Chapter 7 - The Uninvited Informant
The stranger stepped fully into the light, revealing a face lined with deep wrinkles and sharp, calculating eyes that had clearly seen too many corporate wars. He held the encrypted laptop out toward Elena like an offering.
"Who are you?" Marcus demanded, stepping protectively in front of Elena and balling his hands into fists. "How did you get past federal security?"
"Security is easily managed when you're the man who built their surveillance network," the stranger replied calmly, his voice a gravelly baritone. He ignored Marcus and looked directly at Elena. "My name is David Vance. Julian and Marcus's uncle—and the former Chief Legal Officer of Vance Enterprises before my brother Arthur pushed me out ten years ago."
Elena stared at the older man, stunned. "Another Vance? How many of you are mixed up in this toxic family?"
David offered a humorless, dry chuckle. "Too many, my dear. But unlike Julian and Arthur, I've spent the last decade collecting every dirty receipt, offshore account number, and forged signature they ever produced. Including the one Julian used to steal your land."
Elena stepped forward, her bare feet pressing against the cold oak floor. "If you have the real documents, why come to me now? Why not go to the federal agents who just hauled Julian away?"
David tapped the screen of the encrypted laptop, causing it to glow with a complex network of financial data and corporate flowcharts.
"Because federal agencies move too slowly, Elena. If we wait for a judge to subpoena these files, the state registry will process Julian's fraudulent deed at midnight, and your land will legally belong to a shell company in the Cayman Islands. Once that happens, recovery is nearly impossible."
Marcus crossed his arms, staring skeptically at his uncle. "And what do you get out of this, Uncle David? You don't do charity work."
David’s smile faded, replaced by a dark, intense look of retribution. "I want my company back. And Arthur behind bars. But to do that, we need to access Julian’s private terminal at the downtown penthouse before midnight."
Elena looked down at the torn hem of her wedding dress, then back at the glowing laptop screen. The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly: 9:28 PM.
"Let's go," Elena said, her voice leaving no room for argument.
David nodded approvingly, turning toward the service exit. But as Marcus reached for the door handle, his phone buzzed violently in his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and went completely pale.
"What is it?" Elena asked, dread pooling in her stomach.
Marcus held the phone up so they could see the incoming text message from an unknown number: 'Nice try with the federal agents. But Julian’s backup plan just activated. Look outside.'
Elena rushed to the tall arched windows of the ballroom and peered out into the courtyard, her breath instantly fogging the glass.
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Parked directly in front of the grand entrance was a sleek black van, its side doors sliding open to reveal three masked men unloading heavy-duty equipment—and aiming a security jammer directly at the building's communication towers.
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