Chapter 4 - The Paper Trail of PoisonFor three days, the Vance estate was silent.
With Marcus’s team guarding every gate and perimeter wall, my relatives were completely barred from entering the property. I took a full leave of absence from my corporate duties, staying by Clara’s side as a private physician treated the severe contact dermatitis on her hands and helped her recover from physical exhaustion.
As Clara slept peacefully under warm blankets, I sat in my home study downstairs with Marcus and my chief legal counsel, Arthur Sterling.
The desk was covered in thick folders, financial ledgers, and intercepted email printouts.
“It's worse than we thought, Mr. Vance,” Arthur said, sliding a red folder across the mahogany desk. “Your aunt Victoria and your cousin Richard didn't just emotionally abuse your wife. They were actively setting up a legal framework to have Mrs. Vance declared mentally incompetent.”
I raised my eyes slowly from the paper. “What?”
“Over the last four months, while you were traveling to expand the Asian and European sectors,” Arthur explained, pointing to several medical records, “Victoria hired a corrupt local physician, Dr. Harrison, to visit the estate under the guise of providing Clara with 'vitamin therapy.' Those injections weren't vitamins, Julian. They were heavy-dose sedatives designed to cause memory loss, confusion, and lethargy.”
A cold, terrifying chill swept through my blood.
“They were poisoning my wife,” I stated, my voice dropping into a register that made even Marcus sit up straighter.
“Physically and psychologically,” Arthur confirmed. “Their plan was to build a medical history showing Clara was suffering from severe early-onset psychosis. Once you returned from London, Victoria was going to present these records to the board, convince you that Clara was unfit to manage her affairs, and have herself appointed as Clara's legal guardian—giving Victoria direct access to Clara's 15% voting shares in Vance Enterprises.”
I looked out the window toward the guest houses near the edge of the woods.
I had thought my family was merely arrogant, greedy, and cruel. I had not realized they were dangerous predators willing to destroy a human life for corporate equity.
“Where is Dr. Harrison right now?” I asked calmly.
“Marcus’s team picked him up an hour ago at his private clinic,” Arthur replied. “He’s currently sitting in our legal office downtown, waiting for your instructions.”
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I stood up, adjusting my handcuffs button, and picked up my coat.
“Tell him I'm coming down,” I said softly. “And tell him to bring his medical license—because today is the last day he ever practices medicine in this country.”
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