Chapter 9: The Knock at Midnight
The digital clock on the bedside table glowed a stark 2:14 AM when a sharp, authoritative rapping echoed against the heavy oak front doors of the estate. Julian was awake instantly, his military-grade instincts honed from his brief years in executive protection training before entering the corporate world. He slipped out of bed with practiced silence, pulling a heavy wool robe over his shoulders and retrieving a secure tactical flashlight from the nightstand drawer.
In the hallway, he encountered Miller coming up the east staircase, moving with the practiced stealth of a seasoned professional. Miller confirmed that the perimeter motion sensors had been tripped near the secondary service entrance, and the security cameras showed a lone figure standing on the front porch in defiance of the pouring rain and the advanced electronic alarm system.
May you like
Julian descended the grand staircase, his footsteps silent on the thick carpet. Through the reinforced frosted glass of the front door, he could see the unmistakable outline of a tall, imposing figure holding a folded manila envelope. Julian unlocked the heavy deadbolts with a series of sharp clicks, pulling the door open just enough to assess the threat while keeping the security chain securely fastened.
Standing on the porch was a middle-aged woman with sharp, angular features and graying hair pulled tightly back into a professional bun. She identified herself as Catherine Vance, Julian’s estranged aunt from his father’s side of the family, a woman who had lived abroad in Geneva for over two decades and had been completely cut out of the family trust. She did not ask for permission to enter; instead, she looked past Julian into the dimly lit foyer with a cold, predatory smile, stating that she had heard rumors about the sudden appearance of four heirs and wanted to inspect the merchandise before the board convened for the emergency vote tomorrow morning.
