Chapter 2 - The Midnight Strategy
Down in the subterranean security archive of the mansion, Nathan, Grace, and Richard sat around a stainless-steel table illuminated by a single overhead lamp. Lily was fast asleep on a velvet sofa in the corner, her breathing slow and even.
“The forged flight itineraries and the falsified custody documents didn't magically appear,” Richard said, tapping a stylus against a tablet screen. “Someone with high-level administrative access to the Cole Industries database uploaded them. And there are only two people in this city who possess the master security keys to override that system: myself, and Victoria Ashford.”
“She’s trying to frame me for kidnapping to sever my legal rights before I can file a paternity petition,” Grace noted, her eyes sharp and focused. Her background as a nurse had taught her how to remain calm under extreme medical trauma, and that clinical detachment was now serving her well in legal warfare. “If the courts believe I was fleeing the country with Lily, emergency custody defaults automatically to the state or a designated guardian—which Victoria likely appointed herself as.”
Nathan slammed his fist onto the table, causing the metal to ring. “She underestimated us. She thought I would just hand Lily over and look the other way while she buried you in prison.”
“Nathan, anger won't solve this,” Grace said gently, reaching across the table to place her hand over his trembling fist. Her touch instantly grounded him. “We need concrete proof that Victoria manufactured those documents. A digital footprint.”
Richard nodded in agreement. “Fortunately, the server logs at Cole Industries cannot be deleted without a dual-authentication signature from the CEO—which currently is you, Nathan. Let's pull the access logs for 3:00 AM two nights ago.”
With a few keystrokes, Richard accessed the master mainframe. Lines of encrypted code scrolled down the monitor before halting at a highlighted red entry.
Terminal ID: Penthouse-Suite-B. User Authentication: V. Ashford-Cole. Action: Database injection / Flight record creation.
Nathan stared at the screen, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “She used the private terminal in our shared penthouse. She didn't even bother to cover her tracks properly because she was so sure I’d be too blind to look.”
“That terminal log is admissible in federal court,” Richard smiled grimly. “Combined with your father’s confession letter regarding Victoria’s true parentage, we have enough legal ammunition to not only clear Grace of all charges, but to dismantle Victoria’s financial standing permanently.”
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“There’s just one problem,” Grace said, her expression turning grave. “Victoria isn't fighting alone. Her mother, Elena Ashford, controls half the board of directors. If we move too fast, they’ll trigger a hostile takeover of the company while we’re tied up in family court.”
Nathan leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculated light. “Let them try. Let them think they’re winning. Because tomorrow morning, I’m calling an emergency board meeting—and I’m inviting the press.”
