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Pain rippled through my lower back as the front door clicked shut, the heavy wooden frame sealing off the warmth of the house. The rain didn't fall; it drove sideways, sharp and icy, slicing through my thin cardigan and soaking into my maternity clothes. / Chapter 7 / 30

Chapter 7 - The Twenty Million Dollar Truth

The heavy oak door clicked shut, sealing out Grant’s muffled shouting down the hallway.

General Vance exhaled slowly, pulling a chair up to the side of the bed and sitting down. He offered a warm, grandfatherly smile that contrasted sharply with his terrifying military demeanor moments earlier.

"How are you feeling, Colonel?" he asked, glancing at Maya. "And how is our newest recruit?"

"We're both doing well, General," I replied, adjusting my grip on my daughter. "Thank you for the timely arrival. Though I suspect my legal team did most of the heavy lifting."

"Sterling and Vance don't play games," the general chuckled softly. "When they called me at midnight stating that one of my top strategic directors was locked out of her home while in active labor by a civilian attempting to extort her, I mobilized immediately. Nobody messes with a Langley on my watch—especially not a corporate hack who thinks he's the smartest guy in the room."

I smiled faintly. My grandfather, Everett Langley, had served under General Vance decades ago. Their bond had lasted a lifetime, and when my grandfather passed away, leaving me his multi-million-dollar estate and the Langley Trust, General Vance had quietly ensured my military assignments remained insulated from domestic interference.

"The trust has cleared every review," I said, my voice steady. "The twenty million is officially transferred."

"Good," Vance said, leaning back. "Because you're going to need a very good real estate agent. Mr. Holloway’s firm is currently under federal investigation for insider trading and corporate espionage—an investigation that your intelligence unit initiated three months ago."

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The applause slowly faded as Maya stepped off the graduation stage, the heavy wooden steps creaking beneath her feet. Little Lily stirred against her chest, letting out a soft yawn that sounded entirely too peaceful given the emotional hurricane that had just swept through the auditorium.

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The sound of shattering crystal echoed like a gunshot across the sun-drenched gardens of the Lake Geneva estate. High above the courtyard, Eleanor Montgomery’s pristine white-gloved hand hovered in empty space, her fingers trembling violently.

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The cool air of the Manhattan apartment felt like a sanctuary after the claustrophobic air of JFK. I dropped my single carry-on bag by the entryway, walked straight to my home office, and booted up the secure terminal.

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My eyes widened slightly. "I didn't realize my team's findings on his division had progressed that far."

"They have," Vance grinned. "And Grant’s little girlfriend Jessica? She’s the primary target of the SEC probe. By tomorrow morning, Grant’s thirty-million-dollar deal won't just be dead—it will be seized by the federal government."

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