Chapter 2 - The Art of the Eviction
Evelyn’s glass of expensive Chardonnay slipped from her fingers, shattering against the mahogany table. The wine pooled around the leather folder, but I didn't blink.
"This is a lie! A sick, twisted fabrication!" Evelyn shrieked, her aristocratic mask completely shattering. She turned to Connor, her face twisted in panic. "Connor! Tell her she’s lying! Tell me this house belongs to us!"
Connor was staring at the documents in front of him. His hands were shaking so violently that he could barely turn the pages. He recognized the signature at the bottom of the master lease agreement. It was his own signature, signed during a desperate midnight board meeting a year ago when he was trying to hide his massive trading losses from the public.
"No... no, this can't be," Connor whispered, his face turning an ash-gray color. "Apex Vanguard is managed by a board in London. I’ve spoken to their attorneys! They never mentioned you!"
"Because I instructed them not to, Connor," I said, finally standing up from my chair. The cold water soaked into my dress didn't matter anymore. The fire burning inside me was more than enough to keep me warm. "I wanted to see exactly how far you would go. I wanted to see if you would show a single ounce of remorse for abandoning your pregnant wife the moment your new girlfriend promised you a connection to the high-society elite."
Vanessa’s eyes darted between Connor and the eviction notice. The smug smile was completely gone from her face. She pulled her hand back from Connor’s arm as if he had suddenly become contagious. "Connor... what is she talking about? You told me you owned this estate. You told me your family was untouchable!"
"They were untouchable, Vanessa," I said, stepping around the table, my heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor. "Until they decided to default on their payments while using corporate funds to buy you diamonds. Every cent Connor spent on you over the past six months was drawn from an Apex-backed credit line."
I stopped right behind Evelyn, who was trembling, her hands gripping the edge of the table.
"You dumped a bucket of ice water on me because you thought I was helpless, Evelyn," I whispered near her ear, my voice devoid of any anger, which made it infinitely more terrifying. "You laughed because you thought your wealth gave you the right to be cruel. But wealth is a phantom. It disappears the moment the true owner closes the account."
Two men in dark, tailored suits suddenly walked through the dining room archway. They weren't the Harrington estate guards. They were federal marshals, accompanied by my personal legal team led by Marcus Vance.
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"Ms. Carter," Marcus said, bowing his head slightly to me. "The court order has been finalized. The lock changing team is outside in the driveway."
"Excellent," I said, looking down at the entire Harrington family. "Please escort Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, and their guest, off my property immediately. They may take the clothes on their backs. Everything else inside this house belongs to the estate."
