Chapter 3 - The Sixty-Second Collapse
It started with a single phone ring.
Then another.
Within ten seconds, the ballroom sounded like a frantic telethon. Every CEO, politician, and investor in the room was reaching into their tuxedo pockets and jeweled clutches as their phones exploded with urgent notifications.
Richard Ardell answered his phone. His face drained of color, turning the shade of old parchment. "What do you mean the credit lines are frozen? All of them? That's impossible!"
Across the room, the Mayor was shouting into his phone. "Who leaked the zoning documents? The FBI is where?!"
Evelyn stepped up to the microphone the wedding band had abandoned.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she said pleasantly. "In the last sixty seconds, Ardell Real Estate Group’s primary lender has called in all outstanding loans. Due to a series of... unfortunate financial discrepancies discovered this morning, the SEC has frozen all Ardell assets pending a federal investigation."
Savannah grabbed Graham's arm. "Graham, do something! Call the banks!"
Graham was staring at me, a sickening realization washing over his face. He remembered now. He remembered the nights I stayed up until 3 A.M., fixing his disastrous financial mistakes. He remembered who really built him.
"Eleanor..." Graham whispered, taking a step toward me. "You... you did this?"
I couldn't nod. But I stared into his terrified eyes, letting him see the absolute clarity and vengeance burning within mine.
Victoria wasn't finished. Blinded by arrogance and panic, she charged at me again.
"You malicious bitch!" she screamed, raising her fist. "I'll kill you!"
She didn't make it within three feet of my chair.
May you like
Marcus intercepted her, grabbing her wrist with crushing force. Victoria shrieked as he twisted her arm behind her back, pinning the billionaire matriarch to the floor with a heavy combat boot pressed between her shoulder blades.
"Assault on a disabled person," Marcus stated calmly to the horrified crowd. "Aggravated battery. And since my team just sealed the doors, the police will be here in exactly four minutes to collect the trash."
