Chapter 22 - Shadows of the Apex Syndicate
|
A month after the trial, peace seemed to return to the newly restored Vance estate. The fire damage on the west wing had been completely repaired, and the estate was filled with the warm laughter of baby Leo, who was now eight months old and crawling across the plush living room rugs.
Marcus walked into the sunlit garden courtyard, where Elena was sitting on a teak bench, reading a book while Leo played with his wooden blocks.
"You look beautiful today, Elena," Marcus said softly, sitting beside her and handing her a bouquet of fresh white roses.
Elena smiled, blushing slightly. "Thank you, Marcus."
Over the past few weeks, the distance between master and maid had completely dissolved, replaced by a deep, undeniable emotional bond forged through fire and shared struggle.
"I spoke with my legal team this morning," Marcus revealed, his voice turning serious. "The court has officially stripped Victoria of all parental rights. Leo is now legally under my sole custody."
Elena let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
"And there's something else," Marcus continued, pulling a dark leather folder from his jacket. "I spent the last week investigating what Victoria said on her way to prison... about the Apex Group."
May you like
Elena froze, setting her book down. "What did you find?"
"Julian Carter wasn't working alone," Marcus explained grimly. "His firm was heavily financed by a shadow foreign investment syndicate known as Apex Global. They hold billions in illegal offshore assets—and they believe my father's secret USB drive contains the master codes to their global accounts."
