Chapter 11 - The Duval Retaliation
The private terminal at JFK was blanketed in a cold November drizzle when Gabriel’s Gulfstream touched down. Waiting on the tarmac was a convoy of four armored Suburbans, surrounded by a private detail of eight former Secret Service operatives. The luxury and leisure of the Amalfi Coast had vanished, replaced by the grim realities of war.
Khloe stepped down the airstair wearing a tailored charcoal trench coat, dark sunglasses concealing her eyes, and diamond studs that caught the flashbulbs of several rogue paparazzi clinging to the perimeter fencing. She didn't flinch. Six months ago, the media had treated her like a tragic victim. Today, she was the sovereign architect of one of the fastest-growing venture capital funds on Wall Street.
"They leaked the petition to the *Wall Street Journal* an hour ago," Sarah reported as soon as Khloe slipped into the back of the armored SUV beside Gabriel. Elena was secured in her infant seat between them, happily playing with a plush silver bear.
Khloe took Sarah’s tablet, reading the screaming headline:
**"DUVAL RESURGENT: Ex-Husband Claims 50% Equity in Khloe Bennett’s Sovereign Maternal Centers, Backed by Victoria Vance’s Zurich Consortium."**
The article painted Julian as a visionary partner whose early creative blueprints had been unlawfully appropriated by Khloe following a bitter, orchestrated smear campaign. It even included a staged photo of Julian sitting in a luxurious Zurich boardroom, clean-shaven, dressed in an Italian bespoke suit that Victoria had clearly paid for, looking remorseful and dignified.
"He looks like he found God and a Swiss trust fund," Khloe sneered, passing the tablet to Gabriel. "Look at the narrative. They’re claiming I used your financial influence to fabricate his bankruptcy."
Gabriel barely glanced at the screen before dialing his chief legal strategist, Marcus Sterling.
"Marcus," Gabriel commanded through the car’s speaker. "Have the federal marshals executed the warrant for his probation violation?"
Marcus’s voice came through, strained and urgent. "Gabriel, we have a jurisdictional nightmare. Victoria’s team had Julian granted temporary diplomatic residency in Switzerland through a cultural liaison program funded by her private foundation. Because the extradition treaty doesn't automatically trigger for non-violent administrative parole violations, Julian is untouchable so long as he stays in Geneva—or comes to New York under a sovereign corporate diplomatic pass."
Khloe’s eyes flared with pure disdain. "A diplomatic pass? For Julian Duval? The man who couldn't balance a checkbook without stealing from my grandmother's trust?"
"Victoria’s reach in European trade relations runs deep," Gabriel said, his tone icy. "She wants to drag this into a prolonged international arbitration. She knows the legal fees won't hurt me, but the negative PR will stall the IPO of Khloe’s foundation next month."
"Then she doesn't know me," Khloe countered, turning to face Gabriel. "Julian survived off my silence for four years of marriage. He survived off my mercy when I let the judge set his restitution at two hundred dollars a month instead of having him sentenced to Rikers Island. If he wants to dance in public again, I’m taking the floor."
"What do you want to do?" Gabriel asked, a faint, proud smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Victoria called a press conference for four o'clock at the Plaza Hotel," Khloe replied, checking her watch. "Julian is scheduled to speak. He thinks he’s safe behind Victoria’s microphones and foreign diplomatic status."
Khloe turned to Sarah. "Call my media team. Book the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza directly across the hall from Victoria’s suite. And call the United States Trustee in bankruptcy."
"What are you planning, Khloe?" Gabriel asked, his hand enclosing hers.
"Julian told the Delaware bankruptcy court under penalty of perjury that he possessed zero offshore assets, zero unencumbered intellectual property, and zero foreign business relationships," Khloe said, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "If he signed a contract in Zurich claiming ownership of my designs in exchange for two hundred and forty million dollars of debt relief, he didn't just breach a civil agreement. He committed first-degree federal bankruptcy fraud in front of fifty international bankers."
May you like
Gabriel stared at her, his eyes blazing with admiration. "Remind me never to cross you, Mrs. Vance."
"You couldn't cross me if you tried, Gabriel," Khloe said softly, leaning over to kiss his jaw. "Now let's go show my ex-husband what happens when a scavenger tries to steal from a queen."
