Chapter 8 - The Two-Hour Countdown
The two hours dragged by with agonizing slowness.
While the board members retreated to the private dining hall to wait, Daniel led Emily into his private study down the hall. He poured two cups of tea, handing one to her. Her hands were still trembling, but the shock was beginning to harden into something stronger.
"You handled yourself well back there," Daniel said, taking a seat across from her.
"I was terrified," Emily admitted, taking a small sip of the hot tea. "How can people live like this? Constant lies, constant attacks... they don't even care about the truth. They only care about winning."
"That is the reality of immense wealth, Emily," Daniel said bitterly. "When my father died, this house ceased to be a home. It became a battlefield. Margaret and Vanessa have spent years bleeding the company's sub-entities dry. They knew that if Katherine's true heir ever surfaced, an automatic audit of the family accounts would be triggered."
Emily paused, holding the teacup halfway to her lips. "An audit?"
"Yes," Daniel said, leaning forward. "The Vance trust terms dictate that upon the formal recognition of the primary heir, all secondary accounts—including the ones Margaret and Vanessa have been drawing from—are immediately frozen until a full forensic audit is completed. Vanessa didn't just frame you out of jealousy or spite. She did it because if you are confirmed today, she and her mother are bankrupt by tomorrow morning."
The missing piece of the puzzle finally slammed into place. The planted necklace wasn't just a petty attempt to humiliate a servant; it was a desperate, high-stakes attempt to halt an impending financial ruin.
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Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the study flew open. Dr. Aris stood in the doorway, holding a printed digital report, his expression deadly serious.
"Mr. Vance," Dr. Aris said, his voice tense. "The results are in. But... we have a massive problem."
