Chapter 13
Three thousand miles away, in a secluded chalet overlooking the snow-dusted peaks of Verbier, Switzerland, Julian Vance poured a glass of single-malt scotch, watching the winter storm rage against the triple-paned glass windows. His laptop sat open on the rustic oak dining table, displaying the balance of an offshore account holding nearly twelve million dollars.
He took a slow sip of the amber liquid, letting out a long breath of relief. The plan had been executed. Clara was disgraced, Julianne was safely managing the domestic fallout, and the American authorities had no direct jurisdiction over Swiss private banking protocols. He was untouchable.
His phone buzzed on the wooden table.
Julian didn't look at it immediately, assuming it was Marcus confirming the final liquidation of the estate’s secondary trust. He took another sip of scotch, picked up the device, and swiped to unlock the screen.
It wasn't a text from Marcus. It was an emergency alert notification from his Swiss banking app, accompanied by a formal legal notice stamped by the Federal Department of Justice in Bern.
Account Frozen.
Pending International Extradition and Asset Seizure Order pursuant to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between the United States and the Swiss Confederation.
Julian’s hand froze halfway to his mouth. The glass slipped from his fingers, shattering against the wooden floorboards, the dark amber liquid spreading like a stain across the woven rug. He grabbed the phone, tapping furiously on the screen to access the transfer portal, but the interface was locked behind a federal seal.
May you like
"No," Julian whispered, his voice cracking as he stared at the glowing device. "That's impossible. Marcus handled the routing."
Before he could reach for the landline to call Zurich, heavy footsteps echoed outside the chalet’s heavy wooden front door, followed by three sharp, authoritative knocks that shook the windowpanes. Julian stood frozen in the center of the room, realizing with horrifying clarity that glass houses always shatter when the stones come from within.
