Chapter 5 - The Vance Empire
The following morning, the front page of the Cedar Ridge Chronicle carried a massive headline: *Heiress Arrested at Hawthorne Gala for Framing Housekeeper.
*
Daniel sat behind the mahogany desk in his executive office downtown, reviewing the surveillance logs with his corporate legal team.
Attorney Thomas Vance—Vanessa’s uncle and the lead representative for the Vance family conglomerate—walked into the boardroom unannounced.
His expensive gray suit was impeccably tailored, but his eyes were bloodshot from a night without sleep.
"Daniel, we need to handle this quietly," Thomas said, setting a leather folder on the conference table.
"Vanessa acted foolishly and emotionally, but she is young.
A felony charge will ruin her prospects permanently.
"
"Your niece assaulted an innocent employee in my home and committed corporate espionage," Daniel replied without looking up from his files.
"She didn't act emotionally, Thomas.
She acted with cold calculation to cover up the theft of state port contracts.
"
Thomas’s posture stiffened, his confident smirk vanishing.
"Those are serious allegations, Daniel.
Do you have proof that she took anything beyond a piece of jewelry that belonged to her own family?"
Daniel slid a printed document across the polished wood.
"Our IT department audited the digital access logs from yesterday afternoon.
Vanessa used an unauthorized decryption key registered to Vance Logistics to open my private safe.
Your firm is bidding on the exact same port contract.
"
Thomas remained silent, his fingers gripping the edge of his briefcase until his knuckles whitened.
"If you press these charges, Daniel, it will initiate an open war between our companies," Thomas warned in a low, dangerous whisper.
"Then consider the war started," Daniel said evenly.
May you like
"And make sure your bail bondsman knows that Vanessa is facing ten years in state prison.
"
