Chapter 5 - The Tables TurnVictoria Vance stared at her uncle in sheer horror, her manicured hands flying to cover her mouth. “Uncle Marcus... what... what is that? What are they playing?”
Marcus turned wildly around, pointing a shaking finger at the IT technician and then at Charlotte. “Lies! Deepfakes! Cyberattacks! This is all manipulated data by a disturbed, unstable girl trying to orchestrate a hostile takeover!”
“Manipulated?”
A cool, commanding voice cut through Marcus’s frantic shouting.
From the VIP elevator stepped Inspector Vance (no relation), head of the city’s federal financial crimes division, flanked by four armed federal marshals. Their badges glinted sharply under the crystal chandeliers.
“Not a deepfake, Mr. Vance,” Inspector Vance said, stepping forward and flashing a warrant paper directly in Marcus’s face. “We’ve been auditing the Solmere subsidiary accounts for three months. Your voice prints match the intercepted offshore wire transfers perfectly. Marcus Vance, Richard Sterling, and Elena Rostova—you are under arrest for corporate conspiracy, embezzlement, and the premeditated murder of Eleanor Vale.”
The world seemed to stop spinning for Marcus, Richard, and Elena.
The federal marshals moved with swift, practiced efficiency. Heavy steel handcuffs clicked onto Marcus’s wrists. Richard Sterling dropped his briefcase, his face turning an ash-gray color as he was shoved against a marble pillar. Elena Rostova let out a piercing shriek as an officer pinned her arms behind her back.
“You can’t do this!” Elena screamed, thrashing against the marshal's grip. “We own this city! You can’t touch us!”
“Nobody owns the Solmere Empire except its rightful bloodline,” Inspector Vance replied coldly.
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He then turned away from the cnes-struck conspirators, walked straight up to Charlotte Vale, removed his hat, and bowed his head respectfully.
“Welcome back, Chairwoman Vale. We are honored to finally meet you.”
