Chapter 8: Public Exposure
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, Julian," Damian said, his voice carrying clearly across the surrounding circle of wealthy patrons and journalists. "After all, we are celebrating a very special legacy tonight—Clara’s legacy."
Julian’s smile flickered for a split second before he recovered his composure, chuckling nervously. "Of course, Clara was a dear friend to us all. Her memory lives on through the foundation's good work."
"Her memory lives on," Damian repeated, stepping closer so that only Julian and Vivian could hear his next words, though the surrounding crowd leaned in, sensing the palpable tension in the air. "Especially through the financial records and medical logs I just handed over to the federal prosecutor's office twenty minutes ago."
Vivian’s breath hitched audibly. She grabbed Julian’s forearm with a manicured hand, her composure finally cracking under the immense weight of the public confrontation. "Julian, make him stop. He’s out of his mind with grief."
"Am I?" Damian asked calmly. He reached into his inner breast pocket and pulled out a crisp, official document bearing the embossed seal of the federal district court. "This is a warrant for the immediate freezing of all joint corporate and personal accounts linked to the Vance family trust, along with an arrest warrant for grand larceny and the administration of regulated toxins."
The murmurs among the surrounding guests swelled into a chaotic wave of shocked whispers. Flashbulbs from nearby photojournalists began to pop in rapid succession, capturing the exact moment Julian’s face drained of color and Vivian stumbled backward against a decorative marble pillar.
"You're bluffing," Julian hissed, stepping in front of his sister, trying to shield her from the cameras while maintaining a desperate veneer of authority. "You have no jurisdiction to make these claims here. Security! Please escort this man out of the gallery."
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Two burly private security guards in dark suits stepped forward hesitantly, looking between Damian and the prominent city councilman. But before they could make a move, heavy footsteps echoed across the marble entrance hall. Three federal agents in dark windbreakers strode purposefully through the crowd, their badges glinting brightly under the museum lights.
"Julian Vance and Vivian Vance?" the lead federal agent asked, stepping directly up to the dais. "Step away from the table, please. You are both under arrest for wire fraud, embezzlement, and the unlawful acquisition of controlled substances resulting in wrongful death."
