Chapter 12 - Public Reckoning
Instead of backing down, Julian let out a manic laugh and turned to face Arthur, deciding to bring their conflict out into the open. He raised his voice, shouting toward the double doors of the ballroom that his cousin was harboring a thief and a fraud among the domestic staff. Several curious guests and board members poked their heads out into the hallway, drawn by the commotion. Julian pointed a shaking finger at Clara, trying to spin a narrative that she had stolen confidential family documents to blackmail the Vance empire. The whispers began to ripple through the gathered crowd like wildfire. Clara felt the eyes of the elite burning into her skin, ready to condemn her without a second thought. But Arthur didn't flinch. Instead of defending her verbally, he pulled the original, physical ledger out of his inner suit jacket and held it up for everyone to see. The silence that fell over the hallway was absolute. Arthur looked directly at the senior board members, his voice steady and commanding as he announced that the books were open, and the decades of corruption within the family ended tonight.
