Chapter 14 - The Final Showdown
Ten minutes later, Victoria Sterling stood in the opulent private office of the Swiss Bank Director, her face red with rage, surrounded by four high-priced Swiss corporate lawyers.
"This is illegal!" Victoria shouted, slamming her leather purse on the desk. "I am Grant Alden's legitimate daughter and sole legal heir! That vault belongs to his estate! I demand you freeze those assets immediately!"
The office door swung open.
Evelyn Vance walked in, looking regal, calm, and utterly unfazed. Behind her stepped Gabriel Thorne and Harold Finch, carrying the black leather briefcase.
Victoria turned on Evelyn, her eyes burning with hatred. "You! You think you can steal my father's legacy?"
"Your father had no legacy, Victoria," Evelyn said smoothly, sitting down in an armchair across from her. "He had a trail of debts, forgeries, and betrayed lives. And as for this vault..."
Evelyn nodded to Harold, who opened the briefcase on the director's mahogany table. Inside were rows of offshore bond certificates totaling forty million dollars, along with the physical dossier.
"Grant legally assigned full power of attorney and trustee rights of these specific offshore accounts to the Vance Foundation for Investigative Justice three days before he died," Evelyn explained calmly, handing the certified, notarized documents to Victoria's head lawyer. "It was signed, witnessed by federal officers, and filed with the New York State Surrogate's Court."
Victoria's lawyer reviewed the documents quickly, his face darkening. He leaned over and whispered into Victoria's ear: "It's ironclad, Victoria. The transfer is completely legal under both U.S. and Swiss law. If we contest this, we expose your uncle Arthur Sterling to federal criminal investigation for his involvement in the Croft land grab."
Victoria froze, her jaw trembling with impotent rage. She looked at Evelyn, realizing she had been completely outmaneuvered.
"You took everything from my father," Victoria spat bitterly.
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"No," Evelyn corrected her, her voice echoing with absolute authority. "Your father took everything from himself when he chose deceit over integrity. Now, get out of our way."
Victoria Sterling turned on her heel and stormed out of the bank, her lawyers trailing behind her in silent defeat.
