Chapter 2: The Freezing Point
Julian Vance poured himself a drink, but his hand trembled slightly as the ice hit the glass.
The satisfaction of throwing Elena out had already started to rot inside him. His mother had insisted she was a manipulator. The scratches on Elena’s face, the scene at the gala—it had all been “necessary.”
Then his phone rang.
His CFO’s voice came through, panicked.
“Julian… we’re collapsing. The offshore trust just pulled all liquidity. We’re facing a full margin call. Every account is frozen. We default in twelve hours.”
Julian froze.
“That’s impossible,” he snapped. “That fund is untouchable.”
A pause.
Then the CFO lowered his voice.
“There’s an emergency board notice. The proxy holder is attending in person tomorrow morning.”
Julian’s grip tightened.
“Name?” he demanded.
A beat of silence.
May you like
“Elena Morozov.”
The glass slipped from Julian’s hand and shattered across the marble floor.
