Chapter 3 - THE EXECUTOR'S CHOICE"Martin!" Richard screamed, pivoting wildly toward the estate executor. "You knew about this! You drew up the probate filings! Arrest him! Sue him for defamation!"
Martin Creel slowly adjusted his glasses, looking at Richard with undisguised pity. He stepped away from Richard and walked over to me, holding out a heavy leather briefcase.
"I'm sorry, Richard," Martin said evenly. "When Mr. Samuel Vale brought me the DNA verification report six months ago, he instructed me to file a conditional execution clause. If Richard Vale ever attempted to usurp, assault, or disenfranchise his nephew Ethan within one year of Samuel's passing, the entire estate would immediately revert to sole unilateral control of Ethan Vale."
Martin turned and bowed slightly toward me, unlocking the briefcase and handing me the master corporate seal of Vale Industrial.
"The transition of power is complete, Mr. Vale," Martin announced to the entire gathering. "All corporate accounts have been frozen to Mr. Richard Vale pending federal asset recovery."
A collective gasp ripped through the mourners.
Aunt Beatrice—Richard’s wife—shrieked, dropping her designer handbag into the snow. "We're ruined! We have no personal accounts! Everything was tied up in the corporate credit lines!"
Richard lunged forward, his face turning a dark, bruised purple with murderous rage. He ignored the federal audit agents who had quietly stepped out from behind the black limousine fleet.
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"You little one-legged bastard!" Richard roared, diving straight at me.
He didn't make it two steps.
