Chapter 5 - Turning the Tables
The day of the audit arrived. I chose to attend personally, accompanied by two senior forensic accountants from Apex and a pair of uniformed security guards.
I wore a tailored, midnight-blue power suit, my hair cut into a sharp, professional bob, and a pair of diamond earrings Arthur had gifted me for closing my first ten-million-dollar deal. I looked entirely different from the woman in the thin cardigan who had begged for shelter eighteen months ago.
When we walked into Clara’s Creative Concept, the receptionist looked up, startled by our entourage.
"Can I help you?" she stammered.
"I am Natalie Vance, Managing Director of Apex Strategy Group, the parent company of Blackwood Holdings," I said, my voice echoing through the open-plan office. "We are here for the scheduled financial audit and asset verification."
Before the receptionist could answer, the door to the inner office flew open, and Clara stepped out. She was wearing a designer dress that I knew, based on her financial records, had been purchased on a maxed-out credit card.
"Natalie?!" Clara gasped, her eyes widening in absolute shock. She looked at my suit, my security team, and the sheer authority radiating from me. "What... what is this? What are you doing here?"
"I’m here to inspect my property, Clara," I said smoothly, walking past her into her private office. The accountants immediately began setting up their laptops at her conference table.
"Your property?!" Clara cried, following me, her voice rising in panic. "This is my firm! You can't just barge in here with security! Dad said you were living in some run-down apartment!"
"Dad is misinformed about a great many things," I replied, sitting behind her desk and gesturing for her to take a seat opposite me. She remained standing, trembling with a mixture of rage and fear.
"You can't do this, Natalie! I'll call the police!"
"Go ahead," I said, leaning back. "But before you do, you might want to review this." I slid a manila folder across the desk.
Clara snatched it up, her eyes scanning the documents. As she read, the color drained completely from her face. It was a formal eviction notice, coupled with a lawsuit for sixty thousand dollars in unpaid rent and a freeze order on her business accounts due to fraudulent financial reporting to the landlord.
"This... this is illegal! You're targeting me because of... because of that night!" Clara stammered, her voice cracking.
"I am targeting a non-paying tenant who has consistently violated the terms of her commercial lease," I corrected her coldly. "The fact that you are my sister is merely a delightful coincidence. You have forty-eight hours to vacate the premises, Clara. Every piece of equipment, every desk, and that leased Porsche parked in the executive space will be seized to satisfy the debt if payment isn't received in full by 5:00 PM tomorrow."
"Natalie, please!" Clara broke down, the arrogant facade shattering completely. She dropped into the chair, tears spilling over her expensive makeup. "If you evict me, my business is dead! My clients will leave! Dad can't help me—he’s completely broke! He’s trying to refinance the house just to pay off Eric’s credit card debts!"
I stood up, smoothing the front of my jacket. I looked down at her, feeling absolutely nothing but a profound sense of closure.
"You told me that divorce only proves I'm a failure, Clara," I said softly, leaning over the desk so my voice was for her ears only. "You told me to keep my mouth shut and swallow my pride. So, let me give you the same advice. Save your business. Keep your mouth shut, work harder, and stop pretending to be something you're not. Because from where I'm sitting... you look like an absolute failure."
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I walked out of the office, the click of my high heels sounding like a death knell for her superficial empire. Behind me, I could hear her sobbing frantically into her hands.
Phase one was complete. Now, it was time to deal with Julian.
