Chapter 7 - The BroadcastEthan’s phone began to buzz violently in his tactical vest pocket. He pulled it out, keeping his boot firmly on Julian's chest, and swiped the screen.
A live national news broadcast was streaming on every major financial channel. The headline flashing in bold red letters across the screen read: CRIMINAL TAKEOVER AT VANCE CORP: FORMER EXILED HEIR AND DAUGHTER ACCUSED OF HOSTILE EXTORTION.
On the screen, a slick corporate spokesperson was speaking directly to the cameras: "Earlier tonight, emergency disclosures revealed that Ethan Vance, previously discredited for embezzlement, along with his accomplice Elena Vance, has launched a violent corporate extortion campaign against Vance Corp CEO Julian Vance..."
Vivian, recovering her composure on the side, let out a shrill, hysterical laugh. "You fools! Did you really think Julian didn't have a contingency plan? The moment we couldn't find the parchment, our PR firm uploaded the pre-written narrative framing you as deranged criminals trying to steal a billion-dollar legacy! The police are already ten minutes away with a shoot-to-kill order!"
Elena stared at the phone screen in horror. The media machine was spinning faster than they could fight. Within hours, public opinion would be completely poisoned, and they would be branded as international fugitives with no legal standing.
"She's right," Ethan muttered, his jaw tightening. "Julian wired the public relations trigger to fire automatically if his personal biometric tracker stopped sending a pulse or if he didn't clear the system by midnight."
Julian grinned wickedly from beneath Ethan's boot, wheezing with laughter. "You can kill me... but you'll spend the rest of your lives in a maximum-security black site as terrorists. The world will remember the Vances as legends, and you two as footnotes."
Elena looked down at the old, yellowed parchment in her hand. The crimson wax stamp gleamed dully under the amber lights. She looked at Ethan, whose eyes held a grim, resolute challenge.
"He forgot one thing," Elena said, her voice cutting through the wind with absolute clarity.
May you like
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"He never read the second page of the parchment."
