Chapter 3
Clara stood sheltered beneath the hospital's glass overhang as a sleek black Lincoln Navigator pulled up smoothly to the curb.
The tinted window rolled down automatically, revealing the grim, professional face of Marcus Vance—no, Marcus Thorne, the head of Sterling Enterprises' elite legal defense division.
"Get in the vehicle, Mrs. Vance," Marcus instructed gently, stepping out to open the heavy rear door for her.
Clara climbed into the climate-controlled leather interior, cradling her newborn son safely against her emerald green maternity dress.
"Is my father's team moving on Ethan's corporate accounts yet, Marcus?" Clara asked, her voice steady and freezing cold.
Marcus slid into the front passenger seat, nodding grimly as he tapped a sleek tablet displaying real-time financial tracking software.
"Mr. Sterling authorized a total asset freeze three minutes after your phone call ended," Marcus reported efficiently.
"Every corporate credit line, subsidiary account, and personal trust belonging to Ethan Vance has been locked down by federal order."
Clara looked down at the crumpled twenty-dollar bills still clutched in her hand, letting out a sharp, humorless breath.
"He told me to take the bus," Clara whispered, her eyes turning as hard as polished marble.
"Let's see how well he navigates Manhattan when every single one of his credit cards is publicly declined."
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Marcus offered a thin, approving smile, signaling the driver to accelerate toward the private Sterling estate in Greenwich.
The trap had officially been sprung, and Ethan Vance was walking blindly into a financial guillotine.
