Chapter 4 - The Signature of Fraud
Derek’s phone buzzed violently on the glass cocktail table. He snatched it up, his eyes darting across the screen. A sudden bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
""What is this?"" Derek choked out.
""That,"" Marcus Cross announced, stepping forward with an enforcement officer from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, ""is an immediate freezing injunction issued by the High Court of Paris. The power of attorney you used to sign for Claire Sterling was nullified three hours ago. The notary who countersigned it is currently sitting in a holding cell.""
The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves, backing away toward the exits as they realized they were witnessing a catastrophic white-collar sting.
""You're bluffing!"" Evelyn spat, lunging toward Claire with her manicured nails bared. ""She signed those papers willingly! She begged us to take the debts off her hands!""
Before Evelyn could get within an arm's reach of Claire, Pierce caught the older woman’s wrist in an iron grip. He didn't squeeze, but the cold intensity in his eyes made Evelyn freeze in sheer terror.
""You took my daughter’s truck,"" Pierce said, each syllable measured like a guillotine blade. ""You emptied her trust fund. You stripped her clothes and forced her into the rain with a newborn child.""
Pierce reached up with his free hand, unclasped the heirloom diamond necklace from Evelyn’s neck, and let it drop into Claire’s hand.
""Get out of this house,"" Pierce ordered. ""Both of you. Now.""
""You can't kick us out!"" Derek yelled, his voice cracking into hysteria as two burly security operatives flanked him. ""The cash is already gone! The nine hundred and twenty grand is in an untraceable Swiss crypto vault! You’ll never see a dime of it!""
Pierce signaled his men. Within ninety seconds, Derek and Evelyn were dragged down the stone steps and thrown onto the curb in full view of their high-society acquaintances.
Inside the quieted living room, Claire fell to her knees, hugging Leo and weeping tears of pure relief. Pierce knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around his daughter and grandson.
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Suddenly, Marcus’s phone rang. He answered, listened for five seconds, and his face turned to stone.
""Mr. Sterling,"" Marcus whispered, covering the mouthpiece. ""Derek had an insurance policy. He just triggered a kidnapping complaint against Claire with Interpol.""
