Chapter 6 - THE MID-AIR CONSPIRACY AND THE TRAITOR AMONG US
The private Gulfstream jet cut through the stormy night clouds at 40,000 feet, heading toward Geneva, Switzerland. Inside the luxurious cabin, the ambient lighting cast a soft gold glow over the plush leather seats. Katherine sat by the window, reviewing encrypted financial wire transfers on her tablet, while Chloe slept fitfully on a velvet couch nearby, exhausted by the whirlwind of trauma and adrenaline.
A soft click echoed through the cabin.
Katherine didn't look up from her screen, but her hand instinctively slid toward the concealed holster inside her burgundy jacket. "You have three seconds to explain why you're walking toward the executive cabin without authorization, Marcus."
Marcus Vance stepped out from the galley, but gone was the polite, subservient cousin who had helped her dismantle the Vance empire. Instead, a twisted, manic grin stretched across his face, and in his right hand, he held a sleek, military-grade silenced pistol, its barrel pointed directly at Katherine's chest.
"You really thought it was that easy, didn't you, Elena?" Marcus sneered, his voice dropping its polished facade, revealing a cold, calculating malice. "You thought you could use me to destroy Victoria, take over the family assets, and walk away like a queen?"
Katherine finally lowered her tablet. Her expression didn't show a single ounce of fear—only a profound, chilling disappointment.
"Marcus," Katherine said evenly. "I built you from a penniless corporate failure into a multi-millionaire overnight. I gave you the tools to take revenge on the cousins who mocked you your entire life. And this is how you repay me?"
"Revenge?" Marcus laughed, a sharp, unhinged sound. "I don't care about Victoria or her pathetic ego! I care about power! You thought you were pulling the strings, Elena, but you walked right into my trap. The moment we land in Geneva, the Swiss authorities—who are safely on my payroll—will arrest you for corporate espionage, international racketeering, and illegal asset seizure. And I will inherit the entire Sterling-Vance conglomerate."
Katherine stared at him for a long, agonizing moment. Then, slowly, a faint, terrifying smile touched the corners of her lips.
"Marcus," Katherine murmured, tilting her head. "Did you really think I wouldn't run a background check on my own cousin?"
Marcus’s smile faltered slightly. "What are you talking about?"
"I know about your offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands," Katherine said calmly, tapping her tablet screen. "I know about your secret partnership with Arthur Vance. And most importantly... I know that the pilot flying this plane isn't your mercenary."
Before Marcus could process her words, the cabin lights flickered off entirely. Red emergency backup lights instantly flooded the aisle. The cockpit door blew open with a deafening crash, and two armed security operatives stepped out, pinning Marcus to the floor before he could even pull the trigger. His pistol clattered against the carpeted floor.
Marcus thrashed wildly, his face pressed against the luxury rug. "Let me go! You bitch! You planned this!"
May you like
"Of course I did," Katherine stood up, smoothing her suit jacket with absolute grace. She looked down at her traitorous cousin with pure pity. "You were always the weakest link, Marcus. Greed makes men stupid."
HOOK: The traitor is neutralized, but the plane is still hurtling toward Geneva, where the puppet master of the entire Vance conspiracy awaits. What shocking truth is waiting for Katherine at the final destination?
