Chapter 10
Back at the Chen estate, the morning sun did little to warm the glacial atmosphere of the third-floor boardroom. Aunt Eleanor sat at the head of the table, her usually immaculate posture rigid with suppressed fury. Around her, four nervous board members were huddled over their tablets, staring in horror at the breaking financial headlines flashing across every major news network. The federal securities commission had just announced an emergency freeze on all Chen Holdings corporate accounts, citing credible whistleblower evidence regarding offshore asset misappropriation and fraudulent charter revisions dating back over a decade.
The double doors burst open without ceremony. Corporate attorney Henderson rushed in, his hair disheveled and his briefcase clutched like a shield against an oncoming storm.
"Madam Eleanor, we have a catastrophic situation," Henderson panted, leaning heavily against the back of an empty chair. "The encrypted files detailing the unamended 1984 charter and the offshore tax accounts were uploaded to the federal prosecutor's office at precisely six o'clock this morning. The source IP address was traced to an encrypted terminal registered under David Chen's independent digital signature."
Aunt Eleanor’s face went chalk white. For a moment, the iron facade cracked, revealing the terrified old woman hiding beneath decades of ruthless ambition. "He wouldn't dare," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "He doesn't have the stomach to destroy his own inheritance."
"He didn't destroy his inheritance, Eleanor; he blew up yours," a cold voice echoed from the doorway.
Uncle Richard, the eldest surviving board member who had remained silent during the infamous dinner party, stood leaning on his gold-handled cane. He looked around the table with a grim, knowing smile. "For thirty years, you ruled this family like a tyrant, Eleanor, cutting out anyone who didn't bow to your absolute control. David just showed us all that the throne was built on quicksand."
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Eleanor slammed her hand down on the table, her voice regaining a sharp, desperate edge. "Find them! Send every private investigator on retainer to track David and Mei down before the media gets a hold of the personal custody filings. If we lose the legal claim to the child, the entire succession structure collapses."
Henderson offered a grim, hopeless smile. "We can't find them, Eleanor. Their phones were discarded near the central fish market, and their bank accounts show zero activity. They have vanished completely."
