Chapter 23: The Prodigal Daughter
Richard Sterling looked immaculate in his tailored suit, untouched by the chaos unfolding in his building. He stared at Jane, his eyes taking in her ruined dress, the blood, and the feral, desperate look on her face.
"Jane," he said, his voice surprisingly soft. "Look at what you’ve become."
"I became what you made me," Jane spat, leaning against the control console. Her hand rested on the manual override lever for the generator’s cooling system.
"I tried to make you strong," Richard replied, stepping into the room. He waved a hand, and his men lowered their weapons, though they kept them trained on her. "I arranged a marriage to secure our future. I gave you everything. And you tore it apart. You killed my best men. You embarrassed me."
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"You ruined my life! You ordered Elias to kill me on that pier!" she screamed, the facade of the cold killer cracking, revealing the broken daughter underneath.
"I ordered Elias to bring you home," Richard said calmly. "The gun was a test. To see if you had the spine to fight back. You didn't. You just stood there, waiting to die. Like a coward. But look at you now. You survived Marcus. You broke my vault. I am actually proud of you, Jane."
