94 Vance: The Hidden Queen

Chapter 3: The Billion-Dollar Trap

By the next morning, the news had leaked. “Apex Vanguard in Crisis: Board Member Arrested, Family Feud Explodes.”

The bank’s stock price began to plummet. On the trading floor, panic ensued. Millions of dollars were being wiped out every second. Outside the bank’s flagship building, a mob of reporters and anxious depositors gathered, demanding answers.

Inside her office, Evelyn was working tirelessly. She hadn't slept for twenty-four hours.

"Madam Chairwoman," Richard entered, looking exhausted. "Genesis Corp is shorting our stock aggressively. They’ve already bought up 20% of the public shares. If they reach 35%, they can force a merger and take total control. We need to buy back our own stock, but our cash reserves are locked in liquidity verification."

"How much time do we have?" Evelyn asked calmly, sipping black coffee.

"Two hours before the market closes," Richard said, his voice trembling. "If we don't inject $2 billion into the market right now, Apex Vanguard falls."

Just then, the office door flew open. Chloe Vance stormed in, weeping and frantic. "Evelyn! You have to stop this! The FBI froze our family accounts! I can't even pay my rent! My friends are laughing at me on Instagram! Undo this right now!"

Evelyn didn't even look up from her laptop. "Your father killed my father, Chloe. And you cared more about your Instagram followers. Get out."

"You heartless monster!" Chloe screamed, trying to lung across the desk, but Marcus—the security guard from the day before, whom Evelyn had promoted to her personal security detail—instantly blocked her and escorted her out of the building.

With one hour left before the market closed, the stock price reached an all-time low. The CEO of Genesis Corp, a ruthless billionaire named Victor Sterling (Richard's estranged brother), called Evelyn’s direct line.

"Give up, little girl," Victor chuckled over the speakerphone. "You’re playing a man’s game. Sign the merger papers now, and I’ll let you keep enough money to buy your cheap clothes for the rest of your life."

"Thank you for the advice, Victor," Evelyn said softly. "But you made one mistake."