CHAPTER 5
By two o'clock in the morning, the penthouse suite overlooking Central Park was bathed in quiet, serene warm light while federal investigators combed through digital records downstairs. Richard sat on the edge of Chloe’s canopy bed, watching softly as the little girl finally drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The private pediatrician had confirmed that Chloe suffered no lasting physical harm from the red wine incident, though emotional recovery would require gentle care and absolute safety. Richard stood up quietly, walked out into his private mahogany study, and poured a single finger of aged bourbon into a crystal glass.
His phone buzzed incessantly on the desk, displaying missed calls from board members, nervous journalists, and high-profile partners demanding explanations for the gala disaster. He ignored every single one of them, knowing that his corporate empire was strong enough to weather any storm he deliberately unleashed.
The door to the study opened softly, and his lead corporate attorney, Thomas Vance, stepped inside carrying a secure encrypted laptop. "The federal freeze orders on Vanessa's personal offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands have been successfully executed, Richard," Thomas reported quietly.
"Did she manage to transfer any funds before the marshals seized her devices?" Richard asked, taking a slow sip of his bourbon without turning around.
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"Not a single cent," Thomas confirmed with a tight, satisfied smile. "Her hidden accounts are completely locked, and the prenuptial fraud clause has legally nullified every single claim she had to your estate."
Richard let out a long, shuddering breath, feeling an immense weight lift from his shoulders for the first time in five agonizing years. "Good. Now we prepare for the criminal trial. I want her spending the next twenty years behind maximum-security bars."
