She Thought She Was Firing "The Help"—Until Her $50 Million Empire Vanished In 300 Seconds! The shattering of Vivian’s champagne glass against the cold marble echoed through the silent terrace like a gunshot.

Headline Hook: A Bullet Fired At 100 MPH! Who Took The Shot For The Heiress?!

The gunshot echoed like thunder in the enclosed office space.

Time seemed to slow down. Elena didn't even have time to flinch as the lead bullet tore through the air straight toward her chest.

THUD!

A heavy body slammed into Elena, shoving her violently to the side! Elena hit the carpeted floor hard, rolling over.

Julian was instantly tackled to the ground by six FBI agents, his gun kicked away as he was slammed into metal handcuffs, screaming in rage.

Elena scrambled up, her heart tearing out of her chest. "Leo?! LEO?!"

"Mommy! I'm here! I'm safe!" Leo cried out from beneath the desk, completely unharmed.

Elena sobbed in relief, but then she looked down at the floor beside her.

Lying in a pool of blood was old Lord Vane Sterling.

The elderly patriarch had rolled his wheelchair into the office moments before the raid and had thrown his frail body in front of Elena to intercept the bullet! The round had hit him directly in the shoulder.

"Vane!" Elena gasped, rushing to his side and pressing her hands over his bleeding wound to stop the flow. "Hold on! Call a medic! Get a medic in here NOW!"

Lord Vane coughed, blood staining his lips, but he reached up with a weak, trembling hand to touch Elena’s arm.

"Elena..." Vane whispered weakly, his voice barely audible over the chaotic shouts of the federal agents. "I... I couldn't protect my son Arthur... two years ago... But today... I protected his wife..."

"Don't speak, Vane! Save your strength!" Elena begged, tears streaming down her face. Despite everything the old man had accused her of in the past, he had just taken a bullet to save her life.

"Listen to me... Elena..." Vane choked out, struggling for air. "The Vance family... Julian... they are only the branch... The true head of the Broken Crown... is still out there..."

Elena’s eyes widened. "What? Who is it?!"

Vane reached into his inner jacket pocket with his last remaining strength and pulled out a bloody, antique golden key. He pressed it into Elena’s palm.

"Vault... 001... at the Geneva Swiss Reserve..." Vane gasped out, his eyes turning dim. "Arthur... left a video... before he died... He knew... he knew who the real leader was..."

"Vane! Vane! Stay with me!" Elena yelled as the medical team rushed into the room with a gurney, pushing her gently aside to begin CPR on the old patriarch.

Elena stood up, holding the bloody golden key tight in her fist. Her body was trembling with rage and adrenaline.

Julian Vance was being dragged out of the room in handcuffs, his face bruised and bloody. As he passed Elena, he laughed hysterically like a madman.

"You think it's over, Elena?!" Julian cackled. "You have no idea how deep this goes! You'll never survive Geneva! The King of the Crown will destroy you!"