The Legion Commander Strikes Back

• Ethan Is Back

Valerie was seated in her office, she couldn't believe what had transpired overnight. Most of the members of the board had suddenly pulled out without tangible reasons. 

She buried her face into her Palms and sighed, she knew that her father must have had something to do with this. How was she going to fight back and stand up for herself?

After all he was the mayor of Newcrest, who could go against the mayor? There was a knock on her door which disrupted her from her thoughts.

She raised her head. “Come in.” The door clicked open and her face fell immediately. She narrowed her eyes on Clifford Sterling, her father.

“What are you drinking here?” She questioned with so much venom in her voice. 

He wore a smug grin on his face which irritated her to the core as he pulled out a chair and took his seat. “I never said you could sit,” Valerie informed him. 

Valerie took after Clifford's stubbornness, a trait that would have benefited her if she had agreed to go into politics just like he'd wanted, but instead she chose to start a company that would inadvertently make her become business rivals with her father. 

“Well I don't remember asking if I could sit.” She cringed when she picked up on the condescending nature of his tone.

She folded her arms across her chest, “You're yet to tell me why you're here,” she snarled.

He took in a sharp breath and smiled, then leaned against the chair. “I'm sure by now you know what's happening with your stocks. Times news even had you in their headlines, it must have been that bad.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm and she instantly connected the dots. 

“You…” she trailed off. “What did you do and why did almost all my board members quit so suddenly?!” She snapped, her face turning red as she stared down at him. 

But he wasn't fazed by his daughter's yelling, in fact he appeared rather relaxed, further annoying her.

“You know in politics, there's one thing that's constant. Everybody has a price.”

She placed her arms on her hips and rolled her eyes. She was tired of hearing him talking about his aspirations for her to become a mini version of him. A corrupt, dubious and ruthless politician. 

“That doesn't just apply to politics dear, it also applies to real life,” he finished.

A bitter scoff escaped her lips as she threw her head back slightly. “So you bribed all my board members to leave, I bet you also manipulated things to make my stocks drop down to next to nothing overnight.”

He smiled cunningly, he would never verbally confess it to her, but they both knew that he was responsible for everything. 

She pushed the loose strands of her hair behind. “So, what do you want? To finally ruin me until I'm out of job and business and I'm on the streets begging?”

“No daughter of mine should be on the streets begging, they should be in offices, running the affairs of the country.”

Her lips tightened. “I will never become a politician like you and Renée.”

It seemed that she'd finally found the right words that could irritate him because his smile immediately faded and anger plagued his features. 

“Is this how you want to play it? Because I have the time and the resources to frustrate all your efforts, but you don't have that advantage,” he stated.

“Get out.”

Her voice was sharp and clear. Clifford blinked a few times, wondering when his daughter had grown so audacious to talk to him like this. 

“Valerie, don't forget who you're talking to, I'm your father-”

“A good for nothing one! What father tries to ruin his own daughter?!” She screamed, taking him back. 

He tightened his jaw. 

“You're so evil, you even made sure that Renée’s fiancé, your own future son in-law, was sent to colony wars to die so you and his pathetic uncle could have his property.”

“Enough!” Clifford said, jumping on his feet as his palms connected with her face. 

Her eyes widened in shock as she pressed her hands against her burning cheeks. “You… you slapped me,” she whispered under her breath. 

“And there's plenty more where that came from, I think you're forgetting just who you're talking to. I am your father and I am the most powerful man in this city, don't test my patience.” His voice was void of any sort of emotions, she couldn't recognise the man that was standing before her. 

“How. Dare. You.” 

A voice rang from behind the both of them, causing them to turn their heads. It was a man wearing a white crisp shirt and black office pants. 

He was extremely handsome and had strickenly familiar features which made Valarie stare. 

Clifford turned around to face the intruder. “Just who do you think you are? Are you the security around here? How dare you interrupt my conversation with my daughter?”

Ethan smiled. “You don't recognise this face?” 

Clifford stared at him like he was a mad man saying rubbish. “Get out, Guards!” Clifford called, but his men were unresponsive.

Ethan let out a low chuckle. “You call those bags of sand you left outside guards? It barely took five seconds to knock them out.”

“Who are you?” Clifford asked in an unsteady voice. 

Ethan took a step forward, looking him in the eyes. “Perhaps this will help you remember.”

He landed a heavy slap against Clifford's face and the smack echoed in the room. Clifford stumbled backwards and had to grab the backrest for the chair to balance himself. 

Even Valerie was shocked and she watched the whole thing in silence. 

Clifford rubbed his cheeks and then looked up. “You slapped the mayor?” He asked in disbelief.

“And there's plenty more where that came from.”

Ethan walked past him and stopped just mere inches away from Valerie who was still extremely cautious of him, it's obvious she didn't recognise him. 

“Valerie, are you okay?” He asked.

She looked stunned, how did this stranger know her name?

“Valerie, it's me, Ethan Vanguard.”

The name struck a chord within her, suddenly it made sense, she could now place a finger on the face. It was him, Ethan was truly back.