Chapter 2 - The Billionaire's First OrderThe mountain chalet remained frozen in silence long after Richard Ashford spoke those five unforgettable words.
"Now... they answer to me."
No one dared breathe.
Outside, the blizzard roared against the enormous glass windows, hurling snow like white knives across the mountainside. The wind screamed through the pine forest, rattling the wooden walls as though nature itself had heard his promise.
Inside, however, everything became eerily calm.
Too calm.
Richard slowly removed the expensive wool gloves from his hands.
One finger at a time.
His movements were precise.
Controlled.
That frightened everyone even more.
Victoria still held Amelia tightly against her chest, wrapping every inch of the young woman's shaking body inside layers of blankets and coats.
The private doctor finally rushed forward.
"I need to examine her immediately."
Richard didn't even look at him.
"Do it."
The captain quickly ordered the household staff to prepare the medical room.
Within seconds, the peaceful vacation chalet transformed into an emergency clinic.
Heaters were rolled into the room.
Warm IV fluids were prepared.
Medical bags were opened across the polished oak table.
The doctor gently touched Amelia's wrist.
His expression changed immediately.
"Her pulse is dangerously weak."
Victoria burst into tears again.
"Save my daughter."
The doctor carefully examined the bruises covering Amelia's arms.
Purple fingerprints.
Fresh whip marks.
Deep cuts hidden beneath the torn sleeves of her wedding gown.
His face grew pale.
"These injuries..."
He hesitated.
Richard finally looked at him.
"Say it."
The doctor swallowed.
"These weren't caused during one assault."
Silence.
"They happened over several hours."
Victoria closed her eyes in agony.
Richard's jaw tightened.
The doctor continued carefully.
"Someone restrained her."
His words echoed through the room.
"They hit her repeatedly."
He pointed toward Amelia's wrists.
"See these bruises?"
"They're consistent with being tied."
Victoria gasped.
Richard never blinked.
The doctor examined another wound beneath Amelia's shoulder.
"This one..."
He frowned.
"It happened after the others."
Richard stepped closer.
"What does that mean?"
"It means whoever attacked her kept hurting her long after she stopped resisting."
Nobody spoke.
Only the fireplace crackled softly.
Amelia suddenly began trembling violently.
Her breathing became shallow.
Her eyes darted around the room in terror.
"No..."
She whispered.
"No..."
Victoria stroked her hair.
"It's over."
"You're safe."
But Amelia grabbed her mother's wrist with surprising strength.
"They'll come back."
"They said..."
Her voice disappeared.
Richard knelt beside her.
His enormous hand gently covered hers.
"No one will touch you again."
She looked into her father's eyes.
For the first time since arriving...
She believed him.
Tears rolled silently down her bruised cheeks.
"They locked me in the wine cellar."
Victoria stared.
"What?"
"For hours."
"They laughed."
Richard's breathing slowed.
Dangerously.
"They poured freezing water over me."
The room became even colder than the snowstorm outside.
"They said I wasn't family."
"They said I had to learn my place."
Victoria covered her mouth.
Richard quietly asked,
"Who?"
Amelia's lips trembled.
"My mother-in-law."
She paused.
"And..."
Her breathing became uneven.
"My father-in-law watched."
Richard closed his eyes.
Just once.
When he opened them again...
There was nothing left inside them except ice.
The doctor continued cleaning another wound.
Suddenly he stopped.
"Mr. Ashford."
Richard turned.
The doctor pointed toward Amelia's neck.
"There was something hidden beneath the blood."
He carefully wiped away another layer of dried crimson.
A dark purple mark slowly appeared.
Not a bruise.
Not a scratch.
The unmistakable outline...
Of a hand.
Five fingers.
Someone had tried to strangle her.
Victoria screamed.
Richard didn't.
He simply stared.
Long enough for everyone in the room to understand something had changed forever.
The billionaire walked toward the massive windows overlooking the endless snow-covered mountains.
Below, the valley disappeared beneath the raging blizzard.
Entire roads had vanished beneath drifting snow.
No one could leave.
No one could arrive.
The world outside had become completely isolated.
Richard slipped a satellite phone from his coat.
He pressed a single button.
The call connected immediately.
A calm voice answered.
"Mr. Ashford."
Richard never looked away from the storm.
"I want every ship."
A pause.
"Every private aircraft."
Another pause.
"And every security team."
The man on the other end hesitated.
"Sir?"
Richard spoke only once more.
"Close every exit."
His reflection stared back from the frozen glass.
"They thought they buried my daughter's future tonight."
Another flash of lightning illuminated the endless white mountains.
Richard's voice became almost a whisper.
"So now..."
"They'll discover what happens when they declare war..."
May you like
"...on the man who owns the roads, the skies..."
"...and the sea."
