Page 210 of Before Dawn

I’d wondered why his name sounded familiar—until Morison reminded me that Joseph Milton had sent a proposal months ago. At thetime, we had filed it away, deeming it low priority.

Now it made sense. Milton was likely hoping Elite Rides’ expansion could rescue his failing business. His finances were in shambles; the family company had been hemorrhaging money for years. A string of poor investments and questionable decisions had left them clinging to what little they had left. This proposal wasn’t just business—it was a last-ditch effort to survive.

Perfect.

I rejected their bid before I even stepped off the jet. The email was short and to the point:

Joseph Milton’s proposal has been denied. Elite Rides will not engage in business with individuals of such reprehensible character.

But I didn’t stop there. I sent a detailed list of the Milton family’s misdeeds to every major player in the industry, then had my friends do the same. The companies they relied on for contracts, the suppliers they depended on, the investors they begged for funding—every one of them now had a reason to blacklist the Miltons.

I wasn’t just denying them business. I was erasing their legacy.

Arnoldo called again as the crew unpacked our luggage.

“It’s done,” he said, his tone steady. “The Milton company’s assets have been bought. Employees are being generously compensated, and some skilled workers will join Elite Rides. The building will be demolished in two to three weeks.”

“Thank you, Reyes.”

Arnoldo hesitated. “I must admit, you don’t usually do business this way, Suarez.”

“When dealing with vultures, you treat them as vultures,” I said. “You taught me that.”

He chuckled. “I’m proud. I’ll see you at the meeting later to finalize everything with the Miltons.”

Their empire was crumbling, and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep over it. Abigail deserved peace, and I’d make sure those who hurt her couldn’t move forward—not while I had the power to stop them.

Once we were back, I made sure Abigail was home safe before heading to my meeting. My execs and legal team were already gathered in the conference room, waiting to discuss the acquisition proposal from Javier Cortez, CEO of Luxe Transports.

This wasn’t a merger. It was a buyout.

We reviewed the financials, client base, risks, and rewards. Luxe Transports had a solid customer base, but their fleet needed upgrades. There were always risks—hidden liabilities, merging cultures—but the opportunity to strengthen Elite Rides and accelerate growth was undeniable. The pros far outweigh the cons, and as such we were moving forward with the acquisition.

As the meeting wrapped up, Arnoldo reminded me, “The bigger the acquisition, the bigger the eyes on you. Everyone’s watching.” His words echoed in my mind—this wasn’t just a business decision; it was a statement.

Afterward, I had Morison schedule a meeting with Cortez to finalize the deal. Sitting at my desk, the pressure mounted, so I grabbed the stress ball and tossed it to release some tension. Feeling a little steadier, I returned to work, signing off on documents, catching up on missed files, and focusing on the next steps.

My phone buzzed with a message from the group chat.

Luci:ready to be uncles again?

Ro:HOLY SHIT! (I already knew)

Dill:Marina’s pregnant?

Luci:why else would I ask that question?

Dill: *eye roll emoji* congratulations!

Me:I’m happy for you, brother.

Luci:thank you, man.

Reyes:Congrats, Luci. Namethe kid Arnoldo Jr.

Alex:thank God someone’s joining the dad club.

Alex:wishing you and Marina all the best, bro.

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