Chapter 4 - The Collapse of the Holloway Empire
The color drained completely from Richard Holloway's face, replacing his arrogant flush with a sickly, grayish pallor. He staggered backward, nearly tripping over the edge of the shattered champagne glass before a groomsman caught his elbow to steady him.
"That's... that's impossible," Richard stammered, his voice losing all its booming resonance, turning into a desperate rasp. "You're... you're just a girl. A junior... an ordinary—"
"An undercover federal forensic director," I finished for him, stepping closer so that only the inner circle of horrified family members and terrified executives could hear every word. "For eight years, I lived in that small apartment. Not because I couldn't afford a mansion like this, but because I needed to monitor the encrypted server traffic originating from Holloway Enterprises' off-shore accounts. Every transaction, every forged signature, every hidden subsidiary—it's all right here."
Arthur Sterling closed his eyes, pressing a trembling hand against his forehead. "I told you, Richard," he whispered bitterly. "I told you we should have triggered the internal compliance review three months ago. But you insisted on expanding too fast, burying the discrepancies under wedding expenses and family acquisitions."
"Arthur, you can't let her do this!" Richard lunged forward, his hands trembling as he pointed a shaking finger at me. "She's just a vindictive sibling! This is a personal vendetta! She's doing this because her family didn't invite her to the wedding!"
"My family didn't invite me because they were ashamed of me," I corrected him softly, my eyes locking onto Richard's terrified ones. "And yet, here I am, bringing you the final notice before the freeze orders hit every single bank account associated with this estate."
Chloe’s knees buckled. Her expensive silk robe brushed against the dusty remnants of champagne as she slid down the marble pillar, staring up at me with eyes wide with horror and disbelief.
"No..." Chloe sobbed, clutching her head. "No, no, no! My wedding! Martin spent two million dollars on this venue! The guests are arriving! The reception is in four hours! You can't do this today! Megan, please! I'm your sister! We share the same blood!"
"Did you care about our blood when you accepted Mom's proposition to pay me $500 to stay away?" I asked, my voice devoid of warmth. "Did you care about our blood when you told your rich friends that I was a stain on your high-society reputation? You wanted a wedding filled with 'important people who actually matter.' Well, congratulations, Chloe. You're about to star in the biggest financial scandal of the decade."
At that exact moment, the heavy double doors at the main entrance of the estate swung wide open.
May you like
A dozen men and women in dark navy windbreakers emblazoned with federal insignia marched into the magnificent foyer, led by a stern-faced woman holding a clipboard and a federal warrant.
The low murmur of panic among the arriving wedding guests turned into a full-scale wave of terror as the reality of the situation crashed over the entire ballroom.
