Chapter 14 - THE MIDNIGHT ALLIANCEHook: A surprise visitor arrives at the private gates of The Velvet Crown, offering information that could dismantle the remaining Vances once and for all.
The rain began to fall again, drumming a steady, hypnotic rhythm against the towering glass windows of the penthouse.
Just as the clock struck midnight, the secure intercom on Adrien’s desk chimed. Marco’s voice crackled through the speaker, tight and alert.
"Boss, you're going to want to see this. We have a visitor at the outer security gate."
Adrien frowned, stepping away from the sofa. "At midnight? Who?"
"Not a hit squad," Marco replied. "It's Victoria Vance. Julian's younger sister. And she's carrying a USB drive that she claims contains every offshore ledger her family owns."
Lena stood up abruptly, her eyes wide with shock. "Victoria? I went to law school with her. She always distanced herself from the firm, but... why would she turn on her own family?"
"Greed, survival, or a conscience," Adrien said flatly, his hand resting on the grip of his concealed firearm. "Let's find out which one."
Ten minutes later, Victoria Vance was escorted into the private study. She looked exhausted, her designer trench coat soaked with rain, her hands shaking slightly as she clutched a small leather handbag. When she saw Lena standing beside Adrien Viscari, she swallowed hard, stepping back instinctively.
"Lena," Victoria breathed, her voice trembling. "I... I didn't know the full extent of what Julian and my father were doing. Not until today."
"Save the performance, Victoria," Adrien cut in, his voice cutting through the room like a scalpel. "What do you have, and what do you want in exchange?"
Victoria didn't hesitate. She reached into her bag, pulled out a sleek black flash drive, and placed it gently on the edge of the mahogany desk.
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"This has the cryptographic keys to every hidden asset the Vance family holds," Victoria said quickly. "Including the accounts funding the Bratva sleeper cells in New York. My father is planning a final board meeting tomorrow night at their Long Island estate to liquidate everything and flee the country."
She looked directly at Lena, her eyes welling with tears. "I want immunity for myself, Lena. And I want my family's corrupt empire burned to the ground."
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