Chapter 3 - The Woman Behind the CurtainElena arrived at the Aurelia family estate just after sunrise.
Elena arrived at the Aurelia family estate just after sunrise.
The estate sat beyond a private road surrounded by centuries-old oak trees.
She had grown up there.
She had left it nine years earlier to marry Julian.
Her father was waiting in the library.
Richard Vale stood beside the fireplace, wearing a dark suit.
He had not slept.
Neither had Elena.
He opened his arms.
She walked into them.
"I should have listened to you."
Richard held her tightly.
"I told you he loved the man he thought he was."
Elena pulled away.
"What happens now?"
Richard looked at Martin.
Martin opened a folder.
"Phase One is already active."
Elena sat.
"Tell me everything."
Martin placed several documents on the table.
"Julian's executive authority has been revoked. All company cards are frozen. His signing authority has been removed. The board has been notified."
"And Vanessa?"
Richard's expression changed.
"Her access is being investigated."
Elena looked down.
"I don't care about Vanessa."
Richard studied her.
"You're lying."
"Maybe."
She touched the emerald necklace box resting on the table.
"She wore this last night."
Richard was silent.
"That necklace belonged to your grandmother," he said.
"I know."
"You were supposed to inherit it officially on your thirtieth birthday."
"I know."
"Then Julian gave it away."
Elena's jaw tightened.
"Yes."
Martin cleared his throat.
"There is another issue."
Elena looked up.
"What?"
"Julian made several acquisitions under his own signature."
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"How many?"
"Seven."
Elena frowned.
"Why?"
Martin slid photographs across the table.
Each showed a luxury resort.
Each had been purchased recently.
Each was connected to a shell company.
Elena studied the names.
Then she stopped.
"The Blackthorne."
Martin nodded.
"The Blackthorne was supposed to be abandoned."
"It wasn't."
"Who owns it?"
Martin's silence answered before his words did.
"Julian."
Elena looked up.
"Personally?"
"Through three shell companies."
Richard's expression darkened.
"Then he has been stealing from Aurelia."
Elena shook her head.
"Not just stealing."
Martin nodded.
"We believe he has been diverting company revenue."
"For how long?"
"At least eighteen months."
Elena stared at the documents.
Something inside her went cold again.
Nine years.
How much had he taken?
How many employees knew?
How many projects had he sabotaged?
Then Martin placed one final file on the table.
Elena opened it.
The first page contained a bank transfer.
The amount was enormous.
Hundreds of millions.
The receiving entity was not one of Julian's companies.
It was a private trust.
A trust registered in the Cayman Islands.
Elena's eyes moved down the page.
Then froze.
The beneficiary name was not Julian.
It wasn't Vanessa.
It wasn't a company.
It was a person.
Sofia Cross.
Elena looked at her father.
"Who is Sofia Cross?"
Richard's face changed.
He and Martin exchanged a glance.
Elena noticed.
"Who is she?"
Richard sat down slowly.
"Julian told you he grew up with his mother and stepfather, correct?"
"Yes."
"He lied."
Elena's pulse quickened.
Richard continued.
"Julian had an older sister."
"Had?"
"She disappeared fourteen years ago."
Elena stared at the file.
"Why is her name attached to his money?"
Martin answered.
"Because we don't think she disappeared."
The room went silent.
Elena looked back at the transfer.
A second line caught her eye.
Payment authorized by J.C.
Then a handwritten note appeared beneath it.
Three words.
She knows everything.
Elena looked up.
"Who wrote that?"
Martin took a breath.
"We don't know."
Before Elena could answer, every phone in the room chimed simultaneously.
An emergency alert had arrived.
The board meeting had been moved forward.
And someone had anonymously leaked internal Aurelia documents to the press.
The first headline was already appearing online.
THE CEO WHO STOLE FROM HIS OWN EMPIRE?
Elena stared at the screen.
May you like
Julian's war had begun.
But she was starting to suspect he wasn't the only person hiding secrets.
