Chapter 2 - FOURTEEN MILLION GONE
Arthur refreshed the screen.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The number didn’t change.
$14,073,221.18.
Gone.
His company’s emergency reserve had been nearly wiped out.
“What did you do?” he asked.
Elena gave a small shrug.
“Why do you immediately assume I did something?”
“Because five minutes ago I discovered my signature on a forged trust document!”
“You’ve signed hundreds of things without reading them.”
“I didn’t sign this.”
Maria pulled Noah behind her.
The boy was crying silently now.
Arthur noticed.
His anger shifted instantly.
“Noah, buddy. Go upstairs with Maria.”
Elena stepped forward.
“He stays here.”
Arthur turned.
“Excuse me?”
“He is my son too.”
“Then start acting like his mother.”
The words landed hard.
Elena’s face went white.
Maria gently took Noah’s hand.
“Come on, sweetheart.”
But Elena blocked the staircase.
“You’re not taking my child anywhere.”
Maria didn’t move.
Arthur did.
He stepped between Elena and the stairs.
“Maria, take Noah upstairs.”
Elena laughed.
“You’re making a huge mistake.”
“So sue me.”
“I’m your wife.”
“That title doesn’t give you permission to steal from our kid.”
Maria led Noah upstairs.
Arthur waited until they disappeared.
Then he locked the front door.
Elena watched him.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure nobody leaves.”
“You can’t keep me prisoner.”
“You’re free to walk out.”
He held up the trust documents.
“But you’re not taking Noah.”
Elena grabbed her phone.
Arthur’s own phone rang.
His chief financial officer, Daniel Price.
Arthur answered.
“Daniel.”
“Arthur, thank God. We have a serious problem.”
Arthur stared at Elena.
“What kind of problem?”
“There was a wire transfer from the company reserve this afternoon.”
“I know.”
Daniel went quiet.
“You know?”
“Fourteen million dollars.”
“Arthur… you authorized it.”
“No, I didn’t.”
Another pause.
Then Daniel lowered his voice.
“The authorization came from your private executive credentials.”
Arthur felt something cold settle in his chest.
Only three people had ever had access to those credentials.
Arthur.
His attorney.
And Elena.
“Where did the money go?”
Daniel hesitated.
“A holding company called Epsilon Ridge.”
Arthur had never heard of it.
“Who owns Epsilon Ridge?”
“I’m checking now.”
Across the room, Elena calmly poured herself a glass of water.
Too calmly.
Arthur watched her.
“Daniel, freeze every account we have.”
“I already called the bank. They need your confirmation.”
“You have it.”
“And Arthur?”
“What?”
“There’s another transfer pending.”
Arthur stopped breathing.
“How much?”
“Eight million.”
The exact amount listed in Noah’s trust documents.
Arthur looked at Elena.
She smiled over the rim of her glass.
Daniel continued.
“It’s scheduled for tomorrow at nine.”
Arthur’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Cancel it.”
“I’m trying.”
“What do you mean, trying?”
“There’s a problem.”
Arthur’s voice dropped.
“What problem?”
“The bank says the trust transfer was approved by both legal guardians.”
Arthur stared at Elena.
“I never approved it.”
Daniel swallowed audibly.
“That’s not what the authorization recording says.”
Arthur froze.
“What recording?”
Daniel sent him an audio file.
Arthur pressed play.
His own voice filled the room.
“This is Arthur Vance. I authorize the eight-million-dollar transfer from the Noah James Vance Trust.”
Arthur’s face drained of color.
The voice was perfect.
Every pause.
Every breath.
Every little habit.
But Arthur knew one thing.
He had never said those words.
Elena set down her glass.
“Still think this is just about a forged signature?”
Arthur looked at her.
“What did you do?”
She smiled.
“I told you.”
May you like
Then someone pounded violently on the front door.
“POLICE! MR. VANCE, OPEN THE DOOR!”
