Chapter 4 - The Fall of Vance Holdings
The disruption at Vance Holdings was swift, clean, and utterly devastating.
By mid-afternoon, news outlets across Chicago were flashing breaking headlines across television screens: Real Estate Mogul Matteo Vance Investigated in Multi-Million Dollar Embezzlement and Trust Fraud.
From the secure luxury of the Marzano penthouse, Simone watched the live helicopter footage broadcasted from downtown Loop. Federal agents in blue jackets streamed through the glass doors of Vance Holdings' headquarters, carrying boxes of files and hard drives out to waiting vans.
A frantic, muffled pounding echoed through the private hallway outside the suite.
Marco, Julian’s head of security, opened the door just enough to block the threshold. Outside, disheveled and frantic, stood Deline. Her bridal makeup was entirely gone, her hair tangled, her designer coat soaked from the autumn rain.
"Let me in!" Deline screamed, trying to shove past Marco. "Julian! Julian, you bastard, I know you're in there! You did this!"
Julian didn't even turn his head from the window. He gestured slightly with two fingers.
Marco stepped aside just enough for Deline to stumble into the room, gasping for breath, her eyes wild with panic. She froze when she saw Simone sitting calmly at the desk, sipping coffee.
"You," Deline whispered, her voice cracking with pure venom. "This is your fault. You and your petty little jealousy because I married into money while you were stuck sorting old papers!"
Simone didn't flinch. She set her mug down on the saucer, the ceramic clinking softly in the quiet room. "I was sorting father's financial records, Deline. The ones you and Matteo forged signatures on."
"You lying little bitch—" Deline lunged forward, her hands clawing toward Simone's face.
Before she had taken two steps, two massive security guards materialized on either side of her, pinning her arms to her sides with effortless, unyielding strength.
Deline thrashed wildly, sobbing in frustration. "Let me go! Do you know who my husband is? He’ll destroy every single one of you!"
"Your husband is currently sitting in a holding cell at the federal courthouse downtown, answering questions about wire fraud and elder abuse," Julian’s cold, baritone voice cut through her hysterics like a whip.
Deline stopped struggling. She turned her tear-streaked face toward Julian, her voice dropping to a desperate, pathetic whisper. "Please... Mr. Marzano. Please. It was Matteo’s idea. I didn't know about the trust fund. I just wanted a nice wedding..."
Julian walked slowly toward her, stopping a few feet away. His presence was so crushing that Deline shrank back against the guards.
"You watched your paralyzed father sit in a wheelchair while you stole his medicine," Julian said, every word dripping with ice. "And then you threw your sister to the floor because she sat at a table you didn't approve of."
May you like
He turned his back on her dismissively.
"Take her out," Julian instructed the guards. "And make sure she’s escorted off the property. If she comes within five miles of this hotel or Mr. Bellamy again, treat her as a trespasser."
