Chapter 3 - The Black Widow
Ethan looked back and forth between his mistress and his brother-in-law in total confusion.
"Her name is Lauren," Ethan corrected defensively.
Julian stepped forward, pulling a thin electronic tablet from his briefcase.
"Her name is Victoria Vance, and she is a highly wanted federal fugitive," Julian announced clinically.
Lauren took a frantic step backward, looking desperately toward the back door.
Caleb blocked her path without even breaking a sweat.
"Victoria here specializes in seducing gullible, ambitious executives," Caleb explained to a horrified Ethan.
"She isolates them, convinces them to sign over equity, and completely drains their corporate accounts."
Ethan shook his head stubbornly.
"You are lying because you want to protect Grace," Ethan argued.
Julian slid the tablet across the dining table toward Ethan.
"Look at the screen, Ethan," Julian commanded.
Ethan reluctantly looked down at the glowing digital documents.
They were real-time banking transfers showing his entire corporate treasury being moved into offshore shell companies.
"She initiated the transfers from your own laptop while you were pouring wine twenty minutes ago," Julian noted.
Ethan pulled out his own phone and desperately logged into his banking app.
The bold red numbers on his screen confirmed that his business accounts held exactly zero dollars.
His legs gave out, and he collapsed heavily into a dining chair.
"You stole everything?" Ethan whispered, staring at Lauren in disbelief.
Lauren's terrified expression suddenly melted away, replaced by a cold, calculating glare.
She reached into her expensive designer purse with lightning speed.
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"You Sterling boys always were entirely too smart for your own good," she sneered.
She pulled a compact, black handgun from the purse and aimed it directly at Grace's stomach.
