Chapter 9 - THE FINAL CONFRONTATIONAs Victor, Lily, and Ethan burst out through the shattered front doors of the mansion onto the gravel driveway, the cool night air hit their lungs like a blessing. Sirens wailed in the distance, wailing closer by the second—local police and fire units responding to the automated emergency distress signal Lily had managed to trigger before entering the vault.
Standing near the wrought-iron gates, watching the burning glow begin to flicker from the basement windows, were Serena and Arthur Vance. They had their bags packed, waiting for the private helicopter idling on the private helipad behind the manicured lawns.
"Going somewhere?" Victor’s cold, steel voice rang out across the gravel courtyard, cutting through the wail of the approaching sirens.
Serena froze, turning around with a look of absolute horror on her face. "Victor... how? You were supposed to be—"
"Dead?" Victor finished for her, walking steadily forward while keeping Lily and Ethan safely behind him. "You and Arthur really thought you could orchestrate a murder, frame an innocent woman, and steal my family's legacy without consequences?"
Arthur stepped forward, sneering as he adjusted his cuffs. "You have no proof, Victor. The house is burning down, taking every shred of physical evidence with it. By morning, you'll be a ruined, broken man."
"Are you sure about that, Arthur?"
Lily stepped out from behind Victor, holding up the small silver flash drive she had rescued from the wine cellar. "Serena dropped this in the vault. And my phone still has the unedited backup of the recording synced to the cloud. Not to mention the security cameras in the sub-basement recorded every word of your confession."
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Arthur’s face drained of all color. He looked from Lily to the flashing red and blue lights of the police cruisers now swarming through the estate gates, blocking the helipad escape route completely.
"It's over, Arthur. It's over, Serena," Victor said, his eyes blazing with righteous fury.
