Chapter 3: Ten Seconds to Ground Zero
Beatrice stood up from her chair, her pearls rattling aggressively against her silk gown. "Julian, call security! This crazy girl is losing her mind! She's trying to threaten our legacy!"
Clara completely ignored the matriarch. She looked directly into Julian’s eyes and tapped a single speed-dial number on her black smartphone. She didn't call a lawyer. She called the automated global asset node of the Swiss banking consortium that held ninety-five percent of the Vance family's liquid capital.
The phone went on speaker. A crisp, digital voice echoed through the dimly lit living room: "Welcome to the Nexus Sovereign Registry. Please state your alpha-numeric master clearance code."
Julian’s eyes widened in absolute horror. He recognized that voice. It was the secure terminal he used to request corporate wire transfers, but his clearance level was always secondary.
"Code: Echo-Phoenix-Nine-Seven-Four," Clara spoke clearly into the microphone. "Initiate immediate emergency asset freeze on all connected personal and corporate routing numbers under the Vance Global umbrella. Reason: Security breach by secondary account holder."
The digital voice responded instantly: "Authorization confirmed, Director Clara. Processing freeze. Time to execution: Three seconds. Two. One. All accounts locked. Trading capabilities suspended."
Julian frantically pulled his own phone out of his tailored suit pocket, his fingers shaking violently as he tried to open his premium banking application. A giant, red flashing notification filled his screen: ACCOUNT SUSPENDED. ACCESS DENIED.
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His arrogant supremacy shattered instantly in a matter of seconds. The multi-million-dollar hedge fund mogul was looking at a balance of absolute zero.
"What did you do?!" Julian roared, his voice cracking with a mixture of rage and intense, suffocating panic. "Undo it! Undo it right now, Clara! That's my money! That's my company's payroll!"
