Chapter 7 - THE GHOST IN THE WING
Three weeks had passed since the federal raid on Vance Holdings.
The corporate fallout had settled into a steady, methodical restructuring. Harrison Vance was sitting in a federal holding cell awaiting trial, and Eleanor Vance was confined to a private medical facility under round-the-clock supervision, her legal team having successfully argued age and failing health to avoid immediate incarceration, though her financial assets had been completely frozen and seized.
Marcus had successfully purged the board of directors, replacing corrupt executives with trusted individuals who shared his new vision. The hotel chain was undergoing a massive rebranding, shifting its focus toward community support and sustainable tourism.
But inside the Vance estate, a strange quiet had settled over the property.
Late one night, long after Leo and Liam had fallen asleep in their new, sunlit bedroom upstairs, Marcus sat at his desk reviewing legal documents. A soft knock came at the heavy oak door of his study.
Evelyn stepped into the room, holding a mug of chamomile tea. She wore an oversized silk robe, her hair falling loosely around her shoulders.
"You're working late again," she noted softly, setting the mug down on the edge of the desk.
"Just tying up the final loose ends of the corporate restructuring," Marcus said, rubbing his eyes and leaning back in his leather chair. "The auditors found another hidden off-shore account registered under a shell company called Aegis Holdings. It was created twenty years ago by my father."
Evelyn paused, her hand hovering over the desk. "Aegis? I’ve heard that name before."
Marcus looked up sharply. "Where?"
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"When I was working as the charity gala coordinator for your family's foundation," Evelyn recalled, furrowing her brow. "Eleanor kept a locked filing cabinet in her private study. She thought I was out of the room once, and I heard her arguing on the phone with someone about 'transferring the Aegis assets before Marcus starts asking questions about his inheritance.'"
Marcus’s instincts flared. He stood up immediately. "Show me."
