Chapter 5 - The Vault of Secrets
The federal agents fanned out across the grand ballroom, sealing the exits and confiscating the personal devices of every board member present. Arthur Vance sank heavily into a gilded velvet chair, his face pale and weathered.
"Victoria," Arthur murmured, staring at the floor. "Twenty years of trust. Twenty years of building this institution, and you used it as your personal piggy bank."
"I kept this family at the top of New York society!" Victoria snapped back, refusing to show remorse even as handcuffs were unclipped from an agent's belt. "None of you would have your seats, your status, or your wealth if I hadn't made the hard choices!"
Julian stepped away from his mother, his expression hardening. "Hard choices? Stealing from hungry kids isn't a hard choice, Mom. It's just greed."
Victoria’s breath hitched. For the first time, a flicker of genuine shock crossed her severe features, not at the federal agents, but at the look of absolute disappointment in her son’s eyes. She turned away, lifting her wrists as the cold metal cuffs clicked securely into place.
Chloe walked over to the stack of cup noodles, picking up the silver slow cooker’s instruction manual to hide a slight tremor in her hands. Winning against Victoria Sterling was a victory, but the fallout was only just beginning.
The lead investigator approached Chloe, holding a small, encrypted hard drive retrieved from Victoria’s designer handbag. "Ms. Vance—excuse me, Ms. Davis. We found this labeled with your name in her private vault."
Chloe froze, dropping the manual back onto the table. "My name? That's impossible. I've never had access to her vault."
"It’s not just a file," the investigator said grimly, inserting a small plastic tag into the drive. "It’s a complete dossier detailing your family's bankruptcy ten years ago—and the exact role Victoria played in engineering your father's business collapse."
Julian spun around, staring at the investigator in horror. "My mother ruined Chloe’s family?"
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The investigator didn't answer immediately; she simply pressed play on a small audio file stored on the drive, filling the silent ballroom with the sound of a younger Victoria Sterling laughing over a signed corporate takeover contract.
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