She Found A Royal Treasure And Took Everything From The Man Who Ruined Her
Previously: A scorned salvage diver confronts her arrogant ex-employer, armed with a priceless historical artifact and a thirst for retribution. But the treasure she found holds more secrets than just its monetary value.
The Salvage Claim
With a primal roar, Grace slammed the heavy Pelican case onto the pristine glass-topped lounge table. The impact was a thunderous percussive thud that sent a tremor through the room, rattling champagne flutes. Her blistered fingers, hardened by countless hours underwater, snapped open both pressurized latches with a sharp, pneumatic hiss of escaping sea mist. The sound echoed the release of years of pent-up frustration and betrayal.
"Your yacht loan defaulted at midnight," Grace’s voice was steely, devoid of emotion, yet carrying the weight of undeniable authority. "But this settles my salvage claim forever."
Damian swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing frantically. Cold sweat beaded across his furrowed forehead, betraying the panic that had begun to set in. He watched, mesmerized and terrified, as Grace flung open the heavy lid of the case. She pulled away layers of soaked crimson velvet, revealing a sight that stole the very air from his lungs.
Nestled within the protective casing lay a breathtaking 17th-century solid gold Spanish royal monstrance. Its intricate sunburst filigree was encrusted with uncut Colombian emeralds, each one blazing with an inner fire under the harsh halogen lights of the lounge. It was a treasure beyond imagining, a historical artifact of immense value, recovered from the silent depths where Damian had presumed it lost forever.
As if on cue, Damian's satellite phone, lying forgotten on the table, lit up. An urgent wire appraisal alert flashed across its screen: $80,000,000 Verified Treasure. The number hung in the air, a stark, unbelievable confirmation of the fortune Grace now possessed.
"Eighty million... Grace, wait," Damian stammered, his voice cracking with desperate terror. "We can renegotiate the partnership—"
Grace looked through him, her gaze lethal, her chin held motionless. The emerald reflections shimmered across her retinas, mirroring the cold, hard glint in her eyes. The partnership was over. The game had changed. She held all the cards, and Damian Knox was about to learn the true cost of his arrogance and betrayal.
”She held all the cards, and Damian Knox was about to learn the true cost of his arrogance and betrayal.