Chapter 2 - The Taste of Victory
In the grand dining room of the Cherry Hills estate, Patricia Sullivan raised a glass of expensive champagne. The crystal clinked against her son’s glass, the sound echoing through the high ceilings of the house that had, until twelve hours ago, belonged to Chloe.
"To a new era," Patricia gloated, her face twisted into a smug, triumphant grin. "I told you, Ryan. All it took was a little patience. That pathetic girl actually believed you loved her. She signed those papers without even looking at them!"
Ryan smirked, taking a sip of his drink. He was dressed in a silk robe, looking every bit the master of the house. "I have to admit, Mom, leaving her at the hospital was a stroke of genius. If she had come back here, she would have made a scene. This way, she’s locked out, broke, and humiliated. By the time she finds a pro-bono lawyer to look at those papers, the three million is gone, and the house will be sold."
"And what about the baby?" asked Emma, Ryan’s younger sister, who was lounging on the velvet sofa, scrolling through her phone. "Aren't you worried she’ll sue for child support?"
"Let her try," Ryan laughed mockingly. "I’ve already compiled emails and edited text messages to make her look completely unstable. I’ll claim she abandoned the baby at the hospital. With my mother’s connections, we’ll paint her as a deadbeat, drug-addled mother. She won’t get a single penny. In fact, she’ll be lucky if she doesn't end up in an asylum."
Suddenly, the heavy oak front doors of the mansion were thrown open.
The cold winter wind rushed into the foyer, extinguishing the scented candles Patricia had lit. Ryan stood up, annoyed. "Who the hell is that? I told the guards—"
He froze.
Stepping into the foyer was not a pair of security guards, but four men in dark, tailored suits. Leading them was Mr. Bennett, holding a thick leather briefcase. Behind them stood two uniformed Denver police officers.
"What is the meaning of this?" Patricia demanded, marching into the foyer, her voice screeching. "This is private property! Get out before I have you arrested for trespassing!"
Mr. Bennett did not flinch. He opened his briefcase and pulled out a certified court document, holding it directly in front of Patricia’s face.
"Mrs. Sullivan, my name is Arthur Bennett, chief legal counsel for Daniel Vance and his family," Bennett said, his voice cutting through the room like a scalpel. "I am here to serve you with an emergency federal injunction. This property, and all assets associated with it, have been placed under immediate court receivership due to allegations of grand larceny, identity theft, and corporate fraud."
Ryan’s face drained of color. "That’s impossible. The deed is legally registered under Sullivan Heritage LLC. We own this house!"
"You own an LLC that was funded through fraudulent means," Bennett replied smoothly. "We have already filed a motion to freeze all accounts associated with Sullivan Heritage LLC, as well as your personal accounts. Furthermore, the Denver Police Department is here to execute a search warrant. We are reclaiming all of Mrs. Chloe Vance-Sullivan's personal belongings."
"You can't do this!" Patricia screamed, her face turning an ugly shade of purple. "Ryan, do something!"
One of the police officers stepped forward. "Mr. Sullivan, we have a warrant to search the premises. Step aside, or you will be detained for obstruction of justice."
As the officers began to systematically search the house, Ryan’s phone began to ring. He looked down at the screen. It was a notification from his bank.
ALERT: Your accounts have been temporarily frozen due to pending legal investigation.
May you like
A cold sweat broke out on Ryan's neck. He looked out the window and saw a sleek black SUV parked at the edge of the driveway. Through the tinted glass, he could just make out the silhouette of a man watching them.
Daniel Vance was watching his empire crumble before it had even begun.
