Chapter 7 - The Trap Snaps Shut
Vanessa spun around, dropping a clipboard onto the concrete floor. She was tall, dressed in designer leather, with perfectly styled blonde hair that contrasted sharply with the gritty surroundings. Leo backed away into a forklift, knocking over a stack of empty pallets.
""Who let you in here?"" Vanessa demanded, recovering her composure and narrowing her eyes. ""This is private commercial property.""
""Actually, Vanessa, it isn't,"" Clara said, taking a slow step forward. ""This warehouse belongs to the Harbor Port Authority, which is managed by a private logistics syndicate. And who do you think owns seventy percent of that syndicate?""
Vanessa’s lips thinned into a tight, hateful sneer. ""Julian always said you were a plain, boring housewife with no ambition. He told me you stayed home doing digital odd jobs while he built an empire. He promised me he would divorce you the moment the Apex deal closed.""
""Julian was living in a fantasy world funded by my bank accounts,"" Clara answered calmly. ""And you were quite content living on stolen money.""
""It's not stolen!"" Leo cried out, his voice cracking with desperation. ""Julian earned every dollar! You were just a leech living off his family name!""
Clara glanced at Leo with pity. ""Your mother raised two parasites, Leo. You took three hundred thousand dollars of Vanguard’s venture funds to finance your sports bets and sports car. Did you really think those automated bank flags wouldn't trace back to your social security number?""
Leo’s face went paper-white. ""You... you knew?""
""I knew three weeks ago,"" Clara said. ""I chose to watch and see how far your greed would take you. Julian thought he was breaking me yesterday in that kitchen. He didn't realize he was simply giving me the legal justification to destroy him without mercy.""
Vanessa reached for a black leather tote bag resting on the counter. ""We have passports and liquid access. You can't stop us from boarding an international vessel tonight.""
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""I don't have to stop you,"" Clara said softly, checking her wristwatch. ""The Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security are already outside.""
As if on cue, blinding red and blue strobe lights flashed through the high warehouse windows, accompanied by the wail of approaching sirens.
