flash
The beam of the heavy-duty headlamp cut through the blinding blizzard, illuminating the crimson streaks of blood frozen against the white snow. / Chapter 25 / 32

Chapter 25 - The Aspen SummitThe Grand ballroom of the Aspen estate glittered with crystal chandeliers, expensive champagne, and the elite figures of international finance. Dressed in a backless, midnight-blue velvet gown by Alexander McQueen, Victoria Prescott stepped through the double doors, every eye in the room instantly gravitating toward her.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Rumors of her miraculous survival had circulated in high-society whispers for months, but seeing her standing alive, untouchable, and radiant sent a shockwave through the room.

Standing near the main stage, holding a glass of vintage Pinot Noir, was Elena Vanderberg. She looked strikingly like Gretchen, but with a sharper, more calculating edge—dressed in a pristine white Chanel couture suit.

Elena set her glass down and walked slowly toward Victoria, a tight, polite smile plastered across her face.

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The glass double doors of the Crown Harbor Hotel opened into the biting December air of Manhattan, but the winter chill was nothing compared to the ice freezing over my veins.

The glass double doors of the Crown Harbor Hotel opened into the biting...

The scent of the Columbus bakery pastries—butter, flaky crust, and sweet raspberry—now made my stomach turn. Julian sat at the mahogany dining table, casually biting into a croissant while tapping away on his tablet.

The scent of the Columbus bakery pastries—butter, flaky crust, and sweet...

The wind off the Atlantic whipped salt spray across the deck of the dolphin-watching boat, but the air between Emily, Caleb, and Rachel felt frozen in time.

The wind off the Atlantic whipped salt spray across the deck of the dolp...

"Victoria Prescott," Elena purred, stopping a few feet away. "Or should I say... the miracle of Glacier National Park. I must admit, I was deeply disappointed when the rescue chopper pulled you off that ledge."

Victoria didn't blink. She tilted her head, maintaining a serene, terrifying composure. "And I must admit, Elena, you have terrible taste in executioners. Brandon was far too incompetent for a woman of your supposed brilliance."

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Chapter 26 - The War of WordsElena’s polite smile faltered for a fraction of a second, though her eyes flashed with venom. "You think surviving a fall makes you invincible? Brandon was a fool who rushed things, but you’re walking right into a cage. Every asset, every shell company, every legal loophole protecting your family estate is currently under review by my legal board."
Chapter 27 - The Public ExecutionInstead of corporate logos, the massive screens flared to life with glowing red financial routing numbers, encrypted email threads, and signed bank wire transfers bearing Elena Vanderberg’s personal signature—transferring millions in illegal kickbacks and coordinating the assassination plot against Victoria Prescott.
Chapter 28 - The Final ConfessionInterrogated in a high-security federal holding facility in Denver, Elena Vanderberg sat across a stainless-steel table, her expensive suit rumpled, her composure entirely shattered.
Chapter 29 - Shadows FadeThree months after the Aspen summit, the legal dust settled completely.
Chapter 30 - The Monument of SurvivalInstead of letting the cliff remain a place of terror, Victoria had commissioned a private architectural sanctuary built directly into the lower ridge—a monument dedicated to resilience, maternal strength, and survival.
Chapter 31 - A New DawnThe corporate world had learned a terrifying lesson about Victoria Prescott. They learned that wealth could be stolen, trusts could be targeted, and enemies could lurk in the shadows—but a woman forged in ice could never be broken.

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