Chapter 5 - The Snake in the Grass

Julian felt as if the air had been violently sucked out of his lungs.

“Marcus?” Julian gasped, stepping in front of Eliana defensively. “You... you betrayed us?”

The old butler, whom Julian had trusted his entire life, slowly shook his head with a cold, detached look in his eyes.

“I didn’t betray you, Julian,” Marcus said smoothly. “I was never on your side to begin with. I have been on Mr. Sterling’s payroll for over twenty years.”

Richard Sterling stepped forward, taking the golden cane he carried and leaning on it with a smug smirk.

“Did you really think a poor little orphan girl managed to track down certified DNA records, hire high-end legal representation, and find out about this hidden vault all on her own?” Sterling chuckled darkly. “I orchestrated every single detail. I fed Clara’s medical records to the press. I guided Eliana to the rooftop restaurant tonight.”

Eliana’s eyes widened in horror. “You used my mother’s death... you used me!”

“Of course I did, my dear,” Sterling sneered. “You were the perfect Trojan Horse. Victoria Vance was too smart to let me near her empire, but she was too arrogant to ignore an illegitimate child making a public scene. I knew your appearance would drive Julian straight to this vault to find the real will.”

Sterling held out his gloved hand toward Julian.

“Hand over the original will, Julian,” Sterling commanded. “With that document, Eliana becomes the legal owner of Vance Financial. And since she signed a management contract with Sterling Global yesterday to pay for her mother’s medical bills, I become her legal proxy. I will liquidate Vance Financial, tear down your family’s legacy, and leave your mother with absolute zero.”

“I won’t let you do this!” Julian yelled, drawing his gun.

Before he could raise it, one of Sterling’s mercenaries stepped forward and brutally slammed the butt of a rifle into Julian’s ribs. Julian collapsed to the stone floor, gasping for air as the gun clattered away.

“Julian!” Eliana cried out, dropping to her knees beside him.

Sterling stepped forward, casually picking up the mahogany box containing the real will. He opened it, looking at the legal document with absolute triumph in his eyes.

“It’s over,” Sterling laughed softly. “The great Vance dynasty ends tonight, burned from the inside out by its own dirty secrets.”

“Is that so, Richard?”

A sharp, booming voice echoed from the top of the cellar stairs.

Sterling’s smile vanished. The mercenaries quickly spun around, raising their weapons.

Descending the stone steps, surrounded by twenty heavily armed officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and State Police, was Victoria Vance.

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“Drop your weapons!” the FBI Lead Agent roared, laser sights painting red dots across the chests of Sterling’s mercenaries. “Richard Sterling, Marcus Vance, you are under arrest for corporate espionage, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted extortion!”