Chapter 16 - The Cracking Alliance
The silence that fell over the headmistress’s office was absolute, suffocating, and deadly.
The two caseworkers exchanged a swift, alarmed look, instantly stepping backward away from Julian as if he had suddenly caught fire.
Julian’s hands began to tremble violently.
"You're lying," Julian choked out, his voice cracking into an unsteady squeak.
"You're bluffing! That safe was locked with Dad's personal combination!"
"My father knew you were a parasite the day Claire brought you home, Julian," Claire said, stepping forward.
Her voice was no longer shaking; it was ringing with absolute clarity and cold fury.
"He kept you close because he wanted every single transaction documented under your own digital signature."
"He left those documents in that safe knowing your greed would eventually compel you to steal them."
Arthur Campbell pulled out his ringing smartphone, answered it, listened for five seconds, and put it on speaker.
The booming voice of Federal Prosecutor Douglas Vance filled the room.
"Arthur? We just finished the preliminary forensic verification on the ledgers submitted by Harrison Cole."
"The maritime salvage contracts from 2012 are completely compliant with international admiralty law."
"However, the attached wire transfers reveal fourteen counts of direct wire fraud, grand larceny, and corporate embezzlement routed through Vance Holdings Ltd."
"We are issuing an immediate federal arrest warrant for Julian Vance and Marcus Vance."
Julian’s phone suddenly buzzed violently in his coat pocket.
He pulled it out with trembling fingers.
The caller ID showed his brother Marcus’s name.
Julian answered, pressing the phone to his ear with panic-stricken haste.
"Marcus! Marcus, they know—"
"You idiot!" Marcus’s voice roared through the receiver so loud that even Headmistress Vance-Lowell heard every furious word.
"The federal agents are at my office right now!"
"The syndicate lenders saw the news ticker on Bloomberg and they’ve called in the entire eighteen-million-dollar collateral immediately!"
"They know we don't have the money!"
"Marcus, help me!" Julian wailed, entirely abandoning any shred of dignity.
"Help you? You brought the entire Sterling machine down on our heads!" Marcus snarled, his voice breaking with sheer terror.
"The lenders told me that if they don't have their money by midnight, they aren't sending lawyers, Julian."
"They’re sending cleanup crews."
The call disconnected with a sharp, hollow click.
Julian stood in the center of the office, his chest heaving, his face white as chalk, looking at the women he had tried to destroy.
Margaret turned to the two caseworkers.
"Gentlemen," Margaret said with effortless grace, "I believe you have business with Mr. Vance."
May you like
"And Headmistress, please bring my grandchildren out to the car."
"Their mother is taking them home."
