Chapter 14 - Whispers of Treason
Lily didn't panic. Three years on the streets had trained her body to react to danger instantly. She drove her heel sharply onto her attacker's foot, heard a muffled grunt of pain, and bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth. The man swore in Spanish and released his grip.
"Ethan, run to Marcus!" Lily yelled, shoving Ethan toward the bright emergency exit light that had just flickered on down the hall.
Ethan ran as fast as his legs could carry him, reaching Marcus and two estate security guards who came charging down the corridor with drawn flashlights. But as Marcus reached Lily, the main power flashed back on, revealing a terrifying scene.
Arthur Vance lay unconscious near the podium, surrounded by panicked guests. Standing over him was no attacker, but a fallen syringe.
"He's not breathing properly!" a doctor from the crowd yelled out, rushing to Arthur's side. "It's an acute neurotoxin!"
By midnight, the ICU floor of Mount Sinai Hospital was under heavy armed guard. Arthur had survived the initial dose thanks to the quick response of the emergency medical team, but he remained in a deep, medically induced coma.
In the waiting room, Lily stood by the window, watching the rain beat against the glass. Ethan was asleep on the sofa, wrapped in a heavy blanket. The door clicked open, and Director Charles Sterling walked in, accompanied by two men in dark business suits holding leather briefcases.
"Lily," Sterling said, his tone dripping with false sympathy. "This is a tragedy beyond words. But as Vice-Chairman of Vance Enterprises, I must inform you of the emergency measures approved by the board less than an hour ago."
He motioned to his lawyers, who laid out a document on the table.
"With Arthur incapacitated and Ethan being a minor, the board has voted to freeze all Vance family assets, including the pending Miller Trust transfers," Sterling explained coldly. "Furthermore, as Arthur's formal adoption of you was not finalized in the state registry prior to his coma, you have no legal standing or guardianship over Ethan or the estate."
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"You poisoned him," Lily said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You staged the power outage and poisoned him so you could seize control before the trust was legally sealed."
Sterling smiled tightly, leaning down to her ear. "Proving that in a court of law will take years, my dear. And by tomorrow morning, protective services will arrive to take Ethan into state care, while security escorts you off the Vance property. You have six hours to pack your bags."
