Chapter 6 - The Paper Trail
Two weeks passed.
The news of Eleanor Vance’s arrest sent shockwaves through the financial sector. The company's stock dipped briefly, but Arthur took full control back, announcing a complete restructuring of the board and cutting all ties with Eleanor’s family line.
I moved back into the main house permanently, occupying the master wing with Maya. Nanny Maria stayed by my side, acting as both protector and second mother.
We brought in private security—twenty-four-hour armed guards patrolling the gates, high-tech facial recognition cameras, and strict access protocols. But despite the security, a dark shadow hung over us as long as Julian remained at large.
One rainy afternoon, Elena Sterling, Arthur’s long-time corporate attorney, arrived at the house carrying a thick leather briefcase.
"Arthur, Clara," Elena said, taking a seat in the drawing room. "We managed to trace the financial transactions Julian made before he fled the country."
"Did you find him?" Arthur asked, sipping his tea.
"Not his location yet," Elena said, pulling out a sheaf of financial documents. "But we found what he was buying. Two weeks before the freezer incident, Julian purchased controlling shares in a shell company registered in Panama called Vanguard Logistics."
I leaned forward. "Vanguard Logistics? That’s our main competitor in the shipping routes!"
"Exactly," Elena said grimly. "Julian wasn't just trying to steal your estate, Arthur. He was siphoning funds from your main company into Vanguard. He planned to bankrupt Vance Logistics from the inside, buy it out through Vanguard for pennies on the dollar, and leave you and Clara with nothing but debt."
"And the missing will?" I asked.
"The original will left sixty percent of the voting shares to you, Clara," Elena explained. "Julian’s forged version—the one he stole—transferred all voting power to Eleanor upon Arthur’s death or incapacitation. If Julian still has that forged document, he can attempt to execute it through his foreign shell company if anything happens to Arthur."
Suddenly, the house’s landline phone rang.
Arthur picked up the receiver, switching it to speakerphone so Elena and I could hear.
"Hello?" Arthur said.
A raspy, distorted voice came through the speaker.
"Hello, Dad," Julian’s voice echoed, cold and mocking. "How’s the heart holding up? Still taking your medicine?"
"Julian," Arthur said, his voice dropping into icy composure. "Turn yourself in. Your mother is going to prison for twenty years. Don't make this worse for yourself."
Julian laughed—a high, unhinged sound. "Mom was weak. She let a nanny catch her. But I’m not weak, Dad. You think you're safe in that fortress? Look out your study window."
Arthur stood up, walking toward the large bay window overlooking the front gardens.
Parked near the outer security gate, completely engulfed in bright, roaring orange flames, was Arthur’s vintage car—the very car whose brakes had been cut two weeks ago.
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"This is just a warning, Dad," Julian whispered into the phone. "I’m taking everything you built. And Clara... tell your little girl her uncle is coming home soon."
The line went dead.
