Chapter 4 - The Frozen Assets
At 8:00 a.m. the following morning, the sun rose over a freezing, rain-slicked downtown district.
Julian and Chloe had spent the night in a local hotel after being escorted off my mother’s property by sheriff’s deputies. They believed that because they hadn't been formally handcuffed on the spot, they still had room to maneuver, clear out their bank accounts, and hire a high-priced corporate defense attorney to intimidate me.
At 8:30 a.m., Chloe walked into the marble foyer of the First National Private Bank on Fifth Avenue, dressed in a black trench coat, dark sunglasses, and carrying a leather designer tote. She approached the senior teller counter with an air of practiced arrogance.
"I need to make an immediate wire transfer of eighty-five thousand dollars from account ending in 4092 to our offshore manager," Chloe demanded, sliding her black platinum card across the marble counter. "And I need fifty thousand in cash cashier's checks immediately."
The teller, a professional woman in her fifties, swiped the card into the system.
A sharp, high-pitched error tone hummed from the card reader.
The teller frowned, re-keying the numbers. She looked up at Chloe, her expression suddenly shifting from polite warmth to rigid professionalism.
"I’m sorry, Mrs. Vance," the teller said, keeping her voice level. "This transaction cannot be completed."
Chloe snapped her sunglasses off, glaring at the woman. "What do you mean it can't be completed? Try it again! That is an uncapped private client account!"
"Ma'am, the account has a Code 99 Restraint placed on it," the teller explained calmly. "By order of the State Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Division, all assets associated with your Social Security number and Julian Vance’s tax ID have been frozen under an emergency forfeiture warrant."
Chloe’s heart plummeted into her stomach. "Frozen?! That’s impossible! My husband is an executive!"
"If you have questions, you are directed to contact the Special Investigations Unit," the teller added, holding up a official printed notice stamped with the seal of the State of Ohio.
Panic, cold and sharp, seized Chloe’s chest. She snatched her card back and practically ran out of the bank, pulling her phone from her purse with trembling hands to call Julian.
Julian was currently standing in the parking garage of his consultancy firm, surrounded by two security guards and his firm’s managing partner, Arthur Sterling.
"Julian," Sterling said gravely, holding a stack of legal papers. "The firm received a federal administrative subpoena two hours ago. The state has flagged over three hundred thousand dollars in unauthorized transfers from your mother’s trust into our corporate clearing account."
"Arthur, listen to me!" Julian pleaded, sweat breaking out across his forehead despite the morning cold. "It’s my sister! She’s an Assistant AG and she’s abusing her position to launch a personal vendetta against me because of a family dispute over my mother’s care!"
"The subpoena was signed by a Senior District Judge, Julian," Sterling replied coldly, stepping back as two building security officers moved in. "Until this matter is resolved, your partnership status is suspended, your access to the building is revoked, and your corporate accounts are locked. We cannot have the firm implicated in felony elder fraud."
"You’re firing me?!" Julian yelled, his polished veneer completely disintegrating.
"We are protecting our institution," Sterling said, turning his back and walking toward the elevator.
Julian stood stranded in the concrete garage, his phone screaming in his hand. He answered it, putting it to his ear.
May you like
"JULIAN!" Chloe hysterical shrieks echoed through the receiver. "THE BANK LOCKED EVERYTHING! MY CARDS ARE DECLINED! THE CAYMAN TRANSFER WAS INTERCEPTED! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
Julian collapsed back against his luxury SUV, clutching his chest as he realized the terrifying truth: Elena hadn't just reported them. She had systematically cut off every single financial vein they used to breathe.
