Chapter 4 - The Financial Guillotine Drops
The ballroom descended into utter chaos.
Arthur Vance grabbed Isaac by the collar of his designer shirt, shaking him violently. “You idiot! You told me that twenty million came from an offshore angel investor in London! You told me you negotiated that deal yourself!”
“I... I thought it did!” Isaac stuttered, tears of sheer panic finally welling in his eyes. “Flora just handled the paperwork! She said she had an acquaintance in finance!”
“That acquaintance was Marcus,” Flora said quietly, stepping onto the raised platform near the champagne tower.
Marcus tapped another sequence into his device. Across the room, every television screen mounted on the ballroom walls flickered to life. The screens were tuned to Bloomberg and CNBC Breaking News.
The news anchor’s voice blared through the sound system:
“Breaking news tonight: Trading on Vance Construction Group (VCG) has been halted on the New York Stock Exchange following allegations of massive accounting fraud, structural tampering, and the immediate seizure of majority voting shares by Sterling Global Holdings. VCG stock has plummeted by eighty-four percent in after-hours trading.”
Wendy Vance screamed, collapsing into a nearby velvet armchair, her hands clutching her head. “Our legacy! Our name! Arthur, do something!”
Arthur pulled out his phone with trembling fingers, dialing his most trusted board members and political allies.
“Hello? Senator Davis? It’s Arthur Vance. We have an emergency at the estate—I need you to call the attorney general—”
The line clicked and went dead.
Arthur dialed again. “Commissioner Miller! I need tactical units at my manor immediately!”
“Arthur?” the police commissioner’s voice sounded cold and distant over speakerphone. “Do not call this number again. Federal agents are executing search warrants on your corporate headquarters right now. I don’t know you, Arthur. Lose my number.” The call disconnected.
Arthur stared at his phone in absolute disbelief, his hand shaking so violently the device slipped from his fingers and cracked on the marble floor.
Julian closed his briefcase. “Every political favor you bought, Arthur, was purchased with money that didn't belong to you. Noah’s security teams have already taken physical custody of your headquarters. Marcus has locked down every server. And Leo has just grounded your entire commercial fleet.”
Leo crossed his massive arms. “Fourteen cargo vessels carrying Vance construction materials are currently anchored off the coast of New Jersey. Not a single crate of steel or concrete moves without Flora’s personal signature. Your active construction contracts across the state will incur daily penalty fees of four million dollars starting tomorrow morning.”
Isaac dropped to his knees, crawling toward Flora across the slick floor. “Flora! Please! Baby, listen to me! It was a mistake! I lost my temper! The wine... the stress of the business... it made me crazy! I didn't mean to hurt you!”
Noah stepped directly between Isaac and Flora, his steel-toed combat boot planting itself mere inches from Isaac’s face.
“Do not look at her,” Noah warned, his voice vibrating with absolute menace. “Do not speak her name. If you take one more step toward my sister, I will ensure the rest of your life is spent eating through a straw.”
May you like
Isaac cowered on the floor, looking up at the sister he had treated like a servant and the brothers he had dismissed as nobodies.
Flora looked down at him with pure indifference. “You thought I was weak because I chose peace, Isaac. You mistook my kindness for surrender. But peace was a gift I gave you. And tonight, I’m taking it back.”
Related Stories
