Chapter 4 - Power Moves
The room fell into a suffocating silence. Margaret’s jaw tightened, her hands trembling as she clutched her leather handbag. The two lawyers behind her shifted uncomfortably, exchanging uneasy glances.
"You wouldn't dare," Margaret whispered. "Your father’s will grants me residency rights until—"
"Until a direct blood heir challenges the occupancy," Daniel interrupted coldly. He took the thin folder from the table and held it up. "The moment Emily’s identity is verified by the court-appointed genetic analyst tomorrow morning, your residency privilege lapses. Vanessa's status as a dependent is revoked entirely."
Margaret’s face turned an unhealthy shade of grey. She took a step toward Emily, her eyes narrowed in desperate calculation. "You think you can just step into this world, little girl? You think a uniform and a birthmark make you a Vance? You don't have the stomach for what happens in these halls."
"She doesn't need to fight you, Margaret," Daniel said, stepping smoothly into Margaret’s line of sight. "I will handle the fighting. You have thirty minutes to collect Vanessa and leave the main residence. Security will escort you to the gate house until the formal investigation concludes."
"This isn't over, Daniel," Margaret spat, backing toward the door. "You think you're protecting her, but you're just putting a bigger target on her back. There are people on the board who will never allow a maid to inherit half of Vance Enterprises."
With a sharp turn of her heel, Margaret swept out of the room, her lawyers trailing hurriedly behind her.
Emily sank back onto the edge of the bed, her hands shaking violently. The ice pack slipped from her grasp, thudding softly onto the thick carpet.
"Are you alright?" Daniel asked, leaning down to pick up the ice pack.
"No," Emily confessed honestly, looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes. "Three hours ago, I was worried about finishing the laundry before my shift ended. Now people are talking about lawyers, inheritances, and targets on my back. I don't want any of this, Mr. Vance."
"Call me Daniel," he said gently, sitting in the chair opposite her. "And I understand. But running away won't fix this now. Vanessa and Margaret know who you are. If you leave now, without the protection of the estate and the legal backing of the true trust, they will make sure you vanish permanently."
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"So I'm trapped," she said softly.
"You're not trapped," Daniel corrected, his eyes locking onto hers with intense resolve. "You're armed. And starting tomorrow, we make sure you know how to use the power you were born with."
