"My flight from Singapore landed shortly after five in the morning, two full days before anyone expected me home.

"On what grounds?" I asked, my blood boiling.

"They brought in a corrupt private physician who signed an affidavit claiming you showed signs of severe paranoia and financial instability before you left for Singapore," Sterling explained. "Marcus is trying to seize control of the holding company before the board meeting on Friday."

"They're ruthless," I said.

"They're desperate," Sterling corrected. "Marcus’s creditors are threatening to go public with his debts next week. He needs your money to survive. Meet me at my office in an hour. We’re filing an injunction."

Before leaving the hospital, I hired two off-duty police officers to stand guard outside Claire’s door with strict orders: no one named Eleanor or Marcus Vance was allowed within fifty yards.

I kissed Claire’s forehead. "I’ll be back before dinner. Everything is going to be taken care of."

"Be careful, Julian," she whispered softly. "They don't care about anything except the money."

"I know," I said. "That’s why taking it away from them will hurt them the most."

At Sterling’s office downtown, we spent four hours reviewing Arthur Vance’s true financial records. Sterling produced the original, un-tampered trust agreement, along with audit logs showing that Marcus had embezzled over $4 million from the corporate charity foundation over the past eighteen months.

"This isn't just a civil dispute anymore," Sterling said, adjusting his glasses. "This is criminal grand larceny and forgery. We can put Marcus in prison, Julian."

I stared out the floor-to-ceiling window at the city. Part of me—the part raised to respect the family name above all else—hesitated. But then I remembered Claire shivering in that dark, cold stone cottage, clutching her belly in fear.

"File the criminal charges," I said coldly. "And execute the private vault transfer immediately."

"Understood," Sterling said, pulling out a legal folder. "There’s one more thing. The family estate... the house outside the city. It isn't owned by the holding company. It was placed solely in your name on your thirtieth birthday as a gift from your father. Eleanor and Marcus have been living there on your sufferance."