Chapter 5 - The Ledger of Blood
Samuel did not reach for the paper. He picked up his tweezers and carefully nudged an escapement wheel into position. "A piece of paper doesn't undo thirty years of quiet, young man," the old man rasped. "Your father didn't take my company. He took a monster that was consuming my life. When he stole the board, he thought he robbed me. In truth, he set me free."
Clara stared between them, her mind reeling. "Free? Grandpa, you’ve spent half your life scavenging parts and skipping meals while their family bought penthouse towers in Manhattan!"
"Clara," Samuel said, his tone dropping into a cadence of gentle command. "Wealth without purpose is an anchor around a drowning man’s neck. I designed the Holloway Trust to build public libraries, water systems, and hospitals. Arthur Vance twisted it into hedge funds and private jets. If I had fought him in court, the scandal would have bankrupted tens of thousands of workers. I walked away so the foundations wouldn't collapse." He paused, looking directly at Julian. "Why are you here, son? To give me money before I die, so you can sleep in your quiet mansion?"
