Chapter 4 - The Shadow Economy
Chloe sat in the high-backed leather chair of the Vance headquarters.
Before her lay the entire financial portfolio of Sterling Enterprises.
"They are heavily leveraged, Miss Vance," her financial analyst reported.
"They borrowed over fifty million dollars to fund this new project."
"If the Vance Group pulls out, they will go bankrupt within thirty days."
"Perfect," Chloe murmured, swirling a glass of dark red juice.
"Who is their main creditor?" she asked, her voice sharp.
"Apex Bank. Which, as you know, is secretly owned by your family."
Chloe smiled, the memory of the hot gravy on her shoulder burning in her mind.
"Instruct Apex Bank to call in their loans early, citing financial instability."
"But Miss Vance, that will panic them immediately," the analyst noted.
"That is exactly what I want," Chloe replied coldly.
"I want them terrified. I want them desperate when they walk into the meeting."
She looked at the bandages on her hand, feeling a strange sense of peace.
The weak girl who tolerated abuse was gone forever.
She was now the predator, and the Sterlings were her prey.
She called her secretary into the office.
"Prepare the grand conference room for Friday morning."
"And make sure there is a bottle of vintage Cabernet on the table."
"I want Victoria Sterling to remember the smell of her own cruelty."
Meanwhile, at the Sterling mansion, Victoria was celebrating.
She was bragging to her friends about how she kicked Chloe out.
"She was a parasite," Victoria laughed, sipping her tea.
"Julian deserves a woman of status, not a charity case."
"And now we are partnering with the Vance family. We are elite!"
Her friends cheered, completely ignorant of the coming storm.
The countdown to their destruction had officially begun.
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Every step they took brought them closer to the abyss.
And Chloe was holding the rope.
