Chapter 7 - The Trap at the DocksThe night air at the eastern docks was thick with fog. Rusted shipping containers towered over the damp asphalt like silent giants. Charlotte stepped out of a black sedan, her hands buried in the pockets of her dark coat. Julian walked beside her, his hand resting near his coat where a hidden earpiece connected them to a elite private security team surrounding the perimeter.

Standing near the edge of the pier, illuminated by the dim light of a single streetlight, was a tall, silver-haired man in a tailored trench coat. Beside him stood Victoria Sterling, looking pale and nervous, alongside four armed guards.

“Charlotte,” Marcus Vance said, his voice deep and calm, completely unbothered by the cold wind. “You look remarkably like your mother. Intelligent, persistent... and entirely naive.”

“Where are the master key files, Marcus?” Charlotte demanded, stopping ten paces away. “Arthur is in police custody. His confession is being processed as we speak. Your entire network is collapsing.”

Marcus chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Poor Arthur. He actually believed he was going to run Solmere. He was merely an effective tool to keep you occupied while I reclaimed what was rightfully mine. Your mother robbed me of my share thirty years ago, Charlotte. I merely took back what belonged to me.”

“You stole from her!” Charlotte shouted. “You embezzled millions from the founding capital, and when she found out, you fled the country!”

“And now I am back to finish the transaction,” Marcus replied smoothly. He signaled to one of his men, who stepped forward carrying a rugged metal briefcase. “Inside this case is the global transfer interface. All I need is your iris scan to authorize the release of the trust funds into my private accounts. Once that is done, you and Julian are free to keep your hotel.”

Victoria stepped forward, her voice trembling. “Marcus, you promised my father would be protected if I helped you get into the hotel safe!”

Marcus didn't even look at her. “Your father served his purpose, Victoria. Now keep quiet.”

Charlotte took a step forward, looking Marcus directly in the eye. “You think you hold all the cards, Marcus. But you forgot one thing about my mother.”

Marcus’s eyebrows narrowed slightly. “What’s that?”

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“She never trusted anyone with the master codes,” Charlotte said, pulling out her phone. “Including the safe in her office. The files you stole yesterday were decoys—data traps designed to trace whoever downloaded them.”

Marcus’s phone suddenly began ringing frantically. He pulled it out, his expression darkening as he read the system alerts flashing across his screen. His offshore accounts were being locked down one by one by the international banking tribunal.