"You can't keep doing this, Father."

William set down his fork and knife with a sharp clink on the long white-linen-covered table.

Alexander Hartford sat at the head of the table, his gaze cold and steady. His breathing remained calm, despite the edge in William’s voice.

"What exactly do you mean by ‘doing this’?" he asked flatly, stirring his tea without drinking it.

"You removed Evelyn from every project, sent out intimidation memos, and even offered her a suitcase full of money to walk away from me!" William shouted, eyes blazing.

"Because I know where this is headed," Alexander replied. "You're walking straight into the same destruction that almost ruined...