Chapter 5 - The Snake's Last Strike
While Teresa was systematically restoring order to the corporate empire, Genevieve Vance was unraveling in her family's gated estate on the outskirts of the city.
Stripped of her luxury allowances, her sports car impounded as a proceeds-of-crime asset, and her brother Julian facing twenty years in federal prison, Genevieve was consumed by a desperate, psychotic rage. She blamed Teresa for destroying her lavish lifestyle.
Sitting in her opulent living room, drinking scotch from a crystal glass, Genevieve looked at her cousin, Marcus Vance—a disgraced former private investigator who had spent time in prison for extortion and stalking.
"She took everything, Marcus!" Genevieve shrieked, smashing her glass against the marble fireplace. "She took Arthur's money, she took the company, she took my house! She acts like she's some holy, innocent martyr!"
Marcus leaned against the wall, twirling a heavy brass key ring on his finger. "Arthur’s lawyer says there’s no way out of the federal charges unless Teresa drops the civil fraud suit and agrees to a financial settlement. If she maintains her position, Arthur and your brother are going to prison for a very long time."
Genevieve’s eyes narrowed into dark, vicious slits. "Then we make her drop it."
"How?" Marcus asked. "She’s guarded by private security twenty-four hours a day. Her penthouse is a fortress."
Genevieve stood up, a terrifying smile spreading across her red lips. "She’s a mother, Marcus. She cares more about that fat, useless eight-year-old boy than she does about all the money in the world."
Marcus frowned, stepping back. "Genevieve... messing with financial fraud is one thing. Kidnapping a kid is a federal capital offense. The FBI is already watching us."
"We aren't going to kidnap him," Genevieve snarled, grabbing her coat from the couch. "We’re going to use him. Ethan attends St. Jude’s Academy. The school’s afternoon pick-up protocol relies on parent authorization codes. Arthur’s name is still listed on the emergency contact forms at the school office because the legal updates haven't cleared the administrative board yet."
She pulled a sleek black smartphone from her purse.
"I have Arthur’s personal tablet—he left it at my house last week," Genevieve whispered, her voice dripping with venom. "It has his digital signature and his family authorization code for the school app. We send a private car to pick up Ethan after his tutoring session today, before Teresa’s security team arrives."
May you like
"And once we have the boy?" Marcus asked softly.
"Once we have the boy," Genevieve smiled, "Teresa will sign every paper we put in front of her. She’ll release the accounts, drop the federal cooperation, and hand the company back to Arthur. She’ll crawl on her knees."
