Chapter 4 - The Impossible Transfer
Nobody spoke.
Even the harbor seemed quieter.
Sienna took Kira's tablet.
The filing was real.
Northstar Meridian had transferred its newly acquired Richardson assets into a Vantage-controlled special purpose vehicle called Vantage Strategic Holdings VII.
There was only one problem.
Sienna had never authorized it.
"Who approved this?"
Kira was already searching.
"Authorization code says executive level."
"Which executive?"
A name appeared.
DAVID HALDEN.
Sienna's Chief Financial Officer.
Her oldest professional ally.
The man who had helped build Vantage beside her for nine years.
Sienna called him.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Kira tried.
Nothing.
Sienna's pulse quickened.
"Freeze Halden's authority."
"I'm doing it."
Julian watched them.
A small smile appeared.
Sienna saw it.
"You knew."
"I knew enough."
"David is working with you?"
Julian shrugged.
"Maybe David finally realized you're not as untouchable as you think."
Sienna stepped closer.
"You've mistaken patience for weakness."
"And you've mistaken money for control."
Police officers began moving guests toward the rear deck while Kira's legal team documented the yacht.
Charles exploded.
"You cannot seize my boat during my birthday party!"
Kira looked at him.
"Sir, according to the registration documents, your boat is owned by Richardson Leisure Holdings, which defaulted on a secured note seventy-three days ago."
Charles pointed at Sienna.
"This is because of her!"
"No," Kira replied. "It's because you stopped paying your debts."
Sienna barely heard them.
Her attention remained on Julian.
Eleven months.
Every dinner.
Every apology.
Every whispered promise.
Had it all been manipulation?
"Did you know who I was when we met?"
Julian hesitated.
That hesitation answered her.
Sienna's throat tightened.
"When?"
He said nothing.
"When did you find out?"
"Third week."
The world seemed to tilt.
Sienna remembered their third week.
A rainy Thursday.
Chinese takeout in her supposedly modest apartment.
Julian telling her he loved how normal everything felt.
She had believed him.
"You've known for almost a year."
Julian's arrogance returned.
"I needed access."
"To me?"
"To Vantage."
Eleanor whispered, "Julian..."
He ignored her.
Sienna looked around the yacht.
The humiliation suddenly made sense differently.
Maybe Eleanor and Charles hadn't known.
Maybe Julian had.
Maybe he had allowed his mother to abuse Sienna because he needed Sienna angry enough to trigger foreclosure.
A foreclosure that would move assets exactly where someone wanted them.
Into Vantage.
Through David Halden.
Sienna turned toward Kira.
"This wasn't an attempt to save Richardson Maritime."
Kira nodded slowly.
"No."
Sienna stared at the transfer.
"It was an attempt to put stolen assets inside my company."
"And make you responsible for receiving them."
Sienna looked back at Julian.
His smile was gone.
May you like
The trap was much larger than a yacht.
And she had just stepped into it.
