Chapter 14

<p>Two nights later, Julia called again.</p><p>This time, her voice was completely different from before.</p><p>Her exhaustion had turned into fear.</p><p>"You were right," Julia said.</p><p>Her voice was shaking.</p><p>"That City Investment Group contact Michael set up for me was a fake. He wasn't from City Investment Group at all. He was planted there by Vulture Capital. Three days after that meeting, the zoning change for Riverfront One got pushed through."</p><p>I gripped my phone, saying nothing.</p><p>"I had the finance team dig into the accounts Michael handled. Turns out, for the past six months, he's been faking project costs and funneling nearly 7 million dollars out of the company. All that money ended up with companies tied to Vulture Capital."</p><p>Her voice caught, trembling.</p><p>"Luke, he was Vulture Capital's mole from day one. He was always working for them."</p><p>I stood by the window in my office at CloudBuild, staring out at the city lights.</p><p>"What are you going to do?" I asked.</p><p>"I've already called the police. But getting the money back is one thing; the company's crisis won't wait," she said, taking a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Luke, I know I have no right to ask you for anything.</p><p>"But there are over three thousand people working at Sunrise..."</p><p>"Don't try to use the employees to pressure me," I said.</p><p>My tone stayed calm, but I meant every word.</p><p>"Back when we got divorced, we signed the papers. Sunrise isn't my business anymore."</p><p>"I know..." Julia said.</p><p>She couldn't hold it together anymore. On the other end of the line, she just broke down and cried.</p><p>She wasn't faking it, and she wasn't trying to get sympathy.</p><p>She'd finally reached her breaking point.</p><p>Listening to her cry, I couldn't even tell what I was feeling.</p><p>Did I hate her? I did, once.</p><p>Did I feel any pity? Not anymore.</p><p>But there was something even stronger than hate or pity.</p><p>It was just pure unwillingness to accept it.</p><p>Vulture Capital spent three years devouring my company, then Julia's. This was a game played on a whole other level, and both of us were nothing but pieces on their board.</p><p>No matter what history Julia and I had, this score with Vulture Capital had to be settled. I couldn't just let them get away with it.</p><p>"I'm not going to help Sunrise," I said.</p><p>I finally spoke up.</p><p>Julia's crying stopped.</p><p>"But I will go after Vulture Capital. Because they owe me even more than they owe you."</p><p>There was a long silence on the other end.</p><p>"What are you going to do?" Julia finally asked.</p><p>"You don't need to know. Right now, your only job is to keep Sunrise alive until the end of the month. Whatever Vulture Capital throws at you, just drag it out. Don't sign a single thing," I said.</p><p>"I..." she hesitated.</p><p>"Can you do it?" I pressed.</p><p>"Yeah," she said.</p><p>"Good," I said.</p><p>I hung up and called Alex.</p><p>"Alex, how much money can you actually pull together right now?" I asked.</p><p>"What's up?" he replied.</p><p>"I'm about to take Vulture Capital on," I said.</p><p>Alex whistled over the phone.</p><p>"Man, are you really serious about this?" he said.</p><p>"I've never been more serious," I replied.</p>