Chapter 16 - The Origin of the Empire
Antoine walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the glittering lights of the metropolis before speaking.
'Ten years ago, I was exactly where you were in that parking lot, Ethan-arrogant, broke, and desperate to prove my worth to a world that didn't care about me,' Antoine began softly.
'My father lost everything to a corrupt corporate cartel led by a man named Arthur Sterling-my own uncle,' Antoine revealed, his voice hardening.
Ethan listened in absolute stunned silence as the dark history of the conglomerate unfolded.
'I had no money, no connections, and no reputation. But I had a vision for technology that would change the world,' Antoine continued. 'Vanguard Holdings wasn't an outside investor; it was a trust fund established by my mother before she passed away, meant to test whether I had the grit to build an empire from scratch.'
'And the red Ferrari?' Ethan asked hesitantly.
A faint, knowing smile crossed Antoine's face. 'That car was the exact vehicle my uncle used to mock my father's bankruptcy. When I bought this company, I bought that exact car as a reminder never to forget where I came from.'
Ethan looked at Antoine with a newfound level of profound respect. The man wasn't just a billionaire; he was a survivor of a brutal corporate war.
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'Why are you telling me this now?' Ethan asked.
'Because Arthur Vance is trying to return through a subsidiary shell company, and I need someone I trust completely to help me dismantle him once and for all,' Antoine said, locking eyes with Ethan.
