Chapter 8 - The Counterattack
The ballroom erupted into chaotic murmurs and shocked gasps.
Lachlan stood perfectly still, his face an unreadable mask of cold composure.
"They cannot legally do this without proof of cognitive decline," Thea whispered frantically in his ear.
"They already bribed the corporate doctors, Thea," Lachlan replied quietly.
"We need the physical proof of Julian's embezzlement and the original assassination attempt to void this vote."
He leaned closer to her, his voice barely audible over the loud crowd.
"There is a hidden wall safe in my grandmother's private study."
"I secretly coded the biometric lock to accept your fingerprints the day before our wedding."
Thea looked at him in total shock, realizing he had been planning this counterattack from the very beginning.
She nodded silently, slipping away from his side and blending into the crowd of distracted guests.
She hurried through the massive hallways of the estate, navigating directly toward Astrid's study.
The door was unlocked, the room completely dark except for the moonlight spilling through the windows.
Thea found the hidden safe behind an oil painting and pressed her thumb against the digital scanner.
A green light flashed, and the heavy metal door swung open with a quiet click.
She pulled out a thick red folder filled with bank statements, wire transfers, and Julian's signed orders to the mechanic.
"You really are a very clever girl," a cold voice echoed from the doorway.
Thea spun around, clutching the red folder tightly to her chest.
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Astrid Voss stepped out of the shadows, looking immaculate in a silver evening gown.
In her right hand, Astrid was holding a loaded silver pistol pointed directly at Thea's heart.
