Chapter 5 - THE SECRET TRUST FUND
The white hospital room was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor tracking Serena's vital signs. Soft morning light filtered through the window, casting long shadows across the pristine white sheets covering her body.
Caleb sat in a chair by the bed, his tactical vest replaced by a dark blue suit jacket, his eyes showing the fatigue of forty-eight hours without sleep. He watched Serena carefully as her eyelids fluttered open, her breathing stabilizing as consciousness returned.
"Caleb..." Serena whispered, her voice dry as parchment as she reached for the glass of water on the bedside table.
Caleb immediately stood up, helping her sip the water before adjusting her pillows with surprising gentleness. "You're safe, Serena. The doctors said your leg is fractured, but there's no internal bleeding."
Serena looked down at the hospital gown she was wearing, her mind returning to the terrifying moment she felt Julian's hands shove her over the stone railing. A shudder ran through her slender frame as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.
"Is Julian... is he in custody?" she asked trembling.
"He's in a federal holding facility without bail," Caleb reassured her softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "And your mother-in-law was arrested as a co-conspirator late last night."
Serena let out a long, shaky breath, closing her eyes as a sense of profound relief washed over her wounded body. She reached under her pillow, pulling out a small silver key attached to a delicate chain around her neck.
"Julian thought he was pushing me to steal my father's corporate shares," Serena said, her voice growing stronger as her determination returned. "He didn't know that my father transferred the entire controlling interest into a private blind trust three years ago."
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Caleb looked at the key in her hand, realizing the massive implications of her statement. "Which means Julian and Victoria never actually owned the defense assets they were trying to sell to foreign buyers."
"They were selling ghost assets," Serena confirmed, looking into Caleb's eyes. "And now that they've exposed themselves, we can unlock my father's vault in New York and recover every stolen dollar."
