Chapter 5 - The Trap is Set
Ethan refused to sit back while Clara ran. He knew how predators like Clara operated—they were driven by greed and pride.
Returning home with Lily and Maria under heavy private security, Ethan transformed the mansion into a command center. He hired Maria full-time as Lily’s personal guardian with a lifetime salary and security detail, ensuring she and her family would be protected forever.
“Lucas,” Ethan said, sitting in his study overlooking the manicured grounds. “Clara didn't just want my money; she wanted to secure her escape route. She left three hidden safe-deposit boxes in local bank vaults that she couldn't clear yesterday because the banks were closed for the holiday.”
“You think she’s still in the city?” Lucas asked.
“I know she is. She needs her forged passports stored in the downtown vault,” Ethan said. “And we’re going to make sure she walks right into our arms.”
Ethan leaked a false story to the financial press: Billionaire Ethan Graves in Critical Condition Following Domestic Incident; Estate Accounts Temporarily Frozen Pending Investigation.
He knew Clara’s narcissism would convince her that Ethan was paralyzed by grief and shock, giving her a window of opportunity to strike at his financial accounts before the freeze took full effect.
That evening, a figure dressed in dark clothing and large dark sunglasses approached the private banking terminal downtown. She slid a key into Vault 402, her hands steady, her lips curled in a cold smile.
As the heavy metal box slid open, revealing fake passports and stacks of bearer bonds, the lights inside the vault lobby suddenly cut out, replaced by the stark blue flash of police cruisers outside.
The heavy steel doors slammed shut, locking Clara inside the security vestibule.
Detective Vance stepped into the glass hallway, accompanied by Ethan.
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Clara whipped around, her eyes wild with panic. “Ethan! Tell them to let me out! This is a mistake!”
Ethan looked at her through the reinforced glass, his expression cold and unyielding. “The mistake was thinking you could touch my daughter and walk away alive.”
