Chapter 11
Within twenty minutes of the server upload, the digital landscape shifted dramatically. Notifications began pinging on Marcus’s monitoring dashboard like a wave of incoming artillery fire. Major news networks picked up the story within the hour, flashing breaking news banners across national television screens: Vance Media Under Federal Investigation for Corporate Fraud and Child Exploitation.
Clara sat quietly on the sofa, watching a live helicopter feed circling the massive glass-and-steel Vance Media headquarters downtown. Parked outside the entrance were two unmarked federal vehicles and a swarm of reporters shoving microphones toward anyone exiting the building.
"Look at them scramble," Marcus remarked, pointing at the screen where a flustered corporate spokesperson was desperately trying to dodge questions from an aggressive reporter.
The phone on the kitchen counter—Elena’s old landline—suddenly rang with a shrill, piercing tone that made everyone in the room jump.
Elena walked over slowly and picked up the receiver. She listened for a few seconds without speaking, her expression turning into a cold, satisfied smirk. She held out the receiver toward Clara. "It's for you."
Clara took a deep breath and took the phone. "Hello, Richard."
"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Richard’s voice roared through the earpiece, sounding less like a confident executive and more like a cornered animal. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The board is voting to oust me! The federal marshals are downstairs executing search warrants! You’ve destroyed everything we built!"
"You built nothing, Richard," Clara replied, her voice calm, steady, and devoid of fear. "You inherited a stolen empire and tried to expand it by exploiting our children. What I did today was simply return what belonged to the public—and to my father."
There was a tense, ragged silence on the other end of the line before Richard’s voice dropped to a desperate, pleading whisper. "Clara, please. Let's be reasonable. We can settle this privately. Drop the public charges, sign a non-disclosure agreement, and I’ll give you whatever settlement you want. Half the estate. Full custody. Just... call off your contacts."
May you like
"It’s too late for settlements, Richard," Clara said quietly. "You had your chance to be a father, and you chose the brand instead. I’ll see you in court."
She hung up the phone with a decisive click, cutting off his frantic protests mid-sentence. She walked back to the window, watching the distant skyline where the sun was finally breaking through the heavy gray clouds, casting a brilliant, warm light across the city.
