Chapter 2 - The Open Door and the Live Feed
The metal lock clicked open with a loud, mechanical snap that echoed violently down the quiet entryway.
I didn't step back from the door; I stood firmly in the center of the foyer, my phone held up with the live security application recording every single micro-expression on Harrison's face.
The door swung inward, and Harrison practically burst through the threshold, his perfectly pressed navy suit disheveled from the morning heat.
"Claire!" he yelled, his confidence briefly surging before he noticed the calm, icy stillness in my eyes.
"You aren't answering your phone, you shut down the primary accounts, you have no right to isolate yourself like this!"
"I have every legal right to manage my personal accounts, Harrison," I said, my voice completely flat and devoid of any human warmth.
"The judge signed the decree at 11:15 yesterday morning, which means you are currently a trespasser in a property owned entirely by my private trust."
Patricia pushed past her son, her cream-colored coat flapping as she pointed a manicured finger directly at my face.
"How dare you decline my card at a public charity auction!" she shrieked, her aristocratic voice cracking with pure, unfiltered rage.
"The total was fifty thousand dollars! You embarrassed our family name in front of the entire municipal board!"
"The family name you're so proud of is built on a foundation of air, Patricia," I said smoothly, turning the phone screen toward Harrison's face.
"And right now, the live stream from this camera is broadcasting directly to the compliance department at City National Bank."
Harrison froze, his mouth opening slightly as he saw the rolling red recording icon flashing at the top of the screen.
"Claire... stop," he whispered, a sudden, cold panic bleeding into his expression as he took a step toward the counter.
"The asset index... the offshore funds... you didn't just lock the credit lines, did you?"
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"I locked everything, Harrison," I replied, a slow, beautiful calm settling over my chest.
"Because before the sun came up, I finally learned exactly what you've been hiding behind my father's old logistics registry."
