Part 10
The global freeze on Julian's assets sent shockwaves through his secret corporate network.
By afternoon,
his wealthy clients began canceling their contracts,
fearing federal exposure.
The smear campaign against the foundation crumbled as major news outlets retracted their articles.
Reporters were now focusing entirely on the massive corporate fraud uncovered by Ethan.
Back at the lake house,
there was a brief moment of celebration and relief.
Lena cooked a wonderful dinner,
the atmosphere light and full of laughter again.
Ava walked around the kitchen without her cane for a short distance,
showing incredible progress.
"You are doing amazing,
Ava,"
Lena said,
her eyes bright with happiness.
"I never thought we would see this day after everything that happened."
"We are taking our lives back,
Lena,"
Ava replied,
smiling warmly at her friend.
"Step by step,
we are removing their power over us."
Ethan watched them from the doorway,
feeling a deep sense of pride in his heart.
However,
his conversation with Detective Mitchell earlier kept him on high alert.
Laura had warned him that a cornered animal is always the most dangerous.
Julian Vance was facing total ruin and potential life imprisonment for federal fraud.
A man like him would not go down quietly without a final,
desperate move.
As the night grew darker,
a thick fog rolled in from the lake,
obscuring the view.
The security lights around the house flickered slightly,
then stabilized under the heavy mist.
Ethan checked the locks on all the doors and windows twice,
ensuring total security.
He sat down on the couch beside Ava,
wrapping a warm blanket around her shoulders.
"You are still worried,"
Ava noted softly,
resting her head against his chest.
"I can feel your heart beating fast,
Ethan."
"I just want this to be completely over,"
he admitted,
kissing her forehead gently.
"Vance is ruined financially,
but he is still free on bail until the formal trial."
"He has nothing left to lose,
and that makes him unpredictable."
Suddenly,
the power in the entire house went completely dead,
plunging them into darkness.
The refrigerator stopped humming,
and the outdoor security lights went out instantly.
The silence that followed was heavy,
broken only by the sound of the wind outside.
Lena let out a small gasp from her upstairs bedroom,
frightened by the sudden darkness.
Ethan stood up immediately,
his hand reaching for the flashlight on the side table.
"Stay here,
Ava,"
he whispered,
his voice tense as he clicked the light on.
"I am going to check the main circuit breaker in the basement."
Ava grabbed his arm,
her eyes wide with sudden apprehension in the beam of light.
"Be careful,
Ethan,"
she pleaded,
May you like
feeling a familiar sense of dread returning.
"Something feels wrong."
