Chapter 7 - Unmasking the Viper
The security guards reached her just as she placed a USB drive into the console. “Ma’am, you need to leave,” one of them growled, gripping her arm.
“I have the right to be heard!” Avery shouted, her voice amplified by the room’s sound system. “And I have the evidence of the illegal back-room dealings that have brought us here today!”
She hit the 'Enter' key.
The screen behind the council podium flickered to life. Instead of the proposed zoning maps, it displayed a series of emails between the Council President and Liam Sterling’s right-hand man. The emails detailed a scheme to intentionally sabotage the Valley District’s water infrastructure, forcing the residents into bankruptcy so the Sterlings could acquire the land for pennies.
The room erupted into chaos. Journalists, who Elena had tipped off anonymously, began snapping photos. The Council President started stammering, his face turning an alarming shade of purple.
May you like
“This is a forgery!” he shrieked, but it was too late. The damage was done.
Avery pulled away from the guard, her eyes locked on the room. She felt a surge of exhilaration. She had successfully turned the council’s own stage into a platform for her revenge. But as she turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of Victoria Sterling in the back row, watching her with a terrifying, unreadable expression. Victoria wasn’t angry—she was smiling.
