell them to kill Lucas and give us back our mansion!"

"It is not that simple," Richard warned in a low voice. "The Grand Council treats outsiders like dirt. But we have no choice left. If we do not get their backing, we will all be in prison or on the street by next week."

At eight o'clock that night, heavy rain began to fall across the city once more.

Julian, Chloe, and Richard drove to the North Hill district, stopping outside a massive ancient stone manor hidden behind high grey walls. This was the headquarters of the Grand Council.

They stepped out of the cheap rental car and walked up to the big iron gates. Two tall guards wearing black leather coats and holding heavy wooden clubs blocked their way.

Richard stepped forward, bowing his head low like a servant. "Please tell Master Vance of the Grand Council that Richard Sterling and the Vance family are here to seek an urgent alliance!"

The guard on the right looked at Richard torn suit and Julian bandaged hand, then looked at Chloe wet dress. He let out a loud, mocking laugh that cut through the sound of falling rain.

"Sterling Enterprises?" the guard sneered, spitting on the ground near Richard shoes. "You two families are the biggest joke on the news today. You think our Master has time to meet two broke beggars?"

"Please!" Chloe pleaded, stepping into the cold rain with her hands together. "We have valuable business information about Grand Dragon Financial! Just give us five minutes!"

The guard scoffed, pulling out his radio device to make a quick call. After a few seconds, he looked back at them with a cold, cruel grin.

"Master Vance says you may wait outside," the guard said plainly. "If he feels like talking later, he will let you in."

For four long hours, Richard, Julian, and Chloe stood outside the iron gates under the heavy, freezing rain. Their bodies shivered violently, and their feet turned numb on the wet stone pavement. Chloe wept quietly, her teeth clicking fast from the cold, while Julian cursed Lucas name under his breath every minute.

They were treated like complete street beggars, forced to stand in the storm to prove their low worth.

Finally, at midnight, the heavy iron gates creaked open.

A young butler in a grey suit walked out holding a large umbrella. "The Head of the Grand Council will see you now. Wipe your feet before you step inside."

They dragged their shivering, wet bodies through the grand courtyard into a high stone hall lined with ancient swords and gold shields.

Sitting on a massive carved wooden throne at the end of the hall was Master Elder Vance, an old man with white hair, sharp eagle eyes, and a long silver walking stick. He was the head of the four ancient families.

Richard, Julian, and Chloe dropped to their knees on the cold marble floor, bowing their heads low.

"Master Elder!" Richard cried out in a desperate voice. "Lucas Vance has taken over Grand Dragon Financial! He is destroying our companies and disrupting the market order of the city! We beg the Grand Council to back us and destroy him!"

Elder Vance looked down at the three people kneeling in front of his throne like pathetic dogs. He took a slow drag from his long wooden pipe, blowing white smoke into the air.

"Lucas Vance is indeed becoming too loud," Elder Vance said in a deep, booming voice that echoed across the stone walls. "He thinks his bank card gives him total rule over this city. The Grand Council will not allow a young boy to step on our ancient territory."

Julian eyes lit up with pure joy, and he hit his head against the floor. "Thank you, Master Elder! Thank you! With your eighty billion dollars, we can crush Lucas into dust!"

Elder Vance let out a cold, sharp laugh that made the blood freeze in Julian veins. He leaned forward on his wooden throne, pointing his silver walking stick right at Julian face.

"Do not celebrate so fast, boy," Elder Vance declared coldly. "The Grand Council does not do charity for weak losers. If we use our power to fight Grand Dragon Financial for your sake, you must pay the ultimate price."

Julian swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "What... what price, Master Elder?"

Elder Vance smiled like a hungry wolf looking at a helpless lamb.

The head of the Grand Council agrees to back Julian, but demands that Julian hand over 70% of Sterling Enterprises’ core real estate assets as collateral.