Chapter 10 - The House of Cards
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Julian gestured to one of his operatives, who immediately stepped forward and handed him a slim, leather-bound tablet.
"You see, Campbell family," Julian began, his voice projecting effortlessly, "when my wife told me she was attending this event, I decided to do a standard, routine background check on the people she was returning to. I don't like sending her into hostile environments blindly."
My father’s face drained of color. He took a hesitant step backward.
"What exactly are you implying, Mr. Vance?" my father demanded, trying to sound authoritative but failing miserably.
"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating facts," Julian said, tapping the tablet screen. "Robert Campbell. Senior Partner. You project an image of immense, unshakeable wealth. But your firm is currently under quiet investigation by the SEC for severe misappropriation of client funds, isn't it?"
The ballroom erupted in shocked murmurs. Several of my father's wealthy clients, who were attending as guests, suddenly looked panicked.
"That is a lie!" my father roared, though the sweat beading on his forehead betrayed him completely.
"Is it?" Julian countered smoothly. "Because the data my analysts pulled suggests you leveraged your primary properties to cover massive margin calls three months ago. You are drowning in debt, Robert. You are essentially bankrupt."
My mother let out a small, horrified shriek, pressing her hands to her cheeks. "Robert, tell me he's lying!"
My father couldn't answer. He was staring at Julian with wide, terrified eyes.
Julian didn't stop there. He turned his attention to Allison and her new husband, Bradford Wellington IV, who was standing awkwardly near the cake table.
"And the illustrious Wellington family," Julian sneered softly. "A name built on old money that ran out two generations ago. Bradford, your trust fund was depleted before you even graduated college. You married Allison because Robert promised a massive, seven-figure dowry investment into your failing tech startup. A dowry that Robert absolutely does not possess."
Bradford looked at Allison, his face turning a sickly shade of gray. Allison stared back at him, her mouth opening and closing silently. The fairy-tale wedding was collapsing in real-time, built entirely on a foundation of mutual, desperate financial fraud.
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"You're all playing a pathetic, desperate game of pretend," Julian summarized, handing the tablet back to his guard. "You use cruelty to mask your own profound inadequacies. You targeted Meredith because her genuine, quiet success terrified you."
I stood beside Julian, watching the arrogant, oppressive empire of my family crumble to dust in less than five minutes. I felt absolutely no pity. They had built their own trap; Julian simply turned on the lights.
