Chapter 4 - The Attorney General Steps In
The investigator, a tall woman in a sharp charcoal pantsuit, bypassed Arthur Vance and walked straight toward the table stacked with cup noodles. She flashed a federal badge that gleamed under the crystal lights.
"Victoria Sterling," the investigator said clearly. "You are formally being served with a warrant for wire fraud, embezzlement of non-profit assets, and falsification of public safety reports."
Julian closed his eyes, rubbing his temples in despair. The dark blue velvet of his tuxedo jacket felt heavy and suffocating now. He had wanted to test Chloe’s street smarts with a simple twenty-dollar-per-day grocery challenge, entirely unaware that the very woman who raised him was running a criminal enterprise behind a facade of high-society charity work.
Victoria straightened her shoulders, lifting her chin with stubborn pride. "I demand to speak to my legal counsel before I say another word. This is a politically motivated witch hunt."
"Your legal counsel was arrested twenty minutes ago at his midtown office for shredding the 2023 tax filings," the investigator replied, sliding a thick manila folder across the table, right next to the electric slow cooker.
Chloe remained composed, her light purple tweed jacket unbuttoned as she watched the dramatic collapse of the Sterling empire. She didn't smile; she didn't gloat. She simply observed the woman who had spent the last three years trying to ruin her academic and personal life.
"You planned this," Victoria whispered, her eyes locking onto Chloe with venomous hatred. "You engineered this entire setup from the moment Julian brought you to our estate."
"I didn't engineer your crimes, Victoria," Chloe replied softly. "I just followed the paper trail you were too arrogant to shred properly. When you skimmed funds from the winter relief drive, you used the same accountant who handled my college scholarship endowment fund. It was impossible not to notice."
Julian opened his eyes and stared at Chloe. "Your scholarship? Wait, my mother had something to do with your university funding being cut last semester?"
"She tried to ensure I couldn't afford my senior thesis research," Chloe said, turning her gaze to Julian with a gentle, reassuring look. "She thought a broke student would pack her bags and leave town quietly."
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Before Julian could process the full weight of her words, the ballroom doors slammed open once more, revealing a team of federal agents marching in with digital forensic equipment.
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