Chapter 4 - The Counterfeit
The loud tearing sound of the thick paper made several wealthy guests scream in pure shock.
Richard lunged forward, trying to save the torn halves, but Vance effortlessly pushed him back.
"You just destroyed billions of dollars!" Richard screamed, falling to his knees on the cold floor.
Elara let the two torn halves flutter slowly to the ground like useless pieces of trash.
"I did not destroy anything of value, Richard," Elara corrected him, her voice perfectly even.
She pointed down at the torn edge of the document where the golden seal had been violently split.
"My mother was a paranoid genius, and she knew you would eventually try to steal the physical bonds," Elara explained.
She crouched down slightly so she could look her defeated father directly in the eyes.
"She printed the real bonds on thermal reactive paper that changes color when exposed to human body heat," Elara revealed.
Richard stared at the torn pieces on the floor, realizing they were completely white and unchanged.
"You have been hiding a worthless, counterfeit piece of paper in your safe for the last ten years," Elara said with a mocking smile.
Camilla, realizing all the money was truly gone, let out an animalistic shriek of pure rage.
"Hotel security, arrest this crazy woman right now!" Camilla ordered the venue's uniformed guards.
Four hotel security officers awkwardly stepped forward, drawing their heavy black batons.
They looked nervously at Vance's heavily armed private contractors.
"Stand down, gentlemen, or you will lose more than just your jobs today," Vance warned the hotel guards.
The hotel guards hesitated, realizing they were completely outmatched and outgunned.
"I pay your salaries, do as I command!" Camilla shrieked, her face turning an ugly shade of purple.
The head of hotel security slowly lowered his baton and shook his head.
"Actually, ma'am, Madam Elara purchased this entire hotel property three hours ago," the guard stated politely.
Camilla staggered backward, bumping into a large table filled with expensive wedding gifts.
Everything she had fought for, lied for, and manipulated was completely gone in a matter of minutes.
Julian, still being held by the two contractors, suddenly let out a manic, desperate laugh.
He forcefully kicked one of the guards in the knee and aggressively shoved the other one away.
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Before anyone could react, Julian reached into his perfectly tailored tuxedo pants.
He pulled out a compact, silver pistol and aimed it directly at Elara's chest.
