Inside the house, I heard a quiet gasp.

I turned my head and saw Emma standing in the shadow of the doorframe, her face pale.

She had heard every word.

“We are not letting you take them,” I said, stepping closer to Vance.

Vance reached into his briefcase and pulled out another document.

“We don’t want to make this a public spectacle, Elena,” Vance said, lowering his voice.

He handed the second document directly to Benjamin.

“What is this?” Benjamin asked, his voice barely audible over the wind.

“A voluntary surrender of voting shares,” Vance said.

“If you sign your sixty percent stake in Caldwell Systems over to Vanessa’s holding group, she will drop the petition.”

“She will agree to joint custody with physical residency remaining with you.”

“You keep the girls,” Vance said. “She gets the company.”

It was a hostage negotiation.

The currency was four traumatized young girls.

“She is using my daughters as leverage,” Benjamin said, his hand trembling as he held the paper.

“She is offering you a choice,” Vance corrected. “The legacy of your late wife’s company, or the physical presence of your children.”