Chapter 2: The Digital Guillotine
Inside the mansion, the celebratory champagne was still being poured. Julian, the heir, was showing off the ring—an ornate, gaudy piece of history—to his wife. The room was filled with the laughter of the elite, the sound of people who believed they were untouchable.
Then, the first phone pinged. Then the second. Then the third.
Julian’s laughter died in his throat as he checked his banking app. His face went slack, then pale. "What... what is this?"
"Julian, my account is empty," his wife shrieked, her voice spiraling into panic. "Everything. The brokerage, the savings, the venture funds. It’s all gone!"
The room dissolved into chaos. Beatrice grabbed her tablet, her fingers flying across the screen, trying to access the family’s primary trust. Access Denied. The error message flashed in red, mocking her. It wasn't just a glitch; it was a systematic wipe.
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Their wealth wasn't just being moved; it was being atomized. Every stock option, every bond, every liquid dollar was being rerouted to a blind trust Eleanor had spent two years setting up. It was a digital guillotine, and the blade had just dropped.
Beatrice looked up, her gaze frantic. "She didn't run away," she gasped, the realization hitting her like a physical blow. "She was cleaning the house."
