Chapter 9 - THE REAL WILLThe CFO's name was Natalie Reed.

She drove without headlights through the city.

"Julian owns half the police," she said.

"Then why are you helping me?"

"Because I don't want to die."

"That's not an answer."

"It is tonight."

Marcus sat beside me in the back.

He didn't speak.

I ignored him.

Natalie brought us to a private bank.

The vault was accessed through a biometric scanner.

My father had registered my fingerprints when I was eighteen.

I had forgotten.

The door opened immediately.

Inside was a box.

No number.

No label.

Natalie handed me a key.

"Your father left this for the moment Vanguard was attacked."

I unlocked it.

There was a will.

The original one.

Not the simplified document Julian had used after my father's death.

I read the first paragraph.

I, Richard Vale, being of sound mind, declare that Vanguard Group shall never be controlled by a single heir.

I kept reading.

Thirty-one percent to me.

Ten percent to an independent trust.

Six percent to a foundation.

And the rest divided among protected institutions.

Julian would receive nothing.

Nothing.

Not one share.

But the final clause changed everything.

Should my daughter die before the birth of her first child, ownership shall pass to the child's verified genetic identity.

I looked at Natalie.

"Verified genetic identity?"

She nodded.

"Your father anticipated disputed parentage."

I read further.

The guardian of the child shall be appointed by the trust, not by the surviving spouse.

My heart pounded.

"Julian couldn't control the baby."

"Correct."

"What about Elena?"

Natalie looked at Marcus.

"She's part of the same protocol."

I frowned.

"Why?"

Natalie opened another file.

Inside was an embryo transfer record.

The donor's name had been erased.

But one code remained.

RV-01.

Richard Vale.

My father.

I couldn't breathe.

"Elena's baby..."

"Carries your father's DNA."

"And my father's?"

Natalie shook her head.

"We don't know."

"Then why did Julian call it the heir?"

"Because if he could prove the child belonged to your father's genetic line, he could challenge the trust."

"That makes no sense."

Natalie smiled bitterly.

"Julian doesn't need legal ownership."

She pointed at the next page.

"He needs the voting leverage created by public uncertainty."

I looked down.

There was a clause I hadn't seen.

In the event of simultaneous claims by direct descendants, control shall remain frozen until independent arbitration.

Julian's plan suddenly became obvious.

He didn't need to become the heir.

He needed chaos.

If he could create multiple competing heirs, Vanguard would freeze.

During the freeze, creditors could attack.

Castle Holdings could acquire distressed shares.

Julian would buy Vanguard through the back door.

I whispered:

"He was never trying to inherit Vanguard."

Natalie shook her head.

"He was trying to bankrupt it."

A sound came from the hallway.

Footsteps.

Marcus stood.

"How did he find us?"

Natalie looked terrified.

"He shouldn't have."

The vault lights flickered.

Then a message appeared on the security monitor.

HELLO, CLARA.

Julian.

A second line appeared.

LOOK BEHIND YOU.

I turned.

The bank employee at the doorway was holding a gun.

Marcus tackled him.

A shot exploded.

The bullet struck the steel wall.

Natalie screamed.

I grabbed the documents.

Marcus fought the attacker.

Another figure appeared behind him.

Then another.

Security.

Except they weren't bank security.

Julian's men.

Marcus shoved me toward a side exit.

"Go!"

"Marcus!"

"Take the will!"

I ran.

Natalie followed.

Anna was waiting in the vehicle.

We drove.

Behind us, the bank alarm screamed.

I clutched the will against my chest.

Then my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered.

A child's voice whispered:

"Mom?"

I froze.

"I think you have the wrong number."

The child breathed shakily.

"No."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Leo."

My heart stopped.

"Who told you to call me?"

"I found Daddy's phone."

"Who is your daddy?"

Silence.

Then the child whispered:

"Julian."

The line went dead.

I stared at the screen.

Natalie looked at me.

"What happened?"

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I slowly raised my eyes.

"Julian has another child."