Chapter 7
The drive downtown to Marcus Vance’s office was quiet. Lily sat in the passenger seat of Clara’s SUV, her small hand resting comfortably on top of Clara’s knee. The initial terror of the confrontation had faded into a quiet, contemplative calm.
"Are we safe now, Aunt Clara?" Lily asked softly, watching the towering skyscrapers of the financial district rise up around them through the windshield.
"Yes, sweetie," Clara said, parking the vehicle in the underground secure garage of the corporate high-rise. "We’re more than safe. We’re taking back control of our lives. When we go upstairs, you’re going to sit in Marcus’s office with a tablet and your favorite games, while Marcus and I finish sorting out the legal paperwork."
Marcus Vance—no relation to Clara, despite the shared surname—met them at the private elevator lobby on the thirty-second floor. Marcus was a sharp, fifty-year-old attorney with silver-streaked hair and a reassuring smile. He immediately knelt down to Lily’s eye level.
"Hello, Lily. I’m Marcus. I understand you’re an expert at digital puzzle games?" Marcus asked warmly.
Lily nodded shyly. "I beat level fifty yesterday."
"Impressive," Marcus smiled, standing back up and nodding to Clara. "Follow me, ladies. I have a secure conference room set up for us, complete with high-speed Wi-Fi, snacks, and absolutely no unwelcome family members."
Once Lily was comfortably settled in the corner of the expansive executive office with headphones on and a tablet in hand, Clara and Marcus retreated to the adjoining glass-walled conference room. Marcus closed the soundproof door and slid a thick manila folder across the mahogany table.
"The police picked up David's laptop from his apartment an hour ago under a search warrant," Marcus said, opening the folder to reveal a printed summary of digital logs. "Our forensic team extracted the exact transactional trails linking Meridian Holdings to your brother's personal accounts. It turns out David wasn't just trying to pay off gambling debts; he had accumulated massive tax liens and predatory high-interest loans that were about to result in a federal seizure of his own assets."
Clara leaned back in her ergonomic chair, resting her hands on the armrests. "And Mom? How deep was her involvement?"
"Helen co-signed two of the fraudulent promissory notes," Marcus replied gravely. "She didn't just know about the scheme; she actively pressured the elderly notary who handled your father's estate planning to retroactively amend the title registry. That notary is already cooperating with the district attorney in exchange for immunity."
May you like
Clara stared out the floor-to-ceiling window at the sprawling metropolis below. The sun was now high in the sky, burning off the last remnants of the morning fog. "So the title to the estate is secure?"
"Completely secure," Marcus confirmed. "The fraudulent deed has been voided by court order, and an emergency protective injunction has been filed against Meridian Holdings. They won't be able to touch your property again."
