Chapter 76 - The Hidden Bloodline
While Veronica paraded through the hallways of Sterling-Vance, Ethan and Marcus retreated to a hidden logistics facility in the industrial district of South Chicago.
Inside the dimly lit war room, floor-to-ceiling whiteboards were covered in financial flowcharts, satellite maps, and old family trees.
Ethan stood before a black-and-white photograph taken thirty years ago at the St. Jude Infant Home in Boston. In the photo, a young nurse held two identical baby girls wrapped in white blankets.
"Look at the adoption registry code," Marcus pointed to a highlighted line of text on his tablet screen. "Veronica wasn't just adopted by a random family. She was placed directly into a private ward owned by Harrison Cross's late father. Harrison didn't discover Veronica recently—he's been grooming her for thirty years."
"She was his insurance policy," Ethan realized, his eyes narrowing. "If Harrison ever lost control of the Chicago financial market to Victoria, he would unleash Veronica to steal the empire back under the guise of an inheritance dispute."
"Exactly," Marcus nodded. "And the toxicology report alleging Victoria poisoned her father? The chief medical examiner in New York who signed it—Dr. Robert Chen—just transferred two million dollars into a Swiss account owned by a Caribbean dummy corporation."
Ethan grabbed his tactical coat from the back of his chair. "Where is Dr. Chen right now?"
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"He's at a private medical conference at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago," Marcus replied. "Guarded by Cross's mercenaries."
"Good," Ethan pulled a heavy black sidearm from his shoulder holster, checking the magazine with a sharp click. "It's time Dr. Chen revised his medical opinion."
