Chapter 2 - The Security Chief
The tension in the courtroom snapped like a fragile string when Vance reached for his hip.
Three armed bailiffs immediately drew their weapons, shouting at the massive security chief to keep his hands visible.
Vance froze, his eyes darting frantically between the locked double doors and the furious judge.
He slowly raised his hands in the air, his customized gold lighter remaining entirely visible on the judge’s bench.
Maria sobbed quietly into her hands, completely overwhelmed by the sudden, terrifying shift in her trial.
Charles Whitmore slammed his fist onto the wooden table, demanding to know why his own security chief was involved.
Oliver looked at his father with eyes that seemed far too old and tired for an eight-year-old boy.
He softly explained that Vance was the one who had locked the door to his bedroom from the outside.
A collective murmur of absolute horror swept through the crowded gallery.
The wealthy patriarch had just realized his son was intentionally left to burn alive in the east wing.
The judge ordered the bailiffs to place Vance in handcuffs and take him into temporary custody.
As the cold steel clicked around his wrists, Vance let out a dark, humorless laugh.
He looked directly at Charles and asked if the billionaire was really going to pretend he knew nothing about this.
Charles took a step back, his arrogant posture completely crumbling under the weight of the accusation.
He aggressively denied any involvement, claiming Vance was a disgruntled employee trying to ruin the family name.
Vance sneered, telling the judge that he had carefully documented every illegal order he ever received.
He revealed that the country estate was facing foreclosure due to massive, hidden offshore gambling debts.
The fire was supposed to look like a tragic accident caused by a careless, unstable housekeeper.
The multi-million dollar insurance payout would have completely erased the family’s secret financial ruin.
Maria’s lawyer asked Vance why they would intentionally lock a helpless child inside the burning house.
Vance smiled wickedly, completely enjoying the absolute destruction of the powerful Whitmore dynasty.
He explained that Oliver’s late mother had left her entire fortune in a trust fund exclusively for her son.
If Oliver tragically perished in the flames, Charles would automatically inherit every single penny.
Charles lunged at his security chief, wrapping his hands around the larger man’s throat in a fit of violent rage.
The bailiffs tackled Charles to the floor, pulling him away before he could strangle his accomplice.
Oliver watched his father being pinned to the ground, tears finally spilling down his pale cheeks.
He looked at Maria and whispered that he was incredibly sorry he had taken so long to tell the truth.
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Suddenly, Victoria stepped forward from the gallery, holding a thick manila envelope in her trembling hands.
She announced that if she was going to prison, she was taking everyone else down with her.
