Chapter 3: The Shattered Supreme
The entitled daughter-in-law didn't expect the heavy iron gate to remain locked. For years, all Chloe had to do was threaten a public scandal or use the grandchildren as emotional leverage, and Evelyn would write a check to keep the peace.
But today, the leverage was gone. Evelyn had already quietly filed for emergency temporary custody of the children earlier that morning, housing them safely at a luxury resort in Santa Barbara with their nannies until the parents sorted out their self-inflicted financial disaster. Chloe and Julian were completely alone on the asphalt.
"You old witch!" Chloe screamed, her face contorting into an ugly mask of malice as she realized her high-society status was evaporating in real time. "I will take you to court! I will drag the Vance name through every tabloid from New York to Los Angeles! You will beg me for forgiveness!"
Evelyn’s smile didn't fade. If anything, it grew sharper.
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"The tabloids already have the story, Chloe," Evelyn said softly, motioning to her estate manager, who held up a tablet displaying the evening headlines. 'Vance Enterprises Cuts Ties with Rogue Heir After Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Discovery.' "I spent the last forty-eight hours auditing the family foundation. I know about the charity funds you routed into your personal offshore accounts to pay for that designer coat you're wearing."
Chloe froze. Her entitled rage instantly turned into suffocating terror. The heavy iron gates loomed between them like the walls of a fortress she would never breach again. Instead of a warm welcome, her arrogant supremacy shattered instantly when the matriarch turned her back and walked away.
