Chapter 9 - The Unexpected Witness
Richard Vance grabbed his daughter’s arm, his face twisted in humiliation and panic. "Call our attorneys! Cancel every grant issued to the Drake Foundation! We will destroy you by morning, Julian!"
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Richard," a deep, authoritative voice called out from the back of the ballroom.
The crowd parted as an elderly man in a sharp grey three-piece suit walked forward, leaning lightly on an ivory walking cane.
It was Judge Marcus Sterling—the retired Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court and the chief benefactor of the city's medical board.
Richard Vance gasped, taking an involuntary step back. "Marcus... what are you doing here?"
"I came to attend Julian’s engagement gala," Judge Sterling said, his sharp eyes glaring at Richard. "But it seems I’m just in time to witness a confession of grand extortion, evidence tampering, and corporate fraud."
Judge Sterling looked at Julian, then down at six-year-old Mia, who was holding her mother's hand tightly.
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"Six years ago, Julian, your late father asked me to keep an eye on Richard Vance's audit reports," Judge Sterling revealed smoothly. "We suspected embezzlement, but the paper trail disappeared when Miss Rivers left the city."
👉 What sealed record did Judge Sterling pull from his inner coat pocket?
