Chapter 5 - CHAPTER 4: THE COUNTER-ATTACK
By noon, the penthouse was empty.
I hired a professional locksmith crew to change every digital access code, deadbolt, and private elevator keycard. I then brought my parents from the hotel to the penthouse, setting them up in the master guest suite with fresh clothes, warm meals, and the complete peace of mind they had been robbed of for months.
My mother sat on the edge of the large king-sized bed, looking around the luxurious room as if she were afraid to touch anything.
"Emily... is Daniel really gone?" she asked softly, her voice still quavering.
"He's gone, Mom," I said, sitting beside her and wrapping my arm around her frail shoulders. "And he is never coming back. Tomorrow, Victoria is filing criminal charges with the Manhattan District Attorney's office for grand larceny, identity theft, and corporate fraud."
My father walked over from the window, holding a hot cup of coffee. The color was slowly returning to his face, though the deep lines of stress around his eyes remained.
"Emily," my father said quietly. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. When Daniel brought those papers three months ago, he told us that if we argued, it would ruin your career. He said your firm was auditing his company, and if we caused trouble, you could go to prison for conflict of interest. We were scared for you, sweetie."
My heart broke all over again. Daniel hadn't just used legal fraud; he had weaponized my parents' fierce, protective love for me against them.
"He lied to you, Dad," I said, standing up and holding both of my parents' hands. "He manipulated you because he was scared of what I would do if I found out. But now I know. And I promise you, by the time I'm finished, you will have your home back, your pension back, and every dollar he stole will be repaid tenfold."
While my parents rested, I moved into my home office and dialed Victoria Vance.
"Victoria," I said when she picked up. "What's our status on the Queens house?"
"I’ve already filed a Lis Pendens on the property," Victoria reported from her office. "That prevents D&M Holdings or the hard-money lender from selling, transferring, or foreclosing on the Queens house while our fraud suit is pending. But Emily, Daniel’s lawyer just reached out."
"What did they say?"
"His lawyer, Arthur Pence—a sleazy corporate defense attorney—claims Daniel is willing to 'negotiate,'" Victoria said with a cold laugh. "They offered to sign over the Queens house back to your parents if you agree not to press criminal charges regarding the forged Power of Attorney, and if you agree to pay off the $450,000 equity loan he took out against it."
I leaned back in my desk chair, a cold, dark anger settling into my chest. "He wants me to pay for the money he stole and transferred to his sister?"
"That’s his offer," Victoria said. "He thinks because you're wealthy and want to protect your parents from a long trial, you'll swallow the four hundred fifty thousand dollar loss just to make it go away."
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"Tell Arthur Pence that his client has twenty-four hours to surrender the Cayman Islands account, execute a full confession of judgment, and vacate the Queens house," I commanded. "If he refuses, I am releasing my audit of his real estate firm to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division tomorrow morning."
"I love working with you, Emily," Victoria chuckled. "I’ll deliver the message."
