Chapter 11 - The Inheritance of Ashes
The ink on the divorce decree was barely dry when the first wave of Vance Global’s creditors came knocking. With Flynn serving a twenty-five-year federal sentence at Marion maximum security and Selina locked away in Stateville Correctional, the sprawling corporate empire they had built upon lies and embezzlement began to implode from within.
I sat in the executive boardroom—the very room where Flynn used to dismiss my ideas with an arrogant wave of his hand—surrounded by forensic accountants and bankruptcy attorneys.
"Mrs. Vance," Arthur Sterling began, sliding a thick ledger across the polished mahogany table, "the restructuring is nearly complete. However, we’ve uncovered a series of hidden offshore accounts tied directly to Flynn’s personal holdings in the Cayman Islands. Total valuation: roughly forty-eight million dollars."
I traced the rim of my coffee cup, my eyes scanning the rows of numerical data. "Are they legally recoverable under the marital property seizure clause?"
"Every single cent," Arthur replied with a sharp, approving smile. "Because Flynn attempted to hide them while under federal indictment for attempted murder, the court has granted a total asset forfeiture directly to you as the sole surviving victim and primary creditor."
"I don't want the money sitting in a vault," I said softly, looking out the massive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the Chicago skyline. "Liquidate every asset. Close the Cayman accounts. I want a new private equity fund established by the end of the week."
"Under what name?" Arthur asked, pen poised over his pad.
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"Phoenix Capital," I answered without hesitation. "Dedicated exclusively to backing female entrepreneurs who have been financially abused or trapped by corporate domestic manipulation."
Arthur’s eyes gleamed with deep respect. "Done. It will be the most talked-about launch in the financial district by Monday morning."
