They Crossed Me, I Became the God of war

Chapter 5

The grand ballroom of the Grand Regency Hotel was filled with bright lights and soft music. Hundreds of wealthy business owners and city leaders stood in small circles, drinking wine and talking about the upcoming harbor trade deals.

Dominic Caldwell walked through the center of the hall with his chin held high, wearing a dark silk suit. Beside him walked Cassandra Reed, dressed in a red evening dress with a ruby necklace shining against her throat.

"Relax, Cassandra," Dominic whispered with a smug grin, patting her hand on his arm. "Tonight, the state maritime authority will give our family the exclusive rights to the outer deep-water channels. That contract is worth ten billion dollars."

Cassandra smiled proudly, looking around at the wealthy women who were watching her with jealous eyes. She loved the attention, feeling as though she had finally reached the very top of Port Valenford society.

"Did you take care of the paperwork?" Cassandra asked softly, tilting her head toward him. "I heard Walter Ashford spent twenty years working on those exact deep-water route maps before he died."

"Who cares about a dead man?" Dominic laughed quietly, taking a glass of wine from a passing waiter. "I took his research, put our company stamp on it, and submitted it as our own. In this city, nobody cares who built the ship, only who owns it."

Dominic’s eyes narrowed into a cruel slit as he leaned closer to her ear. "And tomorrow, my grandfather will receive the bone marrow from those twin brats out on the island. Once he recovers, the Caldwell family will rule this entire coast forever."

Before Cassandra could reply, the heavy double doors at the front of the ballroom swung wide open. The chatter in the hall slowly died down as several guests turned to look at the two figures walking inside.

Serena Ashford strode into the room, her head held high and her back straight as an arrow. She wore a sharp charcoal suit that fit her perfectly, her bruised face washed clean and her dark hair pulled back in an elegant braid.

Walking half a step beside her was Gideon Knox, dressed in a clean, dark wool coat over a simple black shirt. Across the city, his top commanders were already using military satellites to track down the secret offshore cell holding his little sisters.

While his shadow network worked to pinpoint the exact bunker before the midnight deadline, Gideon had accompanied Serena here to settle a personal debt. He was going to reclaim Walter Ashford's stolen legacy and strip Dominic Caldwell of his hollow glory before the entire city.

Cassandra’s smile vanished the moment her eyes landed on Gideon’s face. A sudden rush of anger and disbelief flared in her chest, and she quickly stepped away from Dominic to block their path.

"Gideon?" Cassandra sneered, crossing her arms as she looked him up and down. "You manipulated a commissioner to escape the police at my house, and now you're playing bodyguard for a broke orphan? Serena, do you really have no shame? Must you embarrass yourself by clinging to someone like him?”

Serena did not flinch or look away from Cassandra’s mocking glare. "I am here on official business, Cassandra. You're the one that should be ashamed of yourself. You're the one wearing jewelry bought with stolen money."

"Stolen money?" Cassandra scoffed, tossing her hair with a loud, theatrical laugh. "My Dominic earns more in a day than your dead father saw in his entire life! You do not even have an office left, Serena! Why are you embarrassing yourself here?"

Dominic stepped up beside Cassandra, resting his hand on his belt as he looked at Gideon with pure contempt. "You have a lot of nerve showing your face here, Knox. Did you come to beg for table scraps after running from my house like a stray dog?"

Gideon did not blink, his dark eyes looking right through Dominic as if the man were made of thin glass. "We did not come for scraps, Dominic. We came to take back what you stole."

Serena stepped past the pair without another word, walking straight up to the central registration stage where the city trade officials sat. She pulled a thick folder of stamped leather documents from her bag and laid them flat on the table.

"I am Serena Ashford, the sole heir of Ashford Maritime," Serena announced in a clear, steady voice that echoed through the quiet hall. "These are the original state patents and harbor blueprints for the outer deep-water channels, signed by my late father five years ago."

The chief official adjusted his glasses, carefully opening the files to inspect the red wax seals and government stamps. His eyes widened in shock as he compared the serial numbers with the city records on his computer screen.

"These... these are genuine," the official stammered, looking up with a pale face. "The master survey rights belong completely to Ashford Maritime. The filing submitted by the Caldwell Consortium earlier today is an exact duplicate."

A wave of shocked whispers rippled through the surrounding crowd of business elites. People began turning their heads toward Dominic, muttering in surprise as they realized the Caldwell project was a complete theft.

Dominic’s face darkened, but he quickly forced a cold, arrogant chuckle. He stepped forward to the stage, slamming his hand down on the wooden counter to silence the murmuring guests.

"So what if her dead father drew some maps?" Dominic sneered, glaring at the officials with open hostility. "Ashford Maritime has been bankrupt for three days! They do not have a single working ship, a single dock, or a single dime in the bank!"

He pointed an accusing finger straight at Serena’s face, his voice rising in ugly arrogance. "The Caldwell Consortium has forty cargo vessels and billions in capital! The State Maritime Authority is not going to hand a multi-billion dollar contract to a ruined beggar girl!"

"He is right," Cassandra chimed in from behind, smiling smugly as she stepped beside Dominic. "A government contract requires billions in financial backing! You cannot run an ocean port with a few old sheets of paper, Serena!"

"Who told you she has no backing?" a deep, powerful voice boomed from the rear entrance.