Chapter 14 The Price Of Disrespect

The ballroom remained completely silent. Nobody dared to move a muscle under the cold stare of the fifty armed men standing along the walls. Julian Vane stood frozen, his skin turning a sickly shade of white as he looked at Natasha Romanov, then at Ares. The realization that he had just called the most dangerous woman's boss a broke nobody was slowly sinking into his mind.

Thomas Vane wiped a thick layer of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He took a slow, trembling step forward, trying to force a polite smile onto his face to save his event.

"Miss Romanov, please, let us not act in anger," Thomas said, his voice shaking slightly despite his best efforts to sound stable. "This is all just a terrible misunderstanding. My son Julian did not know that this gentleman was associated with the Crimson Syndicate. We have the highest respect for your organization."

Natasha did not turn her head to look at him. She kept her eyes fixed on Ares, waiting for his command. "Your respect means nothing to me, Thomas. The only thing that matters is what my lord wishes to do with your family."

Thomas swallowed hard, his heart pounding against his ribs. He looked at Ares, his eyes full of desperation. "Sir, I apologize for my son's rude words. He is young and hot-headed. The Vane family wants no trouble with you. Let us buy you and your wife a drink, and we can forget this little incident ever happened."

Ares slowly looked at Thomas, his expression completely blank. "Forget it happened?" Ares asked, his voice low and calm, yet it carried across the entire quiet room. "Your son ordered his guards to throw me out. He insulted my wife in front of the entire city's press. You think a free drink can pay for that?"

"Then tell us what you want," Thomas pleaded, his hands trembling. "We are reasonable business people. Name your price to settle this matter tonight."

"I do not want your money, Thomas," Ares said flatly. He took a slow step toward Julian, his boots making a clear sound against the polished floor.

Julian instinctively took a step back, but the massive guard Boris instantly stepped behind him, blocking his path. Julian was trapped.

"Julian," Ares said softly, looking down at the young heir. "You like to talk about status and power. You like to humiliate people when you think they are beneath you. Now, you will show everyone how you apologize when you meet a mountain."

"What do you want me to do?" Julian whispered, his voice cracking with fear.

"Get down on your knees," Ares ordered.

The entire crowd let out a collective gasp. The wealthy investors and corporate executives looked at each other in utter shock. Forcing the heir of the Vane family to kneel in his own ballroom was an absolute destruction of their pride.

"Ares, please," Thomas cried out, trying to step between them. "That is too much. You cannot ask for that."

Natasha casually raised her hand, and the sound of ten pistols cocking echoed from the walls. Thomas instantly closed his mouth and stepped back, his face completely pale.

"I will not say it a second time, Julian," Ares said, his eyes drilling into the young man.

Julian looked around the room, searching for help. His wealthy friends from the Vance family were looking at the floor, completely pretending they did not know him. The reporters at the back of the room were already raising their cameras, their lenses focusing directly on his face.

Knowing he had no choice, Julian's legs began to shake. Slowly, painfully, he lowered his body until both of his knees hit the floor. He sat there in his expensive gray suit, looking completely small and broken.

"Now," Ares said, turning his eyes toward Vivienne, who was standing beside him with a calm, steady expression. "Apologize to my wife. Tell her how sorry you are for trying to destroy her family."

Julian kept his head down, tears of hot anger and shame stinging his eyes. The flashing lights of the press started going off rapidly, capturing every single second of his public humiliation.

"I am sorry, Vivienne," Julian muttered to the floor. "I am sorry for what I said. I am sorry for disrespecting the Sterling family."

"Louder," Ares commanded flatly. "Let every reporter in the back hear your voice."

Julian squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching tight against his thighs. "I am sorry, Vivienne! Please forgive me!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the grand hall.

Vivienne looked down at him for a long moment. There was no pity in her eyes, only the cold satisfaction of seeing her main enemy completely brought to his knees. "Your apology is noted, Julian. But the Sterling Group is far from done with you."

Ares turned away from the kneeling man, completely unbothered by the scene. He looked at Natasha and gave her a slight nod. "We are leaving."

"Of course, lord," Natasha replied, bowing her head again. She turned to her men and gave a sharp signal. "Clear a path!"

The fifty armed men instantly formed a wide lane straight through the center of the room toward the exit. Ares offered his arm to Vivienne, and she placed her hand through it naturally. Together, they walked down the path of dangerous enforcers, moving past the flashing lights of the press and the terrified faces of the elite.

Behind them, the Vane family gala was in absolute ruins. Thomas Vane was yelling at the reporters to stop taking pictures, while Julian remained on his knees, his reputation completely destroyed before the night could even finish.

As they walked out into the cool night air toward their car, Vivienne let out a long breath, a genuine smile finally breaking across her face. "They will never recover from this night, Ares."

"This is just the beginning, Vivienne," Ares said as the driver opened the door for them. "They wanted to build a trap for you, but they forgot to check who was holding the key."