Before I could respond, Blackwood’s tablet chirped—a high-pitched, urgent alert. His face went pale as he read the screen.
“Madame… we have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The audit,” Blackwood stammered. “It’s not just Adrian’s personal spending. He… he wasn’t just wasting money. He signed off on a series of ‘ghost’ acquisitions over the last six months. Assets that don’t exist, linked to offshore accounts we don’t control.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “How much?”
“Nearly 30% of Vanguard’s liquid reserves,” Blackwood whispered. “He didn’t just ruin his life tonight, Clara. He was planning to bleed us dry and vanish. And according to these logs… he wasn’t working alone.”
Julian Thorne let out a short, dry laugh. “It seems your ‘small world’ just got a lot more complicated, Madame Vaughn.”
I looked at the charred silk on the table, then out at the city lights. The war wasn’t over. It had just moved from my living room to the global stage.
“Blackwood,” I said, my voice hardening. “Call the board. Tell them the celebration is over.”
I turned to Julian. “And you? If you’re here to gloat, you’ve picked a bad night.”
Julian straightened his jacket. “I’m not here to gloat, Clara. I’m here to offer a partnership. Because the person Adrian was working for? They’re coming for my company next.”
**The game had changed. I was no longer just the woman seeking revenge. I was the target.**
**What happens next?**
* Does Clara trust her greatest rival to save her empire?
* Where did Adrian hide the stolen millions?
* Who is the “Shadow Architect” pulling Adrian’s strings?
My husband bu:rned my only decent dress so I couldn’t attend his promotion party.
