Chapter 6: The Penthouse Confrontation
The penthouse suite at the Grand Sovereign was surrounded by private security guards, but Julian didn't sneak in—he walked straight through the front door accompanied by federal marshals brandishing a subpoena for corporate financial records.
Victoria was sitting on an imported white leather couch, her ankle bracelet blinking an ominous green light. Gone was the triumphant beauty from the ballroom; her hair was unwashed, her mascara smudged, and an empty bottle of vodka sat on the glass coffee table.
"Get out!" she screamed, lunging to her feet. "You destroyed my life, Julian! You threw me to the wolves!"
"No, Victoria. You threw yourself into the pit," Julian said calmly, signaling the marshals to stand guard at the door. He tossed a thick manila folder onto the coffee table in front of her. "Read it."
Trembling, Victoria opened the folder. Her eyes scanned the documents—bank transfer routes, offshore dummy shell accounts, and forged contracts.
"What is this?" she whispered.
"Arthur’s contingency plan," Julian explained with razor precision. "If the kidnapping failed, his lawyers drafted an affidavit alleging that you stole Sterling funds and hired the hitmen behind Victor’s car crash on your own. He made sure every payment originated from your family's personal offshore account. You aren't his partner, Victoria. You’re his scapegoat."
Victoria fell back onto the couch, her skin turning ashen. "No... no, Arthur promised he'd get the charges dismissed. He swore we were going to split the trust fund..."
May you like
"Arthur doesn't share," Julian said coldly. "He used your greed to get rid of Victor, and now he's going to let you rot in a maximum-security prison while he takes over the company. Your only chance of seeing daylight before you're an old woman is to turn state's evidence right now."
Victoria stared at the documents, her arrogant facade crumbling into genuine terror. "He has an encrypted ledger," she sobbed. "In his private safety deposit box at Manhattan Trust. It contains the real transaction receipts and the audio recording where he ordered the hit on Victor."
