Chapter 4 - The Shadow EmpireWhile the city slept under the blanket of heavy rain, Vanessa stepped out of a private elevator on the top floor of a high-rise luxury apartment building overlooking the river. She removed her designer coat, tossing it carelessly onto a leather sofa, and poured herself a glass of amber liquid from a crystal decanter.
She took a sip, her hand completely steady. There was no trace of the hysterical, heartbroken stepmother-to-be who had wept in the hospital lobby just hours before.
The glass door to the balcony opened, and the man in the dark jacket and red cap walked inside. He pulled off his cap, revealing a harsh, scarred face. His name was Victor Vance—no relation to Dr. Julian Vance—a dirty operative working for competitor corporations looking to tear down Daniel Carter’s hotel empire.
"Is the boy dead?" Victor asked, his voice rough.
"No," Vanessa replied coldly, sitting down on a plush lounge chair. "The idiot doctor got to him in time. But it doesn't matter. The homeless brat got caught with him at the scene. The police have her in custody. Daniel is entirely focused on blaming the street girl."
Victor took a seat across from her. "The contract was clear, Vanessa. If the boy suffered permanent medical incapacity or died, Daniel’s mental health would crumble, allowing board members to vote him out of the CEO position before the grand merger next week. With you as his fiancée, you would control his proxy votes."
"Don't worry," Vanessa sneered, sipping her drink. "Daniel is broken right now. He’s emotional, blind, and furious. He trusts me completely. Tomorrow morning, I will convince him to step down temporarily to 'focus on his family.' Once I sign the corporate transfer documents, we get our payout from the syndicate."
"What about the girl?" Victor asked. "Are you sure she didn't see me?"
"She’s an eight-year-old street beggar, Victor," Vanessa laughed dryly. "Who is going to listen to a dirty homeless child over a billionaire’s future wife? The police already put handcuffs on her. She’ll be sent to a juvenile detention facility or locked away in state care. Nobody cares about trash like her."
Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the apartment were blown open with a violent crash.
"POLICE! DON'T MOVE!"
A swarm of armed tactical officers poured into the penthouse, their high-powered flashlights blinding Vanessa and Victor. Red laser sights danced across Vanessa’s silk dress and Victor’s chest.
Vanessa gasped, dropping her glass of liquor, which shattered against the marble floor. "What is the meaning of this?! Do you know who I am?!"
From behind the tactical team, Detective Marcus Reed stepped forward, holding a folder in his hand. Beside him stood Daniel Carter.
Daniel’s face was devoid of warmth. His eyes were cold as ice, locked onto Vanessa with pure hatred.
"Daniel!" Vanessa gasped, immediately dropping to her knees, raising her hands to her face in a sudden display of tears. "Darling! What is happening?! Who are these men?!"
"Save it, Vanessa," Daniel said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "I saw the video."
Vanessa’s performative tears froze instantly. Her face went pale. "What... what video?"
Detective Reed stepped up and unhinged a pair of heavy steel handcuffs from his belt. "Vanessa Albright, you are under arrest for attempted murder, child endangerment, conspiracy to commit corporate fraud, and obstruction of justice."
"You can't do this!" Vanessa shrieked as an officer forced her arms behind her back, snapping the metal tight around her wrists—the exact same metal that had bound Lily hours earlier. "Daniel, listen to me! It’s a setup! That homeless girl lied to you! She forced me!"
Daniel walked right up to her, stooping down so his face was inches from hers.
"You left my six-year-old son to die on the grass," Daniel whispered, every word sharp enough to cut glass. "You poisoned him, left him suffocating in the heat, and then tried to ruin the life of an innocent eight-year-old girl who destroyed her own feet to carry him to safety."
"Daniel, please!" she sobbed, genuine terror taking over as the realization of her downfall hit her.
"You will spend every remaining year of your life behind bars," Daniel said coldly. "And I will make sure you never see the light of day again."
As the officers dragged Vanessa and Victor out of the apartment in chains, Daniel turned to Detective Reed.
"Where is Lily right now?" Daniel asked, his voice trembling with urgency.
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"She’s still at the precinct holding facility," Reed said softly. "Her shoes were destroyed, her hands were bruised by the cuffs... and she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday."
Daniel closed his eyes, a tear cutting through the cold expression on his face. "Take me to her. Right now."
