Chapter 19 - THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE: CHLOE TAKES A BULLET FOR THE SISTER SHE ONCE HUMILIATED!
The grand ballroom turned into a scene of pure financial devastation. Directors who had been drinking Eleanor’s champagne minutes ago were now frantically checking their trading apps, realizing their stock options had been liquidated by The Apex Group’s massive short-squeeze algorithm.
"You think you bought fifty-two percent of our stock?" Maya said, stepping directly in front of the giant camera monitor, her voice echoing with utter confidence.
The Shadow Chairman chuckled sinisterly over the speakers. "The transactions are verified on the global ledger, little girl. You are powerless."
"Check the ledger again," Chloe spoke up, stepping right beside Maya, pulling her tablet out and tapping a single red command key.
The numbers on the giant screens suddenly turned from bright green to deep, flashing crimson!
TRANSACTION REVERSED: FRAUDULENT SPECULATION DETECTED. ASSETS FROZEN BY INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL TASK FORCE.
"WHAT?!" the Shadow Chairman roared, leaning forward in his chair for the first time, his shadow breaking slightly under the studio lights.
"Three hours ago," Maya explained calmly, "Chloe and I deployed the digital key we recovered from Arthur's sub-basement server. We didn't just lock down the company... we turned Vance Global into a honey-pot trap for The Apex Group. Every dollar your syndicate used to buy those shares was routed through our dummy shell accounts."
"You didn't buy Vance Global," Chloe added with a proud smile. "We just confiscated your entire fifty-billion-dollar shadow syndicate fund!"
In a fit of wild rage, a disguised waiter standing at the edge of the VIP stage suddenly pulled a concealed silent pistol from his jacket! He raised the gun, aiming dead at Maya’s heart!
"MAYA, LOOK OUT!" Chloe screamed!
Without a single moment of hesitation, Chloe threw her body directly in front of Maya!
THUD!
The muffled shot hit Chloe directly in the side! She gasped, her eyes going wide as blood bloomed across her emerald green dress. She collapsed backward into Maya's arms!
"CHLOE!" Maya shrieked in absolute agony, catching her sister as they both hit the floor.
Eleanor screamed in horror as security forces instantly neutralized the assassin. Maya pressed her hands desperately against Chloe’s wound, tears raining down onto Chloe’s face.
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"Stay with me! Chloe, please stay with me!" Maya sobbed hysterically. "You can't leave me! We just found each other!"
Chloe looked up at Maya, a faint, beautiful smile appearing on her pale lips despite the excruciating pain. "I... I finally protected you... sister..."
