Chapter 3: The Federal Trap
By the time the sun began to dip below the Manhattan skyline, the house was under quiet surveillance. Daniel had invited the board members to a dinner that night, under the guise of discussing the "unfortunate incident" with Amelia. Victoria was still playing the role of the concerned sister, ensuring that everyone believed Amelia had "tripped" due to her supposed fragile mental state.
When the board members arrived, they were greeted not by a subservient Daniel, but by a man who had reclaimed his father’s authority. The dinner began with a toast. As the glasses were raised, Daniel watched Victoria with a terrifying, unreadable expression. "To the truth," he said, his voice echoing in the vaulted ceiling. "And to the chemicals we find in our blood."
Victoria’s hand faltered. She knew then that the champagne had been tested. She knew the floor in the foyer had spoken. The "emergency" she had planned for the night shifted instantly. She had anticipated a death; she hadn't anticipated an investigation. As the doors to the mansion were pushed open by federal agents, the social facade crumbled. Victoria didn't scream; she simply set her glass down, her face turning into a mask of pure, unadulterated hatred.
