Chapter 13 - The Frame Around Hannah
Julian retaliated where Victoria was most vulnerable.
Not against Victoria.
Against Hannah.
Two days before the board vote, federal agents arrived at Hannah’s apartment with a search warrant.
Victoria learned from Detective Chen.
“What happened?”
“A new account surfaced.”
“In whose name?”
“Hannah Carter.”
Victoria froze.
The account had received $640,000 from Aster Lane over three years.
Hannah denied ever opening it.
The address listed on the account belonged to her.
The Social Security number matched.
Electronic identity documents matched.
Transfers began three weeks after Luke pleaded guilty.
It looked devastating.
Julian’s attorneys leaked the existence of the account within hours.
Headlines exploded.
HOUSEKEEPER LINKED TO SINCLAIR FRAUD.
DAUGHTER’S CLAIM KEY TO HEIRESS POISON CASE.
The implication was vile and effective.
Hannah had infiltrated Brackenridge.
Her husband was convicted of theft.
She received hidden money.
Her child accused Edmund.
Perhaps the Carters were manipulating Victoria.
Victoria read the reports in stunned silence.
Hannah called.
“Tell me you don’t believe it.”
Victoria answered too slowly.
That was enough.
Hannah’s voice changed.
“Of course.”
“Hannah—”
“You always need one second too long.”
“I need evidence.”
“So did Luke.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“No?”
Hannah began crying.
“Do you know what the agents did this morning? They opened Ellie’s backpack.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“They took our computer. They photographed her room.”
“I’m sorry.”
“They picked up Rosie because they thought something could be hidden inside.”
Victoria felt sick.
“Where is Ellie?”
“With my sister.”
“Let me help.”
“No.”
“Hannah—”
“No!”
The line went dead.
Victoria stood in her study staring at nothing.
Adrian entered.
“You messed up.”
She looked at him.
“I said four words.”
“You hesitated.”
“She has six hundred forty thousand dollars in an account with her identity.”
“Your credentials turned off mansion cameras.”
Victoria stared.
“Were you guilty?”
“No.”
“Then maybe stolen identity exists.”
The lesson landed.
Hard.
Victoria called Hannah again.
No answer.
She sent one message.
I was wrong to make you prove innocence before I offered trust. I won’t ask you to forgive that. I will help clear the facts whether you speak to me or not.
Then she went to the board meeting.
Julian sat at the head of the table.
Technically he was not chair.
He behaved as if he were.
“Victoria’s judgment has become compromised,” he began.
He cited Graham.
Hannah.
Adrian.
The criminal investigation.
The stock decline.
Victoria’s public statement about Luke.
“She has exposed Sinclair Global to enormous liability based on allegations from convicted criminals and household staff.”
Victoria looked at the directors.
“Some of those allegations are supported by bank records.”
Julian continued as though she had not spoken.
“Our employees deserve stability.”
Victoria almost laughed.
That word had become a weapon.
Stability.
Meaning silence.
Meaning no consequences for powerful people.
The vote was close.
Five to four.
Victoria was removed as chief executive pending completion of independent investigations.
Susan Calder, the company’s respected operations president, became interim CEO.
Victoria lost her office.
Her corporate security access.
Her executive aircraft.
Her authority to direct internal staff.
When the meeting ended, Julian approached.
“You could have stopped this.”
“How?”
“By acting like a Sinclair.”
Victoria looked at him.
“I think I finally am.”
He smiled.
“No. Richard softened before he died too.”
That sentence made her blood run cold.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.”
He walked away.
Victoria did not chase him.
Outside, reporters shouted.
She left through the main entrance rather than hiding.
“Ms. Sinclair, did you poison yourself?”
“Ms. Sinclair, is Hannah Carter part of a scheme?”
“Ms. Sinclair, are you mentally fit?”
Victoria stopped.
Cameras flashed.
Her attorneys had told her to say nothing.
She ignored them only once.
“Hannah Carter’s daughter saved my life.”
The reporters quieted.
Victoria continued.
“I have seen no evidence that changes that fact.”
Then she left.
That evening forensic investigators found how the Hannah account was opened.
The identity documents came from Sinclair human-resources files.
Accessed three years earlier.
By Graham Vale’s legal-investigation team.
The bank login originated from an IP address connected to Northstar.
Julian’s company.
Hannah had been framed.
Again.
Victoria drove to Hannah’s apartment.
Hannah refused to open the door.
Victoria sat in the hallway outside.
For forty minutes.
Finally the door cracked.
Hannah looked exhausted.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting.”
“You don’t wait.”
“I’m practicing.”
Hannah nearly smiled.
Victoria held out a forensic report.
“They used your HR identity documents.”
Hannah read it.
Her hands began shaking.
“Julian?”
“Northstar.”
Hannah looked up.
Victoria said, “I should have believed you faster.”
“Yes.”
“I keep failing that test.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
Then the apartment door opened wider.
Not forgiveness.
But entry.
Inside, Ellie ran from the bedroom.
She stopped when she saw Victoria.
Then hid Rosie behind her back.
“Police touched her.”
Victoria crouched.
“I heard.”
“They looked inside her tummy.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ellie considered her.
Then asked, “Are you still breathing?”
Victoria smiled sadly.
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
That night Hannah received a call from Luke’s attorney.
Federal prosecutors had joined a motion to vacate his conviction.
The manipulated evidence was now undeniable.
Luke Carter might be coming home.
But before Hannah could celebrate, Detective Chen called Victoria.
Julian had scheduled a special shareholder action.
In forty-eight hours, he intended to approve the Radnor sale using disputed proxy rights he claimed still belonged to him.
Value:
$1.7 billion.
If it closed, money and records would scatter across multiple jurisdictions.
Victoria had lost the CEO title.
May you like
Hannah had nearly lost her freedom.
And Julian was trying to escape with the company’s most valuable division before the walls closed around him.
