Chapter 24 - Whispers in the Snow
The trip to Geneva forced Victoria Sterling into a frantic move. Realizing we were unearthing the fraudulent roots of her financial leverage, she attempted to bypass the legal system entirely.
On a snow-dusted evening in Geneva, as Thomas and I walked back to our hotel near the lakefront, a black town car pulled alongside the curb. The rear window rolled down to reveal Victoria Sterling herself. Her features were sharp, cold, and calculated, her blonde hair pulled into an immaculate bun.
"Claire," she called out, her tone devoid of emotion. "Get in. Let's speak like adults."
Thomas stepped in front of me, but I placed a hand on his arm, giving him a quiet nod. "We talk right here, Victoria."
She stepped out of the car, wrapped in a long cashmere coat, her leather gloves clapping softly as she crossed her arms.
"You're remarkably persistent," Victoria said, looking at me as if inspecting an inconvenient line of code. "Your ex-husband was a coward, and Richard was a loud fool. But you... you've managed to build quite a shield with Mr. Hale here. How long do you think that shield holds when I tie up every asset your household depends on for the next seven years?"
"As long as it takes," I answered without hesitation. "You think this is about money or bank accounts. You think like a ledger. But everything I care about—my son's safety, my husband's love, our home—is something you can't buy, short-sell, or freeze."
Victoria sneered slightly. "A touching sentiment. But sentiments don't pay five-figure monthly legal retainers, Claire. Give up your claim to the Swiss trust. Let me liquidate Vance Global completely, and I will leave your little orchard in Oxfordshire alone forever."
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"No deal," Thomas interjected, his voice like iron. "Because by Monday morning, the Swiss Federal Banking Authority will have full access to your offshore shell accounts in Panama. You aren't just going to lose Vance Global, Victoria. You're going to lose your own firm."
For the first time, a shadow of genuine hesitation flickered across her icy eyes.
