Chapter 13 - The Sting in ZurichThree weeks later, the grand hall of the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich hosted an exclusive international charity gala organized by the Pembroke Trust.
The event was covered by high-society media and attended by European diplomats, tech titans, and global investors. Victoria walked through the crystal-lit ballroom wearing a striking burgundy velvet gown, her silver Pembroke crest resting proudly against her chest.
She looked radiant, powerful, and completely exposed.
Or so Victor Vance believed.
From a private balcony overlooking the lake, Victor monitored his operatives as they infiltrated the hotel's private service corridors. His plan was simple: abduct Victoria Pembroke, hold her at a black-site facility, and force Ethan Pembroke to sign over the frozen syndicate assets.
What Victor did not know was that every waiter, security guard, and valet inside the hotel was a hand-picked, elite operative from Marcus and Julian’s private networks.
At 10:45 PM, as Victoria stepped into the quiet, marble-lined VIP lounge to review event ledgers, three armed men in dark suits slipped through the heavy double doors, locking them from the inside.
The lead operative stepped forward, pulling a suppressed pistol from his jacket. "Mrs. Pembroke. You're coming with us. Keep your voice down and nobody gets hurt."
Victoria didn't scream. She didn't faint. She didn't even drop her champagne glass.
She slowly took a sip, set the glass on a silver tray, and looked at the lead man with cold, unblinking detachment.
"You're Victor Vance's chief enforcer, correct?" Victoria asked quietly. "Dmitri?"
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The man froze, surprised by her composure. "How do you—"
"My brother Lucas compromised your tactical frequency forty minutes ago," Victoria said calmly, crossing her arms. "And my brother Julian liquidated your offshore accounts in Zurich five minutes before I walked into this room."
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